Nov 23, 2019 | Announcements, Shows & Conventions
(Pelham, Alabama) — Bill Fivaz, coauthor of the Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties of United States Coins, will give an overview of today’s hobby and market at the American Numismatic Association’s National Money Show on February 27, 2020, in Atlanta.
“Cherrypicking” is the act of examining coins that appear normal at first glance to find ones that have unusual characteristics—overdates, doubled and tripled dies, misplaced mintmarks, and similar features—that reveal them to be scarce and valuable.
Fivaz, accompanied by Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker, will highlight some of the most popular new varieties that will be in the next Cherrypickers’ Guide. The focus of their talk will be Bust, Liberty Seated, and Barber silver coins, plus modern dimes, quarters, and half dollars from 1916 to date, silver dollars, clad dollars, gold coins, commemoratives, and coins struck for the Philippines under U.S. sovereignty.
The “Money Talks” presentation will be given at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 11:00 a.m.
Dennis Tucker and Bill Fivaz reviewing die varieties at a November 21, 2019, editorial meeting.
Tucker called the presentation “A treat for everyone who dreams of finding a rare coin and cherrypicking it for a common-coin price.” Fivaz will answer these questions: “What are collectors today excited about? What has recent research revealed? What valuable treasures are waiting to be discovered?”
Bill Fivaz, a coin collector since 1950, has earned recognition as one of the country’s most respected authorities on numismatic errors and die varieties. He is a longtime contributor to the Guide Book of United States Coins (the “Red Book”). With the late J.T. Stanton he coauthored the first Cherrypickers’ Guide in 1990, launching the modern boom in interest in die varieties.
The Cherrypickers’ Guide uses close-up photographs and text descriptions to show collectors what to look for in die varieties. The sixth edition, volume II, is being edited by professional numismatist Larry Briggs. Its publication is scheduled for 2020, the thirtieth anniversary of the first edition’s release.
About the American Numismatic Association
The American Numismatic Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and encouraging people to study and collect coins, tokens, medals, paper money, and related items. The Association serves the academic community, collectors, and the general public with an interest in numismatics, through its vast array of educational programs including its museum, library, publications, conventions, and seminars. The ANA web site is www.money.org.
Nov 20, 2019 | Announcements, U.S. Mint
WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) will release the final America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set™ of 2019 on Nov. 26 at noon EST. The quarters in this set (product code 19AH) pay homage to Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho.
This America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Sets consist of an uncirculated quarter from the Philadelphia Mint, an uncirculated quarter from the Denver Mint, and a proof quarter from the San Francisco Mint. Quarters in the set honor Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and feature a reverse (tails) design that depicts a piloted drift boat on the rushing river encompassed by the trees and rock formations of the Wilderness. Inscriptions are “RIVER OF NO RETURN,” “WILDERNESS,” “IDAHO,” “2019,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” Pricing is set at $9.95.
The obverse (heads) of the coins depicts the 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan, which has been restored to bring out subtle details and the beauty of the original model. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.”
The three coins are mounted on a durable plastic card with an image of Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. A Certificate of Authenticity is printed on the back of the card.
The Mint accepts orders at catalog.usmint.gov and 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Shipping options are available at catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html.
A limited supply of sets will be available for purchase over the counter at various United States Mint sales centers in Washington, Philadelphia, and Denver.
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 Nov. 26, 2019, at noon EST.
Nov 20, 2019 | Announcements
November 19, 2019 – Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) will again be authenticating, grading, and certifying United States and world paper money domestically with the launch of a new service, PCGS Banknote (www.PCGS.com/banknote), in early January 2020.
The company has successfully provided PCGS Gold Shield brand grading of U.S. and world paper money at its international Asia and Europe offices for the past four years. It now will offer those services in the United States and overseas under the new name, PCGS Banknote, with technologically advanced note holders for greater security.
Example image of a note in a new PCGS Banknote holder. (Image credit: Professional Coin Grading Service www.PCGS.com.)
“We are expanding our expert services to again assist collectors and dealers in the United States with paper money experts at our Southern California headquarters,” said Bruce Thornton, PCGS Director of Banknote Grading. “All notes certified and holdered by the PCGS Banknote service have a lifetime guaranty of authenticity and grade.”
PCGS will be accepting submissions of all denominations and types of U.S. paper money from Colonial-era and Continental Currency to modern-era notes. PCGS Banknote expert services include grading, re-grading, crossover, and re-holdering.
