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Posted on May 4, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
Sometimes, all it takes is one little item to remind you of a significant moment in your life.
At the time I was about 7 to 12 years old my father would take any unusual coins that he received in change, and he would then place them inside a red sock.
Over the years, he accumulated a small coin collection of Wheat Cents, Buffalo Nickels, Roosevelt Silver Dimes, Kennedy Half’s, Eisenhower and Susan B. Anthony Dollars.
Although, the coins were not worth a significant premium, they were still worth something to my father, or at least, enough for him to go in his closet and dig for his red sock and insert any unusual coin every time he got one in change.
I will admit, coins at times have brought back memories for me. Sometimes, when I see a circulated or worn Eisenhower or Susan B. Anthony Dollar, they bring back memories for me, going back more than 20 years.
Have Coins Ever Brought Back Memories for You?
Posted on April 11, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
On April 16, 2012 the Royal Canadian Mint will introduce it’s first official Glow in the Dark coin. The coin will feature a Pachyrinosaurus Lakustai dinosaur. This dinosaurs bone fragments were originally discovered in 1974 by Science teacher Al Lakusta. Thanks to Lakusta’s discovery an additional 14 different skulls and an approximate 3,500 more bones were discovered in this large bone bed.
Pachyrhinosaurs are believed to have existed here on earth approximately 72 million years ago. This specific dinosaur is believed to have been 26 feet long and weighed about 8,000 pounds. 
The coin is being produced by photo-luminescent technology that will not wear off and when the coin is in the dark, its surface design will transform into a glowing dinosaur skeleton.
The Royal Canadian Mint will begin sales of the Pachyrinosaurus Lakustai coins on April 16, 2012 at an issue price of $29.95 each. To order the coins visit the Royal Canadian Mint web site here. According to the Canadian Mint, three additional dinosaur coins will also be issued in a series called Prehistoric Creatures.
Posted on March 13, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
For the first time ever, the United States Mint is offering a Coin Birth Set.
The 2012 Birth Coin Set contains a Lincoln cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, an El Yunque National Forest Quarter (the first 2012 quarter design), and a Kennedy Half Dollar all in Proof format with each coin bearing the year 2012.
The set comes with a picture frame which holds a 3′x4′ photograph. The set was introduced as a way for coin collectors to give a coin gift to baby’s that are born in the year 2012. The 2012 Coin Birth Set has an issue price of $19.95
Do You Like the 2012 Coin Birth Set? To answer, click on “Comments” above this post.
Posted on February 27, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
Every day, we experience some kind of pressure, whether it’s at work, home, family members, friends, financial decisions or even health problems. All these things and many more obviously create stress.
Don’t worry, as human beings, we all have stress and sometimes stress can be a good thing. Stress helps us to be alert when making important decisions and it even motivates us to do things that we probably wouldn’t have done, if we didn’t feel pressured to do so.
But, we all know that too much stress can have a negative impact on our health. So, what can you do to relieve stress? Studies have shown that exercise and diet alone can relieve stress. But to be honest, most of us probably prefer to eat a nice steak or a chocolate cake with ice cream instead of a salad. Many of us, also prefer to watch TV or go to the movies, instead of running on a treadmill or lifting up 300 pound weights.
So another great alternative to relieving stress that is not as intense as running on a treadmill or lifting 300 pound weights, is finding a fun hobby. And this is where coins come in. Here are just some of the great benefits of collecting coins.
Learning – We learn a lot about coins themselves, but we also learn about a large market where tens of millions of dollars’ worth of coins are being traded every day.
The Pursuit – If your building a set or even trying to find that one coin, sometimes it becomes a huge challenge and the pursuit itself can be really exciting, not to mention actually finding the coin.
History – Every coin has a history, either because it circulated or even the history of the world when the coin was actually struck. If the coin has a commemorative design it teaches us and reminds of us significant events.
Fun: Collecting coins can be really fun. They are great conversation pieces. Most people can’t comprehend on how two individuals can talk about one coin for hours, upon hours, and sometimes even days. Only coin collectors can really understand this.
Posted on February 15, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
On August 5 or 06, 2012 a 1909 V.D.B. Lincoln Cent is expected to land in Mars.
The coin is traveling as part of a calibration target that will be attached to the Mars rover called Curiosity. Taking the 1909 V.D.B. Lincoln Cent into space is a tradition used by astronauts where they place it next to objects from outer space for size comparison purposes when they show the images to the public.
The 1909 V.D.B. Lincoln cent belongs to Ken Edgett who is Mahls princiipal investigator. The coin was photographed sometime in August 2011 at the Kennedy Space Center in as they were preparing the rover Curiosity for the launch.
