Coin Collectors News

Skinner Unveils the Joys of a Lifetime Collection in Major AmericanCurrency Sale

Mar 30, 2022 | Announcements, Auctions

The online sale is the first in a series of auctions showcasing the complete holdings of a major collector of American coins, with nearly every item in The Red Book represented.

MARLBOROUGH, MA – Skinner Auctioneers will host an online auction of Coins & Currency from March 27, 2022 – April 6, 2022. The sale’s hundreds of featured lots all derive from the estate of a New England antiquarian who amassed a formidable collection of coins in the course of over 70 years. This auction includes mint products from the early to modern United States, including certified coins, nickels, dimes and half-dimes of rare and exceptional quality.

: Lot 1194. 1891-CC Liberty Head Half Eagle, MS-62, a raw coin housed in a 2×2 holder.Estimate $1,500-2,500

: Lot 1194. 1891-CC Liberty Head Half Eagle, reverse

The accumulation of a devotedly personal collecting hobby, which is itself a time-capsule of the priorities and practices of the American coins market over the past several decades, Skinner’s upcoming auction is a bounty of fine specimens of historical currency—a broad field, loaded with many hidden gems. Exemplary of the collection’s quality and care is an 1891 Carson City Liberty Head Eagle of Near-Mint Condition (est. $1,500-2,500). This $10 gold piece was one of the largest denominations available to the public at the time, minted in extremely limited runs and largely circulated between banks. Its rarity is compounded by its Carson City provenance, a short-lived U.S. mint that epitomized for many the hopes and harmonies of the American West. Skinner Coins Specialist David Donahue notes that a preponderance of special Carson City coins will be featured in this sale alongside this eagle.

: Lot 1050. 1817 Capped Bust Half Dollar, About Uncirculated, sharply struck details, altered surfaces, original toning, a raw coin housed in a 2×2 holder. Estimate $500-800

: Lot 1050. 1817 Capped Bust Half Dollar, reverse

An 1817 Capped Bust Half Dollar, Choice Uncirculated (est. $500-800), epitomizes the great care and sharp eye characteristic of this fine collection. The obverse capped bust of Lady Liberty, long a collectors’ favorite, and the rearing eagle on reverse each bear an exemplary level of detail and quality, notwithstanding the 205 years since this coin was initially struck. With many fine details hand-punched into the dies, this is an ideal coin with which to study the minute variations and detail-work of the iconic capped bust. Once the most-circulated large silver coin of its day, the quality of this lot at auction is a rarity and a special occasion. An 1868 “Missing Leaf” Shield Nickel, Gem Uncirculated (est. $300-500) is another widely cherished coin for its signature idiosyncrasy—an olive leaf missing from the engravature around the Shield of Liberty on the obverse. This coin is still in such fine condition as to allow for the study of its several die cracks.

: Lot 1030. 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dime, Good, a well worn example, raw in a 2×2 holder. Estimate $600-900

: Lot 1030. 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dime, reverse

The collection goes back to the late 18th Century, with a 1795 Flowing Hair Half Dime, Good (est. $600-900) as an early representative example. One of the first silver coins that the U.S. Mint put out, the half dime had a limited mintage to begin with, making for even fewer survivors today. The flowing hair of Liberty represents one of the first federally authorized depictions of her. Additionally, two 1875 Twenty Cent Seated Liberties, Semi-Prooflike/Extremely Fine (est. $250 & $350, respectively), gesture at the unfixed nature and history of numismatics itself. Seen here with different levels of eye-catching toning, these coins were stored for several decades in paper envelopes, the acid of which altered their faces in lustrous, ruddy hues. Made for only two years and discontinued due to their resemblance to the quarter, and having now outlived the period in which cleaning and polishing were common in archival treatment, these Seated Liberties are emblematic of the long and winding road of history and its preservation over time.

: Lot 1036. 1875 Twenty Cents, About Uncirculated, a raw coin toned red by its long term containment in a brown paper envelope, exhibits prooflike surfaces. Estimate $250-350

: Lot 1036. 1875 Twenty Cents, reverse

: Lot 1038 1875 Twenty Cents, Choice Extremely Fine, original toning, housed in a 2×2 holder. Estimate $200-300

: Lot 1038 1875 Twenty Cents, reverse

About Skinner

Skinner attracts top consignments and commands record-breaking prices in the international auction marketplace. With renowned expertise and extraordinary service, Skinner is the place for buyers, sellers and the passionately curious. Skinner appraisers are familiar faces on PBS’s 19-time Emmy Award-nominated ANTIQUES ROADSHOW. Visit us in Boston, Marlborough, New York, Maine, Florida, or online at https://www.skinnerinc.com.

What’s in Your Pocket Change?