Qualifying notes will be evaluated on a 70-point grading scale with 27 possible grade designations ranging from Good (G04) to MS70 PPQ (Premium Paper Quality).
“PCGS Banknote also will use “Details” designations to accurately describe the condition of certain notes that exhibit damage or problems exceeding what is expected for any particular grade, such as heavy staining, significant trimming, or repairs,” explained Thornton.
“We’ve been preparing for this launch for the past year, assembling additional paper money experts and expanding our existing operations and technology so that banknote submitters can receive the consistent, high-level of service and the top expertise PCGS has offered since opening for business in 1986,” said PCGS President Brett Charville.
“Extensive research went into the development of state-of-the-art security features, both covert and overt, for our new banknote holder and insert. Customers also will continue to benefit from the world’s only collectibles guarantee program offered by a publicly held company, and they’ll get the same convenient assistance as always from our experienced Customer Service staff,” stated Charville.
Membership and benefits in the PCGS Collectors Club are now extended to banknotes and those who submit them. PCGS Collectors Club members will be able to submit coins and banknotes without purchasing an additional membership. Collectors Club Vouchers will also be eligible for use on PCGS Banknote submissions.
PCGS Banknote customers will be able to enjoy utilizing PCGS Cert Verification, Pop Reports, message boards, and educational materials, and the PCGS Set Registry will be expanding to include PCGS Banknote sets.
PCGS will officially begin accepting banknote submissions by mail and via take-home submissions at shows on January 2, 2020.
Collectors Universe, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLCT), parent company of PCGS, operated PCGS Currency from 2005 until 2009 when it sold the banknote grading division to another company and licensed the trademark and brand name for 10 years until this past January.
For information about PCGS Banknote services, including how to submit your notes for authentication and grading, visit www.PCGS.com/banknote. More detailed information coming soon.
About Professional Coin Grading Service
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) represents the industry standard in third-party coin authentication and grading. Since 1986, PCGS has examined and certified over 42.5 million coins, medals, and tokens with a combined value of over $36.1 billion. For more 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) 447-8848.
Nov 16, 2019 | Announcements, U.S. Mint
WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) will begin accepting orders for the John Quincy Adams Presidential Silver Medal (product code S806) on November 18 at noon EST. This is the sixth release in the Presidential Silver Medal series and the final medal of 2019.
Priced at $39.95, this medal is struck in 99.9 percent fine silver and features Adams’s portrait on the obverse (heads). Inscriptions are “JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,” “PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES” and “1825.” Moritz Furst, an early nineteenth century medallic artist, designed and sculpted the obverse.
The medal’s reverse (tails) features the inscription “PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP,” symbolized by two hands clasped in a token of amity. On the cuff of the left wrist are three stripes and buttons, while the other wrist is bare. Above the hands, the pipe of peace and tomahawk are crossed over each other. The reverse was designed and sculpted by John Reich, United States Mint Assistant Engraver in the early nineteenth century.
Each medal is encapsulated and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The Mint accepts orders at catalog.usmint.gov/ and 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Visit catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html for information about shipping options.
Medals are also sold at the United States Mint sales centers in Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; and Denver. Availability may be limited and subject to change.
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 Nov.18, 2019, at noon EST.
Nov 14, 2019 | Announcements
(November 13, 2019) – Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) has partnered with APMEX (www.APMEX.com), the largest online retailer of precious metals, to offer an exciting new product geared toward bullion enthusiasts beginning in 2020. It combines APMEX’s popular MintDirect® products with desirable PCGS FirstStrike® certification eligibility.
For years, APMEX has had success selling United States Mint products sealed in protective plastic to ensure they remain in the same unopened, untouched, unsorted and unsearched condition just as they were received from the U.S. Mint.
PCGS has reviewed and confirmed the process APMEX has in place to secure coins from mints around the world and proudly stands by their products being received within 30 days of initial release and stored in a way that ensures the condition of the coins. Now select APMEX coins can qualify for PCGS FirstStrike designation.
Under the new partnership (www.PCGS.com/APMEX), APMEX will offer APMEX MintDirect Premier products with PCGS FirstStrike eligibility, a winning combination that offers FirstStrike® designation long after the eligibility cutoff date.
“PCGS is delighted to be partnering with APMEX on their latest innovative product offering. As two of the companies in the hobby most synonymous with consumer confidence and dependability, we believe this is a partnership designed to better serve collectors for years to come,” said PCGS President Brett Charville.
