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 Friday, June 13, 2008
Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 6-13-08
Gold $866.00
Silver $16.31
Platinum $2043.00
Palladium $450.00
Friday Fix
6/13/2008 1:23:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Thursday, June 12, 2008
New 2001-Date Standard Catalog Released
Posted by tom
3rd Edition Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001-Date
It's finally here! This week we got the first sample copies back from the printer of KP books newest numismatic volume, the 2009 Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001-Date 3rd edition. This youngest of the SCWC Century volumes is up over 430+ pages now and has quickly become the mainstay of the modern issue coin collector.
 New dates on existing types, new circulation coins, brand new commemorative issues and lot's of price changes give this new edition solid value for the enthusiast. I was very pleased with the work we were able to put into this volume, with the market as hot as it is we still managed to get the gold and silver coin values in line, while adding in nearly 50 pages of new coinage. That's about a 12.5% increase in data, plus we continued this years SCWC big bonus of an added DVD of the entire catalog, so you can now have the Standard Catalog available on your home computer or laptop in a digital form for quick searching to augment the traditional paper catalog. That's the 2001-Date SCWC in pdf page format, the DVD catalog that so many people have been clamoring to get, included with every copy of the bound catalog you purchase.
And speaking of purchasing, the2009 3rd edition SCWC 2001-Date should be available from coin dealers and coin supply houses in the not too distant future, or you can order direct from the KP Bookstore right now. In fact, I asked my good friend Toni over in marketing if we could offer a special deal to all you Big Ideas, little world readers and here's what the two of us cooked up.
If you order the new 2009 3rd edition Standard Catalog of World Coins 2001-Date (item No. #Z1834) online through the KP Bookstore
, on or before midnight June 26th and use the Big Ideas, little world special discount Coupon Code NB28,
you will receive a 20% discount off the $35 cover price.
That brings your cost down to $28.00 for this brand new edition! Consider it a big "Thank You" from me and Toni to you!
KP Update
6/12/2008 5:43:09 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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A Quiet Moment in Gold
Posted by tom
 A Pause in Precious Metals
With Gold at an extremely low point, most analysts are considering what things may come. Some are looking for a bullish burst back above $900, some still look for $1000 gold before the year is out. Others are backing off their interest and diversifying.
Commodities
, the dolly of many investors for most of the first and second quarters of 2008, have become a questionable refuge since the Fed hinted at raising interest rates. The stronger dollar that we are seeing this morning adds weight and confidence to the Fed's plans. Crude oil is still very high and futures are even higher, but with pressure easing off at the pumps some are less keen on this hedge vehicle.
So where to next? Looks as though a few forward thinkers are moving money back into more conventional investment quarters. This is a surprise to many, but it may be a smart way to spread funds and secure stability, if better economic times are ahead. Maybe it's time to look around and see what's available from firmer instituations, ones which remained conservative in their finanacial choices during the wild lending times.
News You Can Use
6/12/2008 1:05:47 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Golden Roller Coaster Ride
Posted by tom
Gold & Silver on Roller Coaster Ride
This week has been a constant daily roller coaster ride for Gold and Silver spot prices. After a great bull run yesterday, the bear peaked out this morning with both silver and gold dropping to weeklong lows at about $16.40 and $860 respectively.
Crude oil and the dollar
are at the center of attention, as investors seem to be reacting to movements daily. Everyone is looking for a trend or direction, with inflation concerns always present as a major backdrop to the drama.
It's not a market for the faint of heart!
News You Can Use
6/12/2008 9:55:45 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, June 06, 2008
Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 6-6-08
Gold $890.50
Silver $17.19
Platinum $2050.00
Palladium $429.00
Friday Fix
6/6/2008 9:58:04 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, June 05, 2008
Across The Universe
Posted by tom
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
Across The Universe
A Beatles based musical of a different sort than Help! or Magical Mystery Tour, Across The Universe creates something new from some beloved songs of olde. If you are a Beatles fan, you will probably enjoy this film. If you have heard and liked Beatles songs from any era, you will probably enjoy this film. If you are a child of the 60's you will appreciate this film.
Across The Universe
was not a film that I expected so much from. I am not a big fan of musicals, but I though it would be interesting, maybe fun. Now, having viewed it, I am really impressed. You can tell that there was a great deal of love, energy, imagination and devotion invested in the production of this unique piece. From behind the scenes to in front of the camera, everyone was on the same page and putting in their best work.
Hat's off to director Julie Taymor for putting Across The Universe together in such fine operatic fashion and for filming live vocal/acting segments rather than taping the songs seperate. Taymor brought great artists together and provided them a vehilce in the form of a story created from various classic Beatles song lyrics, thereby making something entirely fresh and new from something wholely beloved by several generations.
