Mar 15, 2020 | Announcements, Shows & Conventions
Notice to 81st Anniversary Convention booth holders, sponsors, and attendees,
The Central States Numismatic Society has canceled its April 22-25, 2020 convention because of the coronavirus outbreak. “Our focus is the safety and health of our booth holders, exhibitors, collectors and the general public. Therefore, in accordance with recommendations from health officials to cease activities where people gather together in large and close groups, we are canceling our convention,” CSNS President Mitch Ernst said.
The official CSNS convention auctions held by Heritage Auctions will still be held on the dates scheduled. However, the location has changed from the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in suburban Chicago to Heritage’s headquarters in Dallas, TX, instead. For more information on these auctions, please visit the Heritage website – www.ha.com.
CSNS understands the logistical challenges facing those who had made plans to attend the convention and will be reaching out to booth holders and exhibitors in the coming days to discuss options. Hotel reservation questions should be directed to the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel at 847-303-4100.
“We thank our many friends in the numismatic community, including educational exhibitors, numismatic professionals and collectors for their past support of our conventions and look forward to seeing them at our 82nd Anniversary Convention next year in Schaumburg,” Convention Chairman Kevin Foley said.
Our booth holders will have their choice of a refund of bourse fees paid, or the option of carrying those paid fees forward to our 2021 convention, April 21-24 2021. Those who select the option of carrying their paid fees forward will retain their already assigned booth location for the now cancelled 2020 event for 2021. Your choice should be communicated to Convention Chairman Kevin Foley.
Will will be working closely with our headquarters hotel, the Schaumburg Renaissance, to find the most efficient method of cancelling hotel reservations and refund of any deposits that may have been paid for reservations made under our room block. Once those consulations have concluded, we will be in further touch. Questions should be sent to our Convention Chairman, Kevin Foley, at kevinsfoley.kf@gmail.com or (414) 807-0116.
Mar 12, 2020 | Announcements, Shows & Conventions
Stack’s Bowers Galleries Auction to Be Held as Scheduled in California
(Baltimore, Maryland) — On Thursday, March 12, under a state of emergency declared by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, the Baltimore Convention Center suspended operations and activities in response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo, previously scheduled for March 19–21 at the Convention Center, will be closed for all bourse activities including dealer buying and selling, educational programs, and club meetings. The auction of Stack’s Bowers Galleries, the official auction company of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo, will be held on the previously announced dates. Stack’s Bowers Galleries will provide auction location information and other details on their web site, www.stacksbowers.com, in the near future.
Governor Hogan announced the highest activation level of the Maryland Emergency Management Agency at 4:15 p.m. Thursday. Containment strategies include restricting public access to state buildings, and prohibiting “any social, community, religious, recreational, or sports gatherings or events of more than 250 people in close proximity at all locations and venues across the state. All planned large gatherings and events must be canceled or postponed.”
Management and staff of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expo express their deepest concerns for everyone affected by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. “Our highest priority is the safety and health of our dealers, collectors, and the general public,” said Expo manager Lori Kraft. “We also understand the challenges for dealers and collectors who were looking forward to the show. All Whitman Expo booth holders will be contacted by Whitman staff over the next seven business days to discuss in further detail.”
Kraft continued, “We look forward to welcoming everyone back to an upcoming Whitman Expo, for our usual bourse activities, including educational programs, Kids Korner activities, and coin-club meetings.”
Updates and news regarding the Whitman Baltimore Expo will be posted at expo.whitman.com.
For updates on COVID-19 in Maryland and elsewhere, visit www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov.
Mar 1, 2020 | News, Shows & Conventions
Cherrypickers’ Guide volume editor Larry Briggs, author Bill Fivaz, associate editor Brandon Hall, and publisher Dennis Tucker at the ANA National Money Show, August 27, 2020.
Forty-seven collectors attended the presentation, which was videotaped as part of the ANA’s “Money Talks” educational program.
“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.
