New York silver, gold and platinum all dropped sharply Tuesday, helped by falling crude-oil prices and a rally in the U.S. dollar. The latter was spurred along by furthering concerns over the economic picture in Europe and Asia.

Reports to date indicate Hurricane Gustav did not cause any significant damage to Gulf oil infrastructure. And with that, October oil fell by $5.75, or 5 percent, to close to $109.71 per barrel.

Silver for December fell to $13.15 an ounce, losing 56 cents, or 4.1 percent.

October platinum dropped $86.30, or 5.8 percent, to end at $1,403.50 an ounce.

December gold dropped $24.70, or 3 percent, to close at $810.50 an ounce. Gold hit an intraday low of $795.20 an ounce.

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Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, the official auctioneer of the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectible Expo, will conduct a 6,000+ lot Currency Signature® Auction on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, September 17-19, 2008 at the Long Beach Convention Center, 100 South Pine Ave., Long Beach, California.

The Convention Center is also the site of the Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectible Show, as well as the location for lot viewing for all Heritage auctions. Nearly 2,000 of the lots will be included as part of the online session.

“The auction is anchored by the impressive $5mm+ Jupiter Collection and the Dr. Edward and Joanne Dauer Collection of Demand Notes,” said Dustin Johnston, Consignment Director for Dallas-based Heritage. “Other notable collections include offerings from the Albert Rollins Collection, The Norman Collection, The Sandpoint Collection of Idaho Nationals, and another installment from the Collection of a Louisiana Gentleman.”

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Dallas, TX. An O-101 1796 15 Stars half dollar (Lot 2018), certified AU58 by PCGS is joined by many other gold and silver rarities in Heritage’s Long Beach Signature® Auction, being held Sept 17-21, 2008.

Heritage is also holding auctions featuring U.S. Currency, Ancient & World Coins, World Currency, and Tokens and Medals. The auctions are now posted by Heritage Auction Galleries on their HA.com website, and all lots are available for inspection and bidding.

“Among the great rarities included in the Long Beach auction,” commented Heritage President Greg Rohan, “are several unusual pairs: A pair of 1879 $4 stellas (Judd-1635, Pollock-1833) with Flowing Hair, and certified by NGC (Lot 3570 is PR64 Star Cameo, and Lot 3571 is PR65 Cameo). A pair of early $5s from The Laredo Collection is also significant: Lot 3575 is a 1795 $5 Small Eagle (BD-1), certified MS62 NGC, and Lot 3587 is an 1805 $5 Close Date (BD-2). A pair of 1839-O Capped Bust, Reeded Edge Proof half dollars will keep seasoned numismatists talking for decades.

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The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced new five rupee coins to commemorate Gandhi’s ‘75 Years of Dandi March’ and social reformer ‘Mahatma Basaveshwara’.

In 1930 and to protest a British-imposed salt tax, Gandhi led Indians in a non violent, 400 km (249 mi) Dandi Salt March. The journey began in Sabarmati Ashram on March 12 and ended April 6 when Gandhi broke the British Salt Law at Dandi at 6:30 am.

India’s Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh once described Basaveshwara as an extraordinary personality who wielded temporal power and, at the same time, had a spiritual bent of mind.

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