NGC Presents the Last Great Mystery of the SS Central America Shipwreck
On September 3, 1857, the SS Central America began a voyage from Panama to New York carrying very important cargo: thousands of freshly minted gold coins from California, desperately needed by New York banks that were facing an economic crisis. Six days later, the ship found itself in the grips of a Category 2 hurricane off the coast of the Carolinas. After three days of struggling with high winds and waves, the ship’s crew lost its battle with the storm and the Central America sank, resulting in the loss of more than 400 lives and more than 9 tons of gold.
For more than 130 years, treasure hunters dreamed of discovering the wreck of the SS Central America, which quickly became known as the “Ship of Gold.” When the wreck was finally discovered in the late 1980s, the process of retrieving its treasure began.
NGC is thrilled to reveal to the public the final mystery of the ship’s recovered cargo — a box containing $20 gold coins from the height of the California Gold Rush, now certified, preserved and ready to be studied and appreciated by collectors around the world. Click below to watch a video showing the treasure’s journey to the NGC grading room, view a gallery of all 123 coins that were found and learn more about the incredible discovery, finally revealed.
The Royal Mint celebrates 150 Years of the FA Cup on a collectable £2 coin
The 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup 2022 UK £2 Brilliant Uncirculated Coin Packaging Front –
The collectable £2 coin features the iconic FA Cup trophy at the heart of the design and will take centre stage for the coin toss at the Emirates FA Cup Final at Wembley on 14 May – the showpiece event of the most historic domestic football cup competition in the world.
Designed by artists Matt Dent and Christian Davies, the coveted silverware appears in miniature on the £2 coin, combining The Royal Mint’s craftsmanship and innovation to achieve the accurate detail. The design is etched with celebratory ribbon alongside the words ‘celebrating 150 years of The FA Cup’. On the highly secure milled edge of £2 coin is the inscription ‘football’s greatest cup competition’, a further nod to the landmark celebration of football’s longest-running knockout competition.
The coin is available in a range of base and precious metal finishes for sports lovers and coin collectors to own an enduring memento of the 150th anniversary season. A silver version, with a certificate of authenticity baring the number 1, will be minted to the highest Proof standard for the coin toss in May.
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- The 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup 2022 UK £2 Gold Proof Coin
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- The 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup 2022 UK £2 Gold Proof Coin
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- The 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup 2022 UK £2 Silver Proof Coin
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- The 150th Anniversary of the FA Cup 2022 UK £2 Silver Proof Coin
The Royal Mint’s Director of Commemorative Coin Clare Maclennan said: “The Emirates FA Cup is an iconic footballing competition that has enabled clubs across the country to dream of lifting the coveted trophy for 150 years. In what is an extra special season for everyone involved in the game, we are thrilled to be working with The FA and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the much-loved competition with a commemorative £2 coin. Designed with the trophy at its heart, it is fitting that that the coin will be used for the coin toss during Final at Wembley in May.”
The FA’s Head of Player Status and Competitions, David Newton, said: “The parallels between The Royal Mint’s traditional craftsmanship and innovations, and the Emirates FA Cup’s rich history and evolution over the years mean that this special coin is an incredibly fitting celebration of the competition’s 150th anniversary season. We are delighted that it will be used for the Final’s coin toss and fans across the country now have the chance to take home their very own piece of silverware to savour for years to come.”
You can find more information at The Royal Mint from Monday 14 February, and read more about the design of the 150 Years of the FA Cup coin here.
Coming Attractions at the Long Beach Expo February 17-19, 2022
A grand marquee of attractions at this Collectors Universe event, headlined by the eight-figure Tyrant coin collection and onsite grading by coin, banknote, and sports memorabilia authenticators, will unfold at the Long Beach Convention Center
The Long Beach Expo will unfold at the Long Beach Convention Center February 17-19, 2022. Image courtesy of PCGS.
“We are thrilled to welcome the $100 million Tyrant Collection of U.S. Type Coins, which appears at the Long Beach Expo for the first time,” remarked Professional Coin Grading Service President Stephanie Sabin. “This outstanding collection boasts treasures you won’t find anywhere else. Among these are the legendary King of Siam Proof Set, which includes the 1804 Draped Bust Dollar – a famous multimillion-dollar rarity coveted by generations of coin collectors.”
The PCGS Booth will be hosting grading, Meet the Expert sessions, and much more at the Long Beach Expo. Image courtesy of PCGS.
Among the highlights will be four different Meet the Expert programs at the Long Beach Expo. “We’ve never had four Meet the Expert participants before,” said PCGS Senior Event Manager Samantha Dark. “So, this is an unprecedented opportunity for those with old coins, vintage banknotes, sports collectibles, and classic video games to come and see what their items are worth.”
Below is a complete list of attractions at the February 2022 Long Beach Expo:
- Multimillion-dollar Heritage Auctions – U.S. Coins Signature® Auction #1342. Lot viewing will occur February 15-19 in the Seaside Ballroom
- Tyrant collection of U.S. type coins worth $100 million
- On-site grading of coins, banknotes, trading cards and memorabilia from PCGS and PSA
- PSA autograph authentication
- Kids’ Treasure Hunt on Saturday, February 19, 2022
- Giveaways of valuable coins, banknotes, and autographed sports jerseys
- Meet the Expert sessions with –
- Steve Feltner, PCGS Director of Numismatic Education & Grading Team Leader
- Phillip Thomas, PCGS Banknote Specialist and Research Manager
- Dan Wulkan, Memory Lane Sports Expert
- WATA Meet the Video Games Expert
- More than 500 dealers representing a diverse array of collectibles
* Check the attractions page for times/dates of individual attractions (https://www.longbeachexpo.com/visitors/attractions).