Mar 28, 2022 | ANA, Announcements

“Dynamic Designs, Artistic Masterpieces” is the theme of National Coin Week, April 17-23, 2022

Look closely at the change in your pocket or purse. You might have coins worth more than face value and certainly will find miniature works of art on every piece of money, according to the American Numismatic Association (www.money.org) which celebrates National Coin Week, April 17-23, 2022.

Established in 1924, the theme of this year’s National Coin Week is “Dynamic Designs, Artistic Masterpieces.”

“Money is history you can hold in your hands. Every coin or piece of paper money in your pocket, wallet, or purse has a story to tell about people, places, and events,” said Dr. Ralph Ross, president of the Congressionally-chartered American Numismatic Association (ANA) based in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

With recent economic hard times, some older and potentially valuable coins might turn up in circulation as people
cash in coins stored in piggy banks, coffee cans and sock drawers.

Every pre-1965 dated dime, quarter-dollar and half-dollar is composed of 90 percent silver, so if silver is $25 an ounce, those coins are worth about 18 times face value because of their precious metal content, according to the ANA. For example, when silver is at $25, a common dime dated 1964 or earlier, is worth about $1.80; 1964 or earlier quarters are worth about $4.50 each; and 1964 or earlier half dollars contain about $9 in silver. Scarce date and mintmark coins can be worth significantly more.

“While you may not find a fortune in your pocket change, we want people to realize the historical, cultural, artistic and economic importance of all money as well as the enjoyment of coin and paper money collecting,” said National Coin Week coordinator Andy Dickes. “Over the centuries, the designs, denominations and metallic content of coins can tell us a great deal about civilizations, past and present, such as famous and not-so-famous political and historical figures, important events, and landmarks.”

New dynamic designs and artistic masterpieces on coins continue today. All quarter-dollars issued for circulation in 2022 have a new image of President George Washington.

The “new” portrait of Washington on the obverse (“heads” side) was created 90 years ago by acclaimed sculptor Laura Gardin Fraser as a proposed design to commemorate Washington’s 200th birthday in 1932. It is now being used as part of the United States Mint’s four-year American Women Quarters Program that will honor 20 different women with special designs on the reverse (“tails” side) of quarters issued through 2025.

The ANA is providing complimentary online educational programs as well as hobby-related games and quizzes for the chance to win prizes during National Coin Week.

Between April 17 and 23, new members can join the Association at special discount rates of $13 for an online-only membership and $31 to receive the print edition of the Association’s award-winning monthly magazine, The Numismatist. Everyone joining or renewing their membership at the special discount rates that week will also receive a complimentary copy and informative book, Collecting Rare Coins for Pleasure and Profit.

For additional information, visit www.NationalCoinWeek.org.

The Royal Mint reveal second remastered design in popular British Monarch coin series

Mar 28, 2022 | News, Royal Mint

The Royal Mint has today revealed the second coin in the British Monarchs series with a design dedicated to James I – the Scottish king James VI who succeeded Elizabeth I to become king of England.

The British Monarchs range will feature 21 coins over five years and will span four Royal Houses – Tudor; Stuart; Hanover; Saxe-Coburg, Gotha, and Windsor – remastering iconic designs in high definition for the first time thanks to the latest technology and minting techniques. The reverse of the latest coin features a coinage portrait of James I from circa 1604-1619, while the obverse features Jody Clark’s definitive portrait of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

The seventeenth-century monarch appears on this new coin in the same classic design that would have featured on the coins of the Jacobean era. Whilst the design first appeared on British coinage more than 400 years ago, this coinage portrait has been faithfully recreated as close to the original as possible using state-of-the-art technology.

Much like Tudor coinage, fishtailing is a common defect on Stuart coins, where you get a slight distortion at the bottom of letters created by the pressure of a die on the metal which in turn causes an outward flow. Also characteristic of this period is flatter surface area on the blanks which allow for a more polished finish and showcase and improvement in minting technologies compared to the hammered coins of the earlier period. These characteristics have been faithfully recreated in the new James I portrait design.

: British Monarchs King James I 2022 UK 5oz Gold Proof Coin obverse

: British Monarchs King James I 2022 UK 5oz Gold Proof Coin reverse

: British Monarchs King James I 2022 UK 5oz Silver Proof Coin obverse

: British Monarchs King James I 2022 UK 5oz Silver Proof Coin reverse

Rebecca Morgan, Director of Collector Services at The Royal Mint said: “There is strong appeal for collectors with this coin series. There are very few high-quality examples of coinage from the Stuart period, and they are coveted by collectors for their iconic design and rarity and the effigies have been faithfully recreated in fine detail using state-of-the-art technology and numismatic processes. People love to collect the coins of different monarchs, and this series gives the chance for collectors to add key monarchs to complete their collections.”

