CoinNews

The surging Canadian dollar known as the loonie struck many headlines throughout 2007 and now it gets at least one more - the selection by Time magazine as the Canadian Newsmaker of 2007.

The loonie started the year at 87 cents US and hit a peak on November at $1.10. Most notable for the loonie, however, was Sept. 20, 2007 when it struck parity with the US dollar for the first time in nearly 31 years.

Imports were cheaper for Canadians due to the rise. However, a large percentage of Canadian exports enter the US, resulting in painful constraints in sectors like manufacturing.

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In a blaze of actions and to get home for the holidays, the Senate and House tossed together a several hundred page bill named, The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008. The bill has been given to the President and while there's no guarantee, the signing of it seems likely.

Even with the latest and greatest computer, the digital document takes seconds to load. Reading it in its entirety... well, that's hours of tedium. Thanks to modern search tools, quicker inspection is possible. And upon review, the bill contains a few nuggets of interest for coin collectors.

Six new state quarters added for 2009

SEC. 622 amends the law to include six more "state" quarters in 2009. The word, state, is in quotes as the new quarters are really for districts and territories. To cut to the chase, the six new quarters are for:

• The District of Columbia
• The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
• Guam
• American Samoa
• The United States Virgin Islands
• The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

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