Approved and Proposed Congressional Gold Medals

medalTo follow the previous post on upcoming commemorative coin programs, this post will take a look at the approved and proposed Congressional Gold Medals.

The Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by Congress to persons who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement. American citizenship is not a requirement, so the medals are sometimes awarded to foreign citizens.

The United States Mint is responsible for designing and minting the approved gold medals. After they are awarded the Mint typically will make bronze versions bearing the same design available for sale to the public.

In the 113th Congress, there have been thirty different proposals for the award of the Congressional Gold Medal. At the time of this post, four of the medals have been approved and another four await the President’s signature to become law.

Included below is a summary of the enacted bills, bills which have passed in one or more chambers of Congress, and bills which have been introduced and await further action.

Enacted

Doolittle Tokyo Raiders

Public Law 113-106 enacted May 23, 2014

To award to the World War II members of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders, for outstanding heroism, valor, skill, and service to the United States in conducting the bombings of Tokyo.

American Fighter Aces

Public Law 113-105 enacted May 23, 2014

To award collectively to the American Fighter Aces in recognition of their heroic military service and defense of our country’s freedom throughout the history of aviation warfare.

First Special Services Force

Public Law 113-16 enacted July 12, 2013

To award collectively to the First Special Service Force, in recognition of its superior service during World War II.

Design candidates for the medal were reviewed by the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee and Commission of Fine Acts earlier this year. The images of the design candidates and recommendations can be found here.

Sixteenth Street Baptist Church

Public Law 113-11 enacted May 24, 2013

To award posthumously to Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley to commemorate the lives they lost 50 years ago in the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, where these 4 little Black girls’ ultimate sacrifice served as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.

The medal was awarded on September 10, 2013 when the United States Mint also made bronze duplicate versions available for sale. Coverage of the medal release was provided in this previous post.

Passed in both House and Senate

Civil Air Patrol

S. 309 passed Senate on May 20, 2013, passed House May 19, 2014
H.R. 755 introduced February 15, 2013

To award to the World War II members of the Civil Air Patrol.

Shimon Peres

H.R. 2939 passed House May 19, 2014, passed Senate May 20, 2014
S. 1456 passed Senate March 13, 2014

To award to to Shimon Peres, a Polish-born Israeli statesman.

Monuments Men

H.R. 3658 passed House on May 15, 2014, passed Senate on May 20, 2014
S. 1862 introduced December 19, 2013

To award to the Monuments Men in recognition of their heroic role in the preservation, protection, and restitution of monuments, works of art, and artifacts of cultural importance during and following World War II.

65th Infantry Regiment

H.R. 1726 passed House May 19, 2014, passed Senate May 22, 2014
S. 1174 introduced June 18, 2013

To award to the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the Borinqueneers, a Puerto Rican regiment of the United States Army.

Passed in one Chamber

Jack Nicklaus

H.R. 2203 passed in House May 19, 2014
S. 1040 introduced May 23, 2013

To award to Jack Nicklaus in recognition of his service to the Nation in promoting excellence, good sportsmanship, and philanthropy.

Introduced

U.S. Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society

H.R. 4693 introduced May 20, 2014

To award to to the U.S. Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society, in recognition of the ceaseless efforts of American aircrew members to escape captivity and evade capture by the enemy forces in occupied countries during our foreign wars, and the brave resistance organizations and patriotic nationals of those foreign countries who assisted them.

James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner

H.R. 4409 introduced April 4, 2014

To award collectively to James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner to commemorate the lives they lost 50 years ago in an effort to bring justice and equality to Americans in Mississippi during Freedom Summer.

First Rhode Island Regiment

H.R. 4045 introduced February 11, 2014

To award to the First Rhode Island Regiment, regarded as the first African American military regiment, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War.

Freedom Riders

H.R. 4041 introduced February 11, 2014

To award to the Freedom Riders, collectively, in recognition of their unique contribution to Civil Rights, which inspired a revolutionary movement for equality in interstate travel.

Pat Summitt

S. 1910 introduced January 9, 2014
H.R. 3836 introduced January 9, 2014

To award to Pat Summitt in recognition of her remarkable career as an unparalleled figure in women’s team sports, and for her courage in speaking out openly and courageously about her battle with Alzheimer’s.

Simeon Booker

H.R. 3655 introduced December 4, 2013

To award to Simeon Booker in recognition of his achievements in the field of journalism, including reporting during the Civil Rights movement, as well as social and political commentary.

Office of Strategic Services

H.R. 3544 introduced November 20, 2013

To award collectively to the members of the Office of Strategic Services in recognition of their superior service and contributions during World War II.

Dr. R. Adams Cowley

S. 1345 introduced July 23, 2013
H.R. 2782 introduced July 22, 2013

To award posthumously to Dr. R. Adams Cowley in recognition of his lifelong commitment to the advancement of trauma care.

Hank Aaron

H.R. 3186 introduced July 9, 2013

To award to Hank Aaron, in recognition of his contributions to the national pastime of baseball and his perseverance in overcoming discrimination and adversity to become a role model for all Americans.

Sally K. Ride

H.R. 2422 introduced June 18, 2013

To award to Sally K. Ridge, the first American women to travel into space, in recognition of her exemplary service as an astronaut, physicist, and science education advocate.

Rabbi Arthur Schneier

H.R. 2387 introduced June 14, 2013

To award to Rabbi Arthur Schneier in recognition of his pioneering role in promoting religious freedom and human rights throughout the world, for close to half a century.

Constance Baker Motley

S.1150 introduced June 12, 2013
H.R. 3097 introduced September 12, 2013

To award posthumously to Constance Baker Motley, African American civil rights activist, lawyer, judge, state senator, and Burough President of Manhattan.

Father Mychal Judge, O.F.M.

H.R. 1224 introduced March 15, 2013

To award posthumously to Father Mychal Judge, O.F.M., beloved Chaplain of the Fire Department of New York who passed away as the first recorded victim of the September 11, 2001, attacks in recognition of his example to the Nation of selfless dedication to duty and compassion for one’s fellow citizens.

Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods

S. 1587 introduced October 28, 2013
H.R. 1186 introduced March 14, 2013

To award posthumously to each Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods in recognition of their contributions to the Nation.

Muhammad Ali

H.R. 1084 introduced March 12, 2013

To award to Muhammad Ali in recognition of his contributions to the Nation.

Alice Paul

S. 457 introduced March 5, 2013
H.R. 874 introduced February 27, 2013

To award posthumously to Alice Paul in recognition of her role in the women’s sufrage movement and in advancing equal rights for women.

