(Fallbrook, California) — The combined total of the cash reward offered by the Professional Numismatists Guild, PNG member-dealers and others is now $159,250. The money will be given for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thief or thieves who recently stole rare coins from long-time PNG member-dealer Julian M. Leidman of Silver Spring, Maryland. Six dealers pledged $10,000 each to help solve the crime.

This pattern 1879 silver dollar and off-center 1929 5 Reichsmark silver coin are two from the over 1,000 coins stolen from PNG member-dealer Julian M. Leidman

The theft occurred on Sunday, October 11, 2009, as Leidman was returning from a coin show in Stamford, Connecticut. His entire inventory of over 1,000 coins as well as currency ranging from Colonial era to small size notes was stolen when his minivan was broken into during a stop in Pine Brook, New Jersey. Read the rest of this entry »

(Fallbrook, California) – The Professional Numismatists Guild and six individual dealers are offering a combined total of $22,000 cash reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thief or thieves who stole rare coins from long-time PNG member-dealer Julian M. Leidman of Silver Spring, Maryland.

This pattern 1879 silver dollar and off-center 1929 5 Reichsmark silver coin are two from the over 1,000 coins stolen from PNG member-dealer Julian M. Leidman

The theft occurred on Sunday, October 11, 2009, as Leidman was returning from a coin show in Connecticut. His entire inventory was stolen when his minivan was broken into during a stop in Pine Brook, New Jersey.

A complete list of stolen items is not available, but Leidman says there were over 1,000 coins including about 300 certified, encapsulated items as well as currency ranging from Colonial era to small size notes. Read the rest of this entry »

(Fallbrook, California) – Chinese-made counterfeit coins pose a significant financial threat to unsuspecting consumers, according to leaders of five of the country’s most influential rare coin organizations. They warn the public is spending millions of dollars on fake U.S. coins offered in online auctions and elsewhere, such as flea markets and swap meets.

This counterfeit 1916-D Winged Liberty Head dime was sold online. Photo credit: Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.

In a jointly-issued consumer advisory (below) the groups caution the public not to purchase any so-called "replica" coins because they may be in violation of federal law. They also urge consumers to only purchase genuine rare coins from reputable, professional dealers or face the risk of losing money on copies that are illegal to re-sell. Read the rest of this entry »

(Fallbrook, California) – The Executive Director of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), Robert Brueggeman, has announced that the PNG Board of Directors has accepted the resignations of the following member-dealers:

• Allan Davisson of Cold Spring, Montana (PNG #553) and
• Edward J. Waddell, Jr. of Frederick, Maryland (PNG #275)

Read the rest of this entry »

A dozen of the 44 U.S. error coins stolen from an Indiana motel room in 2001 have been recovered and returned to their delighted owner through the joint efforts of three Professional Numismatists Guild members. At the time of the theft eight years ago these coins were to be the foundation of a planned book about off-metal errors.

The recovered coins belong to collector and researcher Mark Lighterman of Sanford, Florida. They include what is believed to be the only known Walking Liberty half dollar struck on a planchet intended for five-cent pieces; one of three known Standing Liberty quarter dollars struck on a one-cent planchet; a unique 1858 Flying Eagle cent on a silver half-dime planchet; and a double denomination Indian cent on a previously-struck Barber dime. There is also a transitional error 1944-dated Washington quarter on a zinc planchet intended for 1943 cents. Read the rest of this entry »

(Fallbrook, California) — The Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) has agreed to continue working with the International Association of Professional Numismatists (IAPN) to oppose irrational bans on the importation of coins into the United States.  PNG will provide $12,000 toward the work.

"The PNG Board of Directors unanimously agreed to contribute the funds to assist IAPN in its lobbying efforts to combat unfair import restrictions.  We are concerned that overzealous Customs Bureau agents may unfairly misconstrue even well-meaning regulations by mistakenly claiming that any undocumented ancient coin is a stolen cultural property artifact of another country," said PNG Executive Director Robert Brueggeman. 

"This is a frustrating and ironic situation," said PNG President Paul Montgomery.  "The U.S. already has agreements with Cyprus and China that hinder the importation of coins that may have widely circulated centuries ago and, in fact, are now easily available for purchase by the public in those countries.  Yet, Customs officials are seemingly doing nothing to stop the egregious importation into the U.S. of counterfeit coins from China and elsewhere." Read the rest of this entry »

(Los Angeles, California) – Paul Montgomery is the new President of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) for the 2009 – 2011term. His selection was made by the newly-elected PNG Board of Directors at a meeting in Los Angeles on August 3, 2009.

Under PNG Bylaws, members of the nonprofit organization elect nine board members at large, and then the elected board members select the officers.

Montgomery has served on the PNG Board since 1999 and was Vice President the past two years.

The new officers are: President Paul Montgomery, Houston, Texas; Vice President Jeffrey Bernberg, Willowbrook, Illinois; Treasurer Tom Denly, Boston Massachusetts and Secretary Terry Hanlon, Addison, Texas.  The board members are Gary Adkins (PNG Immediate Past President), Edina, Minnesota; Jonathan K. Kern, Lexington, Kentucky; Dana Samuelson, Austin, Texas; Barry Stuppler, Woodland Hills, California and Fred Weinberg (a former PNG President), Encino, California. Read the rest of this entry »

(Los Angeles, California) – Veteran dealers John N. Rowe III of Dallas, Texas and Harlan White of San Diego, California each received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) during an awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California on August 4, 2009.

The award is presented in recognition of a person’s decades of significant contributions to the hobby or profession and devotion to numismatics.

"John Rowe attended his first coin show in 1952, and has been a PNG member since 1962. He has mentored some of the profession’s top dealers since they were teenagers, such as Steve Ivy and Kevin Lipton," said former PNG President Jeff Garrett who chaired the Lifetime Achievement Award committee.

"Harlan White became a PNG member in 1966, and has graciously helped many collectors and dealers and actively promoted numismatics for many years including service on the PNG Board for ten years," said Garrett.

Other award winners at the PNG Day banquet were: Read the rest of this entry »

(Las Vegas, Nevada) — The Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) will conduct its second "PNG Dealer’s Deal" show in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 18 and 19, 2009.  The show again will be held at Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino on "The Strip."

"Our first ‘Dealer’s Deal’ last December was very well received," said Gary Adkins, PNG President.  "It was a low key event without the hustle and bustle, commotion and distractions you encounter at a big convention, so people were able to conduct business in a very personal, unrushed manner."

On-site grading services will offered by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. Read the rest of this entry »

(Los Angeles, California) — Award-winning numismatic author, acclaimed researcher, well-known dealer, Q. David Bowers, chairman of Stack’s and numismatic director of Whitman Publishing LLC, will be the featured speaker at the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) Share the Knowledge seminar during the American Numismatic Association (ANA) World’s Fair of Money convention in Los Angeles.

"An Hour with Dave Bowers" is the latest in the continuing series of free PNG educational seminars for collectors and dealers being conducted at shows around the country. The program featuring Bowers will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, August 7, 2009, in room 511-B of the Los Angeles Convention Center West Hall, site of the ANA convention. A complimentary light lunch will be available for audience members.

Bowers will take questions from the audience and discuss his involvement with the hobby starting in 1953 as a teenaged coin dealer, a role that landed him as a young guest on the NBC-TV Today Show in 1957 as well as subsequent appearances years later. Read the rest of this entry »