By Coinweek ….
CoinWeek News Wire for October 28, 2016
Brain Food
1.) Is It Illegal to Deface US Currency?
While this video may be ridiculously awesome, because Bill Murray is super cool, have you ever wondered if it is illegal to deface or alter a U.S. bank note?
2.) 7 Tips For Surviving Your First Coin Show
A coin show is a collectors dream but can also be overwhelming for a newcomer. To make the most of your time spent at these fun-filled events, here are a few things to know before becoming that kid lost at Disneyland…
[We can personally attest to the need for good shoes. —CoinWeek]
3.) 5 Easy & Quick Ways to Check Purity of Siver Coins
Silver has the highest thermal conductivity amongst any metal. If you place an ice cube on a silver coin or bar, it should melt immediately, as if kept on a hot metal. Also if you wish to compare, an ice cube kept on pure silver will melt quicker than other other metal at room temperature…
Current Events
4.) Plaque marks Krause’s start
Numismatic News’ first permanent home was recognized at the unveiling Oct. 13 of an historical marker by John Gillespie, left, and Clifford Mishler. It stands in front of a building that was built by Chet Krause in 1957 to house his growing publishing business…
5.) Passion high for King’s memorabilia
Coin and banknote collectors are the busiest they’ve been in several decades as people are in a flurry to collect everything related to the memories of the late King…
6.) Feds explore nickel coin’s use, but no plans to send it the way of the penny
When the Royal Canadian Mint yanked the penny from circulation in 2013, the nickel became the country’s smallest circulating denomination of pocket change.
Since then, many people have expected it would only be a matter of time before Ottawa also eliminated the nickel…
U.S. Mint News
On Thursday, October 13, the United States Mint held a forum for collectors, dealers and other coin industry stakeholders. The goal was to begin an ongoing dialogue between the Mint and its customers about ways to improve its services and enlarge its consumer base (i.e., “the hobby”).
CoinWeek’s Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker wrote the first in a series of articles about the event on Friday, October 14. Other participants continue to publish their own takes on the forum, a couple of which are shared below.
7.) Mint holds forum
One subject that did not really come up is that there is an inherent conflict between the U.S. Mint serving collectors directly yet also working with coin dealers to help sell more of these products…
Coin collectors are mostly men, right?
Mint information shared with participants at the Oct. 13 Numismatic Forum in Philadelphia showed there have been more women interested in numismatics than I could have guessed. In a data rich presentation by Jon Cameron, Associate Director of Numismatics & Bullion, it was revealed that 24 percent of Mint customers in 2006 were women…
The Future Is Now
9.) South Korea plans national digital currency using a Blockchain
At Monday’s 12th annual FinTech Demo Day in Seoul, the chairman of South Korea’s Financial Services Commission (FSC), Yim Jong-yong, announced that his department will, “Lay the systemic groundwork for the spread of digital currency.”
The FSC is the South Korean government office overseeing financial services. In 2008, the department assumed authority over all financial policies regarding the financial market from the Ministry of Finance, making it the government’s top financial regulator…
10.) From bes to Bitcoin: alternative currencies in the ancient Roman world
Be it Bristol or Brixton, in recent years a number of cities in Britain have developed their own alternative, local currencies. Intended to support independent businesses, these currencies work alongside pounds sterling to encourage more money to be spent in the local economy. But, as historian Clare Rowan explains, the concept is anything but modern – in fact, alternative currencies date back as far as ancient Rome…
Under the Radar
11.) There’s a new ATM that dispenses gold coins
BlueStone.com, an online jewellery portal, has launched Gold ATMs in Bengaluru and Delhi…
12.) Panmure Island lighthouse to be featured on commemorative coin
A priceless view of Prince Edward Island will soon be commemorated on a $10 coin.
The Panmure Island lighthouse will be featured on a silver coin as part of the Royal Canadian Mint’s “Celebrating Canada’s 150th” series…
Medals, Tokens & Exonumia
13.) Today Could Be Your Lucky Day
…[W]e’ve created 100 Ally Lucky Pennies. Each worth $1,000. Each hidden in plain sight in select cities around the country, waiting for you to pick them up. Do you feel lucky?…
14.) Commemorative coin unveiled; will officially be released on Oct. 29
The London Bridge Rotary Club has unveiled this year’s edition of its commemorative London Bridge coin. The 46th edition of the coin will be officially released during the London Bridge Days Parade on Saturday, Oct. 29, in Downtown Havasu…
Crime & Punishment
15.) NCIC Crime Bulletin
From the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC):
Residential Burglary
Detectives with the Seattle, WA Police Department are investigating a residential burglary resulting in the loss of a complete collection of 12 Caesars in VF+ condition.