Shirley Chisholm

H.R. 852 introduced February 27, 2013

To award posthumously to Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968 where she served until 1982.

Stewart Lee Udall

H.R. 750 introduced February 15, 2013

To award posthumously to Stewart Lee Udall in recognition of his contributions to the Nation as hero for the environment, a champion for conservation, a civil right activist, a Native American crusader, and an advocate for the arts.

Lena Horne

S. 397 introduced February 27, 2013
H.R. 715 introduced February 14, 2013

To award posthumously to Lena Horne in recognition of her achievements and contributions to American culture and the civil rights movement.

Filipino Veterans of World War II

H.R. 111 introduced January 3, 2013

To award collectively to the Filipino Veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

Malala Yousafzai

H.R. 60 introduced January 3, 2013

To award to Malala Yousafzai in recognition of her devoted service to education, justice, and equality in Pakistan.

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Comments

  1. gary says

    It’s too bad that so many of the World War II related recognition medals were not conceived of and awarded decades ago when some of the veterans connected to the themes would have been alive to receive them.

  2. Two Cents says

    I would like to see Congressional Gold Medals issued to honor the astronauts who died aboard Apollo 1 and the Challenger and Columbia space shuttles. Each group should have their own medal, and the families of each member should receive the respective gold medal, with bronze duplicates available for purchase.

  3. joe says

    I like the Doolittle Raid and the Hank Aaron medals.

    But as Two Cents says, medals honors the astronauts who gave their lives would be great idea too!

    Conversely, I think collectors have had more than enough of Alice Paul, who the PC crowd in congress already had put on the front of a gold First Spouse presidential coin.

  4. fmtransmitter says

    astronauts who died while serving is a well deserved idea…Thing is, so many other people behind the scenes might be left out and those men couldn’t have achieved what they did without the support on the ground…

  5. A Bob says

    Alice Paul is silly. Malala makes a lot of public appearances for being dead. How about posthumous gold medal for Joe Biden?

    Hank Aaron & Ali would sell well. Not that that matters.

    Wish the sold silver duplicates along with the bronze.

  6. Dave says

    OT

    Ran 2 weeks of gold HOF selling prices in OGP .

    Last week 13 sales average price $1174. Accepted offers excluded since I did not have actual price. 5 Unc .

    This week 14 sales averaged out to $1194. 4 Unc .

    Looks pretty stable to me.

  7. VA Rich says

    Hey Pitt – thanks to some middle-aged sleep insomnia, I just saw where you posted the info on the 3D frame a week ago or so, that looks sharp and thanks for sharing. I’m going to pick one or two up and do the same. Having put yours together, do you feel that the frame is big enough, or would support ALL FIVE of the 2013 ASE’s? Like one top center, and then the other four paired off below?

    Some one asked a month ago about how best to pop the coin capsules out from the plastic OGP case/holder – just FYI – found something new that works like a charm. It’s called a carving set carried by Harbor Freight, Item #34152, has a couple of edges that are thin, round, and just easily slides underneaths the capsules to pop it loose. Works real good on those pesky halves.

  8. VA Rich says

    bg35765 – regarding your question on the previous thread (oh, and hello fellow circus friend), as to selling your 69 and whether the 69 First Strike will eventually surpass the raw price – I am tossing around the same identical question. Let me verbalize some thoughts and perhaps the guys out here will poke holes in it and by the end of the day we’ll see if we have a better idea –

    So what do we think we know?

    1. The mint shipped the first 60 minutes of $5 orders back in early April, perhaps 30% of mintage, so maybe 9,600 Proofs and 5,400 Uncs?

    2. PCGS has graded thru 07 May submissions (this is confirmed), and NGC has probably completed all their ER/FR grading a week or two ago.

    3. Of the $5 Proofs, PCGS has graded 1,177 of 1,619 a PR70 (73%); NGC pop report shows 97 of 105 graded PR70 as of 26 May which seems erroneous. And of the $5 MS, PCGS has graded 853 of 1240 Unc coins a MS70 (69%). NGC 93 of 102 a 70 which seems off.

    4. So of the total mintage, PCGS has graded 5% of $5 Proofs, or 3.7% a FS PR70, and 6.9% of all $5 Uncs. NGC needs to update their population report, but assuming the same population numbers for NGC, this equates to 10% to 12% of Proofs have been graded thus far, and 12-14% of Unc graded.

    5. In looking at #3 & #4 above, maybe the mint didn’t even mint close to 30% of the $5s in the first batch if PCGS and NGC has only graded a population of approximately 3,300 Proofs, and 2,500 Unc???

    6. So to your point, if you care about a label, there’s simply not a lot out there for an offering that has garnered so much popularity. It will be interesting to watch the population report over the next couple of weeks to see the final FS/ER/FR numbers solidify. Putting a complete set together WILL BE difficult at these numbers and we know how the rich boys like their labels and a consistent set.

    7. With that, yes, I think we’ll see 69s begin to pull away from OGP in due time. Many out here questioned whether BhoF could match the $5 Jackie Robinson.., we’ll we’re closing in on that in OGP within 2 months of it being released. A PR70 has established a range of $1,500 to $1,800 in the last week, and those will be disappearing as you don’t buy a $1,500 coin to flip, you buy it to KEEP.

    8. I like it when folks out here make a prediction, so I’ll go out on limb say by years end, a FS MS70 will be knocking on $2,000 to $2,200, a MS69 $1,550 to $1,650 range, and OGP (if you can find them) $1,400 to $1,500, but I don’t think they’ll be available, this is a buy and hold now.

    Ok, so that’s a lot, I’m no expert by any means but the numbers don’t lie. You all go ahead to poke holes in it, I’m curious to see what comes back. Let the flogging begin! Good luck bg-

  9. Pittsburgh P says

    Sorry posted early…

    VaRich funny thing that you ask about the 2013 ASE. I did the same thing and it looks great… It does fit well but there’s not much room left to spare. I put the 2 from the reverse proof set at each top corner and the proof and unc. on the bottom 2 corners all 4 in the mint capsules and the bullion version dead center in an airtite. It might look better in the larger frame since its so tight and the coins are almost touching each other and the edge of the frame and they do make a rectangular frame also that will fit all 5. It’s perfect for the 6 coin BHoF set since the gold and clad are so much smaller but its still a tight fit.

  10. Pittsburgh P says

    VaRich
    Didn’t read the novel you posted yet! 🙂 just skimmed it… I see if it needs flogging.

