RWB

Enjoying yourself and the hobby are the important things.

The coin is normal. 0% chance of a D (or any other letter) being below the date. The video is abnormal. The video maker might have been conked on the head by a large D falling from a street sign. The sign, however, did not strike the 1982 cent shown in the video, or anything else. If the "collection" is as competently curated as the rest of the video, it's fair value is likely around 50-cents.

The "toning" is not real. It is created by adding a small, normal tungsten light to higher color temperature light, about 3500K to 4000K used for the coin. A tungsten light has a yellow-orange color temperature of about 2800K while a cool white or 3500K light's visual color is bluer. When the camera is color balanced for 3500K the tungsten light's color will appear much warmer -- just as in the photos. The original photo also had mid-tone values altered to emphasize the non-existent toning. In the 1883 coin photo, I've adjusted mid-tones back to a normal range. As you can see from the background paper, color balance was very close to normal. The distinctive "butterfly" pattern of the false toning is typical of specular reflection off a coin surface.

Meaning --- there was no longer any international "standard" or valuation fix to monies. The purpose of an internal standard price of gold was gone, also. The conservative-pragmatic approach to such a situation is to get rid of something (especially an expense) that no longer operates or is not needed.

Don't forget your gas mask!

In 1933 the only other "country" on a circulation gold exchange standard was South Africa -- which was a dependency of Britain.

The free market in gold was already above $27 when the surrender EO was published. You're somehow confusing trying to maintain a gol;d standard agains the entire rest of the world, with imminent failure of the American economy..... I do not understand the narrowness.

RE: "anything special about these CC's?! want to know before I send them in plz & thank you in advance." 1. Nope. MS 61-62. Common due to GSA sale 2. Waste of money if you do.

The pieces shown are commercial medals, made and sold by private businesses. They have little collector base and are usually re-sold as bullion.

The only labels I have say stuff like: "Catsup" "Pepper" etc. I guess NGC or PCGS don't make those?

The answers are in Renaissance of American Coinage 1909-1915. Lots of details about who, why and when, plus other changes made and not made (such as recessing the date).

Saudi Gold and other Tales from the Mint, has been received from the printer. I am also sending copies to the ANA Library for loans to members, and my local county Library for nationwide Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Copies are on their way to hobby publications for review. The cover and an excerpt (above) have already been posted. Go to the Coin Marketplace forum to read the press release.

Seneca Mill Press LLC proudly announces release of the latest numismatic book by Roger W. Burdette: Saudi Gold and other Tales from the Mint Press/Media Release For Immediate Release Contact: Roger W. Burdette, accurateye@aol.com America’s national numismatic journey began with tentative issues of “Fugio” cents in 1787 and “half dismes” in 1792. Over time, external events generated unexpected changes to accustomed financial and coinage systems. Some changes were of wide impact, while others were limited to our national mints, and some remain largely unknown to the present. Saudi Gold and other Tales from the Mint explains use of gold as a single monetary standard, commonly accepted by most nations. But the United States, with its diverse and questioning population, attempted to have gold and silver as “semi-exchangeable” if not practical dual standards. After decades of mannered stability, a once ubiquitous gold exchange standard crumbled under international economic pressures resulting from World War I. American dollars that had long been expressed as “gold dollar” or “silver dollar” or “greenback dollar” all became simply “a dollar.” Coin collectors used their newly equal dollars to enhance collections, fill coin boards and examine pocket change for rare and valuable coins. The business of coins became part of the collection of coins and drew within it a new diversity of hobbyists and businesses. During the interwar Great Depression period, Treasury began a large construction and modernization plan for the mints. This included separate bullion depositories for gold and silver, enlargement of existing mints and a proposed new mint in Indiana. Director Nellie Ross reinvigorated the Mint Service with better training, heightened security, improved facilities and crucial direct oversight. With World War II came new, often secret roles for the Treasury and Mint Bureau. Saudi Gold and other Tales from the Mint describes how they became lenders of war materials, international coin producers, and unexpected sources of foreign aid designed to improve America’s war efforts. The Department of State seemed, at times, to use the Mint Bureau as its own adjunct; bypassing a Congress reluctant to take a long view of international relations. World War II produced the greatest single disruption of human activity ever experienced. The rise of large-scale totalitarianism, weapons of unimaginable destructive capability, and economic distortion forced Great Britain, the United States and their allies to take extraordinary measures to make the word safe for democracy. Central to this was securing the cooperation of allies and non-aligned states for raw materials, overflight permission, and advance base logistics planning. Our title, Saudi Gold and other Tales from the Mint, focuses on one of many events involving manufacture of coinage, lend-lease arrangements and, especially on relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. This was one of personal kindness, connection and respect between President Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud. America’s diplomatic goal was not oil – we were self-sufficient – but access to a transportation base for troops required for the expected invasion of Japan. The gold discs which coin collectors associate with Saudi Arabia were only incidental, but after decades of confusion we present what actually happened. We close with examination of two of our most iconic coins. The first, honors the wartime President who led with courage and commitment. The second recognized a man who held no great political office, but became a revered American national philosopher. Saudi Gold and other Tales from the Mint is available from Wizard Coin Supply (www.wizardcoinsupply.com‎). Cover price for the 8½ x 11-inch hard cover book containing 258 full color pages is $39.99. Purchasers may also download a complete digital index edition at no cost. This will facilitate subject searches and provides a convenient copy for use on phones, tablets, and similar portable devices. * * * * *

