History, Coins, and a Good Read

I've decided to become much more informed about coins and the minting process during 2011. This means that I am going to attend more club meetings and coin shows. It means that I am going to spend more time looking through a magnifying glass or a loupe. It also means that more coin books and magazines are going to appear in my house...and that they are actually going to be even more carefully and thoroughly read. I told you that one of my Christmas gifts to myself was going to be a copy of Abraham Lincoln: The Image of His Greatness. It arrived in the mail, and it has already been well-perused. My wife even picked up the book and commented on how nice and how thorough it appeared to be.

My next book will almost undoubtedly be a book not yet published by Whitman, but available for pre-order through Amazon. The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint promises to be a fascinating read. I've already placed my order.

The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint tells the story of "the owner, chronicler, would-be savior, and ultimate destroyer of the first United States Mint." I can hardly wait to get my hands on it!

The Christmas Coin Massacre

My daughter, Adriana, was born in 1996. Three years later my Father-in-Law informed me that he was starting a collection of the State Quarters series for each of his grandchildren. He told me that he had bought a map display board for each child, and would give them the coins once the series was complete. At the time there were four kids, but the crew grew to five as my Brother-in-Law's brood grew.

Mr. and Mrs. T gave the kids their state quarter collections this Christmas Day. Each child got a map and a plastic bag of coins, which needed to be inserted into the slots in the maps.

As a coin collector, I was really happy with the quality of coins that Mr. and Mrs. T gave the kids. These were business strikes, nothing special. This was really important because the kids were not interested in the real numismatic value of their newly acquired collections. They were interested in the pictures on the reverse of the coins and where they went in the maps.

As is typical with folders, from whatever manufacturer, the coins were quite difficult to put into the appointed slots. And unless the coin is soundly snapped into place it is likely to come loose and fall to the floor. Fingers on the coins were something I expected. I was totally unprepared for what happened next.

First, my daughter placed the map on the floor and decided to stomp a coin into its slot. I was horrified, but then I saw the enthusiasm in the kids' eyes. The stomping stopped when they realized they might scratch the coins with grit on the bottoms of their shoes. But the kids soon decided that a butt bouncing up and down on a carefully placed coin might force it into place. Finally one of the kids brought in some screw drivers, and using the rounded butt end of the handles the coins were pressed into the proper locations.

I'm pretty certain there weren't any gems there before the Christmas Coin Massacre. And afterwards I can assure you that had there been any gems they weren't that way anymore. But there are five kids who now have a bit more interest in coins -- and maybe in collecting them.

Thanks

A Coiny Christmas or Numismatic Noel!

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. The blessings behind the current Holiday are most important, of course. I love the decorations and the music. And I can't really say that the gifts are a bad thing either.

One of the things that I enjoy about the Season, though, is a little tradition that I have of treating myself to something that I'd like to have, but just didn't want to spend the cash. This year I splurged. Two items entering the Haule household this year, one sensible and informative. One silly and frivolous.


First, I finally decided to buy a copy of the book Abraham Lincoln: The Image of His Greatness. It's not that I've had any doubt whatsoever about the book. I've probably read half of it while standing in the local Barnes and Noble.

I like this book for SO many reasons! First, I am a fan of coins and coin collecting. I am a fan of Abraham Lincoln. American History is one of my favorite things to read about. I read three or four books at a time, and I ALWAYS am working on at least one book from the Civil War. (I'm currently reading a biography of Robert E. Lee and the autobiography of Ulysses S Grant. I guess that's my tribute to the "fairness doctrine.") My first coin collection was Lincoln Cents. And I've written quite a bit about Lincoln Cents. This book is a natural for me.

My second treat for myself is something I'm not sure I'm going to like, but I bought it online, and I'll see what I think once it arrives.

I enjoy talking with people about coin collecting. I call it Numismatic Evangelism. I frequently wear a shirt which proclaims that coin collecting is a "Cents-ible Hobby." It has a picture of a Lincoln Cent on the chest, and it almost never fails to draw some sort of comment.

