Collectors are eagerly awaiting the first sale of rare and exceptional Coins and Banknotes to be presented by Bonhams New York. Taking place on December 3rd, the sale consists of over 400 lots ranging from 1692 to the early 21st Century. 

Amongst the most coveted lots will be an exceptionally rare 1796 $10 AU50 NGC (pictured, above). Bright green-gold with warm honey and orange highlights, the coin’s intense mint bloom glows broadly in the fields and within the protected design areas. The obverse is of the Turban Head type with stars to both sides. The reverse motif, also used on the contemporary half eagle, depicts the national bird solidly perched on a branch of palm, holding aloft a victory wreath without any olives or berries.

The die work is excellent being BD-1, Breen-6832, Bass-3174, Taraszka-6, R.4, the only known die pairing for the year. From the earliest years of the regularly issued coinage of the United States which started in 1796, this highly important and elusive issue is estimated at $65,000-75,000. Read the rest of this entry »

The American Numismatic Association Bebee Collection of paper money, one of the finest collections of United States paper money ever assembled, is available to view in an exciting new online image gallery. The collection, consisting of more than 800 notes, was donated to the ANA by Aubrey and Adeline Bebee in 1988.

To view the Bebee Collection online gallery, go to www.money.org (select "Visit the Money Museum," then select "The ANA Bebee Collection of U.S. Paper Money/View the Collection") or go to www.ana-museum.org. Additional educational information, including introductions explaining the cross-referenced components of the notes, will be added in the coming months.

The gallery is the work of longtime ANA members John Nebel and Susie Nulty. The collection was scanned seven years ago using the highest quality scanner, enabling minute details to be shown. The original files have been reduced to a practical size for web viewing, but small details are shown in high resolution through pop-up windows. Read the rest of this entry »

IRVINE, Calif. — Ponterio & Associates, a division of Bowers and Merena Auctions, will bring 1,250 lots of world paper money to Baltimore, Md., as part Bowers and Merena’s Official Auction of the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Baltimore Expo scheduled for November 10-14, 2009.

The auction will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center and includes an impressive world catalog presented in four sessions.

Currency highlights include more notes from the popular "East Bay Collection" set to cross the auction block. One of the notable countries with an impressive variety is Iran, which will be illustrated by many Imperial Bank of Persia issues, always sure to garner considerable attention. One of the highlights of the Iranian notes is a 20 Tomans 1925 Pick-15 in a strikingly original Very Fine grade. Read the rest of this entry »

The US government printed less money for the third consecutive month, according to the agency responsible for manufacturing US currency.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) figures released Wednesday shows that the government produced fewer total notes in August than in July.

The BEP again exclusively printed $1s, $20s and $100s. Added together, 435,200,000 banknotes were manufactured during the month. The total dollar value of those notes, however, was slightly higher with additional $20s making up the difference. August came in at $16,345,600,000 versus the $16.3 billion in July.

Spread across the 31 days in August, the BEP averaged 14 million notes per day with a total daily value of about $527.3 million. Read the rest of this entry »

The final $5 Lincoln Freedom Collection installment featuring crisp notes representative of Federal Reserve Districts of Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago and Minneapolis will launch Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 9:00 AM ET, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has announced.

The price for each is banknote is $29.95. The entire 12-note Series 2006 $5 collection is also available through the BEP’s Lincoln Freedom Subscription Program for $299.40. Read the rest of this entry »

The US government cut back currency production in July, newly released Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) figures reveal.

Fewer notes — in denomination and amount — were printed in July versus June. The BEP focused on $1s, $20s and $100s. Added together, 438,528,000 banknotes were produced with a value of $16,303,360,000. In contrast, the BEP printed 558 Million notes worth $17.1 billion in June.

Spread across the 31 days in July, the BEP averaged 14.1 million notes per day with a total daily value of about $525.9 million. Read the rest of this entry »

Heritage to Present 3400+ Lot Signature® Currency event, Sept. 9-13

Dallas, TX — One of the largest offerings of Continental currency and Colonial paper money to be auctioned off in decades will highlight the Official Currency Auction of the September 2009 Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expo conducted by Heritage-Currency Auctions of America, Sept. 9-13, at the Long Beach Convention Center, 100 S. Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802.

The auction will consist of four floor sessions along with one online-only session. The lot viewing will take place in Room 104A and the auction itself will be held in Room 103C.

"We have four fine collections anchoring this auction," said Dustin Johnston, Currency Consignment Director at Heritage, "all of which, taken together, offer an excellent survey of American Currency from the Colonial era through current Federal Issues. We’re quite excited to offer these great examples."

The Midnight Ride Collection includes an extensive quantity and variety of Colonial material, including many rare pieces. Read the rest of this entry »

US currency may get new designs to make them more identifiable to the blind and visually impaired, but implementing changes could cost billions of dollars, a new study reveals.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) announced that it initiated and has received a comprehensive report entitled Study to Address Options for Enabling the Blind and Visually Impaired Community to Denominate U.S. Currency.

"This study is the next step in providing meaningful access to currency for the blind and visually impaired," said Larry R. Felix, Director of the BEP.

The report, which the BEP received on July 28 and made available to the public on August 7, consisted of three phases: Read the rest of this entry »

The final installment of the "We the People" Series 2004A $10 Single Note Collection is now available from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP).

$10 notes representative of the Federal Reserve Districts of San Francisco, Richmond, Atlanta, and Dallas are available for $35 per note.

Features of the series include:

• Limited to 3,000 sets worldwide
• The lowest serial number available for each note
• The third denomination to be redesigned in the "Color of Money" series Read the rest of this entry »

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is now offering the second installment of its $5 Lincoln Freedom Collection featuring crisp notes representative of Federal Reserve Districts located in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Kansas City and St. Louis. The price for each is $29.95.

The entire collection is also available through the BEP’s Lincoln Freedom Subscription Program. For $299.40, each of the 12 Series 2006 $5 Notes will be shipped when available. Read the rest of this entry »