| April 2009 |
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What’s
hot and what’s not in the coin world this April, as well as
suggestions and helpful hints to improve your collection and
collecting enjoyment. Welcome to Cointown’s second edition of “News You Can Use”. Our goal is to provide some real-time insight into the world of coin collecting and hopefully provide some information that can be used to benefit both the novice and experienced coin collector. If you’re reading this you’ve already found our web site. Please feel free to visit our store in Marietta, Georgia to see our full line of supplies, as well as our large selection of coins and currency offerings. Make sure to ask for our current Internet special when shopping in the store. The fractional American Gold Eagle, Platinum Eagle, and Buffalo bullion pieces vanished from coin shops by the first of the year as expected after the Mint announced they had been discontinued. The fractional Buffalo coins are doing especially well as a one year type, with retail prices at 2.4 X issue price. The Mint has announced that there are no plans to make any for 2009, but the statement falls far short of convincing me that they will never be minted again. The 2008 American Silver Eagles continued to increase in value after the first of the year and are currently at the $110 price level. The mint created the excitement here when they stopped production in early fall. I hope you were able to find one at our December prices of $79 or earlier at $39.95. The Mint has announced that most of its’ early 2009 effort will be directed towards providing bullion coins. Specifically, they will concentrate on the uncirculated American Silver Eagles (distributed through the dealer networks) and the proof one ounce American Gold Eagles, bought directly from the Mint as a premium product. Other 2009 products that are currently available are the first Presidential Dollar (William Henry Harrison), the new Native American Dollar with edge inscriptions, the DC quarter, first of the final 6 to be released in 2009, the 2009 presidential Proof Set, the 2009 6-Quarter proof set, the Lincoln Log Cabin Cents, and the Kennedy Halves. You can find these through us at delivered prices that are often less than the cost of ordering directly from the Mint.. There’s also the new Lincoln Commemorative Silver Dollars in proof and uncirculated. By the time you read this, they will be sold out at the Mint. If you missed this issue, we have them for you. Order early before they increase after the sellout is announced. A real highlight of the 2009 season is the Ultra High Relief $20 Double Eagle gold coin. Modeled off dies created in 1907, the UHR is everything that it was billed to be. We have been able to obtain just four coins from the Mint. They are offered on a first come, first served basis. Advertised on TV for as much as $3995, we have them at $1700. Supposedly struck to order, the Mint has taken about 60 thousand orders, but initially had blanks for only 30 thousand coins. Stop by or check out a picture to see how beautiful they are. A real piece of numismatic history. Did you see the questions in the last issue? 1935 silver certificates were last printed in 1957! Coin collectors tend to forget that the dates on paper money are only changed when there is a major design change, not yearly as with coins. The most common silver dollar in the US before the Civil War was the Spanish silver dollar! In fact, there were far more Spanish and Mexican circulating coins than there were U.S. coins.. In 1857, the US government gave a 6-month period for the general public to turn in their Spanish silver. They had to extend the call period to 18 months just to give the public time to get it all turned in. Here’s two questions about currency. What does it mean when there is a star or asterisk at the end (or beginning) of a serial number on a note? Why do some notes have an alpha number after the date? Answers will be in the next issue. Have fun collecting, come visit our shop if you get a chance, and remember to never clean a coin! |
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-- Chip Cutcliff |