The Cherrypickers’ Guide uses close-up photographs and text descriptions to show collectors what to look for in die varieties. Professional numismatist Larry Briggs is serving as volume editor for the latest book, coordinating research and pricing along with Fivaz. Its publication is scheduled for August 2020, to debut at the ANA World’s Fair of Money, thirty years after the first edition’s release.
Entirely new sections in the upcoming volume include Type B Reverse Washington quarters; Bust half dollars; “Long Nock” Morgan silver dollars; 1879-S, Reverse of ’78, Morgan dollars; Peg Leg Eisenhower dollars; and U.S./Philippine coins of 1903 to 1945.
The volume will include more than 200 new die varieties, making it the largest Cherrypickers’ Guide volume ever. The tentative list of new additions includes:
- 3 new Liberty Seated half dimes
- 3 new Capped Bust dimes
- 2 new Liberty Seated dimes
- 10 new Barber dimes
- 8 new Mercury dimes
- 12 new Roosevelt dimes
- 2 new twenty-cent pieces
- 5 new Capped Bust quarters
- 7 new Liberty Seated quarters
- 2 new Barber quarters
- 3 new Standing Liberty quarters
- 26 new Washington quarters
- 10 Bust half dollars
- 8 Liberty Seated half dollars
- 4 Barber half dollars
- 7 Liberty Walking half dollars
- 15 Franklin half dollars
- 2 Kennedy half dollars
- 5 Liberty Seated dollars
- 1 trade dollar
- 15 new Morgan dollars
- 6 new Peace dollars
- 2 new modern dollars
- 6 new gold coins
- 1 new classic commemorative
- 20 new U.S./Philippines coins
Fivaz and Tucker showed examples of die varieties including a 1901-O Barber dime with a repunched mintmark, worth $150 more than a normal coin; a 2015 “Homestead National Monument of America” quarter, worth face value (25¢) as a normal pocket-change coin but $25 with an unusual reverse die variety; a 1919 Mercury dime with strong obverse doubling; an 1806 Draped Bust half dollar with a repunched date; a Proof 1968-S Kennedy half dollar with an Inverted S Over Knob Tail S mintmark; and more Roosevelt dimes, Liberty Walking half dollars, Franklin half dollars, and other new additions.
Fivaz noted that some die varieties, such as the 1919 Mercury dime doubled die, are on older coins but have been discovered only recently. “More varieties are out there, waiting to be found,” he said.
In the presentation and its question-and-answer session following, Fivaz and Tucker talked about Cherrypickers’ Guide coauthor J.T. Stanton, who passed away in 2018; how varieties get chosen for listing (and delisting); what makes a variety a good candidate for inclusion in the book; how to search for die varieties; and what coin series are gaining in popularity.
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.
Larry Briggs is well known to the hobby community as a dealer, author, and educator. He served the American Numismatic Association as president of its Authentication Committee. A student of history and archaeology, Briggs served in the U.S. Air Force and worked for Ford Motor Company before launching his own business, Larry Briggs Rare Coins, in 1978. His specialties include error coins and die varieties, Liberty Seated coinage, and early American coppers.
Feb 23, 2020 | Announcements, Shows & Conventions
(Pelham, Alabama) — Whitman Publishing author William Bierly will meet collectors and autograph copies of his new book, In God We Trust: The American Civil War, Money, Banking, and Religion, at the American Numismatic Association’s National Money Show, February 27 and 28, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia. The 352-page hardcover book will be available at the show at the Stanton Books and Stone Mountain Supply booth.
Bierly will be at the Stanton Books booth on Thursday and Friday, with times to be announced at the show.
The national motto “In God We Trust” debuted on United States coinage during the American Civil War. It has appeared on our money ever since. Bierly, having researched deep into the origins and history of “In God We Trust,” tells its full story for the first time, introducing Reverend Mark Watkinson, the preacher who inspired the Treasury Department to “recognize Almighty God in some form on our coins” . . . Mint Director James Pollock, former governor of Pennsylvania, “a commanding figure” who worked toward the same vision . . . and Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase, nephew of an Episcopal bishop, who marshalled the nation’s resources and financed the war with bold innovations. President Abraham Lincoln figures in the tale, as does a cast of military generals, wealthy industrialists, poets and artists, powerful bankers, and everyday Americans, North and South.
