Rare US 1796 coin collection sale set - Stack's Bowers to offer Werner coins

The Werner Family Collection of 1796 Coinage will cross the auction block in Stack’s Bowers Galleries Aug. 4 to 12 sale held in conjunction with the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in Philadelphia.

The patriarch who built the Werner Family Collection began assembling the collection of 1796 U.S. coins in 2006, soon after his Old West Collection, of gold $5 half eagles and $10 eagles struck at the Carson City Mint in Nevada, was auctioned by American Numismatic Rarities at the ANA World’s Fair of Money.

The first acquisition for the Werner Family Collection was a 1796 Capped Bust, No Stars on Obverse gold $2.50 quarter eagle graded Mint State 61 by Professional Coin Grading Service and stickered by Certified Acceptance Corp. The coin, illustrated on the opposite page, is the Bass-Dannreuther 1-B variety (Early U.S. Gold Coin Varieties: A Study of Die States, 1795–1834 by Harry W. Bass Jr. and John W. Dannreuther).

The CAC sticker means the coin has been verified by CAC’s numismatic experts as meeting the standard for strict quality within its grade.

The year 1796 was the inaugural year for the quarter eagle denomination, and the No Stars on Obverse type was struck for only a few months before 13 stars were added to the obverse design.
The reason for the absence of stars is not known, but numismatic researcher Q. David Bowers suggests that as the design had 13 stars on the reverse, it might have been considered redundant to also display stars on the obverse.

Whatever the reasoning, stars were indeed added later in the year, giving 13 on both obverse and reverse.

As the West Coast collector researched the 1796 date, he quickly learned that the year held more unique and first-year issues than any other year, according to Stack’s Bowers Galleries. For the past six years, the collector focused on coins dated 1796 for him and his family to enjoy.

The collector’s numismatic interests were originally sparked in the 1950s and 1960s by his father, who would go to a local bank and pick up rolls of change from which to assemble sets of Indian Head cents, Indian Head 5-cent coins, and Winged Liberty Head dimes.

The collector soon began to put together his own collections of Winged Liberty Head dimes, along with Jefferson, Wartime Alloy 5-cent coins. Beginning in the 1990s, the collector graduated to collecting the Carson City Mint series, acquiring half eagles and eagles, before parting with the coins at the 2006 auction and moving on to the 1796 issues.

The 1796 issues to be offered, in addition to the Capped Bust, No Stars quarter eagle, are:

➤ 1796 Liberty Cap, With Pole half cent, Cohen 2 (American Half Cents: The “Little Half Sisters” by Roger S. Cohen Jr.), graded PCGS MS-64 brown, CAC.

“The coin is exceptionally well struck and with eye appeal rarely seen,” noted Chris Napolitano, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries.

➤ 1796 Liberty Cap cent, Sheldon 84 (Penny Whimsy by William H. Sheldon), PCGS Secure MS-65 brown, and 1796 Draped Bust cent, S-119, PCGS MS-64 brown, CAC. “These large cents are among the finest examples of their respective types that I have ever seen,” Napolitano said.

➤ 1796 Draped Bust, Small Eagle half dime, Logan-McCloskey 1 (Federal Half Dimes 1792-1837 by Russell Logan and John McCloskey), PCGS About Uncirculated 58, CAC.

➤ 1796 Draped Bust, Small Eagle dime, John Reich 4 (Early United States Dimes 1796-1837 by David J. Davis, Russell J. Logan, Allen F. Lovejoy, John W. McCloskey, and William L. Subjack), PCGS AU-58, CAC, representing the first year of issue of that denomination.

➤ Two 1796 Draped Bust, Small Eagle dollars — a Large Date, Small Letters variety, Bowers-Borckardt 65 (Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States, A Complete Encyclopedia by Q. David Bowers, with Mark Borckardt), PCGS AU-55, CAC; and a Small Date, Small Letters example, BB-66, PCGS AU-58, CAC.

