"Liberty" Medals for 2015?

I read at Lou Golino's "The Coin Analyst" column that the U.S. Mint plans to issue an American Liberty ultra high relief gold coin and silver medal in 2015.   

I'm not generally interested in medals, but I might make an exception in this case as the gold coin will be too expensive for my budget.  The silver medal would be more affordable and, although these will not actually be so, I see them as patterns for what should be on our coins.

In my view, it's a shame that we started using portraits of people on our coinage in 1909. That "cult of personality" is something that our founding fathers were opposed to. It's true that their opposition was because of the royalty depicted on other countries coins and our presidents are not that,  but even George Washington himself shot down the idea of using his portrait on our first coins.

Certainly Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and Kennedy deserve recognition. In the view of the founders, that's what medals were for. They felt that our money should use the symbols of the ideals that define our nation: Liberty and Union.  The Eagle as a symbol of strength was added later, but for more than 100 years no person appeared on our coins.

Oh, well. Trying to remove Lincoln or Washington now would undoubtedly cause great outrage, especially among the nations conservatives. If they know anything about history, they should be as opposed as I am, but that's not going to happen.

I'm looking forward to this. We don't know what it will look like, but the idea of“to create modern images of American liberty and freedom that will leave a legacy of coin designs that reflect our era” is on the right track, I think.

Reference: The Coin AnalystJuly 24, 2014

Note: All my coins are in a safe deposit box. I keep nothing in my home.

Contests and giveaways: http://coins.aplawrence.com/2014/05/contests-and-giveaways.html

United States Pattern Coins (Official Red Book)

I think every other "Official Red Book" manages to at least get a splash of red somewhere on the cover, but the 10th edition (2008) United States Pattern Coins (Official Red Book) is  blue. It's an attractive book, actually.

It's also in full color. That wasn't the case for previous editions, so if you go looking for this, make sure you get the 10th edition.

The photographs are not high quality, but they are more than enough to show you what these coins look like. As there are unique patterns that haven't been seen for years, it's amazing to have photos at all!

For each coin, you'll find:

• The metal used 
• Edge (reeded, lettered, plain or unknown)
• Rarity
• Number of PCGS, NGC and ANACS graded
• Number of times at auction since 1990 - sometimes zero
• The auction house and how much it sold for
• The grade the coin sold
• What a specimen might sell for today in various grades

But there's more to this than just that.  For example, J-610 and J-611 are nickel and copper versions of an 1868 Large Cent. The text explains that the obverse was probably meant to be for a ten cent coin, but someone decided to grab an old large cent reverse die and strike a few dozen coins. Such chicanery was not unusual at the Mint in this time period. From the late 1850's to 1885, those with the right connections could apparently get almost anything they wanted struck or restruck.

The historical detail makes this a fascinating book even if you have no great interest in patterns.

United States Pattern Coins (Official Red Book) is usually available new for $20 to $30 and can be found used for $17 or so.

Clue for the second 2014 Silver Eagle Giveaway:  NGC Registry #831

Note:  All my coins are in a safe deposit box.  I keep nothing in my home. 

Contests and giveaways: http://coins.aplawrence.com/2014/05/contests-and-giveaways.html

Pattern Coins

The coin pictured below is a pattern piece. It represents a proposed design for a five cent coin. As patterns go, it's not particularly rare, listed as an R4 (76-200 known). Nor is it expensive, typically selling for around $1,200.00 today.  I owned one of these many decades ago - they were even less expensive then and I think I remember selling it for less than $700.00.

Image by Heritage Auctions, used by permission.

Patterns were sometimes issued to show members of Congress and other interested parties what new designs would look like. Patterns also include circulating designs struck on other metals and other oddities. 

However, from about 1858 to 1885, the U.S. Mint was producing patterns more as a business than for demonstration. Little to no records were kept, but often hundreds of specimens were made to be sold or traded. This secret manufacture is what makes it possible to own patterns today.

The practice of patterns for demonstration continues to this day, but patterns rarely leave the mint now and when they do, they may be subject to confiscation.

Martha Washington Patterns do come up for sale now and then. These were made in 1965 bearing a date of 1759. The Mint said all were destroyed, but apparently that wasn't quite true - probably because outside contractors produced some of them.

Resources:

What are Patterns - a pictorial essay

United States Pattern Coins (Official Red Books)

Martha Washington Patterns

Note:  All my coins are in a safe deposit box.  I keep nothing in my home. 

Contests and giveaways: http://coins.aplawrence.com/2014/05/contests-and-giveaways.html