The Perth Mint of Australia released today a unique series of silver coins celebrating the 2009 Year of the Ox. The Australian Lunar Series II coins incorporate innovative editions of $1 Coloured Ox, $1 Gilded Ox and $30 Gemstone Ox. The silver dollars contain one ounce of 99.9% pure silver. The $30 Gemstone edition weighs a full kilogram and includes slightly more than 32 ounces of the lustrous precious metal, plus two citrine gemstones.
In Chinese culture, the Ox symbolises determination, patience and dependability. One of 12 animals associated with the ancient Lunar calendar, the Ox is said to influence the lives of people born in 2009.
The 2009 Australian Lunar Series II reverse design depicts the ox, as well as a calf, standing on grass with hills in the background. ‘Year of the Ox’, the Chinese character for ‘ox’, and The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark are also inscribed.
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The U.S. dollar regained strength Thursday against other world currencies, and that — along with a drop in oil prices — drove gold lower. New York silver and gold futures fell 0.2 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. Platinum, however, shined and jumped 1.7 percent.
December crude-oil lost a portion of Wednesday’s huge gain, dropping $1.54, or 2.3 percent, to close to $65.95 a barrel.
December silver dropped 2 cents to end at $9.79 an ounce.
January platinum gained $14 to settle at $830.60 an ounce.
Gold for December lost $16.50 to close to $738.50 an ounce.
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(Fallbrook, California) – The Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) and PNG member-dealer, Kevin Lipton, are jointly offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of rare coins and paper money stolen from Lipton’s Beverly Hills, California offices. The unknown thief or thieves took more than a quarter-million dollars worth of numismatic items during a break-in on Sunday, October 19, 2008.
"Anyone with information that can help solve this crime is urged to contact Detective Max Subin of the Beverly Hills Police Department at (310) 285-2158, or call the PNG at (760) 728-1300," said PNG Executive Director Robert Brueggeman.
Among the items stolen is an uncut sheet of six $10 notes from The First National Bank of Branchville, New Jersey that is believed to be unique.
Seven MS-66 Saint Gaudens Double Eagles, graded by PCGS or NGC and each with a CAC sticker were taken: 1924 PCGS serial numbers #50241932, #06607136 and #50251605; 1926 PCGS #50135319; 1927 PCGS #21671348 and NGC #56810901; and 1928 NGC #65499304.
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Mike Byers has published the newest quarterly edition of Mint Error News Magazine. Issue #25 brings the very latest in mint error and variety coin news and information.
As always, the magazine offers excellent photos that direct the reader right to the substance of coin errors. And the included error coin price guides compiled by Al Levy (alscoins.com) is a must have reference that provides a comprehensive listing of recent eBay closing prices with descriptions, grades and notes.
The cover story for Issue #25 provides high resolution photos of the the latest known proof U.S. coin struck on an elliptical planchet — only three are now known to exist. The most recent is a NGC certified John Q. Adams Presidential $1 Coin. The second discovered was a Proof Jefferson Presidential $1 coin, which Byers showcased in Issue #23, and the first was a proof Utah quarter.
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Four numismatic articles are referenced on CoinNews every Tuesday and Thursday. These articles are not authored by us, but we recommend collectors read them for their unusual or interesting content. Here are today’s articles:
By Laura Hannam, MK News
As the credit crunch hits pensioners across the country one pair have hit the jackpot by finding buried treasure. The finders of a hoard of thousands of Roman coins agree with the words inscribed on them; ‘happy times are here again’. The collection of bronze coins, which may be worth hundreds of thousands in sterling, were discovered in a field north of Newport Pagnell…
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By Scott Barman, Coin Collector’s Blog
For us numismatists, Roosevelt initiated the "Golden Age of American Coin Design." Using his bully pulpit, he held the designs of the US Mint’s Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber in contempt and ordered coinage whose designs were more than 25 years old to be redesigned. Roosevelt was a fan of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens and asked Saint-Gaudens to redesign the small cent.
Read ‘A Bully Birthday’ »
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