  11. bg35765 says

    VA Rich – Thanks for well thought-out reply.

    I especially appreciate the NGC population numbers as I am not a member there yet, so I have not been able to check those. I agree those numbers cannot be right. My guess is those might be the Baltimore labels only.

    Another good consideration that you brought up is the tendency of collectors to want a matching set of labels. From this perspective I think the autograph labels are working in my favor by decreasing the population of “regular” labels.

    PCGS makes you do some work to figure it out, but right now there are 70 MS70 gold autograph labels broken down as follows:

    Reggie Jackson – 28
    Tony LaRussa – 1
    Dennis Eckersley – 9
    Ernie Banks – 2
    Frank Thomas – 15
    Cal Ripken, Jr. – 15

    That is 8.2% of the MS70s and that number should go up slightly, maybe significantly, as they add additional players.

    It is funny to look back a couple months and think that the people doing pre-sales at $555 are now going to have to deliver the coins at that price.

  12. Pittsburgh P says

    Bg35765 It is funny! I wonder if any of the unethical sellers will try to back out. I purchased a gold unc. presale a few days after they sold out for 650$ off ebay but its someone local and I’ve been in contact with him throughout… He says its in stock and reserved. I don’t know if I’d feel good about a pre sale BHoF if it wasn’t local…

  13. says

    @ VA Rich, very good analysis. Good solid numbers and reasons behind your analysis. I wish you would detail why you think in the long run a 69 will sell for more than OGP? From all the numbers I see, 95%+ of ALL Golds grade 69 or above. If 70% of all graded coins are coming back a 70 then IF you buy an OGP you have a 70% chance of getting a 70. For my money I would rather have an OGP that has a 70% chance of being a 70 vs. buying a 69 that has 0% of being a 70. You disagree, so please expand on why you disagree?

  14. bg35765 says

    cagcrisp – I don’t want to speak for VA Rich, but there isn’t a 0% chance of a 69 being a 70 the second time around. The following is paraphrased from Eric Jordan’s “Modern Commemorative Coins” book:

    100 attractive W mint coins were sent into PCGS and NGC in small batches. If they came back a 69 they were cracked out and resubmitted up to 4 more times.

    NGC
    —-
    Submission 1: 71 graded 70
    Submission 2: 12 graded 70
    Submission 3: 5 graded 70
    Submission 4: 2 graded 70
    Submission 5: 1 graded 70

    Final Result: 91 out of 100 ended up with a 70

    PCGS
    ——-

    Submission 1: 28 graded 70
    Submission 2: 23 graded 70
    Submission 3: 11 graded 70
    Submission 4: 7 graded 70
    Submission 5: 5 graded 70

    Final Result: 74 out of 100 ended up with a 70

  15. says

    @bg35765, I’m not sure you are making a case for OR against having a coin graded. Looks to me like you are saying, “If you grade a 69 enough times, you will eventually get SOMEONE to say it’s a 70”. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for having a coin graded OR for grading companies…

  16. Pittsburgh P says

    Bg thx for that post. Earlier I made the same point using personal experiences but your post shows the point much better

  17. Pittsburgh P says

    Cag imo it is only for moderns… Since they are brand new they should at minimum be 69. Unless there is a noticeable flaw seen by the naked eye the difference between 69 and 70 is in the eye of the beholder and the graders do not take a lot of time on these unlike much older coins. Personally I’m not big on grading or labels unless you are trying to sell them.

  18. Dave says

    Some people only buy graded gold online to be certain the coin is not a fake.
    I wonder if they ever consider the slab could be fake!

  19. fmtransmitter says

    Is there a proper way to crack a coin out of a sonically sealed slab without damaging it?

  20. fmtransmitter says

    t is funny to look back a couple months and think that the people doing pre-sales at $555 are now going to have to deliver the coins at that price.
    If they bought 100 and sold all or most, still making thousands so no need to complain. But I hear ya….

  21. simon says

    FM : one suggestion : I do this quite a bit since I prefer my coins in airtites – Look in your local Home Depot for a strong vice. Position a section of the edge of the holder in one of the corners of the vice. The overlap is about 1 inch, and tighten till you hear a crack / snap. Work your way around the holder edge till the edge is completely fragmented and the covers separate. Another brute force technique is to put the holder on a hard surface and tap the sealed edge of the holder with a hammer going around inch by inch.

  22. simon says

    I should mention – use eye protection – the polycarbonate shatters easily and can become projectiles – Our eyes are way more valuable than coins.

  23. Louis says

    Jon- Since you so helpfully corrected me on Sandy Koufax:
    It’s navels, not navals. Also, you may be sick of hearing about baseball coins, which is your prerogative,
    but it is hardly retarded to keep bringing them up. There are a lot of other words that would make much more sense, and not be as offensive. The fact is a lot more people are interested in the BHoF than in congressional gold medals, which are only given to the recipient, and issued in bronze for everyone else, and not all that popular in most cases.

  24. Pittsburgh P says

    Louis I found its best to ignore the “tards” – in his own words- He’s only looking for reactions with his offensive and superiority complex posts.

  25. bg35765 says

    cagcrisp – I agree with you and at first I collected only in OGP. As my collection has grown the OGP has taken up more and more room and the concept of having coins in slabs has grown on me.

    I also like the fact that the slab makes it less likely that any of my coins will ever have some pawn shop owner gouge part of it to make sure it isn’t plated. (But the fake slab concern mentioned above is real and scary. I was floored that one of the websites that sells fake coins and slabs is soon going to be publicly traded on NASDAQ or NYSE.)

    I still think the premiums that people pay for 70s are crazy, so I have looked for a 69 for myself when buying from dealers. These baseball coins were my first grading submission and also the first 70s I have ever owned.

    So for me I like the authenticity and storage convenience of the graded moderns and am not really worried about the grades themselves.

  26. Pittsburgh P says

    Bg35765 that is an interesting way to look at it. I also collect mainly ogp but take the packaging and store them separately from my coins.

    What company/website were you referring if you do not mind sharing?

  27. fmtransmitter says

    Steve, of all things to remove, that dude removed an ancient. The most faked coins out there and hardest to authenticate. Not to mention, it had a MS63 grade?? I don’t get that at all…

  28. Dustyroads says

    Jon, As my dear old pappy used to say to me, “if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.”

    I have to say that I really like the CC Morgan dollars in the GSA holders. It’s amazing how much the value goes up when they are encased in them. It’s hard to say if modern day TPG’s will have the same effect in the future as the GSA holders have now garnished.
    I’m sure there were a lot of collectors in the `70’s saying that the GSA Morgans had no more value. Although, they do come with a great story!