They have a new survey going until March 15. Here's a link where members can vote for their favorites. Use this link: coinworld.com/2023mi

The following volumes of correspondence have been digitized and are (or soon will be) available on NNP. These all relate to proof coin and medal orders. These were discovered amidst other documents and were not identified in any of the archive finding aids. Each volume is 500+ pages. It is believed that at one time similar volumes existed for the entire series of proof coins and medals beginning in about 1858. Additional volumes might turn up at any time. RWB RG104 E-6 Box 28 Vol 2 Jan 2 1885- Dec 27 1886-Medal Clerk RG104 E-6 Box 28 Vol 4 Dec 27 1886- Dec 14 1887-Medal Clerk RG104 E-6 Box 29 Vol 1 Dec 14 1887- June 16 1888-Medal Clerk RG104 E-6 Box 29 Vol 3 June 16 1888- Mar 2 1889-Medal Clerk

Ughhhh...awful pun ! Good one!

Maybe it's a "drooling eagle" "slobbering eagle while flying inverted to show off to the lady eagle who has flown off with another eagle guy" variety. Interesting coin to learn from about minting - but not of much value.

In any archival facility it is inevitable that papers get misfiled. I once found some BEP documents in a US Mint folder - no connection to mint or coins at all.) Thus, we can't presume that we have all of anything. As for official Treasury opinions on gold, there are some Treasury documents (incl. Treasurer, Sec of Treasury, FRB, Compt Currency). They are scattered and very poorly described. Even the best NARA expert on Treasury documents is often baffled about where to start looking. Gold as a money standard did not function well in industrial economies -- it was too inflexible and difficult to adapt to economic change. By 1933 speculators had a choke hold on the last major economy based on yellow stones. The only way out was a drastic increase in gold price by devaluation, or decoupling from pretty colored rocks. The new book, Saudi Gold and other Tales from the Mint due from the printer in a couple of weeks, has an opening chapter that demystifies and demythifies the "gold standard." I expect it will highly irritate a segment of collectors.

State quarter proofs were struck twice in a special press that restricted movement between blows. (Interval was about 0.05 sec., but I might not have remembered that precisely.) The photos show clear displacement which points towards problem with the press mechanism or planchet control in the press. (I have not examined modern US Mint equipment or practices in detail, so can;t be or further help.)

In the 19th century proof dies might or might not be used for several years, depending on how they looked, A few were turned over to circulation coinage - but there's no consistency. When 20th century matte proof cent and nickels dies were sandblasted they were used only for proofs. They deteriorated early due to surface damage from quartz particles chipping off steel which, in turn, abraded the die surface. In 1913 Barfber complained of this caused by the original rough texture on Buffalo nickel dies. (BTW - The "square rims and field to rim junction" were present on all dies. The extra pressure of a medal press caused the dies to fill completely (or should have).

Ultimately, the director could order examples of experimental pieces donated to the Smithsonian along with complete and accurate documentation. I recall Ed Moy doing some of that..but not sure it lasted. Earlier, most experimental and pattern pieces - such as small Ikes - were destroyed.

Not a 1909 proof cent.

Correct.

That's a practical approach which would allow production of the coins only for collector sets. The difficulty is that some yo-yo (non-cello playing type) would put up a stink because the coins are listed in law as circulating media. (However, the $$$ savings should -- make this a bi-partisan slam-dunk (well, except for that crazy woman from Georgia).

The 1962 difference was between a trace to comply with law, and no trace to comply with new law. "Shell case" cents are the same alloy as after May 1942 and until 1962. They cannot be distinguished from any other traced of tin alloy. (The traced of tin was usually added by tossing in a handful of mutilated and damaged old cents from before 1942. Some assays snowed no tin, but the melts were not condemned.) One other note -- Large copper cents and half cents were not really "pure" copper. They always had about 2% contaminants such as lead, antimony, tin, and silver.