The Item I bought is a belt buckle featuring 10 Indian Head Cents. My wife proclaimed it "kinda strange, but you're kinda like that sometimes." I guess I'll plead guilty to that, and do so proudly . . . although I tend to like the word eccentric rather than strange. I'll be very interested in seeing what reaction is to the buckle. I already carry a money clip featuring a Walking Liberty Half Dollar, which draws smiles now and then. We'll see what happens once the buckle arrives!

Merry Christmas to you! I hope you have a great holiday, and that you enjoy blessings of the Season.

The 2011 Native American Dollar Design Revealed

The U.S. Mint has revealed the design to be struck on the reverse of the Native American Dollar for 2011.
The Native American $1 Coin Act mandates that the reverse side of the Native American Dollar change annually. Every year a new image commemorating a historic contribution by a Native American individual or tribe. The theme for 2011 is Diplomacy - Treaties with Tribal Nations.
The 2011 Native American Dollar maintains the image of Sacagawea designed by Glenda Goodacre on the obverse, and features an image on the reverse representing a ceremonial passing of a peace pipe following the 1621 treaty between the Wampanoag tribe and European settlers at Plymouth. The hands holding the peace pipe in the image designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Master Designer Richard Masters and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna. represent Governor John Carver (representing the European settlers in Plymouth) and Supreme Sachem Ousamequin Massasoit of the Great Wampanoag Nation. Inscriptions on the coin's reverse include UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, $1, and WAMPANOAG TREATY 1621.
I really liked the 2010 design, and was not looking forward to the change. I was happily surprised at the simplicity of the image.
More information about the Sacagawea Dollar can be found at http://www.squidoo.com/sacagaweadollar .

Grapevine TX Coin Show

I went to the coin show in Grapevine, Texas today.

One of the good things about living in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex is the frequency of Coin Shows. The one in Grapevine is pretty good. It takes place about a half dozen times a year, and it frequently has a very good selection of coin dealers -- local folks as well as some from several hundred miles away.

You can usually get some pretty good deals.

This was the first Grapevine show in which I was disappointed. For the most part it was my expectations. The dealers were there. True, the coin supply business that usually attends had chosen to go to a show closer to home, but I couldn't complain about the representation.

I just didn't find the coins I was looking for.

I went in looking for Mercury Dimes. I had some specific dates and mint marks in mind. It seemed to me that the quantity of Mercury Dimes displayed was lower than usual. And many of the coins I saw seemed very generously graded. Several dealers had coins which I would have graded slightly better than Good, graded VF+. And they weren't moving in their grades. And I know that the price of silver has increased over the past months, but I saw what I would have called pricing discrepancies of up to $50 per coin. A coin which sells for $10 at one booth shouldn't be priced at $60 in the next booth.

I don't know. Maybe I was in a bad mood. Maybe I was feeling a little Grinchly.

I had a good time, but this is the first show in two years at which I walked away without adding a coin to my collection.

The Mount Hood National Park Quarter

It's November 17, 2010. That means it's the day for the release ceremony of the Mount Hood edition of the America the Beautiful Quarters being issued by the U.S. Mint, Oregon's contribution to the series.

I always enjoy it when new coins are released. I believe that U.S. Coinage is wonderful artwork and very educational. I always look forward to getting the new coins and seeing how long it takes the coins to make their way into the change I see in Dallas/Fort Worth. Sometimes it's just days, sometimes it takes forever!

This obverse of the coin retains the familiar George Washington design, while the reverse of the coin was designed by Phebe Hemphill, who has had a hand in several recent releases.

You can get a closer look at the coin, as well as other information at http://www.squidoo.com/americathebeautiful-mthood.

I can hardly wait for the next quarter...Gettysburg.

An Eruption at the US Mint. Molten Metal and Lava Collide!

I was thinking about the America the Beautiful Quarters series from the US Mint, which features United States National Parks, Historical Sites, Wildlife Sanctuaries and such. I had the opportunity to look at the designs approved by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee for the 2012 coins. The one that caught my eye first was the design for the coin from Hawaii.

The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee was established by Congress in 2003 to advise the Secretary of the Treasury on the themes and designs of all US coins and medals. The CCAC serves as an informed, experienced and impartial resource to the Secretary of the Treasury and represents the interests of American citizens and collectors. It has historically been quite conservative in its choice of designs.

