Coin Collecting - The Hobby of Kings

A Floor of Pennies

The floor of the Standard Grill at the Standard Hotel New York has a floor made up entirely of Lincoln Head Cents (a.k.a. pennies).

I question they're all actually copper, as stated in the article, since they'd have to be minted before 1982, but it's a cool floor regardless.

(via Notcot)

Coin Trivia for 30 June 2009

1. In what state did Templeton Reid mint coins?

2. What is the highest denomination Canadian Gold Maple Leaf minted?

3. Who appears on a $100 Federal Reserve note?

4. What two coins are cataloged by their VAM varieties?

5. What metal do 1943 and 1983 Lincoln cents have in common?

Coin Trivia for 23 June 2009

1. What are the major design elements of the U.S. cent minted in 1857-1858?

2. Ngultrum as a denomination is used in what country?

3. What date in Roman numerals appears on the Great Seal of the $1 Federal Reserve note?

4. Is the 1922 Plain Lincoln Cent an example of a planchet, die or striking error?

5. The doubloon of pirate treasure fame is what denomination?

Coin Collecting Software Review: Collector's Desktop Inventory

This is a review of a coin collecting software product called Collector's Desktop Inventory. The software isn't specific to coin collections, which is both good and bad. It's good because most collectors have multiple collections and this software will allow you to catalog all of them, from baseball cards to bottle caps. It's bad because it has to be generic, meaning it doesn't have fields specific to coin collecting. For example, it doesn't have a field for the grade of the coin. It has a conditions field, but the options don't have to do with the official coin grades we use. You can always put the grade in the description or in the notes about the item, but it's not as easy or useful as having a dropdown of official grades to choose from.

I'll give you a complete run down below so you can make your own decision, but my executive summary is I don't recommend it. It's not useful enough to be worth $49.99, is fairly immature as software and just isn't compelling enough for me to recommend.

For instance, when you start the program it asks you to fill in your profile. One of the fields is the year you started collecting, but after filling it in and saving, that field wasn't saved. When I opened my profile again, it was back to 2009. Another bug I ran into was when I used an apostrophe in the 'Place of Purchase' field. The moment I typed the apostrophe (and I did it multiple times to make sure it wasn't just a quirk), an SQL exception popped up saying the application had gone awry. I'm okay with errors like these with a free product, but you shouldn't have to deal with such things using a paid application.

It wasn't all bad. The application looks nice, with several color themes to choose from and the collection overview screen is appealing too. I can also see the reports being useful if you take the time to create your own. But aesthetic appeal and custom reports isn't enough to make me recommend it for the price. In the end, this application came up wanting.

Here's the complete rundown of the program.

When you first run the program you're presented with a profile screen where you can enter your name and address, when you started collecting, favorite web sites (of course I added this site :) and a logo.

The main screen shows recently added collections and items, as well as a monthly calendar. There is also a slideshow and statistics once you've added your items.

To create a collection you enter the name and a description. You can also add an optional icon, for which I chose a fairly generic 1964 Washington Quarter.

Once a collection has been created, you can begin adding your items. This is the meat of the product, as it determines what you can store for each item in your collection. As you can see, many of the fields are meaningless for a coin but would be useful for other collectibles. After you've saved an item, the values in the fields are available to subsequent items without having to type them in. This makes things go a little quicker for things like Place of Purchase that may apply to lots of your coins. Still, the process of adding only five coins was more labor intensive than I would have liked.

Once you've saved an item, you can add any number of images. This is a nice feature and adds to the eye appeal of your digitized collection after you've gone through the drudgery of adding everything. Confirmation dialogs could be reduced to speed up the process of adding items. If you have several hundred coins in your collection, it would take quite some time to enter them all in. Many of the confirmations aren't particularly useful, like when you select a default image for an item, it pops up a dialog. I could do without the extra clicking.

As you can see, here is where you can add additional notes about the coin. I don't know offhand what I'd put here. Maybe funny stories about how I got the coin? I'm sure you could think of something.