PCGS Director of Numismatic Education & Grading Team Leader Steve Feltner answers questions from coin collectors at the PCGS Booth during the Long Beach Expo. Image courtesy of PCGS.
Additionally, PCGS is offering a grading special of only $45 per show submission of 10 or more non-gold U.S. coins. Please visit the PCGS show page for more details at https://www.pcgs.com/shows/detail/6694. PCGS Collectors Club membership is required for all submissions, so those who are not members can join ahead of the event, and also enjoy free admission to all Long Beach Expos by visiting https://www.pcgs.com/join. To join the PSA Collectors Club visit www.psacard.com/join.
The Long Beach Expo will be held from February 17 and runs through February 19. Doors open 10 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 17, and Friday, February 18, and 10 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 19. The Long Beach Expo will take place at the Long Beach Convention Center – Hall C, 100 S. Pine Avenue, Long Beach, California 90802.
Collector Exhibits at American Numismatic Association Conventions Eligible to Receive Prizes
One of the big draws of American Numismatic Association (ANA) conventions are the featured collector exhibits on display. The individual creativity in these displays at the National Money Show® and the World’s Fair of Money® is rivaled only by the quality and variety of the items on display.
To recognize collectors who share their knowledge, research, creativity and collections by displaying an exhibit, the ANA is providing appreciation medals to every exhibitor and prizes such as gold coins and silver American Eagles to winners in several competitive categories. Exhibitors must be members of the ANA.
Displays on any area of numismatics are encouraged – from ancient coins and artifacts, tokens and medals to world coins, modern U.S. coins and paper money. Exhibits are carefully evaluated by a team of dedicated judges and awarded points in areas such as “Numismatic Information,” “Presentation” or “Degree of Difficulty.”
To encourage additional collector exhibits at the March 11-13 National Money Show in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the exhibit application deadline has been extended to Friday, February 11.
Awards for National Money Show collector exhibits include:
Exhibit Class Awards
- 1st place – tenth-ounce gold coin
- 2nd place – proof silver American Eagle
- 3rd place – bullion silver American Eagle
National Coin Week Exhibit Awards
- 1st place – Summer Seminar scholarship
- 2nd place – proof silver American Eagle
- 3rd place – bullion silver American Eagle
Best-of-Show Exhibits
- 1st place – half-ounce gold coin
- 2nd place – quarter-ounce gold coin
- 3rd place – tenth-ounce gold coin
Collectors interested in exhibiting at either the National Money Show or the World’s Fair of Money in Chicago, August 16-20, can find information on exhibit categories, rules and an application by visiting money.org/numismatic-events/convention-exhibits. Completed applications can be emailed to exhibits@money.org.
Applications for collector exhibits at the World’s Fair of Money are being accepted through June 15.
Presidential Silver Medal Honoring James K. Polk Available On February 14
WASHINGTON – The James K. Polk Presidential Silver Medal will be available for purchase directly from the United States Mint (Mint) starting on February 14 at noon ET. Polk was the nation’s 11th U.S. President, serving from March 4, 1845, until March 3, 1849.
The Department of the Treasury has a long-standing tradition of honoring each President of the United States with an official bronze medal struck by the Mint. The Mint is now replicating this series of medals in 99.9 percent fine silver, each measuring 1.598 inches in diameter.
The obverse (heads) of the James K. Polk Presidential Silver Medal is by sculptor John Gadsby Chapman, and the reverse (tails) is by sculptor John Reich, United States Mint Assistant Engraver in the early nineteenth century.
The obverse features Polk’s portrait with the inscriptions “JAMES K. POLK,” “PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,” and “1845” along the border of the medal. The reverse features the inscription “PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP,” symbolized by two hands clasped in token of amity. On the cuff of the left wrist are three stripes and buttons; the other wrist is bare. Above the hands, the pipe of peace and the tomahawk are crossed over each other.
Each medal is encapsulated and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The James K. Polk Presidential Silver Medal is priced at $65. To set up a REMIND ME alert for this product, visit https://catalog.usmint.gov/james-polk-presidential-silver-medal-S811.html/ (product code S811).
To view additional medals in this series, visit: https://catalog.usmint.gov/medals/presidential/silver-presidential-medals/.
Presidential Silver Medals are also available for purchase via the Mint’s Product Enrollment Program. For details, visit us online at: https://catalog.usmint.gov/presidential-silver-medal-enrollment-RJ.html/.
Note: To ensure that all members of the public have fair and equal access to United States Mint products, the United States Mint will not accept and will not honor orders placed prior to the official on-sale date of Feb. 14, 2022, at noon EST.
To reduce the risk of employee exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace, the Mint’s sales centers are closed until further notice. Additionally, due to operational adjustments in response to COVID-19, our customer service representatives are available to assist with any questions you may have, but are unable to accept credit card information or place your order over the phone. Please use our website for all order placements at this time.
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