LOOSE CHANGE: DECEMBER 15, 2019

Winners and Losers at the US Mint in 2019

The United States Mint had a busy year in 2019, which isn’t surprising given the amazing pace at which it has been producing new collectible coins and other products in recent years. The Mint’s catalog has been growing in size for many years now, and it’s stuffed annually with a variety of coins, sets, and other items for virtually every collector taste imaginable. Many of these items sell with a respectable degree of success. Of course, some have performed much better than others, and several have failed miserably when it came to impressing collectors.

So what are the biggest winners and losers from the United States Mint in 2019? Using a combination of sales figures and general customer interest in the Mint’s various coins and products sold in 2019, let’s review a rundown of a few of the year’s highlights and lowlights.

To read the complete article, see:
The Year That Was: Winners and Losers at the US Mint in 2019 (https://coinweek.com/modern-coins/the-year-that-was-winners-and-losers-at-the-us-mint-in-2019/)

Another Salvation Army Kettle Coin

A mysterious do-gooder in Tampa is being thanked for their generous donations to a local Salvation Army kettle.

The mystery donor left two rare and valuable coins in the kettle in the last two weeks.

The mystery coin donor first struck a week ago on Dec. 6. They left a Thracian Kings gold Greek coin from the years 44-42 BC inside the kettle.

Then on Thursday, they struck again.

This time the coin, again a Thracian Kings gold Greek coin from the years 44-42 BC, came with clues and a higher value.

The mystery donor wrapped the coin in a single dollar bill with a note.

“My hope is to continue drawing attention to such a wonderful organization. The whole country should know about the amazing things The Salvation Army does for their community.”

According to the Salvation Army, this coin is estimated to be worth $3,000.

To read the complete article, see:
Mystery coin donor: Who is leaving rare, valuable coins in one Tampa Salvation Army kettle? (https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-hillsborough/mystery-coin-donor-who-is-leaving-rare-valuable-coins-in-one-tampa-salvation-army-kettle)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
LOOSE CHANGE: DECEMBER 8, 2019 : Ancient Gold Coin Dropped in Salvation Army Kettle (https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n49a24.html)

Chinese Coin from the Ocean City, NJ Wreck of the Sindia

It was just a small piece of history, but the impact on Gail Powell was huge.

As she stared at the old Chinese silver coin resting in the palm of her hand, Powell uttered “absolutely incredible” as though she was looking at a priceless artifact.

Her fascination with the coin really had little to do with its origins in China. She was more interested in the fact that it was part of the cargo recovered from the legendary Ocean City shipwreck, the Sindia.

Efforts proved futile to pull the Sindia off the sandbar that would serve as its final resting place after running aground just off the beach between 16th and 17th streets on Dec. 15, 1901. The steel-hulled ship eventually broke apart, but pieces of the wreck remained visible for more than 80 years.

Sindia became part of Ocean City’s folklore because it lasted so long. Instead of disappearing under the waves in one dramatic, final act, the shipwreck slowly deteriorated over time. It immediately became a huge tourist attraction in 1901.

“People came from all over to see this shipwreck. They came by train, they lined the Boardwalk. It was a big event,” Loeper explained in a presentation to history buffs and other visitors to the Life Saving Station.

To read the complete article, see:
A Century Later, Sindia Shipwreck Continues to Fascinate (https://ocnjdaily.com/a-century-later-sindia-shipwreck-continues-to-fascinate/)

The US Mint Coins Dated 1964

Being such widely used coins, it was essential that there be no shortage of quarter dollars in circulation. Silver pieces dated 1964 were struck right into the early months of 1966, even though the new copper-nickel-clad edition already had been released in large numbers during November of 1965. Due to the date freeze authorized in 1964, all of the silver coins bore that date alone.

This backdated coinage was believed necessary to maintain the illusion that silver coins were not being hoarded by speculators. President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed that the two issues would circulate side by side for years to come, but most of the newly minted silver coins ended up in the hands of those very hoarders. Entire $1000 bags of uncirculated 1964(P) and 1964-D quarters survived for decades afterward, though many were lost to smelters during the record silver prices of 1979-80.

To read the complete articles, see:
USA Coin Album: The US Mint Coins Dated 1964 — Part 1 (https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/7694/)
USA Coin Album: The US Mint Coins Dated 1964 — Part 2 (https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/7777/USA-Coin-Album/)
USA Coin Album: The US Mint Coins Dated 1964 — Part 3 (https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/7845/USA-Coin-Album/)
USA Coin Album: The US Mint Coins Dated 1964 – Conclusion (https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/7912/)

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