Once you've added items to a collection, this screen displays them all. The left panel shows the detailed information of the selected item. Below that it shows images, though I'm not sure why it doesn't display all the images since the thumbnail is so small. A half dozen or more tiny thumbnails could easily be shown there.

The reports are too generic to be all that useful to coin collectors, but it's a nice idea and might be more interesting if you had your entire collection instead of a few sample entries. You can also create custom reports to provide more useful information if you so desired.

That covers it. To purchase the software, Click Here.

Disclosure: I receive a small commission on any sales of the software made from this site.

Coin Trivia for 16 June 2009

1. At what two Mints were 1909 cent varieties struck with and without V.D.B. struck?

2. A harp and various animals appear on the 1982 coinage of what country?

3. How many numerals appear in the serial number on modern Federal Reserve notes?

4. A flan or disk is also know by what other two terms?

5. What is most of the United States' gold bullion stored?

Royal Mint Issues Coin Fit for a King

Below is a press release I received from the Royal Mint about their newly released Henry VIII commemorative.

As the United Kingdom celebrates 500 years since Henry VIII acceded to the throne, the Royal Mint has captured the spirit of the occasion with a special gold coin. Commemorating a reign which instigated the Golden Age in English History, the Royal Mint pays tribute to one of England's greatest monarchs with a limited edition Crown coin, featuring the iconic and striking figure of Henry VIII himself. Only 1,509 of these precious metal coins have been minted - 1509 being the year Henry was crowned - and are available now for £1,195 each. The coin is also available in cupro-nickel, silver Proof and Platinum Piedfort, with prices starting at £9.99.

Dave Knight, Director of Commemorative Coin at the Royal Mint, said: 'Love him or hate him, Henry VIII is undoubtedly one of history's most influential monarchs. His reign changed the face of England forever and we felt it was essential that this remarkable period of history was commemorated with a lasting and treasured momento. We hope the public recognises the significance of this anniversary and chooses to honour it with a coin that does justice to a larger-than-life monarch.'

The Royal Mint's coin shows the great king standing before a frieze of roses in the 'antique' style much favoured in the carvings and tapestries of the period. The edge of the coin features a Latin inscription ROSA SINE SPINA, which was also used on Henry VIII's own coinage and translates as 'Rose without a Thorn'. Additional details include the initials HR (Henry Rex) which represents his personal monogram and a rope border surrounding the coin's design which symbolises the Royal Navy.

In addition to the gold coin, the new £5 Crown is also available in Platinum Piedfort, sterling silver and cupro-nickel. The Platinum Piedfort coins, priced at £4,400.00, are likely to be the most sought-after as only 100 of these have been made. 10,000 of the silver Proof coin have been produced, priced at £44.95, while the cupro-nickel Brilliant Uncirculated £5 coin is available for £9.99, with a product issue limit of 100,000.

The Platinum Piedfort Henry VIII coin come complete with an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity signed by the coin's designer John Bergdahl. The Brilliant Uncirculated coin is housed in a beautifully presented folder containing a wealth of information on Henry's life and his actions that changed the face of the kingdom.

For further information or to purchase your coin set, please call the Royal Mint on 0845 60 88 222 or visit www.royalmint.com.