Starting with 2020 US Silver Eagles, PCGS will recognize any APMEX MintDirect Premier products with the PCGS logo as FirstStrike eligible indefinitely, as long as the coins are not removed from the tamper-evident APMEX packaging.
“The secondary market value of coins with the FirstStrike designation is often greater than that for coins graded without the FirstStrike designation, thus adding value over the years,” explained Charville.
“PCGS is one of the most respected names in the industry, and we’re very excited to partner with them to offer our customers the added value of FirstStrike eligibility on MintDirect Premier Silver Eagles,” said Kyle Klosinski, Senior Product Manager at APMEX.
“PCGS FirstStrike certified coins are among the most popular graded products, and the verification that our process meets PCGS’s strict standards for this designation provides an additional layer of assurance for our customers, regardless of whether they intend to submit their coins for grading,” added Klosinski.
PCGS is also offering free Silver Collectors Club Memberships, valued at $69, on all submissions of sealed APMEX MintDirect Premier with PCGS FirstStrike tubes and boxes, making it an ideal choice for beginner and advanced collectors alike.
As the leader in third-party authentication and grading, PCGS welcomes new collectors to take advantage of APMEX-sealed monster box, mini monster box, tube and blister single pack products and enjoy direct submission privileges with FirstStrike eligibility. Contact PCGS Customer Service at 800-447-8848 for information on eligibility for membership and services.
To take advantage of your free PCGS membership, simply follow these steps:
- Create a PCGS account via www.PCGS.com/myaccount/create.
- Fill out your free Collectors Club voucher found here www.pcgs.com/media.ashx/pcgs-apmex-cc-voucher.pdf.
- Complete a Submission Form and include the Collectors Club voucher in the shipment with sealed APMEX MintDirect Premier with PCGS FirstStrike tubes and boxes.
About Professional Coin Grading Service
Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) represents the industry standard in third-party coin authentication and grading. Since 1986, PCGS has examined and certified over 42.5 million coins, medals, and tokens with a combined value of over $36.1 billion. For more 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) 447-8848.
About APMEX, Inc.
Since 1999, APMEX has been one of the nation’s largest Precious Metals e-retailers, boasting over $10 billion in transactions. APMEX has the largest selection of bullion and numismatic items provided by a retailer, boasting more than 10,000 products. Product offerings include all U.S. Mint bullion such as Gold, Silver and Platinum American Eagle coins. APMEX also sells products from leading mints around the world including The Royal Mint, Perth Mint, Royal Canadian Mint and many others. APMEX is a member of the American Numismatic Association, the International Precious Metals Institute and the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. For additional information, visit www.APMEX.com or call (800) 375-9006.
Nov 14, 2019 | Announcements, U.S. Mint
WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) will begin accepting orders for the 2019 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin™ honoring Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (product code 19AN) on November 14 at noon EST. The coin is priced at $154.95 and is the last five ounce silver uncirculated coin of 2019.
America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins are struck in .999 fine silver at the Philadelphia Mint and are three inches in diameter. They bear the same designs featured on their America the Beautiful Quarters® Program Coin counterparts.
The coin’s reverse (tails) design depicts a piloted drift boat on the rushing river encompassed by the trees and rock formations of the wilderness. Inscriptions are “RIVER OF NO RETURN,” “WILDERNESS,” “IDAHO,” “2019,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” The obverse (heads) features a 1932 restored portrait of George Washington.
Each coin is encapsulated and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Production of the America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin honoring Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness is set at 20,000 units. There is no household order limit.
The Mint accepts orders at catalog.usmint.gov and at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order by calling 1-888-321-MINT (6468). Information on shipping options is available at catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html.
The America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins™ are also available for purchase through the Mint’s Product Enrollment Program. To learn more, visit us online at catalog.usmint.gov/shop/enrollments/ for details.
Like many United States Mint products, this coin will be available at the Mint’s sales centers in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Denver. Availability may be limited and subject to change.
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 Nov. 14, 2019, at noon EST.
Nov 9, 2019 | Announcements
(November 8, 2019) — Professional Coin Grading Service (www.PCGS.com) will begin encapsulating United States Mint serialized Certificates of Authenticity (COA) alongside the coins they guarantee. The service will also provide a pedigree on the coin insert with the matching serial number.