The Stuarts were the first kings of the United Kingdom. King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England, thus combining the two thrones for the first time. The Stuart dynasty reigned in England and Scotland from 1603 to 1714, a period which saw a flourishing Court culture but also much upheaval and instability, of plague, fire and war.

Speaking about the design, Gordon Summers, Chief Engraver at The Royal Mint said: “As you move out of the Tudor period, we start getting coins struck in collars, so they were perfectly round. As a result, there is a marked difference between the quality of Tudor coins and Stuart coins. However, there is still fishtailing on Stuart coins, where you get a slight curve at the bottom of the letter. They would have tried their best at the time, but it wouldn’t have been perfect, so we’ve made a conscious effort to reproduce the coins in this manner.”

The first coin in the collection launched in January and featured Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty, who reigned from 1485 to 1509. The first coin of the series sold out within hours demonstrating how popular historic monarchs are with collectors.

Rebecca Morgan added: “The remastered James I coin has been produced to the highest modern striking standards but retains features which honour its unique history. In an advancement from the hammered coins of the Tudor period, the coinage of the Stuart era reflects improvements in portrait engraving and the use of master punches to repeat portraits on individual dies. The table surface of the coin is flatter which allows for a polished finish which is reflected in the new coin.”

In addition to these individual coins, The Royal Mint will also be releasing a limited number of sets combining new and historic coins. These limited-edition sets will feature a British Monarchs coin alongside a genuine historical coin from the era of that respective monarch.

To find out more about the British Monarchs series and hear from numismatic experts at The Royal Mint, you can view the ‘British Monarchs – History in the Remaking’ webinar here. For more information about the James I 2022 coins please visit The Royal Mint website.

Auction Firm Executive Julie Abrams Joins Collectibles Insurer Hugh Wood Inc.

Mar 23, 2022 | Announcements

(New York, New York) March 23, 2022 – Veteran rare coin auction executive Julie Abrams has been appointed Global Business Development Leader by Hugh Wood Inc (HWI)., an international insurance company that provides services to collectors and dealers of coins, banknotes, and other collectibles. For the past ten years, she served as President of Legend Rare Coin Auctions where she will continue to serve in an advisory capacity.

Abrams’ career in numismatics began in 1986 when she helped launch Teletrade, the first computerized auction company. She became President of Teletrade and helped increase the frequency of auctions and expanded annual sales to $24 million. In 1999, she was named Executive Vice President of Sales at Teletrade’s parent company, Greg Manning Auctions, Inc. In 2004, Abrams joined Stack’s Bowers where she helped expand the company’s e-commerce presence and online bidding platform and obtained major consignments for the firm’s auctions.

Simon De Burgh Codrington, vice chairman at Hugh Wood Inc., stated: “I am thrilled to have Julie join our team. She is a true relationship person, and we are also driven by relationships. Julie’s focus coupled with our team of experts will enable us to deliver even better results to our existing clients and to continue to develop and welcome new clients to the HWI family. I see this as a great step for Julie, HWI and the collectibles community.”

“I have known Simon and his team for over two decades and know they are solid, experienced, and trustworthy,” said Abrams.

“I’m truly excited to help my friends in the numismatic world and other fields effectively find just the right level of insurance protection at a competitive price. It is important that organizations, small businesses, and homeowners protect their beloved collectibles such as coins, sports memorabilia, and fine art. HWI has a finger on the pulse on insuring the collectibles market worldwide like no other,” she emphasized.

Abrams is a long-time member of the American Numismatic Association, Central States Numismatic Society, and Florida United Numismatists.

Hugh Wood Inc. (https://hwinternational.com/us) was established in 1982 as an independent insurance broker based in New York City and has since expanded into a global operation with 4 U.S. branches, 6 in Europe, and offices in Canada, Australia, and Hong Kong. HWI offers personalized fine art and collectibles insurance services as well as insurance expertise in commercial and residential real estate, personal client services (personal lines), marine and commercial lines, and health and employee benefits insurance.

For additional information, contact Julie Abrams by email at JAbrams@HughWood.com or by phone at 646-786-7442.

National Money Show® Attendance Surpasses 3,000

Mar 23, 2022 | ANA, News

Collector and Museum exhibits, buying opportunities drew crowd

The American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) 2022 National Money Show® in Colorado Springs, Colorado, welcomed a total of 3,288 people to the three-day event, held March 10-12 at The Broadmoor resort. “This was an excellent turnout for our spring convention,” said ANA Executive Director Kim Kiick. “We were thrilled to be able to connect once more face-to-face with so many friends.”