Coin Trivia for 9 June 2009

1. What was the second U.S. coin to have a P mint mark?

2. What union strikes the ruble?

3. The letter F and the numeral 6 refer to which Federal Reserve Bank?

4. What is a "picker's chit"?

5. What is the major responsibility of the U.S. Mint Director?

Coin Trivia for 2 June 2009

1. How many alloys has the non-error Jefferson 5-cent piece been struck in?

2. What flower appears on the coinage of Bangladesh?

3. How many series of $2 Federal Reserve notes have been issued?

4. Is a dime stock quarter a die, planchet or striking error?

5. Who gives the Maurice M. Gould award?

Coin Trivia for 26 May 2009

1. What two planetary bodies appear on the 1971 Eisenhower dollar?

2. What country struck a 1-peso coin in 1970 for the visit of Pope Paul VI?

3. What two former members of the U.S. House appear on the 1981 Federal Reserve Notes?

4. How many different 1-ounce American Arts Gold Medallions were struck?

5. What two metals compose the Royal Canadian Mint's "tombac" alloy?

Coin Trivia for 19 May 2009

1. What Mint machine punches out planchets from metal strips?

2. Who is depicted on the English "cartwheel" coins?

3. When were North and South Vietnam notes replaced with new dong notes?

4. Can two different notes of the same date and denomination have the same serial number?

5. What country has led the world in silver production since 1900?

Coin Trivia for 12 May 2009

1. Where are the designer's initials on a 1973 Lincoln cent?

2. Neptune, the god of the sea, appears on Roman coins holding what three-pointed object?

3. When did Bermuda begin switching its notes from the pound system to the decimal system?

4. What is a rotated die error?

5. What current circulated denomination was struck one year in the 18th century?

1804 Silver Dollar Fetches $2.3 Million

DALLAS, TX - At the end Heritage Auction Galleries' Central States Numismatic Society Convention Platinum Night Auction on Thursday, April 30, the Adams-Carter specimen of the Class III AU 58 PCGS 1804 silver dollar lived up to its billing as "The King of Coins" when Bedminister, NJ collector John Albanese topped all others with a $2.3 million bid, including the 15% Buyer's Premium. The total for the Heritage CSNS Auctions is currently at approximately $45 million with post-auction buys continuing at www.HA.com.

"There was never any question of whether it was going to be the top lot in the auction," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage. "Whenever you have an example of the most famous coin in the world it's going to be a big night. In this case, at $2.3 million, it set a new world record for its class. Thursday night's price made this particular 1804 dollar the seventh most valuable coin ever sold at auction."

The Class III 1804 $1 received widespread coverage in the mainstream media in the days leading up to the auction, and the buzz in auction gallery was equal to the advance publicity. As coin collectors and curious onlookers alike watched the auction live in Cincinnati and on HERITAGE Live, the company's real-time proprietary online bidding platform, there was a collective hush as the coin climbed past $2,000,000 and spontaneous applause when this most famous of coins finally found its new owner.

While the Adams-Carter 1804 $1 grabbed the headlines, the overall success of both the rare coins and the rare currency auctions is the hidden story in the whole night.

"The total prices realized in these auctions speaks to the continued strength of the rare coin market when there are precious few places with such fortitude," said Rohan. "Even if you take out the $2.3 million on the 1804 $1, you still have an almost $42 million auction; by any standards that's a good return."

Several other rare and pristine coins garnered their share of the overall value of the auction with six figure prices. Following are a few highlights:

1870-S Seated Dollar, XF40 PCGS , Ex: Ostheimer
The legendary rarest regular issue silver dollar ever coined at any United States Mint. From the Alfred and Jackie Ostheimer Collections. Realized: $503,125.

Sixth Finest Known 1794 Dollar, B-1, BB-1, MS61 NGC, Ex: Murdoch, Bass Specimen
Only a small number of 1794 dollars are known today with strong definition on the left portion of each side and this is such a coin. Listed as Specimen Number 6 on the Condition Census as compiled by Martin Logies in The Flowing Hair Silver Dollars of 1794. Realized: $503,125.

1876-CC Twenty Cent Piece, a celebrated foundational rarity, MS66 PCGS, tied for finest certified
The 1875 introduction of the twenty cent denomination was a direct outgrowth of the increasing power of Western silver-mining interests and the "Crime of '73," the Mint Act of 1873 that among other things demonetized the silver dollar and eliminated
the half dime. The total surviving population is estimated at 16 to 18 pieces. Realized: $460,000.

1794 B-1, BB-1 Silver Dollar, AU55 NGC, Continuous Provenance Dating to 1864
The McCoy Collection Specimen, with a continuous provenance dating back to 1864, this piece is one of the most historic 1794 silver dollars among the 135 or so pieces currently known, of which this coin is considered the 10^th finest. Realized: 345,000.