Bierly shows how the upheaval of the Civil War changed not just the face of our coins and paper currency, but the very foundations of modern American banking and finance.
The story continues into the renaissance of beautiful American coinage started by President Theodore Roosevelt in the early 1900s . . . the religious revival of the 1950s, and the “Unwritten Constitution” . . . legal challenges by modern-day atheists . . . and controversy surrounding “In God We Trust,” public and school prayer, Ceremonial Deism, the separation of Church and State, and other topics very relevant in today’s social and political conversations.
Historian Q. David Bowers, former president of the American Numismatic Association, calls In God We Trust “One of the most detailed, intricate, and fascinating books in the field of American numismatics—and in American history in general.” On the author’s style, Bowers says, “Bierly approaches the subject respectfully on all sides, with color, personality, dashes of humor, and dogged pursuit of the truth.”
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Feb 1, 2020 | News, Shows & Conventions
Exhibition opened on Tuesday 28th January at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre in Abu Dhabi
DUBAI, 30th January, 2020: “Coins of Islam: History Revealed” which opened on 28th January underlines the rich history and cultural legacy across centuries.
- The exhibition was curated and organized by Dr. Alain Baron, founder of Numismatica Genevensis SA
- One of the world’s most significant collections of Arab and Islamic coinage ever assembled
- Over 300 coins in the exhibition which will run until 28th April 2020
Several officials commended “Coins of Islam: History Revealed” exhibition, organized by Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre. Held under the Patronage of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), the exhibition was inaugurated today by HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs at the Center’s premises in Abu Dhabi.
HE Abdurrahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, stated that “Islamic history and culture inspired this exhibition in line with the SZGMC’s vision.”
His Excellency continued: “Since its establishment, the Centre has become a leading cultural destination, serving as a beacon of intellect and reason through its various activities. By displaying historical artifacts, like these extraordinary coins, SZGMC aims to underline the rich history and cultural legacy of successive Islamic eras across centuries.”
Commenting on the inauguration of the Visitor Centre and Souq Al Jami’ his Excellency stated that “Ever since its establishment, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre has worked towards supporting the UAEs efforts to establish rapprochement between cultures. While also improving the quality standards of cultural tourism across the country and transform it into a leading global destination. Today as we witness another outstanding achievement at this grand edifice that is considered an important addition to the integrated system of services and facilities, SZGMC seeks to develop and provide millions of different religions and nationalities.
His Excellency considered such an achievement to be an opportunity to recall the founding father’s aspiration to create a spectacular masterpiece that serves as a platform to promote tolerance and coexistence. Sheikh Zayed laid down the foundations of the UAE’s moderate approach, making it a meeting point of cultures from all across the globe.”
Dr. Alain Baron, the founder of Numismatica Genevensis, stated, “One of the world’s most significant collections of Arab and Islamic coinage ever assembled, the exhibition will celebrate the splendors and achievements of the Islamic civilization across centuries and the unique perspective on that history afforded by its coins. It is our absolute honor to emphasize the SZGMC’s mission as a centre of learning and knowledge and to highlight the unique and profound role that numismatics plays in our understanding of history and culture.”
HE Sultan Dahi Hemeiri, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Centre, commenting on the exhibition, stated that “The exhibition is an extension of SZGMC’s achievements and its role as a cross-cultural platform that facilitates intercultural communication. It also reflects the grand mosque’s as a positon leading destination that, annually, receives more than 6 million visitors, seeking to promote the vast accomplishments of the Islamic civilization achieved across centuries and highlight the commonalities and human connections between various cultures reflecting the founding father’s vision and aspirations.”
