CoinWeek News Wire for September 9, 2016

September 9, 2016

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By Coinweek ….

CoinWeek News Wire for September 9, 2016

Brain Food

1.) The birth and death of paper money

Kublai Khan, said Marco Polo, had ‘a more extensive command of treasure than any other sovereign in the universe’. There were no jangling pockets of coins in Kanbalu. Bark had been stripped from the mulberry trees and beaten into paper notes. The notes carried delicate little pictures of earlier currency — long, frayed ropes weighed down with coins. It was as though they were mocking the old ways…

2.) Why that 2p in your purse could be worth £1,400

Earlier this year, a 2p coin sold for almost £1,400 at auction because it was silver instead of copper.

While you’ll need to be very lucky indeed to find a silver 2p piece, there are other more common coins that could be worth more than you think…

3.) Latin America Boasts Beautiful and Valuable Coins

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month and to celebrate the long contributing history of Hispanics and Latinos in America, Liberty Coin and Currency has compiled a short list of valuable Hispanic related coins…

4.) THE “KINGDOM OF JAFFNA”

During British rule, the government agent, Mr. J. P. Lewis, on a visit to Vallipuram learnt that the Police Vidane there was in possession of a gold coin which had been discovered in 1890. He obtained the ‘find’ and sent it to the Archaeological Commissioner, H. C. P. Bell, for identification. It turned out to [be] the Iraka or Daraka, a Sinhalese coin of very debased gold…

In Memoriam

5.) Harald Salvesen (1928-2016)

After a long illness, the Norwegian collector Harald Salvesen (1928-2016) passed away. He was a true coin enthusiast, an admirer of everything beautiful, and a gentleman of the old style. With his tall stature and his blue Viking eyes he was an impressive figure at international coin fairs and exceptional coin auctions for many years…

6.) Aldina Cutroni Tusa (1923-2016)

In very advanced years, but still unexpected, archaeologist and professor of numismatics Aldina Cutroni Tusa, doyenne in the field of Sicily, died on August 16 in Palermo. For decades her research made her a sought-after expert in regards to questions spanning from the beginning of coinage to the Byzantine era, especially of the western half of the island…

Current Events

7.) Miller defuses Capitol flag dispute with state coins

U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, on Wednesday previewed the display reproductions of each U.S. state’s commemorative coin that will replace state flags hanging in a tunnel at the U.S. Capitol.

The new installation avoids dragging out a dispute last year over the Capitol’s display of the Mississippi flag, which includes the image of the Confederate battle flag…

Under the Radar

8.) Local artist creates collectible coin for the mint

Doug Comeau has been secretly drawing behind the scenes these past few months.

The artist, widely known for his detailed pencil drawings, was contracted by the Royal Canadian Mint for a design submission on a new $20 silver collector coin…

9.) Photog helps create a snowflake that doesn’t melt in your purse

A Barrie photographer who pushes the boundaries of macrophotography has inspired the Royal Canadian Mint to push the boundaries of creating currency.

Don Komarechka, who has published a book on snowflakes (Sky Crystals) and who is also working on a new series on macrophotography, helped design a new coin that features one of his images – a six-sided dendrite ice crystal…

New at the Mint

10.) Fifth Stop on the All-American Road Trip

Fort Moultrie, the first fort built on Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina, is one of a series of coastal fortifications located within Fort Sumter National Monument. Although intended primarily to protect Charleston, SC, Fort Moultrie played a role in protecting the entire Nation from 1776 to 1947, through the Revolutionary War, Civil War, and World Wars I and II. Officially established as a national site in 1948, it represents more than 170 years of American coastal defense strategy…

Treasure News

11.) Do Ancient Shipwrecks Stand a Chance?

There’s a three-way war being waged over the ancient shipwrecks that dot the ocean floor. On one side, marine archaeologists are rushing to study and preserve these historical sites. On another, treasure hunters and salvagers are staking their claims. Meanwhile, both groups are racing against the clock.

“We’re seeing severe damage to wreck sites,” says marine archaeologist Mike Brennan. “It’s ongoing, and every day that we wait for protection of these sites, trawlers are scraping them apart.”

Crime & Punishment

12.) Persons of interest sought in Grants Pass silver coin theft

Oregon State Police are investigating after a large amount of silver coins were taken from a Grants Pass home sometime around August 13, 2016…

OSP detectives have identified two persons of interest in the case, 26-year-old David Lee Hergett and 56-year-old Todd Murray Beveridge.

