By Doug Heye – The Morning Call

This Presidents Day, the U.S. Mint is releasing the fifth in its new series of presidential dollar coins. Featuring the mug of James Monroe, the Mint is hoping that this coin will finally convince Americans to replace their greenbacks with cumbersome hunks of metal.

That’s a safe bet. Demand for dollar coins is through the roof. That’s why a distributor partnering with the Mint, World Reserve Monetary Exchange, is giving them away for free.

That’s right. The presidential dollars are so unpopular that the Mint’s partner has resorted to throwing them in with the purchase of a $28 ”commemorative collectors’ frame.

In other words, our government is employing sales tactics normally reserved for infomercials. But instead of, say, an extra week’s supply of weight-loss pills or a custom-grip filet knife, you’re getting legal tender. Read Full Story

, This Presidents Day tell Mint to keep the change, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/this-presidents-day-tell-mint-to-keep-the-change/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

After nearly four months of readers searching, a second example of a major 1982 doubled die reverse cent has finally been uncovered. Numismatic News reader Jim Proctor of Vermont reported it. It bears the small date obverse and is struck on a pure copper-plated zinc core planchet – as was the original find.

Author Charles D. Daughtrey first revealed the existence of the variety to NN readers in a front-page story in the Oct. 2, 2007, issue, crediting Richard J. Ziegler of Massachussettes for the discovery. It represents the second strongest doubled die reverse known on the Lincoln Memorial cent, second only to the major 1983 doubled die cent.

Proctor said that he first became aware of the variety when he saw the NN story in late September 2007. A few weeks later, in late October, he decided to locate some rolls of 1982 small date zinc cents that he had put away back in the early 1980s. They represented coins grading anywhere from almost uncirculated to brilliant uncirculated that he had pulled from circulation on a daily basis and saved in rolls. Read Full Story

, Second Doubled Die Uncovered By Reader, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/second-doubled-die-uncovered-by-reader/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

Dallas, TX: The auction room was jammed with hundreds of bidders before the first lot of the Large Cent Collection of Walter Husak was offered at Heritage’s Official Auction at the February 14-16, 2008 Long Beach Coin Expo. When the last of his 301 Large Cents were sold, most every record known had been shattered, with a total prices realized exceeding $10.7 million. Bidders described the prices as “astronomical,” “incredible,” “feverish,” and “stunning.” Total prices realized for the entire Long Beach auction are currently at $25,000,000. Images, descriptions, and prices realized are currently posted at Heritage’s HA.com website.

Walt Husak was equally enthusiastic: “The auction was wonderful. All the last-minute jitters disappeared with the sale of the first lot, and I was on a roller coaster going higher and higher. Heritage did a terrific job preparing. I was very surprised at the incredible prices paid for the coins I loved so – they soared above my highest expectation.” (more…)

, Husak Large Cents Soar Past $10.7 Million At Heritage’s $25 Million Long Beach Signature Auction, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/collection-of-rare-pennies-fetches-107-million/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, announces that it will auction the only 1932-D Washington Quarter graded MS-66 by PCGS in its upcoming Chicago Rarities Sale on April 14, 2008, in Rosemont, Ill.

The 1932-D Washington Quarter, Population 1/0 at PCGS, is part of “The Marquette Yakima Collection of Washington Quarters,” an extraordinary collection that contains a multitude of Registry Set-quality PCGS-certified Washington Quarters, including some Population 1/0. The complete collection will be auctioned in individual lots.

“The entire ‘Marquette Yakima Collection’ is exceptional, but this 1932-D Washington Quarter is truly the best there is, the finest known and an absolutely superb example,” said Steve Deeds, president of Bowers and Merena. “It last sold in 2001, before Registry Sets popularized the collection of the finest examples. I can’t remember the last time I have seen a coin of such magnitude and Bowers and Merena is proud to showcase it as the centerpiece of our Chicago Rarities Sale in April.” Read Full Article

, Bowers And Merena To Auction Finest Known 1932-D Washington Quarter At Chicago Rarities Sale On April 14th, 2008, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/bowers-and-merena-to-auction-finest-known-1932-d-washington-quarter-at-chicago-rarities-sale-on-april-14th-2008/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

The 2000-P “Extra Beard” Lincoln Cent doubled die variety shows hub doubling on Lincoln’s neck, along the left side of the beard. According to variety coin expert Ken Potter, who first reported the Extra Beard variety in Numismatic News, the doubling was probably the result of a misalignment of the die during the hubbing process at the Mint.

The doubling appears near the center of the coin, consistent with other doubled die varieties that have been found since the Mint began using the single-step hubbing process. What makes this coin different is that the doubling is offset, or turned to the side, which means that the Mint worker who did the hubbing may have first placed the die into the machine rotated a little bit.

When the kiss of the metal occurred, an impression of the small “extra beard” area was made before the die seated to true. Since the Mint releases very little information about its processes, a fair bit of this is educated speculation, but the explanation seems to make sense. Read Full Story

, The Extra Beard Penny Error, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/the-extra-beard-penny-error/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

A new penny to debut next year will feature Abraham Lincoln standing outside the Old State Capitol. Or maybe not. It’s the Civil War all over again, with the emphasis on civil.