This new service is being launched in conjunction with the new, low-mintage American Eagle 2019 One Ounce Silver Enhanced Reverse Proof Coin, which will be accompanied from the Mint with COAs bearing a serial number. Collectors and dealers will have an opportunity to submit these coins to PCGS at the Whitman Baltimore Winter Expo, November 14-17, as well as by PCGS’ regular submission procedures.
For each sequentially numbered COA from the Mint, PCGS will process the coin and COA in tandem for certification. The new service entails the encapsulation of both contents in separate slabs that are paired with a declaration of the matching common serial number on their respective certification labels.
An artist’s rendition of the new PCGS dual encapsulation of a 2019 Reverse Proof American Silver Eagle and accompanying United States Mint Certificate of Authenticity. (Image credit: Professional Coin Grading Service www.PCGS.com.)
“We believe authentication of a matching coin and COA will provide a fitting pedigree for this release for generations to come,” said PCGS President Brett Charville.
This new service is exclusively offered for the American Eagle 2019 One Ounce Silver Enhanced Reverse Proof Coin and is available to all PCGS Collectors Club members and Authorized Dealers. Ensuring the integrity of this program, dual encapsulation services are available only for submissions of sealed boxes from the U.S. Mint to prevent the inadvertent and incorrect dual encapsulation of non-matching reverse proof silver eagles and COA now or at any time in the future.
Here are guidelines and additional details pertaining to the new PCGS dual encapsulation program:
- Only available for the American Eagle 2019 One Ounce Silver Enhanced Reverse Proof coin.
- Coins must be submitted in original sealed government packaging.
- Qualifying coins will be receiving Certificate of Authenticity (COA) number pedigree by default (for example, “COA No. XXXXX”).
- To encapsulate your Mint COA, an additional $15 will be added to the submission fees. Bulk pricing is available for qualifying orders. Contact cdemoray@collectors.com (949) 567-1275.
- No minimum quantity required.
- For the Reverse Proof COA encapsulation, mark “Other” in the service level section of the submission form, indicate “Reverse Proof COA”
- Standard shipping and handling fees apply.
- You must be a PCGS Collectors Club member or PCGS Authorized Dealer to submit directly to PCGS. To join the PCGS Collectors Club, click here.
- For any other questions, please contact PCGS Customer Service Monday through Friday 7:00AM to 5:00PM PST at 1-800-447-8848.
PCGS will be grading the 2019-S Enhanced Reverse proof at the November Baltimore show with a special “Nov. Baltimore” pedigree. In order to qualify for the COA number pedigree, coins must be submitted at the show the same day of Mint purchase with paperwork and receipt.
PCGS will not be encapsulating COA’s at the Baltimore show, but we will be accepting submissions at the show to have your COA encapsulated in-office. Both the coin and COA will need to be submitted together for take home service. If you elect to have your coins graded and returned on-site at the show you will not be able to submit the COA to be paired with the coin at a later date.
To encapsulate your Mint COA, an additional $15 will be added to the submission fees. Bulk pricing is available for qualifying orders. No minimum quantity is required. Contact cdemoray@collectors.com (949) 567-1275.
For information about PCGS products and services, visit www.PCGS.com or call the PCGS customer service department at (800) 447-8848.
Nov 9, 2019 | Announcements
(Pelham, Alabama) — In a sign of the strength of the coin-collecting hobby, dramatically higher than usual demand has caused Whitman Publishing to go back to press with the spiralbound version of the Guide Book of United States Coins, 73rd edition.
The Guide Book, published since 1946 and popularly known as the “Red Book,” is the bestselling annual price guide for the coin-collecting hobby. More than 24 million copies have been sold since the first edition.
“We plan our print runs very carefully, benchmarking against previous years’ sales,” said Whitman president Mary Burleson. “With years of data to analyze, we can control our inventory by printing to anticipated collector demand. This year’s demand has unexpectedly been much stronger than normal. Not since 2006 have we had to go back to press to meet higher than expected demand.”
From casual hobbyists to longtime collectors and professional numismatists. Whitman estimates that coin collectors number in the millions nationwide. The American Numismatic Association, the country’s largest hobbyist organization, has 25,000 active members.
“The Red Book is distributed nationally in bookstores and other retail locations, and online,” said Burleson. “The increased demand suggests to us that many new collectors and potential collectors have entered the market over the past year. This is a positive sign for the hobby.”
Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker said that many hobbyists acquire the Red Book as a collectible itself, seeking one of every edition. To help them identify books in their collections, Tucker noted, “The new press run of the spiralbound format has SECOND PRINTING on its copyright page.”
Collectors can check their local bookstore or hobby shop, or call Whitman’s Customer Service number at 1-800-546-2995, to order a copy of the spiralbound Red Book for $15.95. Copies of the first printing will be shipped as long as it’s in stock, and the second printing will be added to Whitman’s inventory distribution when available.
About the Guide Book of United States Coins
A Guide Book of United States Coins is the world’s most popular annual retail price guide for U.S. coins, tokens, and other numismatic items. 24 million copies have been printed since 1946, making it one of the best-selling nonfiction titles in the history of U.S. publishing.
# # #
A Guide Book of United States Coins, 73rd edition 464 pages Full color
By R.S. Yeoman; senior editor Jeff Garrett; research editor Q. David Bowers; editor emeritus Kenneth Bressett.
$15.95 convenient lay-flat spiralbound
$17.95 classic red hardcover
$19.95 spiralbound hardcover
$29.95 Large Print Edition
$49.95 expanded Deluxe Edition (1,504 pages)
Nov 5, 2019 | Announcements, U.S. Mint
WASHINGTON – The 2019 United States Mint (Mint) American Innovation $1 Reverse Proof Coin honoring innovation from Delaware will be available for purchase on November 7 at noon EST. Delaware is the first state to be honored in this series.
The coin has a frosted background, and a brilliant, mirror-like finish. Its reverse (tails) design features a silhouette of Dover native Annie Jump Cannon against the night sky, with a number of stars visible in the sky. The inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “ANNIE JUMP CANNON,” “CLASSIFYING THE STARS,” and “DELAWARE.” The obverse (heads) design features a dramatic representation of the Statue of Liberty in profile with the inscriptions “IN GOD WE TRUST” and “$1.” The obverse also includes a stylized gear privy mark, representing industry and innovation. The edge-incused inscriptions are “2019,” the “S” mint mark, and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
An informational four-panel envelope houses the coin. The Certificate of Authenticity is embedded in the packaging.
The Delaware American Innovation $1 Reverse Proof Coin (product code 19GE) is priced at $9.95. Orders will be accepted at catalog.usmint.gov/ and at 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing- and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Information about shipping options is available at catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html.
The Mint capped production of this coin at 75,000 units. Orders are limited to five units per household for the first 24 hours of sales. After 24 hours, the household order limit will be rescinded.
The American Innovation $1 Coin Program is a multi-year series featuring distinctive reverse (tails) designs that pay homage to America’s ingenuity and celebrate the pioneering efforts of individuals or groups from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories.
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 Nov. 7, 2019, at noon EST.
Nov 3, 2019 | Announcements, U.S. Mint
WASHINGTON – The United States Mint (Mint) opens sales for products featuring the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program coin honoring Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho on November 4 at noon EST. This is the fifth release of 2019 and the 50th overall in the program. Available product options are the following:
| PRODUCT CODE |
PRODUCT OPTION |
MINT MARK |
PRICE |
| 19ABN |
100-Coin Bag |
P |
$34.95 |
| 19ABP |
100-Coin Bag |
D |
$34.95 |
| 19ABQ |
100-Coin Bag |
S |
$34.95 |
| 19ARN |
Two-Roll Set |
P, D |
$32.95 |
| 19ARP |
40-Coin Roll |
S |
$18.95 |
| 19ARQ |
Three-Roll Set |
P, D, S |
$46.95 |
The Mint produces the coins in rolls and bags at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco facilities. The three-roll set contains coins from all three facilities. Unlike the “P” and “D” mint mark quarters, those with the “S” mint mark will not be released into circulation.
The reverse (tails) design of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness quarter depicts a piloted drift boat on the rushing river encompassed by the trees and rock formations of the wilderness. Inscriptions are “RIVER OF NO RETURN,” “WILDERNESS,” “IDAHO,” “2019,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
The obverse (heads) design features a portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “QUARTER DOLLAR.”
The Mint accepts orders at catalog.usmint.gov and 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468). Hearing and speech-impaired customers with TTY equipment may order at 1-888-321-MINT. Shipping options are available at catalog.usmint.gov/customer-service/shipping.html.
Products containing the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness quarters will be available at the Mint’s sales centers in Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; and Denver. Inventory is limited to availability and subject to change.
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 Nov. 4, 2019, at noon EST.