➤ 1796 Capped Bust, With Stars quarter eagle, BD-1-A, PCGS Fine 15, CAC.
The catalog presentation for the Werner Family Collection will be accompanied by a historical overview of coinage of the year.

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Source: http://www.coinworld.com/articles/1796-coin-collection-sale-set/

Stanley Gibbons Waterloo Medals - The Defeat of a Monster

Stanley Gibbons letter  to customers about the sale of some Battle of Waterloo medals:

Let me take you back a couple of centuries as I prepare to  offer you something rather special…
In a rain sodden field to the south of Brussels a man, the  "Monster of Europe" stands surrounded by his officers, 74,000 of his imperial  troops and his 250 "Belle Filles" – his "beautiful daughters" as they are  affectionately known - his beloved cannons.

To the north on a low ridge stands the enemy, a ramshackle  army of men from many nations. 23,000 English, Scots, Welsh and Irish  affectionately known by their commander as the "Scum of the Earth" are  supported by 44,000 Germans, Belgians and Dutch, hastily formed into battalions  from local militia units.

Many of them are in battle for the first time. Others less  than a year ago were fighting on the side of the enemy…

At the head of this Allied army is a man, unbeaten in battle  who had driven from the field every army the "Monster" had ever thrown at him,  yet they had never faced each other as they would today.

He knows that unless his men can stand against the  inevitable oncoming onslaught the day will be lost; his hopes rest on a  promise…

A promise by a 72 year old Prince at the command of an army  of battle weary Prussians that had been defeated by the "Monster" three days  earlier.

The promise was a simple one - if you stand and fight I will come and join you - the problem was that  they were 30 miles to the east, separated by boggy countryside and impassable  roads.

So the scene is set, what happens over the next six hours  will decide the history of Europe and become  the stuff of legend.

The historic defence of a small chateau by the allies, where  a few thousand men outnumbered more than 10 to 1 hold firm will help decide the  battle.

The allies hold firm, even when the chateau becomes a  blazing inferno, ammunition is running low and the enemy has broken through the  outer gates and they are fighting hand to hand.


Two cavalry charges, one from each side both heroic beyond  the call of duty and both equally self destructive in result just add to the  drama.

The Prussians arrive just when all seems lost as the drummer  boys beat out their fateful rhythm accompanied by shouts of "Vive la France" and  "Vive L'Empereur". The Imperial Guard, the crack troops of the Emperor of  France, never beaten in battle, take to the field.

All the allied soldiers had been asked to do that fateful  day was stand. Stand is exactly what they did. Hour after hour as thousands of  their comrades fell, torn to pieces by shot and shell.

Now was their chance to do what they did best - fire, volley  after volley into the approaching French attack, three rounds a minute until they  were driven from the field.

And driven from the field they were. The "Monster" was  defeated and the rest, as they say, is history.
No, this not the script of the latest Hollywood  blockbuster. I am of course talking about the Battle of Waterloo - the epic end  to the tyranny of Napoleon, his quest for European domination and his defeat by  the allied armies led by The Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher, which took  place on that rain sodden field 197 years ago today.

I read a great line on a British battles website that said  this about the Battle of Waterloo:
For Britain, Waterloo is not just a  battle. It is an institution.

Now you can become part of that institution.

Every British troop that fought in the Waterloo campaign was given a medal. I have a  selection of those very special medals for you today.

We only have six available for you, but they will not  break the bank as they range in value from £2,950 to £9,750. 

Of course, the 200 year anniversary of the battle is just 3  years away. You could see the prices of memorabilia relating to the Battle of  Waterloo rising steadily as we move towards this key date.

Royal Mint Launches Massive Queen's Diamond Jubilee Gold Kilo Coin

It is a reflection of the immense importance of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee that The Royal Mint has been authorised to create this commemorative UK coin containing over a kilo of fine gold. As befits such a once-in-a-lifetime historic occasion, the coin is impressive in size, design and presentation. Struck to finest Proof quality, it features the Coat of Arms found on the gates of Buckingham Palace, depicted in astonishing detail by the master sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS.

