Coin Collectors News

United States Mint Launches America the Beautiful Quarters® Program Coin Honoring Voyageurs National Park Quarter

Jun 14, 2018 | Announcements, U.S. Mint

International Falls, MN – The United States Mint (Mint) joined the National Park Service today to launch the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program coin honoring Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. It is the third America the Beautiful Quarters coin issued in 2018 and the 43rd release in the series.

This latest quarter’s reverse (tails) design depicts a common loon with a rock cliff in the background. Inscriptions are “VOYAGEURS,” “MINNESOTA,” “2018,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The obverse (heads) design depicts the 1932 restored portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.” A digital image of the quarter is available here

In his remarks during the launch, Mint Director David J. Ryder said, “Just as the loon’s yodels and wails are a distinctive and timeless sound of Northern Minnesota’s wilderness and waterways, the Voyageurs quarter will echo the histories and cultures of the people who have been connected here through trade, industry, and recreation.”

Retired ornithology professor Leland Grim led a festive ceremony that featured musical performances by International Falls natives Gavia Yount and Darcy Sullivan. Boy Scouts of America Troop 150; Cub Scout Troop 145; Girl Scouts of America Troops 1150, 1151, 1153, and 1156; and Veterans of Foreign Wars Color Guard 2948 also participated in the ceremony. Guest speakers were Ida Rukavina, Regional Outreach Director for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar; Peter Makowski, Regional Outreach Director for U.S. Senator Tina Smith; Tom Whiteside, who represented U.S. Congressman Rick Nolan; and Park Superintendent Bob DeGross.

“The beauty and recreational opportunities of Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota make it a fantastic year-round destination for sightseeing, fishing, boating, and hiking,” said Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “The park’s interconnected lakes, maze of water ways, 2.7 billion year-old exposed geological layers, campsites, and trails are examples of the many treasures and experiences available on America’s vast network of public lands.”

The Mint bookended the coin launch with its customary public coin forum on the eve of the launch ceremony and a currency exchange for $10 rolls of Voyageurs National Park quarters the following day. Products containing the new quarter are available for purchase via the Mint’s online catalog.

Public Law 110-456 authorized the 2009 launch of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, a 12-year initiative that honors 56 national parks and other national sites. Each year until 2020, the public will see five different national sites depicted on the reverses of the America the Beautiful Quarters coins, with a final coin scheduled for release in 2021. The Mint is issuing these quarters according to the date each location was designated a national site.

NGC Certifies Newman’s Unique 1792 Washington President Gold Eagle

Jun 14, 2018 | News

NGC has certified the late Eric P. Newman’s most cherished coin: the unique 1792 Washington President Gold Eagle that researchers believe was presented to George Washington and carried by him as a pocket piece.

Graded NGC XF 45★, the coin will be sold without reserve by Heritage Auctions on August 16, 2018, at the ANA World’s Fair of Money in Philadelphia. All of the net proceeds will be donated to charity.

“This is one of the most amazing treasures that I have examined in my nearly 40-year career,” said Mark Salzberg, NGC chairman and grading finalizer. “NGC is honored to have been selected to certify a coin with such remarkable history, provenance and appeal.”

United States Mint to Release America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set™ of Voyageurs National Park Quarters on June 19

Jun 12, 2018 | Announcements, U.S. Mint

WASHINGTON – The United States Mint will open sales for the 2018 America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set™–Voyageurs National Park (product code 18AF) on June 19 at noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

This set includes one uncirculated quarter from the Philadelphia Mint, one uncirculated quarter from the Denver Mint, and one proof quarter from the San Francisco Mint. The reverse (tails) design featured on all three coins in the set depicts a common loon with a rock cliff in the background. Inscriptions are “VOYAGEURS,” “MINNESOTA,” “2018,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The obverse (heads) depicts the 1932 restored portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.”

A durable plastic card holds the three coins and displays an image of Voyageurs National Park and the Certificate of Authenticity.

The America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set™–Voyageurs National Park is priced at $9.95. Visit The Mint accepts orders online at catalog.usmint.gov/ or call 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468) to place an order. Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Click here for information about shipping options.

The America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Sets are also available for purchase through the Product Enrollment Program. Visit catalog.usmint.gov/shop/product-enrollments/ to learn more about this convenient ordering method.

Spectacular PCGS-Certified Morgans Command Record Prices in Sotheby’s Auction

Jun 11, 2018 | Auctions, News

(June 11, 2018) — The recent Sotheby’s Historic Coins and Medals Auction in New York set new price records with Morgan silver dollars certified by Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) for authenticity and grade.

“The six most valuable coins sold in the auction were graded by PCGS, and a total of 86 of the 100 coins in the complete Morgan dollar set offered by Sotheby’s were certified by Professional Coin Grading Service. PCGS helps maximize the value of your coins while providing the greatest liquidity,” said PCGS President Don Willis.