The Hawai'i design is somewhat different than many designs chosen in the past. Some folks see it as "modernistic" and "almost abstract." Designers and engravers applaud the decision as endorsing artistic freedom.

Other designs in the running reportedly featured Hula Dancers, with an erupting volcano in the background. The endorsed design puts the volcano front and center. One member of the CCAC indicated that the design could be mistaken for a campfire. But Chief Engraver John Mercanti and Kaarina Budow, the Mint's manager for sales and marketing, say they will make the design work.

While I like the concept of the design, I'm afraid that I am going to need more images, and maybe actually hold the first coin in my hand before I give the design the thumbs up or thumbs down.

Art Haule
http://www.squidoo.com/nationalparkquarter




P.S. I apologize for my somewhat sporadic presence here. It'll get much better in the coming weeks. I promise!

My Most Recent Haircut -- I Should've Paid in Presidential Dollars

I recently got my hair cut. That would not be of any particular note, except that it affords me the opportunity to talk at length with folks that I don't see daily (or even weekly). The subject of coin collecting came up, and I mentioned that I was doing some work on a Presidential Dollar page as well as writing about the new designs on the America the Beautiful Quarter series.

"I wish the government would stop making all those changes on coins. They're just throwing our money away on nonsense."

I didn't say anything. I just sat there and listened. The diatribe went on for some time, with several folks joining in.

I finally asked who was the fifteenth President of the United States. Responses varied. I listened and nodded, and I asked when the fifteenth President served. Again, responses varied.

I informed the barber that the fifteenth President was James Buchanan. I told the folks who were listening that Buchanan served for four years (1857 - 1861). I was immediately told that wasn't true because Presidents are elected in even-numbered years. I replied that Presidential elections are in even-numbered years, but that the President takes office the following year . . . an odd-numbered year.

I continued with a brief description of the Buchanan Presidency, and told them that Buchanan was featured on a recent Presidential Dollar.

Folks listened, all the while looking at me like I was a pencil-necked geek. (I am, but I generally don't let the way people look at me bother me a great deal.) Then the man who was next in line to head to a barber's chair told me that there was some interesting trivia there, but the dollar coins were still a waste of money.

I pointed out the relative length of circulation between a dollar coin and a dollar bill, along with the costs of producing them.

"You mean that over the long-term it costs less to use the coin than the bill?"

I assured the man that it was indeed the case. I asked why we never heard about those kinds of things during elections, if we are in such bad shape economically. There was no response.

"And what do you think about seigniorage?"

"I think we ought to make 'em take the signs down right after the election. That shouldn't be the city's responsibility!"

I pointed out that "seigniorage" has nothing to do with political campaign signs. Collectors pay fairly significant sums of money to the US Mint to acquire high quality coins directly from the Mint...making collectible coins a profit center.

I got a general, "I didn't know that," from the folks who were listening in.

"So the coins are educational, save money in the long run, and make money in the short run collectibles market. I also almost never have a vending machine reject a coin that it is designed to accept. Have you ever stuck a dollar bill into a machine more than three times before it was accepted?"

A couple of the guys still stared at me when I walked out the door. I'm not sure that I've created any new numismatists, but I've put some ideas into some people's heads.

Coins and History

It's August 18! That's a significant date in our family because it happens to be my wife's birthday (Happy Birthday Kathy Haule!). While that is cause for celebration in the Haule household, it's not the reason most women or numismatists would remember the date.

August 18 is the anniversary of the date that the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. What was the 19th Amendment?

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

And what does this have to do with coinage? Check out THIS PAGE and you'll find a brief discussion of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar.

Coins are a great way to introduce history lessons! You could use it to introduce the entire idea of citizenship. Discuss the suffragette movement. Tell students about her registering to vote on November 1, 1872, her actual voting 4 days later, her arrest, indictment and conviction for voting. Remember the politics of the thirty nine years between Anthony's conviction and the passage/ratificaton of the amendment. So many topics introduced by a single coin!

A prop is a great way to introduce or reinforce a history lesson! I know that when I work with my coins I often remember the history of the subject and the politics surrounding the introduction of the coin. My daughter tends to view me as a little "different," and she's probably right, but I enjoy it. And knowing the history behind the coin makes me appreciate it just a little bit more.