Just 60 of these extraordinary coins will be made available, each one housed in a wooden case made from sweet chestnut taken from the trees of the Great Windsor Park, the crown estate of Windsor Castle, one of The Queen’s private homes.

Only once before has Britain witnessed a Diamond Jubilee, when Queen Victoria celebrated 60 years on the throne in 1897. The royal Coat of Arms from Buckingham Palace was chosen as a symbolic link to this other great jubilee of the past. This majestic heraldic image, complete with supporters and crest, perfectly captures the pageantry and heritage of the unique occasion.

The coin is struck to a deeper relief than any other Diamond Jubilee coin which has allowed the artist to achieve a design of unprecedented detail. The reverse is also by Ian Rank-Broadley, and features Her Majesty resplendent in Garter Robes.

Each coin comes with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity and booklet together with a numbered plaque. Highly valued for its importance and its rarity, this precious, breathtakingly beautiful coin is the ultimate collectable for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

•Huge coin weighing one kilo struck in .999 fine gold
•Limited edition of just 60 coins
•Exquisite design by Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS
•Bespoke wooden case crafted from royal timber

Source: http://www.royalmint.com/features/the-queens-diamond-jubilee-kilo-coins

Gold coin collecting a deadly business as metals prices rise

As gold and silver prices have soared, thieves are now targeting rare coins, coin collections and rare coin dealers.

The Washington Post noted in a recent article, “Coin thieves are often part of organized rings, some from Colombia and others with ties to the Russian mafia, that orchestrate sophisticated, lightning-quick and sometimes ruthlessly violent heists, according to the Numismatic Crime Information Center.”

Steve Ellsworth, a coin security expert, told the Post, “Why rob a bank with cameras, witnesses and a good chance your picture will end on up the evening news? Coin thefts often don’t have witnesses, and criminals can make off with far more money.”

The FBI estimates only about 4% of stolen precious metals and jewelry is recovered annually.

Boscastle Supplies have a full selection of coin supplies for your coin collecting needs - check out our web site we ship worldwide.

Source: http://thevictoryreport.org/2012/06/12/gold-coin-collecting-a-deadly-business-as-metals-prices-rise/

Stanley Gibbons expand into Rare Coins to benefit investors

PRESS RELEASE 22 March 2012

As investors worldwide seek to diversify to protect their portfolios, The Stanley Gibbons Group plc launches a ‘Collectibles Growth Plan’; adding rare coins and historic medals to their offering of some of the world’s most historically stable assets*

Rare stamp and prestige collectibles company, The Stanley Gibbons Group plc, has expanded its offering of premium stamps and signatures to include rare coins and medals; combining these alternative assets to offer a ‘Collectibles Growth Plan’ for investors seeking security through diversification.

“Due to the development of the rare stamp and rare coin markets over decades as both trophy collectibles and stable investment vehicles, the track record of these tangible asset classes is unparalleled in terms of their stability and steady growth” said Investment Director, Keith Heddle.

Price data for the rare stamp market has been published by the Group since 1880, providing a transparency unrivalled by other alternative asset classes. This data has been available to investors on Bloomberg Professional service since 2008 and has shown steady, unrelenting growth. The Group aims to publish further indices this year to aid investors.

“The prestige collectibles we deal in are not correlated with other mainstream asset classes and they certainly proved their worth in the meltdown of 2008, when their value rose whilst others crashed.” continued Heddle. “History demonstrates that they are almost completely unaffected by market swings and the volatility of other asset classes.”

With compound annual growth figures of between 8% and 13%†, these rises are outstripping many other traditional forms of investing. This has prompted interest from new private investors and institutions seeking to anchor a part of their portfolios, with an increasing demand from Asia and the US.

The Group are currently finalising a Rare Coin Index, due to be launched in Q2 2012.