  29. Louis says

    bg- No offense but I find it highly unlikely that a company selling fake coins and slabs would even be considered a legit business, let alone publicly traded as they are selling illegal goods. It is against many federal laws to sell fake coins not marked as copy and the same would apply to fake slabs, many of which have come from China.

    The issue of fake slabs has been discussed for years and knowledgeable people know what to look for to distinguish real slabs from fakes, and the TPG’s keep adding new security features to make it harder to fake them. Your best defense is to only do business with well-established dealers who have been in business for decades and who are in the ANA and PNG, which forces them to adhere to a code of ethics, which if violated allows you to have your case heard and be reimbursed if necessary.

  30. Louis says

    Dusty- Very true and if you look at the prices of the less common but not super rare ones over the past few years, you will see some very substantial increases.

  31. says

    Louis,

    Maybe Jon in CT was thinking ahead to a Naval Academy commemorative, similar to that of the West Point one of several years ago.

  32. simon says

    The GSA’s are a true original. Not many coins have been Mint “sealed” and stored as long as them and over the years I’ve put a nice original collection together – some NGC and others ungraded but all top quality. Particularly stunning are the PLs and DMPLs. I’ve not tracked prices but I shopped for years to get the best deal.

  33. fmtransmitter says

    imo the hof subject sparked up again mainly because the mint started dinging cards for golds and folks are getting excited to finally get what they ordered after months of anticipation…name calling is just plain bad parenting up to about age 12, then it is a immature issue, which has been studied. many coin collectors have had traumatic experiences in their lives…

  34. Peter says

    Jon, really?
    The BHOF coins are one of the most interesting issues in decades, and you want to tell folks to stop discussing them? Combine with the fact that the mint has done such a poor job of distribution and communication, and of course we want to share our experiences with one another. If you aren’t interested, then that is YOUR problem, not everyone else’s.
    On TPG, the whole 69/70 thing is pretty ridiculous when you consider how long it took for a single coin to ever obtain a numeric grade over 65. I’m talking GEMS with ms65 on them. Later on, getting a 66 or 67 was newsworthy. Fast forward to now, and you’ve got coins with minor cosmetic flaws being graded ms69? That just doesn’t make sense. The idea of a 70 being more than one coin out 50 makes it lose it specialness. Just my opinion. btw, I’m all for grading most all other coins, but am turned off to the whole gimmicky nature of the moderns with all the signatures, designations, etc. takes away from just the cool and great look of the coin.

  35. bg35765 says

    Pittsburgh and Louis – I wrote a reply to you both, but I don’t see it. Maybe it got flagged as spam or maybe Michael deleted it. I don’t want to tick him off, but I do think it is important that people know that this is out there. So I won’t try to post anything that looks like a link again.

    Search for “Alibaba IPO” and you can read all about it and find their website. They will be listed on a US stock exchange later this year.

    One might argue that it is like ebay having fake coins on their website and being a public company. But the difference is that ebay makes a pretty good attempt to weed out the fakes that are reported to them and keep them from being listed in the first place.

    This Chinese company has given their tacit approval of these items because they have been selling them for years and they are even advertised as fakes. While the ebay sellers try to get retail (authentic) value for their fakes these are sold at bulk prices like $2.50 for a fake 2000 proof silver eagle.

    Depending on the seller, some of their coins do have “COPY” on them, but many do not.

  36. Louis says

    @bg- I am familiar to some extent with Alibaba. They are a major import/export company that sells everything under the sun. They do sell some replica coins from what I see, but I did not find any fake slabs. In other countries they may get away with selling cheap-looking replica Morgans or whatever, but I know in the U.S. market it is not legal to sell fake slabs if they have NGC, PCGS, etc. as those are all trademarked. But they do business all over the world, and yes, they may sell some cheap, dumb-ass looking replicas in some obscure corner of the world as a novelty or whatever, but that is a different matter, and they are not a coin company per se and are not trying to pass them off as being valuable.

  37. Louis says

    Also, I am not certain, but as suggested by the name, it is probably a Middle Eastern co.

  38. GoldFishin says

    OT- From Wikipedia- Alibaba Group is a privately owned Hangzhou-based group of Internet-based e-commerce businesses including business-to-business online web portals, online retail and payment services, a shopping search engine and data-centric cloud computing services. In 2012, two of Alibaba’s portals together handled 1.1 trillion yuan ($170 billion) in sales, more than competitors eTray and Bamazon combined.[2] The company primarily operates in the People’s Republic of China, and in March 2013 was estimated by The Economist magazine to have a valuation between $55 billion to more than $120 billion.
    *Names have been changed to protect the guilty.

    @bg-Thank you for alerting many people who read this blog about the very real problem of counterfeits coming out of China with both fake coins and slabs. Not everyone is a professional numismatic hobbyist and many people on the bay fall for these fakes. I have been reporting fakes I have found on Ebay for years and I think the coin collecting community has done a good job of reporting fakes that appear on their sight. All one has to do is go to NGC’s website and read the news. About every 5th news story is about counterfeits mostly coming out of China and getting more sophisticated all the time.
    Concerning the web site you mentioned. It took me all of five minutes to find TPG fake graded coins that could fool your average Ebay purchaser, as well as older rare dated coins that were not labeled as replica or copy that looked real enough to pass along to unsuspecting novices. Yes, I bunch of the coins found their obviously were never meant to fool anyone who has even a basic knowledge of coins, but they do find their way to flea markets all over the U.S and must fool a lot of people or they wouldn’t be producing them. Louis offers good advice to people about doing business with only reputable dealers that are credentialed and accountable to U.S. law and fair trading practices.

  39. fmtransmitter says

    If I hadn’t put some bars in air tites and removed them from the plastic blister packs I would be sitting with worthless brass or whatever they use to make weight. It is very hard to make the weight and size exact and those airtites saved me a bunch of cash. The seller said return them, I asked for address, never heard from him again. Probably has a basement full of them. I reported to eBay of course and I did get my money back. If you buy bullion, don’t just throw that stuff in the safe without checking it out. I been preaching about this for years on here. Buyer beware. As mentioned earlier, buying from trusted dealers is your best way to avoid issues. You think your getting a good deal and in reality your getting scammed. Thank you airtites.

