Austria Issues 2009 Commemorative Joseph Haydn Nine-Sided Coin
On 14th January the Austrian Mint in Vienna issued a silver 5 Euro coin to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of one of Austria's greatest sons, Joseph Haydn.
Born in 1732 in the village of Rohrau near the Hungarian border, Joseph Haydn began his musical career as a choirboy in the cathedral of Vienna. After his voice broke, he studied composition while keeping body and soul together by taking on pupils.
His big break came in 1761 when Prince Paul Anton Esterházy, head of one of Hungary's oldest and greatest noble families, employed him as musical director in his court. Haydn conducted and played, but most importantly he composed pieces for the prince and his guests – including such illustrious personages as Lord Horatio Nelson and even the Empress Maria Theresa herself. She often claimed: "When I want to hear a good opera, I go down to Esterház." (The country estate in Hungary.)
Numismatic News and Blog Headlines – Jan 15
Dollar Gains as Gold and Oil Fall
US Mint Announces New Pricing Policy, Coin Prices Updated Twice in...
For the second time this we
ek, the US Mint on Thursday updated American Buffalo Gold, American Eagle Gold and First Spouse Gold coin prices. The Mint also officially announced its pricing strategy for "precious metals numismatic products," and released pricing tables showing how gold and platinum coins will be adjusted in the future.
A Mint document published Jan. 6 by the Federal Register, which is the official daily source for notices by government agencies, laid the ground rules for its pricing policy. In short, prices for collector bullion coins may potentially change every Thursday. Adjustments will be based primarily on a weekly review of London Fix gold and platinum averages. The London Fix is used as a world price benchmark for immediate silver, gold and platinum delivery.
The first set of pricing updates occurred Monday when the new system went into affect. Coins were marked higher for the most part. Gold has declined over the last several days, which triggered a new round of reduced prices Thursday, as the tables reflect:
US Mint Gold, Platinum and Silver Coin Sales Figures, Jan 15
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Video: British Royal Mint Asks Public to Design London 2012 Coins
Gold Marks Five-Week Low
Two New Additions to the Stella Coin News Library Available Free!
