Numismatic News May 7, 2024

The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation’s (ACEF) Board of Directors has approved a $377,000 budget to fund a public education program that includes presence on popular social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram as well as an enhanced website featuring a “Trusted Experts Directory” and engagement in traditional print media. “We have to be proactive in reaching out to people of all ages interested in buying precious metals coins and other numismatic collectibles and arm them with knowledge about how to avoid counterfeits and other scams that especially target uninformed buyers,” said John Albanese, ACEF president. “Nobody wants to be defrauded. Unfortunately, people new to the marketplace that become victims of counterfeiters quickly lose interest and they miss out on good investments and the joys of a wonderful hobby,” Albanese…

Bronze replicas of the Congressional gold medal honoring “Rosie the Riveter” is now available in 3-inch and 1.5-inch sizes. The medal was presented April 10, collectively, to the women in the United States who joined the workforce during World War II, providing the aircraft, vehicles, weaponry, ammunition and other material to win the war. They were referred to as “Rosie the Riveter,” in recognition of their contributions to the United States and the inspiration they have provided to ensuing generations. The term “Rosie the Riveter” includes any woman who held employment or volunteered in support of the war efforts during World War II. The obverse design features five Rosies in profile to represent the diversity of women in the war effort. The inscription is “ROSIE THE RIVETER.” The reverse features…

This past December 2023, Scott D. English, the energized American Philatelic Society (APS) executive director, and Thomas M. ‘Tom’ Uram, the enthused American Numismatic Association (ANA) president, were together for a brief and rushed three days, here in northern California, reveling in both coins and stamps. They conversed several times about how their two respective national organizations, and their two grand hobbies might and should collaborate, coordinate and communicate. Their exchanges did not waste time about irrelevant differences; rather, they drew upon the unity that is collecting, not collecting just coins and just stamps, but the unity that brings people together. Scott has preached for years, strongly, that “I don’t care what you collect but that you collect.” Tom has espoused his goal of building bridges, bridges between the two…

Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers. Read more responses at www.numismaticnews.com. What do you predict the spot price of gold will be at the end of 2024? My prediction is $2,750. That’s on Dec. 31, 2024. Jack Nugent Address withheld The price of gold at the end of 2024 will be $2,529.10. Margaret Olsen Westminster, Colo. I predict the spot price of gold will be over $2,500 at year’s end. It seems that a lot of people are switching their investments to gold lately, which I believe will continue due to the severe inflation that we have been experiencing for about the past three years. Dave Burdis Charleroi, Pa. If Biden wins [the presidential election], I predict gold will finish around $2,200. If Trump wins, I predict…

■ How does strike quality impact the condition on early US coins? The quality of strike was inconsistent on U.S. coins until technological advances allowed the quality of coinage to be consistent. There are no flawless coins of certain early issues. Likewise, the quality of many early planchets was lacking. For these reasons, a coin is not penalized by third-party certification services when assigning a grade. ■ What was the first coin certification service? It appears the first certification service was Walter Breen’s Institute of Numismatic Authenticators established in 1962. Coin dealer Don Taxay and numismatist Lynn Glaser joined Breen in examining coins for authenticity, returning each coin to the submitter with a handwritten note on INA stationary explaining their conclusions. Since it was easy to switch the letter and…

Since 1999, the United States Mint has been pounding out a torrent of 25-cent pieces, with the reverse designs changing several times per year. Prior to that, the quarter was a work horse coin for decades and represented quite a bit of purchasing power for much of that time. But it has not always been that way. Let’s examine the history of our quarters and see how they moved from rare to common. Earliest Quarters An early United States Congress got to the task of authorizing a Mint not all that long after our Constitution was ratified. The first few coins that would trickle out of it were the half-dismes of 1792. Curiously, these were not actually made at the Mint since the building and facility was not yet up…