Boy Scouts and the US Mint -- Celebrating 100 Years of Cents-ible Service and Learning.

British General Lord Robert Baden-Powell is generally recognized as the founder of the Scouting Movement in 1905, basing it on several earlier organizations. In 1909 Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce was visiting London. According to legend he became disoriented one foggy day and was assisted to his destination by an unknown Scout. The boy told Boyce that he was simply doing his duty as a Scout. Boyce researched the organiztion, and upon his return to the United States founded the Boy Scouts of America, with operation beginning in 1910.

The BSA's goal is to train youth in responsible citizenship, character development, and self-reliance through participation in a wide range of outdoor activities, educational programs, and, at older age levels, career-oriented programs in partnership with community organizations. Boy Scouting became well-known to America through the years, to the extent that "Boy Scout" became a colloquial term for someone who was honest, dilligent, and patriotic. Some extraordinary individuals earned Scouting's highest rank, Eagle, while still young. Among those people are President Gerald Ford, Former F.B.I. Director William Sessions, former Secretary of Education William Bennett, Senator Bill Bradley, journalist Walter Cronkite, William C. DeVries, M.D (first to transplant a human heart), and film director Steven Spielberg. No less than 32 Astronauts achieved the rank of Eagle.

The Boy Scouts of America is the largest youth organization in the United States, with 2.8 million youth members and 1.1 million adult leaders in the programs of Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing. Since 1910, more than 111 million people have participated in the organization’s traditional programs. The organization was granted a federal charter in 1916 by an Act of Congress signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson.

On May 15, 2008 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5872, an act "To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America, and for other purposes." The Senate concurred in September. President George W. Bush signed the bill into law on October 10, 2008.

Numerous designs were offered for both the obverse and reverse of the coin (some of which are pictured here), with competition being somewhat fierece for the honor.

The coin became available March 23, 2010.

The proof 2010 Boy Scouts of America Centennial Silver Dollar is extraordinarily brilliant and features sharp relief and a mirror-like background which highlights the images on both sides of the coin.

The obverse (heads side) depicts a Cub Scout in the foreground with a Boy Scout and female Venturer in the background saluting. Inscriptions are CONTINUING THE JOURNEY, 1910, 2010, IN GOD WE TRUST, and LIBERTY. This design represents the Boy Scouts of America of today, as the organization has recognized the need to include other programs for younger boys (Cub Scouts) and older boys and girls (Venturers).

The reverse (tails) features the Boy Scouts of America’s universal emblem. Inscriptions are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, BE PREPARED, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and ONE DOLLAR.

Production of the coin is limited to 350,000 coins (across all product options). It is available for purchase through the U.S. Mint.

Author Arthur Haule joined the Boy Scouts of America as a Cub Scout in 1962. He moved on to Boy Scouting in 1965, earning the Coin Collecting Merit Badge the following year working with Counselor Cliff Verity. Art received his Eagle Scout Award in February of 1969 as a member of Troop 342 in Seaford, New York.

Prepping for the National Money Show

I've never attended a major coin show before, but this week I'm privileged to have the American Numismatic Association's National Money Show a mere thirty miles from my house.

Frankly, I'm scared.

I have a 14-year old daughter. I've watched her walk into a clothing store. Her eyes get wide, and she almost loses control. Her head is on a swivel as she scans the store, not really focused on anything in particular and reveling in the entire shopping experience. She moves impulsively from rack to rack in a state of excitement which approaches agitation. When she leaves the store she can't tell you much about its inventory as a whole, but she knows that she liked (or hated) the store and the clothing she saw. She carries one or more items in her hands that she got at a good price, but will probably not be nearly as excited about in a week as she is as she exits the store.

I'm afraid that I'll be that way with the National Money Show in Fort Worth. I'm excited, and that makes me afraid that I'm going to waste the experience.

So, I'm trying to prepare myself for the show.

Priorities are being set. Research into grades and pricing is being performed. A strict budget is being put into place. A strategy is being developed.

As of right now, keys to that strategy include:

1. Don't miss the show itself. Frankly, part of going to Fort Worth is taking in the spectacle of hundreds of coins in one place. It's being around hundreds of people with similar interests, and with a great deal of knowledge about coins and collecting. It's about becoming more enthusiastic about a great hobby.