Commenting on the project, His Excellency Sultan Dahi Al-Humairi stated that “The establishment The New Visitor Centre and ‘Souq Al Jami” is part of SZGMCs strategic plan, that aims to promote the grand mosque as a global religious and cultural landmark.” He also added that “The idea behind establishing both projects support SZGMC’s administration’s efforts to ensure the smooth flow of its operational process and to provide the growing crowds of worshipers and visitors of different cultures with upmost services following the highest standards.”
HE Dr. Youssef Al-Obaidli, Director General of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, affirmed that “SZGMC is dedicated to fulfilling its civilizing and Cultural role. It aims to promote the gains and achievements of the Islamic culture on a broader scale through organizing many cultural programs throughout the year, including exhibitions like this that provide those interested in history with access to a rare collection of 300 coins displayed throughout the exhibition’s six sections. These coins originate from all across the Arabian Gulf and North Africa, and they serve as a unique and invaluable source of documentation that narrates the history of coins, based on the timeline of minting across various civilizations and eras, while also highlighting the commonalities amongst various cultures.”
While commenting on the Visitor Centre and Souq Al Jami’, His Excellency stated that, “The Centre constantly seeks to improve its services, and meet the needs and expectations of the masses, and provide them with all means of comfort in a manner consistent with mosque’s standards. This helps render the Centre’s vision and ensure the comfort of the mosque’s worshipers and visitors and facilitate their entrance to the mosque, despite their growing numbers. The Centre also seeks to offer them a comprehensive and enriching visit experience regardless of their cultures of age groups.”
His Excellency also noted that “SZGM secured its position on the global tourism map as a leading cultural destination, which was clearly indicated by SZGMC’s total worshiper and visitor statistics for 2019 that topped 6 million. This reflects the grand mosque ‘s status as a prominent cultural centre that welcomes various cultures in an ambiance of tolerance, depicting the rich legacy and values of the Emirati community established by the late founding father.”
HE Noura Al Suwaidi, director of the General Federation of Women, commented that: “Coins of Islam: History Revealed exhibition showcases one of the most unique collections of rare coinage ever assembled, which has been collected from all across the globe. Through the display of 300 coins, the exhibition traces the historical evolution of Islamic coinage by documenting the coin’s date of minting and the historical background associated with its production, supported by rich factual information that conveys their cultural and historical value. Besides, it sheds light on Islam’s long history of engaging with other cultures and faiths.”
She also added that “The Mother of the Nation’s deep insight implicates her interest in such exhibitions that represent the enduring history of our nation and enlighten society in general and women in particular about the rich heritage of Islamic culture, and the extent of progress it has achieved throughout history.”
HE Noura Al Suwaidi highlighted that: “One of the main features of the Islamic coinage exhibition is the dedication of an entire section to women, which documents the significant presence of strong and inspirational women in various cultures across the centuries. This section showcases a selection of coins engraved with images of incredible women who left their mark on history. It also reflects the mission of HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak to support women’s empowerment, as well as her immeasurable achievements that have played a significant role in the renaissance of the UAE.”
She also stated that: “The exhibition narrates the history of coins, based on the timeline of minting across various civilizations of the world. It also portrays the images of revered historical figures, as well as other imagery that depicts inhabitants and cultures and further highlights the commonalities and human connections between these cultures.”
Al Reem Abdullah Al – Falasi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, also stated that: “The significance of organizing this exhibition at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque’s premises compliments its prominent status as a global cultural and intellectual platform and a leading destination that receives more than 6 million visitors a year. This unique masterpiece embodying the aesthetics of Islamic art and architecture was for consecutive years selected as one of the world’s top destinations, according to TripAdvisor’s – Traveler’s Choice Awards. It seeks to support the UAE’s strategy that aims to establish channels of dialogue and build cultural, intellectual, and humanitarian bridges.”
She also stressed that HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, through sponsoring this exhibition, aims to inform women about their rich history and highlight the historical time frame throughout which Islamic heritage flourished and thrived. This exhibition is also consistent with the SZGMC’s mission to revive the rich history of the Islamic Civilization, and promote its notions and noble values, in line with the inspirational vision of the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who sought to preserve and highlight the history of Islamic culture and its vast achievements throughout history.