  40. fmtransmitter says

    I won’t buy anything from China on my own accord. I got sucked in once in my younger years by Western union of all things. What a joke. Never received my product. I try to only get burned once…Twice, shame on me…I buy from China all the time, but it isn’t direct. Like drywall, how were the builders supposed to avoid that calamity.

  41. fmtransmitter says

    Well to some it may be a good thing I am going back to work after surgery soon. So I have been posting more than usual. I have had some extra time on my hands while recovering. Thank you all my fellow bloggers for the POSITIVE comments and I appreciate each and every one of you adds to this blog. It has taught me a lot about a hobby I have a true passion for. When I was a kid, I never found the THING to attach to. My brother had baseball cards, vinyl records etc etc and I didn’t. I thought something was wrong with me that I didn’t have passion for anything, well except girls. Now I have found my passion and it is in numismatics. I love this hobby as an enthusiast and it has enriched my life as I have no children. My babies are my coins…LOL

  42. Pittsburgh P says

    Bg thanks for the reply… Very interesting for sure.

    Goldfishin… Bamazon & eTray! I love it… To protect the guilty. Don’t know if that’s you or directly from the article but either way.

    Fmt… Glad you’re feelin better and about ready to go back to work… Just use your phone and post away on break! LOL 🙂

  43. bg35765 says

    @Louis – They are a Chinese company, although I agree that is a strange choice of name. Maybe there are some Middle Eastern owners, but we won’t know until they reveal the names of some of the partners before the IPO.

    You are right that there are some cheesy knock-off coins, but some pretty good ones too. They have gold eagles with a picture of a digital caliper to show the accuracy of the width. Some of the silver eagles had “non magnetic” in the item description. Why would those traits be important if it was supposed to be a novelty?

    The fake PCGS slabs are gone, but they are trying to run a tighter ship pre-IPO. Someone posted some screen shots on the PCGS forums that are still there if you want to see them. Thread ID 917329 in the U.S. coin forum.

  44. Mk says

    OT @IPS- I’m a little slow.. my tard-ness must be shining through. I just saw your post about your shipping drama and got a good chuckle. Stalking..lol I video tape the packaging, sealing, labeling and try to use the machine at the post office so I can take a picture of the package with the postage on it. I know it sounds extreme but what other proof does anyone have that the coins were put in the box and shipped. If I never need the video proof, I delete it. I just refuse to be burned by some unsavory character on EBay and further victimized by EBay/Paypal or the postal service.

  45. Larry says

    Looking through the Ebay sold listings for the BHOF coins, I noticed NONE were in OGP. Hmmmm.

  46. says

    @Larry, I don’t know how you have your search/sort set up but I track daily all the Gold and Silver OGP BHOF coins. That is all that I track. Just OGP. They are there… My search/sort is “2014 baseball gold coin” and “2014 baseball silver dollar”

  47. GoldFishin says

    @MK – all the big coin dealers that do a lot of shipping video their packaging operation. I never have done it and have never had a problem on Ebay selling or buying within the United States. But, I might start doing it in the future for transactions over a couple hundred. I think it is a smart idea, especially for insurance purposes. Also I would like to say I have never had a problem with the postal service’s priority or first class mail. It is registered that drives me nuts because of the lack of updated tracking, but every package has always managed to get to its destination. Guess I have been lucky.

    @FMT – wishing you all the best, I was also out of work for a while due to a health issue and started posting here because I had a few extra minutes on hand before I went back to work, although I have read this blog almost since its beginning.

    @Pitt P.- yea, the funny was my add ons. *****

  48. clayton says

    Finaly some movement on baseball hall of fame gold coins . 2 of my orders have moved from back ordered 6/30 to in stock and reserved. orders were 1:25 and 3:15 pm on the 27th.

  49. Louis says

    Thanks for the additional info folks.
    Personally I have no idea why anyone would buy those cheapo novelties,
    but I have definitely heard the co. discussed several times on the business channels.

    I prefer something like a real silver round that has the design of an old classic
    U.S. coin like a Seated Liberty half dollar for a very small premium over melt.

  50. Larry says

    @cagcrisp, my boo boo. I clicked on a link that was just graded coins. I should have noticed that.

  51. Pittsburgh P says

    FMTrans hopin you can answer a question for me since you follow the world coin segment more closely or anyone else out there that knows. I decided to put a type set of all curved circus coins together. How many are there? I count 4 and the BHof set makes 10 total. Am I correct? I have 8 now…

  52. Louis says

    @Pittsburgh- 10 sounds right to me- 6 BHOF, 2 French and 2 Aussie maybe 11 soon when 3rd Aussie coin is released. VABEACHBUM seems to have the inside scoop on that.

  53. dan says

    Pittsburgh and Louis

    Actually there are 12 domed coins now that I know of. 6 bhof, 2 australian – southern cross and pavo, and 4 french, 2 for the soccer games and the a silver and gold 2009 year of the astronomy coin which was the first domed coin. The year of the astronomy 1 ounce gold coin has a blue gold field and only had a mintage of 1000. It is a rather nice coin

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/FRANCE-2009-200-EURO-Lastronomie-ASTRONOMY-BLUE-GOLD-PROOF-1oz-999-GOLD-COIN-/231086006859

  54. AkBob says

    Here’s one more, just released recently, RE: Curved Coins; How about the 2014 FIFA World Cup (Brazil) curved coin. HSN has them for sale in 69 and 70 and they are listed on Ebay as well.

  55. Pittsburgh P says

    @louis thx… Those are what I was thinkin. I’m missin the French 09′ astronomy & the aussie 13′ crux. Probably the two better one of the collection-after the BHoFs of course 🙂

  56. Pittsburgh P says

    Dan… Yes I forgot about the 1 oz gold fifa but I didnt think the 09′ astronomy gold was curved. Thx

  57. Pittsburgh P says

    AKbob yeah I included the fifa in my count and got 2 of em… Silver ones not gold yet. Got it from the french mint for 112$ with shipping the got one off ebay for 98$ from a coin shop in Germany. Price was too good to pass up. I don’t usually buy internationally but he had a 100% feedback rating and over 4500 feedbacks and excellent communucation. All other ogp on ebay were at min. over 140$.

  58. AkBob says

    @PP – I picked up the 2 coin set, gold and silver. Thought another curved coin would be nice to have. Congrat’s on your purchase. I’m not sure but I doubt the gold is curved, do you know for sure?

  59. Pittsburgh P says

    Akbob only the 1 oz gold and silver are curved. I got the smaller gold when I got the silver from the mint and its flat. Still a sharp coin though.