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Anyone with information about the case above should contact the NCIC’s Doug Davis at (817) 723-7231 or [email protected].
The Numismatic Crime Information Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation. P.O. Box 14080 Arlington, Texas 76094.
16.) Fire in Old Town Spring Burns Three Businesses
Several hour before the fire, owners of the Coin Shop were called there for an alarm.
He arrived with a Harris County sheriff’s deputy and found broken glass.
He boarded up the business, and left, but had to return when the alarms sounded once again…
17.) Thieves steal expensive wines, coin collection from home of Anchorage businessman
He had been collecting coins since he moved into the house, most of which he kept in a large safe. The safe was gone, not an easy task as it measured 6 feet tall, 2 feet wide and 1 foot deep…
Counterfeit Cavalcade
18.) How to spot a fake polymer £5 Winston Churchill bank note
The new plastic fivers featuring Sir Winston Churchill are now in circulation, but how can you tell if the one you get is actually real? We take a look at the key security features that will help you spot if you’ve landed a fake…
19.) Local Queensland businesses urged to beware of ‘funny money’
…[P]olice are urging local businesses to be vigilant after a local Cairns City business reported on Monday that they found a counterfeit $100 [AUD] note in their takings from last week.
Whilst the counterfeit note appears correct at first glance, closer inspection will identify a number of flaws.
Businesses are urged to alert all employees to these recent incidents and provide suitable advice to employees about how to identify counterfeit currency…
20.) British Virgin Islands government warns of fake commemorative coins
The British Virgin Islands government is warning residents to be on the lookout for fake commemorative coins…
Banknote News
21.) Commemorative banknotes to open for exchange
The Bangkok Bank and the Government Savings Bank will open for the public to exchange for commemorative banknotes of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Seventh Cycle Birthday Anniversary from the October 25-26…
22.) Plastic £5 banknote ‘can be rubbed out’, says printer
IT was billed as the high-tech durable banknote which would last twice as long as the old fiver.
But now it appears that there could be a serious flaw with the new plastic £5 note as it can be wiped almost totally clean of ink using only a simple pencil eraser…
Treasure & Archaeology
23.) Boldre Hoard: Appeal to stop Roman coin collection split
A total of 1,608 coins dating to the 3rd Century were found by a metal detector user in Lymington in 2014.
The town’s St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery is trying to raise £30,000 to stop the so-called Boldre Hoard collection from being split up…
24.) Explorers accidentally find 41 shipwrecks thousands of years old in Black Sea
The Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project identified ship types, some thousands of years old, belonging to the Ottoman and Byzantine empires. Many of those found exist in historical records, but had never before been seen…
Museums & Exhibits
25.) Zimmerli displays counterfeit coins as part of Roman collection
Thirteen counterfeit coins that have been urinated on will be on display at Rutgers.
This year Rutgers University Department of Classics is pairing up with the Zimmerli Art Museum to display 13 counterfeit coins from their Ernst Badian collection of Roman Republic coins, according to the Rutgers University Libraries website…
Upcoming Auctions & Events
- London Coin Galleries Ltd. Electronic Auction 1 – October 17-November 10
- VL Nummus E-Live Auction 5 – October 29-30
- Künker & London Coin Galleries – Preussag Collection, Part 2 – November 1
- Dr. Busso Peus Nachfolger Auctions 417 & 418 – November 2-4
- Chaponnière et Firmenich Auction for Match No. 6 – November 22
- Éditions V. Gadoury Prestige Auction – December 3
26.) Postcard, stamp and coin fair
The Montrose stamp, postcard and coin fair returns this Saturday with more dealers set to attend.
It is being held in Hillside Village Hall, Dubton Road, on Saturday from 10am to 3pm…
27.) Essex auctioneers to sell rare coin worth up to £250,000 which was found in child’s toy box
One of Britain’s rarest coins will go under the hammer at an Essex auction house next month after being discovered in a little boy’s toy box.
The Queen Anne ‘Vigo’ five guinea gold coin will be put up for sale at Boningtons Epping saleroom on Wednesday, November 16…
Worthy Additions to Your Library
28.) Wealth and Warfare: The Archaeology of Money in Ancient Syria
Frédérique Duyrat’s Wealth and Warfare: The Archaeology of Money in Ancient Syria will be in print and available to ship on or before November 15th. This book assembles, for the first time, the evidence for coin finds in the region of ancient Syria from the 5th to the 1st century BCE. It includes a full catalogue of all known Syrian coin hoards and published excavation finds. The price for members is $140, non-members $200. Email Catherine DiTuri to place your orders.
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