1795 Flowing Hair Dollar, MS65 NGC, B-1, BB-21
One of the finest known of this date and type and a remarkable coin that any numismatist will appreciate for the lustrous fields and exceptional surfaces. There are no disturbing adjustment marks or nicks worthy of note, and it is simply amazing that any Flowing Hair silver dollar could still look this nice after 214 years. Realized: $276,000.

1795 B-15, BB-52 Dollar, MS65 PCGS
From the Cardinal Collection. There are two varieties known for the 1795 Draped Bust silver dollars, known as the Off-Center Bust (B-14) and the Centered Bust (B-15). Most numismatists believe that the B-14 dollar was struck first, followed by the B-15, which is what this example is. A masterpiece of the coiner's art. Realized: $253,000.

The Single Finest Certified 1919-D Walking Liberty Half, MS66 PCGS
Among half dollars coined in the 20th century, the 1919 issues remain as some of the (conditionally) rarest. The Denver facility produced just 1.1 million coins; most of them were subsequently well worn from years in the channels of commerce, and during the Great Depression preceding the next World War. It is generally accepted among enthusiasts that the 1919-D is the rarest Walking Liberty half dollar at the fully struck Gem level of preservation. This example is the single finest certified 1919-D half dollar. Realized: $253,000

1918/7-D Buffalo Nickel, MS65 PCGS tied for Finest Certified, Historic Overdate
A diligent search of auction records reveals just four appearances of this issue in Gem condition during the past 15 years. Heritage was privileged to handle the coins in two of these appearances, one in the Central States Signature Sale (April 2002) and another in our Exclusively Internet Auction Sale (May 2001). The high technical grade, intense aesthetic appeal, and fascinating history of this coin combine to make this offering one of the most desirable examples of 20th century coinage. Realized: $253,000.

The Finest Known 1796 JR-4 Dime, MS67
Easily the finest known JR-4, although a few other Gem specimens are close to this example in quality. Plated in Goldberg's September 2003 sale and in Stack's sale of the James A. Stack Collection. Realized: $253,000

For more information on prices realized in this auction, to read detailed lot descriptions and download full-color hi-resolution images, go online to www.HA.com/CSNS.

Coin Trivia for 5 May 2009

1. What word, missing in some of the 1883 Liberty 5-cent coins, caused controversy?

2. What denomination did the Netherlands abolish in 1982?

3. What direction are the flags flying on the back of a $10 1981A Federal Reserve Note?

4. Is lamination an example of a planchet, die or striking error?

5. What were the first San Francisco Assay Office proof sets to go on sale at Mint outlets?

Breen's Bible Available Free Online

One of the most comprehensive coin books ever printed has been made available for free online by U.S. Rare Coin Investments. The book? Walter Breen's Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins

I owned the book but it was so huge and unwieldy I didn't get much use out of it. As it's now out of print, I sold mine for $150 (having paid $89) on Amazon. I perused the site and it has all the high-resolution images that I remember. Having this book online is a valuable addition to the numismatic knowledge base.

(via Susan Headley)

Two Free Coin Books Available for Review

Zyrus Press, a publisher of coin collecting books, periodically sends me copies of soon to be released books. I read the book, write a review, post it on this site and the book is mine to keep. It's a pretty good deal for all involved. Zyrus Press and the authors get publicity for their books, I get to read a new coin book and you get to learn about a new coin book.

They contacted me two days ago with two books that are available to review, but I don't have time right now. Initially I thought I'd pass, but then it occurred to me that one of you might be interested in getting a free coin book, reading it and writing a review to be published on this site for all to see.

If this works out well we may be able to do more of it in the future. Here are the two books.

Numismatic Photography, 2nd edition by Mark Goodman

World's Greatest Mint Errors by Mike Byers

It's first come first serve so email me with your name, email address and which book you're interested in reviewing. If you're chosen to review the book, I'll have the publisher send the book straight to you.

Update: Both books have been claimed. Thanks your interest!