* Dimson, Elroy and Spaenjers, Christophe, Ex Post: The Investment Performance of Collectible Stamps (December 1, 2010). Journal of Financial Economics (JFE), Vol. 100, No. 2, 2011. Available at SSRN: ssrn.com/abstract=1444341

† Stanley Gibbons indices- available on Bloomberg Professional™ and stanleygibbons.com


ENDS


Louise Reynolds
press@stanleygibbons.com / +44 (0) 1425 481045

The Coin Analyst: Canadian Coins Widely Collected in the U.S.A.

World coins are gaining in popularity in the U.S., and none are more popular than coins from Canada.
Canada has been a pioneer in the use of color and alternative materials such as holograms, embedded crystals, enamel, and so forth. Coins with such materials have gained wider acceptance in recent years, though some classic coin collectors still scoff at them.

But in years past the Royal Canadian Mint became a kind of poster boy among many American numismatists for how not to make and sell coins, with several extensive Canadian Olympic coin series being prime examples, according to that view.
The Canadian mint produces a wider and more diverse array of coins and sets than the U.S. and many other mints do, and until a few years ago many of those issues were minted in large numbers relative to the demand for them.

In addition, the coins were issued in so many different versions, finishes, and packaging options, and there were so many coins in many series, that completing them was a daunting task, especially for the precious metal issues.

Within Canada and other countries where Canadian coins are collected, especially in other commonwealth nations, those coins were popular. But many American coin experts and writers tended to be highly critical of the coins coming out of Canada.

For example, long-time coin writer, Tom DeLorey, who writes for Coinage magazine , last year wrote a scathing article on Canadian coins.

But in my view our Canadian neighbors have learned from experience, and Mr. DeLorey’s piece felt out of date to me. Today Canada produces a more compelling array of coins and sets in much more limited numbers. As a result, recent Canadian coins have often sold out quickly, and year after year the mint has won awards for its coins.

For example, in the past couple of weeks several issues sold out within days of being released, and others have also sold very briskly.

Native American moon series

Perhaps the best recent Canadian series is one that started last year. It is a Native American- themed series made of a combination of silver and niobium, a precious metal that is much rarer than silver, and which is not often used in coins.

The series honors the seasonal moon phases of the Algonquin people. The first two coins were released last year, the Hunter Moon and Buck Moon coins.

The first 2012 coin in this series, the Full Wolf Moon issue, was just announced at the beginning of March and sold out from the Canadian Mint within days.

According to the Canadian Post Office, which also sells this item: “This Moon was so named because in January, a month of cold and gusting snow, wolves could often be heard howling.”

The coins are limited to 7,500 units per issue, and no two coins are exactly the same because the metals are oxidized to create a unique finish. Niobium can be oxidized to achieve a wide range of different colors.

Other recent issues

In addition, a silver coin honoring the 60-year anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth of England, the diamond jubilee, that includes an embedded Swarovski crystal, and a mintage limited to 15,000, also sold out quickly. It is one of many Canadian issues honoring the diamond jubilee, and other commonwealth countries and the UK itself have also issued many other coins with the same theme.

But the Canadian issue, a $20 silver proof coin, was perhaps the most elegant and attractive of all these coins, had one of the lowest mintages, and a reasonable price of $105, which probably explains why it sold so well. The quick sell-out of this coins makes it likely it will have a decent premium in the secondary market.

Other hot Canadian issues include three coins which commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, including a colored quarter, a silver-plated half dollar, and a $10 silver proof coin.

The half dollar, which uses color for the ocean, had an accessible issue price of around $40 and a mintage of 15,000 coins, and amazingly the coin sold out during the first day following its announcement. It will not actually be released until next month. In the past few days, some examples of this coin have sold for as much as $100 on e-Bay.

Canada played an important role in the Titanic story. The Titanic sank off the coast of Newfoundland, and many of the deceased are buried in Halifax. Survivors were rescued by a Canadian ship.