“This has been going on now for about a year,” said Beth Deisher, editor of Coin World magazine, where controversy over the Lincoln penny has been front-page fodder for months. “It’s been fairly controversial.”

Heads is easy: The current portrait, in use since 1909, will remain. Tails is tough.
The U.S. Mint has come up with dozens of ideas for the backs of four pennies to commemorate the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth in 2009. Pursuant to an act of Congress, one of the pennies must depict Lincoln’s early life in Kentucky, where he was born. The second is supposed to show his formative years in Indiana. The third will reflect his life in Illinois, and the fourth is supposed to represent Lincoln’s presidential years. Read Full Story

, Someone Has To Call Tails – New Lincoln Cents, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/someone-has-to-call-tails-new-lincoln-cents/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

A legendary 1804 Bust dollar graded NGC PF62 will highlight The Queller Family Collection of United States Silver Dollars, 1794-1935, when that collection is sold on April 16-19, 2008 by Heritage Auction Galleries. The auction will be held in Rosemont, Illinois in conjunction with the Central States Numismatic Society Convention.

One of the most famous coins ever struck is considered a part of the Draped Bust series—the 1804 dollar. While the Mint struck 19,570 dollars in 1804, all were produced from leftover dies dated 1802 and 1803, and no dollars were struck with the date 1804. However, thirty years later, when several presentation sets of U.S. coins were needed for diplomatic gifts, the Draped Bust design was resurrected and dated 1804, as that was the last year the dollar coins had been struck. These were the so-called “original” or Class I 1804 dollars, of which just eight are known, and three reside permanently in museum collections. NGC has graded four of the five examples available to collectors. The Class II and Class III 1804 “restrikes” were produced in the late 1850s for prominent collectors of the day. Only 15 specimens are known of all three types. Read Full Story

, NGC-Certified 1804 Bust Dollar Highlights Offering of The Queller Family Collection, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/ngc-certified-1804-bust-dollar-highlights-offering-of-the-queller-family-collection/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

By Greg Reynolds for CoinLink

Walter Husak’s collection of early large cents will be auctioned by Heritage at 5:00 PM on Friday, Feb. 15, at the Long Beach (CA) Coin, Stamp and Collectible Expo. During Long Beach Expos in 2007, and at the Jan. 2008 FUN Convention in Orlando, his coins were on display, and Husak himself was present to answer questions and provide commentary.

During the era from 1793 to 1814, pennies were about the size of the quarters of the time, slightly larger than the quarters of today. In terms of die varieties of these large cents, Husak’s collection is one of the most complete of all time, and he has several gem quality pieces. Husak’s cents have been authenticated, graded and encapsulated by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).

Among many rarities, Husak has the finest known 1794 cent with the ‘Starred Reverse,’ an Almost Uncirculated coin that is PCGS graded AU-50. An uncirculated ‘Starred Reverse’ cent has never been seen by a noted collector, and probably does not exist.

Along the periphery of the back of the coin, there are ninety-four cute, little stars. It is probably true that such a ’starred’ border does not exist on any other variety of a U.S. coin, of any date from any era. ‘Starred Reverse’ 1794 cents are very rare in all grades.

While large cent specialists will be enthused by Husak’s rare die varieties, collectors of all U.S. coins will be stunned when they learn about the quality of many of the early large cents in Husak’s collection. (more…)

, Virtually Complete Early Large Cent Collection of Walter Husak to be Auctioned, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/virtually-complete-large-cent-collection-to-be-auctioned/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

(February, 2008, Virginia Beach, VA)-DLRC Auctions is excited and proud to offer the Hoosier Collection for unrestricted Internet bidding. The collection includes 145 certified coins minted from 1794-1830 in collector-oriented grades from Good to Mint State.

According to John Feigenbaum, DLRC Auctions President, “The consignor of the Hoosier Collection was extremely fair and we expect a 100% sell through for this collection. In fact, these coins are so fresh we wouldn’t be surprised to see items realize 25-35% over the estiamtes. A long-time client brought us these beauties from the great state of Indiana and he spent the better part of a decade building this collection.”

The collection is available for bidding exclusively in their two week Internet Auction #225 closing Monday, March 3.

Early rarities highlight this stunning offering, like the rare 1795 type small eagle Ten Dollar, 1795 $10 NGC XF45. Many of these lots were approved by CAC (Collectors Acceptance Corporation). This collection is offered through the company’s Personal Internet Auction program which creates an auction exclusively for a client’s collection.

For questions about this program and consigning or for upcoming auctions, please contact Win Callender or Jason Smith at 800-776-0560 x101 and x103, or email coingroup@davidlawrence.com or visit David Lawrence Rare Coin Auctions

, DLRC Auctions Offers Early Rarities in Two-week Auction, http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/dlrc-auctions-offers-early-rarities-in-two-week-auction/, http://feeds.feedburner.com/CoinlinkUsCoins?format=xml, Coin Collecting News » US Coins,

(February, 2008, Virginia Beach, VA)-DLRC Auctions is excited and proud to offer the Hoosier Collection for unrestricted Internet bidding. The collection includes 145 certified coins minted from 1794-1830 in collector-oriented grades from Good to Mint State.
According to John Feigenbaum, DLRC Auctions President, “The consignor of the Hoosier Collection was extremely fair and we expect a [...]



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