2. Choose one or two types of coins and become much more familiar with them before walking in the door. The show is only three days long. I don't know that I'll be able to attend all three days, so I need to be sure that I am focusing primarily on specific interests for a good portion of the time. Research ahead of time makes it more likely that I will see and appreciate more, that I will be aware of current trends, and that I will actually walk away better informed than I entered the show because I'll be able to talk knowledgeably with experts. Flying Eagles, Indian Head Cents, and Lincoln Cents will probably be my focus...but I'm always looking for nice Peace Dollars and Walking Liberty Half Dollars as well. If I focus on much more than these, I will probably be extraordinarily unproductive.

3. Have the Tools I Need in Hand. My 5x magnifier and 16x loupe are already on the nightstand where I keep my glasses. I have chosen a couple reference books to accompany me. I have a portfolio in which I can notes made both before and during the show, can carry purchases that I make, and can place business cards that I may pick up. Information, tools, and security are essential for a good show experience.

4. Be Ready to Establish Relationships. Clubs, dealers, and individuals are all of value to me. I need a way to initiate contact with them, or let them make contact with me. I've printed some "business cards" (really just a card with name and e-mail address) to leave with people for that purpose. I'm not a professional numismatist or a dealer, but having some sort of contact method can be extremely helpful.

5. Use Time Wisely. Seminars are great, but they are not the whole reason I'm going. Dealers are wonderful, but they are not the whole reason I'm going. The fellowship of like-minded individuals is great, but again...not the whole reason for traveling to Fort Worth. I've printed out the schedule of events and have identified things that I want to go to. Setting priorities for time use is necessary.

6. Be Happy About What Happens. My wife tells me that I can dwell on missing an opportunity for weeks rather than focusing on the good things that happen. She is probably right. When the show is over, I want to carry the wonderful memories that I an going to develop with me, rather than saying, "If only I'd gone to one more seminar," or "I should have talked with him or her," or even, "If I'd only offered a little more (or less) for that coin and negotiated a little harder..." Expecting to have a good time and then focusing on the positive is REALLY important. It's what makes a hobby fun.

So, those are my thoughts several days before the show. I'll let you know what happens during the show. And I'll let you know what I thought about the show after everything is over...and maybe have some coin images to share!

A Convergence of Two Hobbies

I've been collecting coins since Christmas Day of 1952 when my Grandparents gave me my first coin folders. Two Whitman folders with about thirty slots filled with common dates. It took my Grandfather a while to convince me that this was a good thing...I didn't necessarily believe that thirty cents was a very good Christmas present when I first opened it. A little creative psychology on my Grandfather's part had me on fire for the hobby before I left his apartment that day.

In 1963 I began another hobby. I started playing the violin. (Ironically I only found out after my Grandfather's death that he also played the violin.) I played through public school, then went to college. I founded my college's string quartet, and played first violin for that short-lived ensemble. (I understand it folded after I left the institution.) I've played as an amateur in symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, a string orchestra, an opera company, and numerous smaller ensembles.

Both hobbies have had their high and low points over the course of the years.

Having picked up both hobbies again a couple years back, I was really excited to find the 1967 Austrian 50 schilling piece. On its obverse it portrays Johann Strauss...playing his violin! Whoa! Cool! Not exactly the Harmonic Convergence, but this coin allows me to combine two hobbies that I really enjoy. I had to have one, and it only took about a month to find a coin that I really liked. I acquired it.

Did you ever notice that sometimes the most obvious course of action just never occurs to the folks who are involved? It was that way for me. Just recently I looked into musical instruments on coins, and guess what I found! The 1973 100 shilling piece also portrays Strauss and the violin. So does the 1960 100 schilling note.

Now I'm looking for more. It's not a quest. It's not an obsession. But it is certainly something that is on my mind when I look at coin auctions and attend coin shows. I'll be looking again in Fort Worth at the end of the month when I attend the A.N.A. show. Will I run across something else interesting? Undoubtedly. Will it involve both hobbies? Who knows? But I'll learn and I'll enjoy the things I find!

That's My Two Cents
Art Haule
Coin Collecting: The Hobby of Kings
www.squidoo.com/ICollectCoins