During the show’s opening ceremonies on Thursday morning, ANA President Dr. Ralph Ross presented National Money Show Host Chair Steve D’Ippolito with the ANA Goodfellow Award in recognition of his service. Dr. Ross also recognized the host clubs – the Colorado Springs Coin Club and the Colorado Springs Numismatic Society – and their presidents, Dave Starling and George Mountford, with the Lewis S. Werner Host Club Award.

The event featured 376 dealers buying and selling coins, currency and related items; a wide range of numismatic educational presentations led by notable speakers; a three-session sale by Classical Numismatic Group, LLC; and exhibits of priceless rarities from private collections and the American Numismatic Association’s Money Museum in Colorado Springs.

The Money Museum showcase featured rare treasures including three of the first U.S. dimes, a 1933 Eagle (gold $10), highlights from a recent donation of California Territorial gold coins, and select items from the recently acquired Baker-Manley collection of Washington medals. The medals presented a tie-in to the museum’s new exhibit, “The Medal in America,” the opening of which premiered premiered Thursday night of the show. More than 250 ANA members gathered at the Money Museum to experience the new exhibit, which illustrates the history of the United States from colonial times to the present. The Baker-Manley collection was donated to the Money Museum by Dwight Manley in August.

A major draw for numismatists and the general public alike were the collector exhibits. A constant stream of people enjoyed its more than 25 displays, with topics ranging from Colonial Colorado’s silver reals to meteorite coins. On Saturday afternoon, the ANA recognized the educational displays with an exhibit awards presentation and reception.

Show attendees also took advantage of the many educational opportunities at the show, including a technical seminar on grading and ten free “Money Talks” presentations from numismatic experts.

The Kids Zone offered youngsters a plethora of activities to engage them in coin collecting, including a Treasure Trivia game where they learned about numismatics and earned prizes as they explored the bourse floor in search of answers to trivia questions. A Young Collectors Corner taught by ANA Numismatic Educator Sam Gelberd offered basic information about the hobby to a young crowd of enthusiasts.

Classical Numismatic Group, LLC (CNG) served as an official auctioneer of the 2022 National Money Show. The multi-session sale featured noted numismatist Kenneth Bressett’s collection of British and ancient Roman coins.

“This was a terrific result and we are very happy for Ken and all the winning bidders,” said Michael Gasvoda, managing director of CNG. “We were deeply honored to be chosen to bring some of Ken Bressett’s wonderful collections to market. This was a true collector’s auction, with highly affordable coins for people of all ages, incomes and levels of interest.”

Online bidders for the auction pushed sales to more than $560,000. Some of the top sales (including the 20% buyer’s premium) included an extremely rare early Roman Aes Grave, reaching $9,600 against an estimate of $4,000; a rare Byzantine gold solidus of Michael I Rhangabe, which achieved $7,800; and a silver denarius from the notorious Emperor Caligula, topping at $6,600.

“We had lines at our table from the opening bell to closing. It was a phenomenal show,” said Colorado Springs coin dealer and past ANA President Tom Hallenbeck. “The biggest issue remains finding fresh material. Public attendance was softer than we’d hoped, but those that did attend came to buy, sell and enjoy the incredible exhibits. Everyone loved The Broadmoor resort and the new convention venue. We hope Colorado Springs will stay in the rotation for future ANA shows.”

Total attendance was 3,288, reflected as follows:

Dealers: 376
Staff & volunteers: 69
ANA members & general public: 2,843

“Great appreciation goes out to all the volunteers, the host clubs, sponsors and ANA staff who helped put this show together,” said Kiick. “Without their help, a show of this size and caliber would not be possible.”

The ANA would like to recognize the following:

Steve D’Ippolito – Host Chair and Collector Exhibits
Dave Starling – Money Talks
Holly Stanton – Ambassadors
Bob Cuppy – Pages
Dan Usiak and Holly Stanton – Young Collectors Corner
George Mountford – Club Table

Ambassadors – Peter Bond, Bob Cuppy, Steve D’Ippolito, Robert Daley, John Graves, Dave Jaeger (Front Range, Longmont & Fort Collins Coin Club), Russell Josephson, Vicky Kitzman, Doug Lang, Chris Large, Keith Morgan, George Mountford, Lynn Murphy, Milt Newell, James Northrop, Cary Rogers, Dan Roussin (Denver Coin Club), Steve Sellers (Denver Coin Club), Jason Smith, Holly Stanton, Dave Starling, Denise Starling, David Tyner.

Pages – Eve Brenner, Kevin Lester, Austin Smith, Nathan Smith.

The next ANA convention is the 2022 World’s Fair of Money® to be held August 16-20 in Chicago (Rosemont), Illinois, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. The 2023 National Money Show is slated for March 2-4, 2023 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.