Feb 1, 2020 | Announcements, Shows & Conventions
The great state of Georgia is no stranger to organized numismatics. You might remember a few years ago when the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Expo—usually hosted in Baltimore three times a year—was held in Atlanta. The American Numismatic Association, too, has held shows in The Big Peach in recent years. And local and state groups like the Metropolitan Coin Club of Atlanta, the Rockdale Coin Club, and the Georgia Numismatic Association sponsor regular meetings, shows, and events.
Now we have another chance to enjoy some Southern charm, and (for the Yankees) a break from the cold winter, when the ANA brings its National Money Show® to Atlanta, February 27–29, 2020.
I think back to 2007 when a unique gold coin—valued then at $2.5 million—was exhibited at the Whitman Expo in Atlanta. It was an 1854 Kellogg & Co. $20 gold piece once personally owned by Augustus Humbert, United States Assayer of Gold. Also on display were the “Top Ten” pieces of paper money (as ranked in 100 Greatest American Currency Notes, by Q. David Bowers and David Sundman). That remarkable exhibit included the world’s first million-dollar-valued note, the famous Grand Watermelon. Four new Whitman books debuted at the 2007 show: the third edition of Dave Bowers’s Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars (today available in its sixth edition and counting!); the second edition of Dr. Cornelius Vermeule’s classic Numismatic Art in America; the wonderful 100 Greatest American Medals and Tokens, by Bowers and Katherine Jaeger (who signed copies and gave a presentation at the show); and George Tremmel’s Guide Book of Counterfeit Confederate Currency, an engaging history of the events and people involved in the production and passing of counterfeit notes during the Civil War—and the dramatic countermeasures the Confederate Treasury Department took to protect its paper money. Tremmel also gave a program, “How Much Do You Know About Counterfeit CSA Paper Money?”
Will the upcoming February 2020 ANA National Money Show bring the same level of hobby fun?
Yes indeed. Everyone is looking forward to first-class numismatic auctions, displays of ultra-rarities and famous coins, and educational programs to attract collectors from around the country.
The Appeal of Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia, is the ninth-largest metropolitan area in the nation, with a population of six million people, and a rich numismatic history. There are tokens, medals, obsolete paper money, and scrip that hail from the “Big Peach.” An hour north of Atlanta, the Dahlonega region saw the first major gold rush in the United States (in the 1820s and 1830s, years before California); it was a hotbed of private gold coinage, and later the site of a U.S. branch mint.
More recently, the Greater Atlanta metro region has been home to numismatic luminaries like die-variety expert Bill Fivaz, professional coin dealers Bob Harwell (well known for dealing in Dahlonega gold coins) and John Hamrick (who founded World-Wide Coin Investments), Southern gold specialist Al Adams, ICTA chief operating officer David Crenshaw, and “Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers” creator Rob Oberth. ANA governor Dr. Radford Stearns, an expert on Georgia colonial money, lived in nearby Lilburn. For more than 15 years Atlanta was the national headquarters city of Whitman Publishing, and much of the company’s publishing staff is still located there.
Atlanta is a gracious hostess. Hobbyists from the Southeast drive in comfortably from major cities including Birmingham, Nashville, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Lexington/Fayette, Greensboro, Louisville, Memphis, Orlando, Tallahassee, Columbia, and Raleigh/Durham. With the nation’s largest airport and a convenient public-transit system, it’s easy to get into and around town. The National Money Show venue, the Cobb Galleria Centre, has free parking and admission, comfortable meeting rooms, and good food.
Outside of the hobby, Atlanta is well known for its diverse restaurants, arts and culture, sports, high-end and eclectic shopping, great hotels, and of course that famous Southern hospitality. The show’s hotel, the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly, is right next to the convention center, and the Cumberland Mall is across the street, accessible by a pedestrian sky-bridge. Cumberland offers popular restaurants including Maggiano’s Little Italy, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Cheesecake Factory, Stoney River Legendary Steaks, Ted’s Montana Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, Jason’s Deli, Bezoria, and more. The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center is nearby.
