A steamship that sank off the Louisiana coast during an 1846 storm has produced a trove of rare gold coins, including some produced at two largely forgotten U.S. Mints in the South, coin experts say.

Last year, four Louisiana residents salvaged hundreds of gold coins and thousands of silver coins from the wreckage of the SS New York in about 60 feet of water in the Gulf of Mexico, said David Bowers, co-chairman of New York-based Stack’s Rare Coins.

“Some of these are in uncirculated or mint condition,” Bowers said, predicting the best could bring $50,000 to $100,000 apiece at auction.

Read the rest of this article »

The United States Mint announced on Friday that Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson has authorized the issuance of a 2009 version of the 1907 ultra-high relief Augustus Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle coin.

According to the U.S. Mint, the 2009 legal tender Saint-Gaudens’ designed coin will be:

• Made of 24-karate gold,
• have an unlimited mintage for one year,
• released in only a one-ounce version,
• produced with a business-strike finish, and
• minted only in 2009

The 1907 Augustus Saint-Gaudens $20 Double Eagle is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful gold coins made in the history of U.S. coinage.

United States Mint Director Ed Moy has announced plans to bring back the Saint-Gaudens’ design in March of 2008. At the time he commented,

Read the rest of this article »

As precious metal prices fall, United States Mint bullion coin premiums rise. The differences make the proposition of purchasing the latest US Mint American Eagle bullion coins nearly overwhelming.

The United States Mint appears to be happy to accept higher premiums in many of their bullion coin sales.

While the Mint was quick to suspend and then readjust bullion coin prices upward when precious metal prices increased, the same quick but reverse adjustment has not been seen with key Mint bullion coins as precious metals decline.

As one example highlights, the Mint announced the pricing of 2008 American Eagle Gold Uncirculated coins on March 19, 2008. The one ounce eagle coin was set at $1,119.95. The day of that announcement London gold closed at $958.50 an ounce.

Six weeks later London gold on Thursday is at $853 an ounce. The premium differences between the two dates for the one ounce 2008 American Eagle Gold Uncirculated coin are:

Read the rest of this article »

The name of a 17th-century shipwreck bearing 17 tons of silver and gold coins discovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration may finally be known. News accounts have reported the estimated value of the treasure trove at around $500 million. Whether true or not, the potential value drew immediate attention and a resulting legal battle between Odyssey and Spain.

Magistrate Judge Mark A. Pizzo issued a ruling yesterday denying an Odyssey motion to protect the identity of the shipwreck.

Resulting court fillings revealed that the conclusive identity of the sunken ship Odyssey code-named the "Black Swan" could not yet be made, but they also suggest a possible linkage to Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes y las Animas, a Spanish vessel that sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1804.

Read the rest of this article »

The National Bank of Poland (NBP) has released three historical and exceptionally well designed coins commemorating the 65th anniversary of the 1943 Jewish Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

The commemorative coins include new two-zlotys minted in Nordic Gold (mostly copper) with a mintage level of 1.75 million, proof silver 20-zlotys with a limited mintage of 14,500 and proof gold 200-zlotys with a mintage of 12,000 coins.

The two zloty coin features barbed wire in the shape of the Star of David and the face of a girl wearing a beret on the reverse.

The 20-zlotys coins depict the Star of David against a brick wall backdrop on the reverse and a tree, and the other side will show loose bricks and flames surrounding the Polish eagle.

Read the rest of this article »

Last month U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy announced plans to recreate the famed Saint-Gaudens coin in 24-karat gold for 2009. That gold coin could potentially be supplemented or even replaced by the creation of a less expensive palladium version.

There is new legislation on the table to recreate the coin in palladium—a silver-white precious metal that is directly above platinum and to the left of silver in the Periodic Table of Elements.

The Augustus Saint-Gaudens’ designed coins are thought by many to be the most beautiful ever minted in the U.S. At the time of the announcement for the planned gold recreation of the coin, Mint Director Moy commented,

Read the rest of this article »

One of the three admiralty cases between Spain and Odyssey Marine Exploration has been dismissed in Florida Middle District Court. Instead of a judge ruling, Spain voluntary dismissed its claim in the case.

In an April 1, 2008 filed document, the stated reason for Spain’s dismissal was:

"… based on examination of evidence disclosed by plaintiff pursuant to Orders of the Court…"

In affect, Spain learned the shipwrecked vessel is not Spanish nor in their waters. Court documents indicate that the shipwreck is believed to be an Italian-registered passenger ship, which sank in 1915 during World War I. It is currently lying at a depth of 500 meters in international waters approximately 65 miles southeast of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea.

Read the rest of this article »

Dallas, TX. One of only three known gold Wilson dollars struck in 1920 is being offered at auction in Rosemont, Illinois on April 16-18. The “so-called” Wilson Dollar was struck to commemorate the July 16, 1920 opening of the Manila Mint, which remains the only U.S. branch mint to ever operate outside of the continental United States.

It is included in the catalog for the Official Auction of the Central States Numismatic Society convention, being held in Rosemont, Illinois on April 17-19; the catalog is now posted by Heritage Auction Galleries on their HA.com/Currency website.

Read the rest of this article »

The United States Mint has announced the pricing for 2008 American Eagle Gold Uncirculated collector coins and their release date of April 1st.

These uncirculated coins are available in four sizes – one ounce, one-half ounce, one-quarter ounce, and one-tenth ounce, as well as a four-coin set containing one of each coin. (The proof versions of these gold coins went on sale March 5, 2008.)

The U.S. Mint began production of the American Eagle Gold coins in 1986. However, these uncirculated coins are the newer collectible versions of the popular American Eagle bullion coins. They were first offered in 2006 and bear the “W” mint mark to indicate they were minted at the Mint’s West Point facility.

Read the rest of this article »

The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) officially launched the 2008 issue of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Gold and Silver Maple Leaf bullion coins. These unique RCM bullion products are the world’s first bullion coins promoting the spirit of the Olympic Games.

The RCM’s Ottawa facility will produce up to 50,000 coins in gold for the 2008 issue and the silver version will be produced on demand. Two more annual issues (2009 and 2010) will follow.

Read the rest of this article »