Three record-setting coins from the collection of Ralph and Lois Stone are of special note for their condition rarity and desirability.

An 1884-S Morgan graded PCGS MS67, estimated at $300,000 to $500,000, sold for $735,000.

The “King of Morgan Dollars,” an 1893-S graded PCGS MS65, also sold for $735,000 and also against a pre-auction estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. The previous auction record for an 1893-S of that grade was $646,250 set in 2014.

An 1892-S dollar, graded PCGS MS67, was estimated at $250,000 to $350,000 and sold for $495,000, breaking the previous $446,500 record set in 2015 for that date and grade.

“The ’92-S is rather common in circulated grades, but a true rarity in higher mint state. The outstanding Sotheby’s auction proved there is continuing demand for truly scarce, high-grade classic United States coins,” explained Willis.

: Graded PCGS MS67, this 1884-S Morgan dollar sold for a record $735,000 in a May 2018 Sotheby’s auction. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.

: A record price of $495,000 was bid at a Sotheby’s May 2018 auction for this 1892-S Morgan dollar graded PCGS MS67. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.

: The “King of Morgan Dollars,” an 1893-S graded PCGS MS65, sold for a record $735,000 at a May 2018 Sotheby’s auction. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s.

All prices include the buyer’s premium. A full list of prices realized for all of the PCGS-certified coins in the May 21, 2018 Sotheby’s can be found at: https://www.pcgs.com/auctionPrices/auctionsaledetails/sothebys/historic-coins-medals/firmid/10016/saleid/5213246751279596814

Since its founding in 1986, PCGS experts have certified over 38 million coins with a total market value of over $33 billion. For information about PCGS products and services, including how to submit your coins for authentication and grading, visit www.PCGS.com or call PCGS Customer Service at (800) 447-884

World’s Fair of Money Commemorative Medal Redesign Represents Brotherly Love

Jun 8, 2018 | ANA, Announcements

A revised commemorative medal design for the Philadelphia World’s Fair of Money was unveiled today by the American Numismatic Association. Designed by Jamie Franki and sculpted by noted medallic artist Heidi Wastweet, the reverse of the commemorative medal required a redesign after ownership questions surfaced around the famous Philadelphia LOVE graphic, which was originally depicted on the medal.

The reverse of the medal has been redesigned in the form of a Philadelphia love token, and features engraved elements from American paper currency that form a heart shape. The Eye of Providence, a quintessential engraved element from the dollar, forms the “o” in Love, and creates a tie to William Penn’s forward-thinking gaze depicted on the obverse. The love token, which has been engraved upon the surface of a reeded coin, also features the meaning of Penn’s “City of Brotherly Love” as it translates from the Greek.

On the obverse remains William Penn; English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, early Quaker and founder of the British North American colony the Province of Pennsylvania.

“Love has likely been a subject for every known mode of human artistic expression,” said Franki. “One example of particular interest to numismatists is the tradition of the love token.”

Professor Jamie Franki currently teaches Illustration at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and he serves as a contributing designer for the United States Mint’s Artistic Infusion Program. Franki is a member of the American Medallic Sculpture Association, the ANA and the Charlotte Coin Club. In 2011, Franki received the ANA’s Presidential Award for his artistic practice and service to the numismatic community.

“Heidi Wastweet has sculpted thousands of masters for coins and medals and I knew her experience and insight would elevate this important commemorative into a true work of art,” said Franki.

Wastweet serves the United States Mint as an elected medallic expert on the Citizen’s Coinage Advisory Committee. She also serves as the president of the American Medallic Sculpture Association.

The reverse of the commemorative medal originally featured the famous Philadelphia LOVE sculpture graphic created by artist Robert Indiana in 1964. When Indiana first created his art, he failed to properly file a copyright for LOVE, which has thrown ownership of the design into question. Indiana died on May 19. In light of newly surfacing questions about the estate proprietorship of Indiana’s LOVE designs and sculptures, Franki and the ANA opted to change the design out of respect to the late artist and his estate.

Medals are available as a convention medal badge (1.5” bronze medal with a ribbon drape) $20; bronze medal (2.75”) $65; or as a two-medal (1.5” bronze medal and 1.5” .999 FS medal, numbered) set for $100. Shipping is $6.95 per order.

Medals can be ordered by calling 800-514-2646. Attendees of the show can also purchase the medal at booth #99 in the Shop the ANA area.

The American Numismatic Association is a congressionally chartered, nonprofit educational organization dedicated to encouraging the study and collection of coins and related items. The ANA helps its nearly 25,000 members and the public discover and explore the world of money through its vast array of educational and outreach programs as well as its museum, library, publications, and conventions. For more information, call 719-632-2646 or visit www.money.org.