Head a few miles south and you have Centennial Olympic Park, CNN Center, the World of Coca-Cola, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, the new National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, Piedmont Park, the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site, and other world-class historical and educational sites and recreational venues.
Whitman Programs and Presentations at the ANA National Money Show
Whitman Publishing numismatic books, folders, albums, display cases, holders, and other hobby products will be for sale at the ANA show. Stanton Books and Stone Mountain Supply will be set up next to the ANA Museum Showcase.
Bill Bierly, author of the recently released In God We Trust: The American Civil War, Money, Banking, and Religion, will be on hand to autograph books and talk about his research. Other Whitman authors including Jeff Garrett, Bill Fivaz, and Dennis Tucker will sign books and talk with collectors.
Thursday morning, February 27, Bill Fivaz and Dennis Tucker will give presentations on cherrypicking rare die varieties and collecting modern U.S. Mint silver and gold medals. These programs are part of the ANA’s suite of one-hour “Money Talks,” free and open to the public, giving people a chance to learn from their fellow numismatists, collectors, and ANA staff and members.
Thursday afternoon at 4:00 the ANA will host its Philanthropy Award Presentation and Reception (social and networking at 4:00, presentation at 5:00), celebrating Charles and Joel Anderson of Anderson Companies, owner of Whitman Publishing.
Immediately following, at 6:00, Bill Fivaz will be interviewed for the ANA Legacy Series, an ongoing program that “acquaints collectors with legends, heroes, and icons of numismatics, celebrating their lives and contributions to the hobby.”
See You in Atlanta!
Come for the coins and paper money, enjoy the nice weather and everything Atlanta has to offer, pick up some exciting new Whitman books, learn from the exhibits and presentations, hunt down additions for your collection, and meet some of your favorite numismatic authors in person. It’s all at the 2020 ANA National Money Show in Atlanta. See you there!
Jan 7, 2020 | Announcements, Shows & Conventions, U.S. Mint
WHAT:
Mighty Minter Layla and representatives from the United States Mint (Mint) will be participating in the Florida United Numismatist (FUN) Convention. Media will have the opportunity to meet with and interview the onsite Mint representatives. The 2020 American Eagle Silver Coin will be released during the convention, and numerous United States Mint products will be on sale.
WHEN:
January 9 -12, 2020
WHERE:
Orange County Convention Center, 9800 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819 West Concourse, Booth 144.
WHO:
United States Mint employees and Mighty Minter Layla.
CONTACT: Mike White, (202) 354-7241, michael.white@usmint.treas.gov
ABOUT THE UNITED STATES MINT
Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Dec 6, 2019 | Announcements, Shows & Conventions
(Long Beach, California) – A never-before seen exhibit of United States $10 Eagle gold coins from the extensive Tyrant Collection (www.TheTyrantCollection.com) will be publicly displayed at the February 20-22, 2020 Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectibles Expo (www.LongBeachExpo.com).
The unprecedented display, “Eagles of The Tyrant Collection,” will showcase examples of every business strike and most of the proof Eagles from 1795 to 1933, including varieties. This unparalleled set will be insured for $50 million for its debut exhibition.
“This is the first collection of gold Eagles to include all 33 BD (Bass-Dannreuther) and T (Taraszka) varieties of 1795 to 1804. Even the famous collections of Harry W. Bass and Anthony J. Taraszka were both short of that goal,” said Ira Goldberg, President of Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, Inc. (www.GoldbergCoins.com) in Los Angeles, California.
Graded PCGS MS66+, this 1795 13 Leaves variety $10 gold coin is the finest known and one of the many highlights in the unprecedented $50 million “Eagles of The Tyrant Collection” exhibit at the February 2020 Long Beach Expo.
(Photo credit: Professional Coin Grading Service www.PCGS.com.)