The 1909 V.D.B. cent will be accompanied by nine other scientific instruments. Curiosity’s major mission is to find evidence on whether there were ever enviromental conditions that supported microbial life.
Image by NASA
Posted on February 10, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
Image by DanielDryzek.com
On January 31, 2012 Afternic, a Domain Listing Service reported the sale of the domain CoinMint.com. As of February 10, 2012 the website CoinMint.com seems to be parked.
If in the next couple of months the site remains parked, more than likely someone purchased the domain just to speculate on its value, possibly hoping to resell it for a profit.
However, if that’s not the case, more than likely someone will possibly be adding a large inventory of coins to the site, as $11,000 for a non common coin domain is considered to be on the expensive side.
Based on the name, which contains the word Mint, the new owner will probably be listing a lot of modern coins for sale, similar to the ones that the U.S. Mint currently offers.
Posted on January 26, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
On January 19, 2012 Ebay announced that effective February 20, 2012 it will no longer allow replica coins to be listed on their site. This includes replicas or fake coins with the word copy on them.
According to Ebay this new rule is being implemented thanks to buyers and sellers request to eliminate fake coins and replicas from Ebay. Fake coins or replicas already listed on Ebay before February 20, will be allowed to remain on the site until the listing ends. However, fake coins or replicas cannot be listed after February 20, 2012.
One of the problems with Ebay listings for replicas or fake coins was that the images in the auction often times showed the word “COPY” on the coin. However, once the buyer received the replica or fake coin, the word “COPY” was no where on the actual item.
Overall, this was a great move by Ebay as these fake coins eventually make it into the marketplace. Many times collectors can get deceived thinking their buying an authentic item, when infact the item they just bought was a fake.
As of January 26, 2012 Ebay had a total of 6,001 ended listings under coins, with the word “COPY.” It had 5,269 ended listings under Coins with the word “REPLICA.” Finally, it also had 211 ended listings with coins described as being Counterfeit.
Posted on January 19, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
On Tuesday January 17, 2012, the Mint sold out all 2011-W $50 Uncirculated Gold Eagles. Based off the latest Mint sales figures, the Mint had last sold a total of 8,810 coins.
If the sales figures hold true, this would make it the lowest mintage Gold Eagle in the entire series. 
The Mint currently produces three different versions of Gold Eagles. It offers a Bullion Uncirculated coin without a mint mark. Then it produces a Proof version with a “W” mint mark. Finally, since 2006 it began producing a Collector Uncirculated version with a “W” mint mark (with the exception of not being produced in 2009 and 2010).
The 2011-W $50 Uncirculated Gold Eagle first went on sale on May 05, 2011 at an issue price of $1778. if purchased directly from the U.S. Mint.
More than likely, that price was a steal since the coins may very well end up as having the lowest mintage in the entire Gold Eagle series.
Posted on January 13, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
At the recent New York International Convention, New York District Attorneys confiscated two Greek Sicilian Ancient coins. The coins were confiscated on January 03, 2012 from the Classical Numismatic Group’s Triton XV Auction sale at the Waldford Astoria Hotel. 
One of the coins was lot 1008, an Akragas Silver Dekadrachm, one of only 12 examples known. It is stimated to be worth at least $2.5 million. According to the complaint coins found in Italy after 1909 are automatically owned by the Italian Government. Several other coins from the auction were confiscated including a 4th Century B.C. Silver coin estimated to be worth about $300,000.
Once the auction took place on January 04, 2012 Eric McFadden Senior Director of Classical Numismatic Group’s London Office announced to the floor and internet bidders that the N.Y District Attorney confiscated some coins from the sale.
Posted on January 12, 2012 by Jaime Hernandez
The first major auction of 2012 was held by Heritage Coin Galleries at the recent FUN Coin Show. Two major coins that made an appearance at auction were a 1793- S-4 Chain Cent graded PCGS MS65 Brown. It sold for a record $1.38 million (image on the left).
Another coin that sold for over a million dollars was the 1829 Large Date Proof $5 Half Eagle in PCGS PR64, also known as the Garret Specimen. It also sold for $1.38 million (image on the right).
Image by Heritage Galleries
Another highlight was Dr. Steven Duckor’s 52 piece $20 Saint Gaudens Collection which sold for a total of $5.68 million.
Many other coins sold for over $100,000 including several others that fetched over $400,000. each. Overall, it was a great auction and many great rare coins sold for very strong prices. The total of the coin auction sales realized over $55 million. Not bad for the start of a new year.
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Sometimes, all it takes is one little item to remind you of a significant moment in your life. 