  60. Pittsburgh P says

    1/4 oz not the 1/2 g…. Both are flat though. So if you got the 1 oz gold its curved.

  61. AkBob says

    @P – Thanks for the info. I just got the .5 gram gold as I just wanted he design and I really couldn’t afford the larger size but at least I have an example even though I’ll need a VERY powerful magnifying glass to see anything, lol

  62. TERRY says

    Does anyone have an email address for Mike Mezack from the HSN coin vault show. I am sick and tired of his lies about the mintage numbers of the silver eagle reverse proof sets to sell his coins. I have repeatedly contacted HSN about his comments to sell coins but no one there does anything. I like watching anything dealing with coins but he really angers me. Does anyone else out there watch his show and notice all his lies?

  63. Louis says

    Seems like there is just something about the curve!

    On the French gold coins from 2009 (astronomy) there is a 1/4 oz and 1 oz but I believe as stated above only the 1 oz is curved. Both are very pricey.

  64. Pittsburgh P says

    Anyone out there ever be purchased anything from PPcoins.com? They have a coin I have b

  65. Terry says

    Thank you fmtransmitter. I am just very frustrated that this is allowed to continue. I have contacted HSN on numerous occasions about his misleading comments but they allow him to do what ever it takes to make a buck.

  66. Pittsburgh P says

    Sry…

    Been searching for at an ok price. Not great but I’ll pay it. I just can’t seem to bring myself to buy off them. Can’t find any reveiws and when I searched the domain name its in Moscow. Can’t tell if its shady or not. They’ve been around for 2 years… If anyones used them Id appreciate the feedback. Thx

  67. Dave says

    @Terry
    Try getting a transcript or recording along with the FACTS to the FTC. I believe they handle truth in advertising.
    Or try the new federal consumer protection agency ( can’t remember the formal name.)

  68. Howard says

    @ Terry Have to say I watch the Coin Vault it tricks me into thinking
    I am rich.

  69. fmtransmitter says

    Terry says
    JUNE 1, 2014 AT 8:44 PM

    Thank you fmtransmitter. I am just very frustrated that this is allowed to continue. I have contacted HSN on numerous occasions about his misleading comments but they allow him to do what ever it takes to make a buck.
    Your welcome, Dave said it best. FTC with FACTS of lies and truth…Good Luck!

  70. fmtransmitter says

    We are becoming a nation of elderly and most are not computer savvy and that his target audience. The elderly couple flipping through the channels and looking for gifts that seem to be investment types so as not to throw away their money, and they are not if they buy a good coin, but they are paying a tremendous premium versus other avenues, that they may not be aware of…

  71. fmtransmitter says

    Lots of retailers praying on the elderly as they become the largest segment of our population with expendable income, the younger folks social security money that will be gone by the time they need it. It is all rather quite a tragedy unfolding before our eyes..

  72. says

    I cracked up at the latest HSN show as he shows the proof Buffalo and states “it is the ONLY 24 k coin the US Mint produces. Come to think of it…I can’t recall HSN having any First Spouse coins for sale…not saying they haven’t, but if they have, he should know they are also 24K…as he is an expert..lol

  73. fmtransmitter says

    To his credit, because of his rush to have the HOF for sale FIRST, may actually got a good deal on those but that was like one in ten year deal….

  74. fmtransmitter says

    Oh, one more credit is that you can return anything for any reason within 30 days and the flex pay option is nice for those that want to make payments interest free…

  75. Dave says

    @fm
    Let’s keep religion out of it! Retailers are not “praying” on the elderly. But they may be “preying” on the elderly 🙂 Just picturing the first scenario forces me to say LOL!
    Voice recognition programming or Apple’s tendency to use the word THEY think you want?
    The latter drives me crazy.

  76. says

    fm… a lot of people say lol. I ‘ve posted on this site since 2007…and no, I don’t know who hi low is.

  77. fmtransmitter says

    Steve says
    JUNE 1, 2014 AT 10:25 PM

    fm… a lot of people say lol. I ‘ve posted on this site since 2007…and no, I don’t know who hi low is.
    was a joke , forget it…

  78. VA Bob says

    Terry – well seems HSN is no worse than some right on this blog flipping for as much or more. These pages are full of prices the ‘rubes’ paid for the recent coin of the month. Very few resident flippers can stand on a higher moral ground than any of the coin shows, just their volume might not be as high. I often wonder how many people thought they made an investment only to find out they overpaid by double, triple, or more. I heard a story from a dealer that said this happens frequently, as he gives the going rate to them, and the realization gets handed to them. As they say buyer be ware.

    We all want to make some money when we sell. The question is what is a fair price for the seller and buyer, that won’t cast the hobby (coin collecting not speculation) in a bad light? IMO $1800 for a newly minted $5 gold piece is not a fair, ethical price, regardless of mintage. Someone is going to be left without a seat when the music stops. Also IMO if you don’t get a ‘modern’ that will never circulate, never buy it unless your getting it from the Mint. The only exception is if you can get it below mint price. Check out what real circulating coins (pre-65), with a real sense of history go for without the modern label hype price factored in.

  79. fmtransmitter says

    PM content, mintage, and DEMAND IMO and in that order drive the true market value of a collector coin…

  80. fmtransmitter says

    I wrote it backwards. Demand is 1, mintage is 4, and pm content/size 3, and subject matter 2….

  81. Peter says

    @VA Bob
    I don’t think you’re being fair. The t.v. guys LIE constantly in their pitches. If I or anyone else sell a coin for a profit, without misrepresenting it, then where is the harm. I bought 5 BHOF golds, sold 4 and kept 1. While I sold them for a profit, the first couple were only at around 700 each, and the buyers turned around and resold them for a profit (good for them). Then, the next two I got almost 1800 for 2, and that buyer resold those and about broke even. No rubes. Everyone knew exactly what they were doing.

  82. Mk says

    @Pitt- I did some research this past January when I was looking for a Crux coin and ended up at PPcoins. I sent an email and received a response that “he” didn’t have one but knew a dealer who might. Something didn’t feel right after that email so I didn’t proceed any further. Also, the website itself appears questionable. Personally, I wouldn’t take a chance.

  83. Pittsburgh P says

    @MK thanks. Yeah somthing doesn’t feel right with them. I saw they had Crux coins marked about 200$ cheaper than anywhere else too. I’ll just keep searching, Thanks again!

  84. Dave says

    @ PittP
    Why not buy on credit card and if not right, simply dispute and get your $ credited back?