Another widely collected recent series is the $20 face value one-quarter ounce bullion silver series limted to 250,000 coins per release and sold to Canadian customers at face value. In the U.S. market these coins have been generally been selling for $30 or more. Some retailers have allowed customers to purchase them at face value if purchased with other Canadian coins. APMEX of Oklahoma, one of the largest bullion companies in the world and a U.S. Mint Authorized Purchaser, and Gate West Coin of Canada have both had such offers.

The latest, and third release, in this series, which features a swimming polar bear, sold out faster than the previous issues. Each release has sold out quickly, and each coin features an iconic Canadian theme such as a maple leaf, or a canoe on water.

War of 1812

Americans may not remember that our second war of independence, the War of 1812, also involved Canada. In honor of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, when Canadians repelled multiple incursions by American forces into their country, the Royal Mint has issued a special commemorative dollar in proof and uncirculated finishes. The coin makes an interesting companion piece to the recently-released U.S. Star Spangled Banner commemoratives, which celebrate the end of the War of 1812 in 1814 and the writing of our national anthem by Francis Scott Key.

In addition, Canada this year issued what I believe is a world first proof set, a special all 99.99% silver proof set with some coins also selectively gold-plated. It has a mintage limited to 20,000 units.

Reports from buyers who have received their sets have been extremely positive, with one collector comparing them to the 25th anniversary American Silver Eagle sets.

James Bucki, who writes a coin blog , says that the Mint told him about 8,000 of the sets are still available. Mr. Bucki is also a columnist for the Numismatist, published by the American Numismatic Association .

According to the 2010 annual report of the Canadian Mint, in 2010 production of coins declined to 1.826 billion pieces, but revenue was up at $2.209 billion. Net income was $33.8 million, which was down from the level in 2009.

With all the interesting 2012 releases coming out of Canada, I would expect there to be an increase in revenue for this year.

Afficionados of Canadian coins are fortunate that a landmark price guide and reference book was recently published by Whitman Publishing, and I will discuss the book soon.

Louis Golino is a coin collector and numismatic writer, whose articles on coins have appeared in Coin World, Numismatic News, and a number of different coin web sites. His column for CoinWeek, “The Coin Analyst,” covers U.S. and world coins and precious metals. He collects U.S. and European coins and is a member of the ANA, PCGS, NGC, and CAC. He has also worked for the U.S. Library of Congress and has been a syndicated columnist and news analyst on international affairs for a wide variety of newspapers and web sites.

http://www.boscastlesupplies.com

Royal Mint releases Titanic 100th anniversary coin

The Royal Mint has released a special £5 coin to mark the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's tragic maiden voyage.

The voyage on the passenger liner began on 10 April 1912, when the ship set sail from Southampton to New York.

Four days later it sank after hitting an iceberg, claiming the lives of 1,500 of the 2,223 people on board.

The coin has been issued under the authority of the Channel Island of Alderney and is legal tender, but will not be issued into circulation.
'Purpose and pride'
Dr Kevin Clancy, director of The Royal Mint Museum, said: "The Titanic has long captured imaginations.

"The passing of 100 years has not lessened the interest in the tragic outcome of her maiden voyage, the personal stories of those on board or the achievement of the iconic ship as a feat of British engineering.

"The Royal Mint's coin will mark this occasion and, we hope, will be passed on to future generations to honour the lives that were lost, underlining the significance of RMS Titanic in British history."

The Alderney coin is legal tender but will not be put into circulation

The coin depicts the profile of RMS Titanic with the goddess Thane looking down on the ship as it sails through the Atlantic ocean.

A marble statue of the goddess of death was erected on 26 June 1920 at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, where the Titanic had been constructed.

Lee Robert Jones, Royal Mint engraver, said: "My design is concerned with the spectacle of the ship and her story.

"Thane, the goddess of death, is to reflect the significance of the event; she symbolises respect and sorrow for the loss that ultimately occurred.

"Her stark silhouette contrasts with the detailed image of Titanic, cutting through the waves with purpose and pride."

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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-17068078