LOOSE CHANGE: DECEMBER 23, 2018

Anastasios G. Leventis Collection Exhibit

The Leventis Gallery presents for the first time to the public a selection of rare coins from the previously unknown collection of coins by Anastasios G. Leventis. The Levente Gallery's Collection of Coins contains rare examples of special interest for both collectors and academics and researchers. With this exhibition, not only is the collection presented to the academic public, but also visitors will have the opportunity to see exhibits that have been a milestone in the world history of mints.

The curators organize an exhibition of 12 coins -which are dated by Alexander the Great, Byzantium, the Middle Ages to the early modern era- together with a selection of objects from the general history, giving visitors the opportunity to get to know and appreciate better the general socio-historical context associated with the history of mints. With this approach, significant historical events, the era of great kings and emperors, international politics, economic and commercial situations, and all the complexities behind the world minting are revealed through the report. Through new technologies, an opportunity will be given, in particular to new visitors, to find out more and more interesting aspects of the history of mints.

To read the complete article, see:
Gold Stories (https://www.leventisgallery.org/whats-on/events/243)

Moon Landing Coin First Strike Ceremony

On Thursday, December 13, the United States Mint held a striking ceremony for the 2019 Apollo 11 Moon Landing 50th Anniversary Commemorative silver and gold coins. Several invited guests–including the children of the first men to set foot on another world: Buzz Aldrin’s son Andy Aldrin; Michael Collins’ daughter Ann Starr; and Neil Armstrong’s son Mark Armstrong–made ceremonial first strikes of the five-ounce and regular weight silver Proof 2019-P Moon Landing commemoratives.

To read the complete article, see:
United States Mint Holds 2019 Apollo 11 Moon Landing Commemorative Coin First Strike Ceremony (https://coinweek.com/us-mint-news/watch-the-2019-apollo-11-coin-first-strike-ceremony/)

2018’s Most Profitable Modern Coins

Modern coins frequently “pop and drop”; i.e., they sell for a premium while they’re hot (typically right after they sellout from their issuing mint or distributor), and then prices recede as interest in the item cools down.

But there are always some releases that retain solid aftermarket premiums months and even years after their release. Good examples include the Tiffany Art series of two-ounce and one-kilo silver pieces and the Austrian 25-euro niobium-silver series.

In 2018 there were as usual both collector and bullion world coins that did well, though in general, they saw smaller gains than pieces from previous years.

On the numismatic coin front, the clear winner was the second release in the Polish Mint’s series for Niue called “Gods”, which debuted in 2017 with a coin for Ares that continues to sell for $1,100 or more and which was initially available for about $250-300, depending on the retail seller.

To read the complete article, see:
The Coin Analyst: 2018’s Most Profitable Modern Coins (https://coinweek.com/modern-coins/the-coin-analyst-2018s-most-profitable-modern-coins/)

When Massachusetts Banned Christmas
Here's a fascinating short video explaining the 22-year ban on Christmas enacted by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1659. Back then the Puritans despised Christmas, which was associated with debauchery, according to the video. Christmas encouraged people to drink "copious amounts of alcohol," riot in the streets, gorge on food (gasp!), and was the catalyst of rowdiness and sinful behavior.

In other words, Christmas, back then, was not considered to be family friendly. "But in the end," the narrator states, "we can partially thank commercialization for sustaining the domestic brand of Christmas we have today." Yippee?

To watch the video, see:
When Christmas was despised and banned for 22 years in Massachusetts (https://boingboing.net/2018/12/21/when-christmas-was-despised-an.html)

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