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COIN MARKET INSIDER's REPORT takes the pulse of the numismatic marketplace and talks about the buys, the sells, and the trades that all collectors and investors are interested in.
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COIN MARKET INSIDER'S REPORT is the award-winning column that has run in COINage Magazine monthly since 1974. Its author is David L. Ganz, a New York City lawyer, who for more than 35 years has covered the numismatic marketplace. Besides practicing law, he is a past present of The American Numismatic Association, and served for a dozen years as general counsel to the Professional Numismatists Guild. Appointed by President Nixon to the 1974 Annual Assay Commission, he served (1993-1996) as a Clinton appointee on the Citizens Commemorative Coin Advisory Committee. His latest book, "The Official Guide to America's State Quarters" is a Random House mass market paperback, due out this fall.
The column began with a premise that it could report, telegraph style, about what was going on in the numismatic marketplace and talk about the buys, the sells, and the trades that investors and collectors are interested in. It now includes the internet, and http:// addresses you can hyperlink to, easily. This is an expanded version of the column as it appears in COINage Magazine. The author can be reached at: davidlganz@ganzhollinger.com.
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Insider's Report
March 2002
by David L. Ganz
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U.S. Mint sets a special first strike ceremony for March 14th at the West Point Mint.... It is particularly special since the coin being struck is a commemorative of the U.S. Military Academy, which is located at West Point... www.usmint.gov
The West Point Mint, originally the Bullion Depository that stored the nation's silver, was built in the mid-1930's... It is the sister facility of Fort Knox (where the nation's gold is stored).... Hosting the first strike is U.S. Mint director Henrietta Holsman Fore.... who earlier in the week will be in Jacksonville for the ANA early spring convention... meetings with collectors are scheduled to see how the Mint can expand its market and customer base... one itinerary has been added to that: on March 17 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm at the Carillon Historic Park's Education Center, 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton (tel for directions 937 293 2841).... The next day is an Ohio quarter event...
British Consul General John Maguire joined the opening ceremonies February 8 for the ANA's newest exhibit - "Una and the Lion: British Gold Coins through the Ages..... Thos. H. Law's Best-in-Show Exhibit - "Rare English Gold Coins, 1344-1839" - is the focal point of the ANA's exhibit... www.money.org .... ANA Governor Arthur Fitts III, a specialist in English coinage and a past curator of the ANA museum, represented the Association's Board of Governors at the opening ceremonies..... this newest exhibit will be on display at the Money Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado until April 26....
Former United States Mint Director Mary Elizabeth Thomas Peavey Brooks, 94, of Hailey, Idaho, died February 11, 2002... Mrs. Brooks served from 1969 to 1977 and presided over the nation's bicentennial coinage introduction... She tested aluminum cents... Her watch marked the beginning of the Mint as a public enterprise.... RIP... www.usmint.gov
The John Work Garrett coin collection's curator, former ANA historian, numismatic researcher, cataloger and writer Carl W.A. Carlson, 59, died February 12... Philadelphia Mint has shut down coining operations because of OSHA operations... The probable duration is at least one month... There may be a substantive effect on the Ohio state quarter... Possibility of a coin shortage looms.....
Introduction of the Euro is complicated... Collectors see that Finland has a rarity for its two lost denominations... Surprise entries include the Vatican, Monaco, San Marino.... The ANA Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 8th at 5pm at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville, Fl....
Japan's currency crisis has set gold moving upward... Platinum above $500...Stack's is selling a proof 1884 trade dollar and 1875 proof $3 gold piece at the early spring ANA convention in Jacksonville... Plans have been announced by Stack's and Sotheby;'s to sell the fabled US Mint 1933 $20 gold piece (ex-Farouk) this summer.... www.stacks.com
Anthrax scares and mail irradiation have damaged some currency notes and encapsulated coins that made it through the mail.... More than 9,600 design concepts were turned in for the Wisconsin state quarter coin for review by the Commemorative Quarter Council of the state...
Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins and Collectibles sale of the Benson collection realized $7.3 million in 2,300 lots Feb. 18-19... An 1893-S $1 in MS-64 went for $161,000... Heritage Long Beach sale realized $4.5 million.. A 1794 silver dollar, VF-20 went for $48,300... an 1870-S gold dollar, MS-66, brought $29,325... A circulated 1873-cc quarter, XF-40, went for $79,350.... www.heritagecoin.com .... Superior's sale Feb. 18-19 realized more than $1.3 million... Highlights included an 1807 $5 gold piece MS-67 at $115,000... a 1796 half dime (Valentine-1) in AU-58 brought $16,675....
State quarter production stats: Kentucky P 353 million, D, 370-million... Sacagawea dollar production totals for 2001: 70 .9 million P, 62.4 million D mint... Tennessee quarter bags (100 coin bags) brought 21,100 (P) and 21,900 (D)....Last year's platinum eagle went for 2,600 one ounce pieces, 1,900 half oz., 2,400 for quarter oz., ... 5,800 of the tenth ounce...
Participating in the March 18 launch of the Ohio quarter: former U.S. Senator (and astronaut) John Glenn... Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton is HQ... Scheduled to attend: U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin, Ohio Governor Bob Taft and Mint director Henrietta Holsman Fore....
Anniversary: April is the Chicago Coin Club's 1000th meeting... While I was ANA president, I attended the 750th meeting with my daughter, Pamela... The meeting will be part of the Chicago International Coin Fair at Rosemont on April 6....
Going into a revised edition: The Official Guide to America's State Quarters (Random House)... www.americasstatequarters.com Ted Binion, former owner of the Las Vegas Horseshoe Casino, had a hoard of 100,000 silver dollars... Goldline International (an A-Mark subsidiary) is marketing them ... Peace dollars MS-64 are $49, MS-65 are $120 and MS-66 are $700 a coin.... Details: Goldline 800-827-4653.... www.goldline.com
Mintage figures for the American silver eagle last year: 9.001 million pieces.... Former ANS librarian Geoffrey North died Jan. 22 at age 83... Mel Wacks succeeds to the presidency of AINA after the death of Moe Weinschel.... DillonGage refines platinum, gold and silver and pays 98%.... www.dillongage.com ....Silvertowne offers 2001 Buffalo dollar in MS-70 at $400 in uncirculated, proof-70 at $300... The uncirculated is the rarer of the two.... Silvertowne also offers a complete set of MS-69 American silver eagles for under $500...
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David L. Ganz