  85. Kraw says

    Yesterday my CC had the charges pending for the Au BHoF coins, and today the charges have vanished. Order still says ‘in stock and reserved’ on the mint page. Are others finding similar phenomena?

  86. Pittsburgh P says

    @Dave I was going to do that but then once I’m having my personal information and credit card number. Only being safe but maybe a little too cautious I guess. I don’t like having to go through the hassle either.

    Kraw yeah that is normal. They check your card when they are in stock and reserved then again when it ships if the funds have already been redeposited in your account or the charge falls off your CC. It’s usually 2 or 3 business days after they originally hit it. Never know with the BHoFs though… I’m hoping they go out today or tomorrow.

  87. Pittsburgh P says

    Sorry voice recognition…

    @dave I was goin to do that but don’t like giving them my personal info and credit card number if its an untrustworthy site.

  88. Dave says

    PitP
    Gotcha . Does PayPal give the same protection without giving out CC #?

    Kraw
    Same with my account.

  89. Pittsburgh P says

    @dave yeah I woulda used paypal since as you mentioned the seller doesnt see the CC# but to order they asked for personal info such as address & date of birth… I sent an email asking their location and phone # with no reply. It just was a red flag to me… Even if they shipped the coin may have been counterfeit also

  90. joe says

    My gold BHOF coin still shows as temporarily authorized with no movement over the last week.

  91. Louis says

    no movement on any of my orders. nothing.

    how come no one is talking about the Poseidon coin? Perth site was maddening. just error messages. anyone get through?

  92. hw says

    Perth Mint site is extremely slow probably due to volume. Just be patient. I was able to order only one Poseidon.

  93. DOUG says

    In regards to the BHOF gold coins, my order times were 1:31 , 1:38 , 1:54, and 2:08. They were all showing pending charges last thursday. Today all the charges were removed from my credit card. All the coins still show in stock and reserved. I called customer service at the mint, and was told they are all in the “picking” stage at the warehouse, and should be recharged, and shipped in the next couple of days, with the coins arriving 5 to 10 days later. I am not concerned about the wait, and am just posting this to help anyone else who may be wondering about their order.

  94. hw says

    P.S.: Perth Mint wait time is 166 minutes if you are lucky. I would come back later.

  95. Mk says

    No movement in my BBHOF orders…Today, I get a random email from one of my orders letting me know that the coins are still backordered. Thank you US Mint for keeping me informed. Lol

  96. fmtransmitter says

    Don’t know why the Poseidon series selling so much better than the NZ mint ones. maybe people don’t like square coins but I am staying the course. That square series is the highlight of my collection among others. The way the columns line up, the size and weight, the stunning quality of the strikes. That series is gonna be a sleeper imo…

  97. Clark says

    The mint just shipped my 3/27 1:07 p.m. $5 gold UNC BHOFs this morning. I also received UPS tracking. No movement yet on the proof $5 BHOFs I ordered just minutes later on the 27th.

    Sounds like they are slowly working their way through orders, but any forward movement is positive. However, I received a strange backorder message last night re: BHOF clad proofs stating they are backordered to 6/25, which is odd because I have over 200 other $1s and more unc clads that have backorder dates change frequently without email notifications. The US Mint moves in strange and mysterious ways.

  98. hw says

    Louis:

    No. By the time the checkout clock wound down, the Poseidon was unavailable. I will try again tonight around 9:00 pm MT.

  99. Mk says

    @fm- I’m east coast..as far east as one can get, unfortunately.
    @Clark- My random email was for half clad proofs as well. I’ll just keep buying world coins until they figure out their computer “glitches”.

  100. says

    WOW……….”Well, bust my britches!” Them there gold are a shippin’………..PLAY BALL !

    Finally, after all this time, my gold is on the way. Never thought this day would come. I got 2 of each and destined to stay in OGP in my collection. Here’s my original details, if it helps at all.

    Order number: ….6403

    Order Date: 03/27/2014 at 01:09 PM

    Order Status: Your order request has been shipped.

  101. KEITHSTER says

    My last two Great Smoky Mountains 5ozers will get delivered in the morning. As far as I can tell they only pressed about 700 in the last batch so maybe thats the die life on those honkers or something went wrong and that was the last one they had left? Any one know the die life on the 5ozers? Had a hard time paying full price but glad I did any one else getting delivery of their Smokies tomorrow? let me know how they look compared to the first ones with only 700 in this batch they should all be nice!! Well just saying Good Luck All:>:>:>

  102. Mark Rex says

    Wanted to gives a heads up. About 5 mins ago I was able to order from the Perth Mint a Poseidom coin. I was told it was successful and got a confirmation email. They already pulled $1 from my card. I missed the noon launch.

  103. Dustyroads says

    Ok, after seeing how popular the Poseidon is, I decided to try to get one for myself, and I can’t because their unavailable. How do I work this? Are they going to show back up on the site?

  104. Mark Rex says

    There not showing as ‘Sold Out’ just ‘Unavailable’. I guess there releasing them in batches every few hours. Just keep checking the site. I missed out at noon but got one at 8:37pm.

  105. VA Rich says

    cag – previous page, on the 69’s – mostly a result of observations and personal preference, and the fact that baseball isn’t going to go away any time soon.., and neither is this coin. It’s so unique and a one-off that interest will be strong and it will have staying power for quite some time, with that said, here comes the subjective part –

    a. I’ve been buying coins off fleabay since 2006, I will only buy a slabbed, sealed, or coin that’s been with a one-time owner with “the pictures are of the coin you see will be the coin that you will receive” stated in their listing.
    b. There’s know production/quality issues with the proofs, I’ve seen it first hand, too risky down the road to buy someone’s rejects when the dusk settles, I’ve shared my success (or lack there of) with good Proof $1 & Halves – perhaps this the reason for the shipping delays(?)
    c. I personally would rather buy a 69 of a known quality at a little more of a premium than risk an OGP given the some of the junk I’ve received on fleabay from unscrupulous sellers.

    Observations –
    a. I’m looking a acquire an ’01 Buff set and ’93 WWII $1 in 70, in doing some research, those 69 that present well carry a premium over OGP of the same coin. I’m not making an argument for one over the other, but it just does, and this is what I’ve seen lately.
    b. Labels- oh boy, here we go (Good Lord help me!) – a label is nothing more than ‘curb appeal’ – just like good landscaping around your house or breast implants under a furry sweater, it adds no functional value, though you just can’t stopping looking when you see it done well, and it creates perceived value/interest. I personally think a $5 & $1 BHoF strapped to a FS American Flag in a clear PCGS holder.., is an impressive combination, it stands out from the others, and it has curb appeal. So I guess I should have said pedigrees of 69 will do better.
    c. BG summed it up with this input on the grading – I have some 69’s that look better than some 70 without question that I know could and would grade 70 if resubmitted.