If you come into contact with coins matching the description or the two individuals, contact OSP Detectives at 541-618-7950. Reference OSP case number SP16-290159…

13.) Woman accused of forging check, buying $38K in gold coins, retiring to Belize

Karen Fazio Kutach, 56, was the office manager at Coastal Metal Recycling. She is accused of stealing a company check last month and forging the owner’s name on it.

Kutach allegedly used the check to purchase $38,000 worth of Canadian gold coins. According to court documents, she then went to Belize to begin her retirement…

14.) Coins seized from Pak train passengers hold historical value, some 2000 yrs old

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has confirmed that the 539 coins seized from two people coming from Pakistan in separate incidents were rare and of great historical value.

Customs commissioner Capt. Sanjay Gahlot said some of the coins were more than 2,000 years old…

Banknote News

15.) This could be the biggest Woolies stuff up yet

As the new $5 note rolls out across Australia supermarkets worked hard to ensure their self-serve checkouts would be ready to recognised the new note and complete transactions for customers – all supermarkets except Woolies it seems…

16.) Misusing Kenyan currency can land you in jail for months

Did you know that the Kenyan currency is never yours despite being in possession of it?

Well, the money could be yours but you are not allowed by the law to treat the currency any way you want.

The Central Bank of Kenya (Currency Handling) Regulations, 2010 published in July 2010 set jail terms and fines for those who mishandle the currency…

Medals, Tokens & More

17.) Winnipeg Transit scraps bus tickets for tokens on buses

Winnipeg Transit is replacing bus tickets with coin-type tokens as part of its upgrades to the fare collection system.

The tokens are slightly smaller than a Toonie, have a Winnipeg Transit logo embossed on them and are being introduced into the system immediately…

18.) Former First Minister Alex Salmond features on independence supporter’s ‘Two Smackeroonie’ coin

A SCOTTISH independence supporter has created his own currency – with Alex Salmond featured on it.

A Reddit poster using the name bluemonkey321 shared an image of his ‘Two Smackeroonie’ coin on the site…

Museums & Exhibits

19.) Money, money, money! A new banknote gallery is coming to London

Opening to coincide with the launch of the new polymer five-pound note next month, it will pay dues to notes from as far back as 1964. The oldest paper notes and Nazi forgeries will be included, as will a notable £5 altered to a £50 and exchanged for a cow in 1850…

Auction News

20.) Morton & Eden founder retires after 47 years in the coins business

Coin specialist Tom Eden is to retire from Morton & Eden after 47 years in the industry…

Upcoming Auctions & Events

21.) The Kings Shilling for auction

The Charterhouse two day auction of collector’s items on 22nd and 23rd September includes a rare mid-18th century shilling valued at £300-500…

22.) Historic Scottish coin goes under the hammer

One of the earliest coins ever minted in Scotland is going under the hammer.

Made during the reign of King David I of Scotland, the penny was unearthed by a metal detector in a field in the north of England.

Experts think it could fetch between £8,000 and £12,000 when it goes up for auction on 22 September…

23.) Money and Medals Collections Care: Introduction

This skills sharing day covers documentation, display and education, storage and conservation of numismatic collections, led by staff from the British Museum.

The day is aimed for those in the museum and heritage sector working or volunteering in the care of numismatic materials.

Important Note: The training is only available to people already working in museums…

24.) Buncombe County Coin Club September 12, 2016 Meeting

The meetings are the second Monday of each month.

Grove Arcade, 1 Page Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801
Downstairs in the meeting room. Use the elevator in the middle of the building.
Doors open at 6:30pm, Meeting starts at 7:00pm

Door Prize – American Silver Eagle

Raffle: Tickets $1 each. There will be 11 drawings, 10 Silver Eagles and 1 Gold Eagle (1/10 oz)

Questions? Call Roger at (828) 684-6902 or Les at (828) 255-0731

25.) Stephen James CSRA Coin Club to host annual show on Saturday

The show is free and will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at H. Odell Weeks Activities Center, 1700 Whiskey Road…

Good News, Everybody…

26.) Five kronor coin stops bullet shot at Malmö man

A 24-year-old man shot in Malmö’s Rosengård district this summer may have survived because one the bullets fired at him was deflected by a five kronor coin he had in his bag, a police investigation has found…

Etc., Etc.

27.) Interstate non-cents: Unstamped coins spill in Delaware

Authorities in Delaware say a tractor-trailer carrying 40,000 pounds of unstamped pennies overturned on northbound Interstate 95, spilling its load and jamming traffic.

Delaware State Police Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale said by telephone that the big rig overturned and caught fire early Thursday at the split for eastbound Interstate 295, but the driver escaped with minor injuries. He says the load of blank metal disks spilled onto the roadway…