“There will be more than 300 historic Eagles in this extraordinary exhibit in custom-built, well-lit display cases. They are all part of The Tyrant Collection, the world’s most valuable rare coin collection in private hands,” explained Goldberg who is among those who have helped the anonymous Tyrant Collection owner build the collection.
The 1804 proof Eagle in the upcoming display is from the legendary King of Siam proof set. The Tyrant Collection holdings include the entire fabled set of coins given by a U.S. State Department representative to the King of Siam (now Thailand) in 1836 as a diplomatic gift on behalf of President Andrew Jackson. That full set will be displayed at a future Long Beach Expo.
The 1804 Plain 4 variety $10 gold coin from the fabled King of Siam proof set will be displayed in the $50 million “Eagles of The Tyrant Collection” exhibit at the February 2020 Long Beach Expo.
(Photo credit: Lyle Engleson/Goldberg Coins and Collectibles.)
Well-known professional numismatist and award-winning researcher and author, John Dannreuther, will assist in the cataloging of The Tyrant Collection Eagles for the upcoming exhibit.
“The early Eagles in the exhibit will be presented in Taraszka order, which is the issuing sequence. Some coins were struck out of date order. For example, both 1798 varieties were struck before the three 1797 Large Eagle varieties. There also is one 1803 variety struck after the 1804 Crosslet 4 variety,” explained Dannreuther.
Highlights of the February 2020 display of U.S. $10 gold coins include:
- 1795 13 Leaves, graded PCGS MS66+, finest known and formerly in the Garrett and Pogue collections.
- 1795 9 Leaves, PCGS AU50
- 1804 Plain 4, King of Siam, PCGS PR64 Cameo
- 1838, PCGS PR65, tied for finest of only three known examples.
- 1839/8 Proof PR67, the finest of only three known.
- 1858, PCGS MS64+
- 1933, PCGS MS65
Although the owner of The Tyrant Collection wants to remain anonymous, he is sharing the collection’s coins for their educational value, one portion at a time, in a continuing series of pubic exhibits.
A superb condition 1933 $10 gold coins will be among the more than 300 historic coins in the extraordinary $50 million “Eagles of The Tyrant Collection” exhibit at the February 2020 Long Beach Expo.
(Photo credit: Lyle Engleson/Goldberg Coins and Collectibles.)
Visitors to the upcoming display at the Long Beach Expo (booth #807) can receive a free, illustrated educational booklet about the display. Detailed catalogs with information and superb illustrations about each coin in the “Eagles of The Tyrant Collection” exhibit will be available for $10 each.
The Long Beach Expo will be open to the public in the Long Beach, California Convention Center, 100 S. Pine Ave., Thursday and Friday, February 20 and 21, 2020, from 10 am to 6 pm, and Saturday, February 22, from 10 am to 4 pm.
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.
Aug 13, 2019 | ANA, News, Shows & Conventions
2019 Adult Numismatist Literary Award Winners
The American Numismatic Association’s 2019 literary awards – recognizing articles published in the 2018 volume of its official magazine, The Numismatist – will be presented on August 15 at the ANA World’s Fair of Money® in Chicago. The Numismatist was launched by ANA founder and first editor Dr. George F. Heath in 1888, and this year marks its 132nd volume.
The Heath Literary Award acknowledges outstanding articles published in the preceding 12 months.
- First place goes to Erik Goldstein and David McCarthy for “The Myth of the Continental Dollar, Parts I and II” (January and July 2018), in which they examined the circumstantial story surrounding this popular issue.
- John Frost earned second place ($100 and an engraved bronze medal) for his feature article, “Reimagining the Barbers” (August 2018), in which he discussed new photographs and information regarding father-and-son mint engravers William and Charles Barber.
- David Schenkman received third place (an engraved bronze medal) for “James Murdock Jr.: Ohio Die-Sinker” (May 2018), which told of the many storecards, trade tokens and medals issued by this entrepreneurial 19th-century businessman.