    So that’s just some thoughts for discussion sake (or not) in getting back to you on the Off Topic. A lot of wise ol souls out here say ‘buy the coin, not the label’ – & I so hardly agree. I’m not making an argument for labels or 69s – but curb appear does carry some merit that I’ve observed and that’s why I think some will do better than others. Besides, if I had to guess you’re probably in your late 30’s/early 40’s, right? There’s about 6 of us out here that fall into that category that posts regularly, and we’re far more analytical than our more seasoned, wiser posters and it shows in the postings (though they’re still smarter than us – that’s a compliment :), well, this younger generation is all about image and flashiness, so that will drive interest in time to come as well.., but that’s another topic and I’m off my soap box now… G’day!

  106. Pittsburgh P says

    Mk I don’t know but that’s insane! at first I thought it might have been a shill raising the price but there has been a lot of bids placed on it… misinformed people I guess

  107. Samuel says

    i think they hint there are some problems with the coin, so u better take a good look at it. i am wrong?
    —“the pictures are of the coin you see will be the coin that you will receive” stated in their listing.

  108. Pittsburgh P says

    Samuel thats usually a good thing. Id rather be able to see the coin even if its a pic. But if we are lookin at the same listing those are stock photos…

  109. fmtransmitter says

    VA Rich, wait, more about the breast implants under a furry sweater please….

  110. says

    @VA Rich, Thanks for the well thought out analysis. I buy very little and have never sold on the bay so I have not come across the problems that you describe.

    As for being analytical, I majored in accounting, minored in economics, taught Business Statistics at university level , General Manager for three separate S&P 500 companies. Left the private sector years ago so I could trade stocks and gamble on sports full time. Don’t receive a check or subsidy from anyone. What I kill is what I eat, so yes I would say that I fall in the analytical camp…

  111. Jon in CT says

    Tomorrow the U.S. Mint will lower the prices of its gold products by one tier/rung if tomorrow morning’s London fix is less than $1257.50 and tomorrow afternoon’s London fix is less than $1250.00. At this moment, with spot gold quoted near $1243, the likelihood this will happen seems very high.

  112. VA Rich says

    FM – just like labels.., it’s all window dressing! Though you all have much better window dressing down there in Tampa than I do up here!

    cag – impressive, very nice! I am so ready to become independent, & this work thing is so over-rated!

  113. VA Rich says

    Oh cag, BA/MA – in economics/finance here, a MS in being fleeced on fleabay, & a PhD in floggings on MNB.., though circus clown by trade! I have only up from here to go! lol

  114. Bob R says

    Just received 2ea ATB NR2, both coins have a scratch or mark at exactly the same location on Washington’s face between mouth and nose looks like a backwards 7. Guess I better send them back for replacements.

  115. smiledon says

    I wish that instead of making the above gold medals that the rest of us can get in bronze, the mint would make as commemorative coins. This nation, in my opinion, as really lost its way. Who we now look up to and look down upon is as messed up as the day is long. Some of who they wish to give a gold coin to is, well, off. However, this is just my opinion. To each, their own.

  116. simon says

    Interesting story on PM price fixing in ft.com – quotes

    June 3, 2014 4:04 pm
    Trading to influence gold price fix was ‘routine’
    By Xan Rice

    When the UK’s financial regulator slapped a £26m fine on Barclays for lax controls related to the gold fix, it offered more ammunition to critics of the near-century-old benchmark. But it also gave precious metal traders in the City of London plenty to think about.

    While the Financial Conduct Authority says the case appears to be a one off – the work of a single trader – some market professionals have a different view. They claim the practice of nudging a tradeable benchmark in order to protect a “digital” derivatives contract – as a Barclays employee did – was routine in the industry.

    In the case of gold, this means trying to move the benchmark price, which is set during the twice daily auction “fixing” process run by four banks, including Barclays.

    That is what the Barclays trader, Daniel Plunkett, did on June 28, 2012. Exactly a year earlier, the bank had sold an options contract to an unnamed customer stating that if after 12 months the gold price were above $1,558.96 a troy ounce, the client would receive $3.9m.

    By placing a large sell order on the fix, Mr Plunkett pushed the gold price beneath the barrier, thus avoiding the payout.

  117. GoldFishin says

    @Bob R – just list them on the Flea as the good ole” backwards 7 mint error” or the “washington bloody nose variation”. You are bound to double your money!

    I sent a couple back last week and they received it on Friday. Haven’t heard a squeak back yet, I wonder how long before I hear something. I will let you know if you want me to.

  118. Bob R says

    @GoldFishin- I like the “Washington bloody nose variation” should start the bidding at $2000 HA

  119. VA Bob says

    OT – VA Rich was that 69’s or 70’s under that fuzzy sweater? Just asking because be cause I drove past Headlights gentlemen’s club in Portsmouth a few weeks back and thought I saw her name on the marquee.

    To keep this coin related, I don’t believe it’s a good idea to use coins, PM or clad, OGP or slabbed, at a gentlemen’s club. Though any currency probably should be carefully handled with gloves. 😉

    BTW just humor guys, I’m too old for that stuff, and too married. Happy collecting.

  120. GoldFishin says

    @MK- the listing you gave for a Baseball Half Clad is being bid up for one reason for sure. The seller used the words Silver and Dollar in the first line of their description, very deceptive in my opinion and might even try to pass it off to an unsuspecting customer. They have sold at least one before for over $100.

    Not to worry, I reported them to Ebay. Seller will either have to change the description or suffer Feebays wrath. Yea right!

  121. VA Rich says

    Haha – Definitely 70’s VA Bob – without a doubt, I’ve seen that sign before …, can’t recall whether I was trying to beat feet out of Hampton after doing good things for the Fleet, or just along for the ride after a long day…, but definitely 70’s as I recall.. 😉

    I can’t image the currency exchange rate having shown up with a handful of proof BHoF clads in Thailand.., fifteen years ago…, yeah…

  122. Mk says

    @Pitt, Gf- yeah really sad these folks are getting taken for a ride. Bidding is up to over $102.50 for the clad.
    Jeez, I missed some of comments going on here.. Fuzzy sweaters, breast implants, good landscaping and slabbed coins. Lol too funny!

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