The Wayte and Olga Raymond Memorial Literary Award, endowed in 1978 by the late John J. Ford Jr., is presented for articles that display original and comprehensive research in U.S. numismatics.
- The study by Goldstein and McCarthy (January and July 2018) received first place ($400), and Frost’s August 2018 work earned second place ($200).
- Jim Neiswinter garnered third place for “Smith of Ann Street” (April 2018), in which he described a 19th-century New York engraver who skillfully altered 1793-94 large cents that later became highly collectable.
Funded by an anonymous donor, the Catherine Sheehan Literary Award for U.S. Paper Money Studies includes $50 for first place.
- Heinz Tschachler took the top prize for “George Washington: Gallant Revolutionary” (February 2018), in which he spotlighted antebellum bank notes that portrayed the Founding Father as a “gentleman warrior.”
- Second place (certificate) goes to Todd Sciore for “Moore Money: A Glasshouse, a Bank and a Scandal” (December 2018), which explained how a scrip-issuing New Jersey glassmaking company became the target of blackmailers.
- Third place (certificate) was awarded to Angel O. Navrro-Zayas for “Spanish Colonial Paper Money in Puerto Rico and New Orleans” (October 2018), which explored Puerto Rico’s 1776 emergency notes and a related discrepancy in a well-known numismatic reference.
Introduced this year, the Prue and Arthur Fitts Literary Award for Ancient and Medieval Coinage Studies recognizes literary excellence in those fields.
- First place ($250) was presented to John Nebel for “Tetradrachm Envy” (August 2018), in which he recounted college students’ reactions to viewing beautiful Ancient Greek coinage.
- Michael Shutterly received second place (certificate) for “Remember the Ladies” (October 2018), which considered coins of Rome’s Severan Dynasty empresses.
- This year’s third place recipient is Mike Gasvoda for “Naxos and the Aitna Master” (June 2018), which celebrated an ancient engraver and his tetradrachm.
All feature articles published in The Numismatist automatically are considered for the Heath Literary Award; likewise, all qualifying articles are evaluated for the Raymond, Sheehan and Fitts awards. For information about submitting manuscripts for review and possible publication, email Editor-in-Chief Barbara Gregory at gregory@money.org.
2019 Young Numismatist Literary Award Winners
The ANA also presents annual awards to encourage young writers and ensure a corps of future numismatic authors and researchers. The Young Numismatist Literary Award categories are named in honor of Whitman authors dedicated to educating the next generation of numismatists. YN Literary Awards were announced at the ANA’s Summer Seminar in June.
First place in each category received a $500 cash prize, plus a $500 voucher to help build a personal library of numismatic books produced by Whitman Publishing. Second place received a $200 book voucher and third place received a $100 book voucher. The prizes were provided by Whitman Publishing.
The Bill Fivaz Young Numismatist Literary Award recognizes numismatist writers for ages 8 to 12. First place this year was Emilia Jasek for “Animals on Ancient Coins.” Second place was Matthew Daum with “The Sinking of the SS Republic” and the third-place recipient was Nikhita Rath with “Coins of Queen Elizabeth II.”
The Q. David Bowers Young Numismatist Literary Award honors numismatist writers that are aged 13 to 17. This year’s first-place recipient was Benjamin Mous for “A New Libya, A New Currency: The Effect of the Libyan Revolution on the Currency of Libya.” Alexandre Bojko placed second with “Cherrypicking Die Varieties,” and Ryan Hartley took third with his paper on “The Fabled Gold of Dahlonega: History and Collecting.”
The Kenneth E. Bressett Young Numismatist Literary Award is given to writers between the ages of 18 and 22. This year, first place was won by Aaron Kogon for “Greek Letter Forms on Judean Coins.” In second place was Chanan Oshry for his work “The United States Coinage Acts and How They Have Played a Crucial Role in the Development and Sustainability of the Country’s Economy.” Third place was received by Joshua Smith for “Pismo Clam Money Script of 1933: Theories on Origin, Adoption and Association with California’s Socio-Cultural Environment.”
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 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.