Note as you watch that the entire cast and crew, under direction from Taymor, made an effort to differential rather than imitate. A smart move and one that pays off in a wonderful blend of creativity and homage. I especially enjoyed the Joe Cocker performance of Come Together, though I am sure others may appreciate seeing Bono as Dr. Robert, a kind of Ken Kesey character or Eddie Izzard as Mr. Kite. You can't help but love the purity brought to their roles by Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood or the emotional drive in the performances of Dana Fuchs and Martin Luther Mcoy.
Across The Universe
is both a visual and auditory experience well worth your time. Pick up a copy, open your heart and mind and enjoy.
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
6/5/2008 12:32:31 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, June 04, 2008
WiMAX over Wi-Fi May Take Catalog Everywhere
Posted by tom
Tech News Good For Collectors
Robert Morrow
, writing in Science, brings us good news of a broader future network for mobile internet connection. WiMAX is a microwave carried system similar to our current Wi-Fi, but with much more power.
If you are familiar with Wi-Fi use, say through your laptop computer or Nintendo DS game system, you know that distance is always a concern. You have to be close to the wireless transmission base to get good clear service. With WiMAX it looks like you can go for miles.
Morrow sees a future, maybe in 3-5 years, where we will have subscription WiMAX service, similar to current cell phone offerings, making it possible for you to log onto your favorite internet site on a laptop during a family driving trip, while at a show or convention, or when stopping off at a coin or antique shop on the other side of your state or country or the other side of the globe.
For coin collectors this would be a great boon! A collector or dealer could log on to NumisMaster and have four hundred plus years of coinage information available for quick searching anywhere, anytime. More compact and useful information, available in a flash makes for better buying and selling decisions for the sharp techy folks who make use of these advances. NumisMaster and WiMAX could be a great combination! Building our hobby through technology, I love it!
News You Can Use
6/4/2008 12:16:55 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Indicators Point Every-which-way
Posted by tom
Looking For Signs in Gold Market
Precious metals have been bouncing around this week, up one day, back down the next. Lot's of fluctuation, but no significant trend or direction and the floor seems solid at about $875 for gold and $16.50 or so for silver.
In times like these, I always find it enlightening to keep an eye open for indicators. Read the articles, blogs and opinion pieces, but also look for news stories which may offer some clues about the nebulous future of precious metals prices.
One article of special interest turned up today from the Shanghai Daily, through the China.org.cn website. In general this story indicated that gold demand in China for the second quarter was weak, due to buyer indecision. Looks like market price fluctuations have created a wait and see attitude among all types of buyers in the second quarter and I think this may be true of other markets, not just China.
As we sit on this precious metals ledge,with the Federal Reserve considering a directional turn in raisring interest rates to strengthen the dollar, it would seem that we have come to a potential pivot point for the U.S. economy and in turn the world economy and in turn gold.
News You Can Use
6/4/2008 10:38:08 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, May 30, 2008
Dan in Real Life
Posted by tom
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
Dan in Real Life
Dan in Real Life
is a film that I think most anyone can enjoy. My wife and I watched it together and that's no small trick. Normally our tastes differ so much that finding a film we both want to see is next to impossible, but each of us had decided independently that we wanted to see Dan in Real Life. So we watched it - I loved it, she like it, we both enjoyed the evening.
It wasn't until the credits got going that I realized Dan in Real Life was directed by Peter Hedges, the author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape. I used to sell books to Carole Hedges, Peter's mother, a good number of years ago. A year or so before the film version of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, staring Leonard Di Caprio and Johnny Depp, was released, Carole and I met in New York for cheese cake. When she mentioned that her son was an author, I said I would have to read his book. She said I might have trouble finding a copy before the film release and offered to try and get me a copy. A few weeks later a lovely dust jacketed first edition of What's Eating Gilbert Grape arrived with a warm inscription from Peter Hedges. It's an excellent novel from an outstanding author and a cherished volume in my personal library.
For Dan in Real Life, Peter both wrote and directed and his gental humorous touch is present in every frame. Casting is near perfection in this film, with Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook, Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney all in central roles. The story offers the humor of discomfort, but is set in the warm and sensitive environment of family. The kitchen scene with Dianne Wiest, John Mahoney and Steve Carell just cracked me up! The DVD also offers a number of excellent and highly recommended extras. I enjoyed hearing some of Peters perspectives on directing, as well as many of the actors perspectives on Peter as a director.
The dialogue is wonderful and delivered at a streaming yet natural pace and the situational comedy is both touching and outrageous in turns. Peter did a great job with this film and I will be looking forward to more unique stories from him in the future.
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
5/30/2008 4:48:26 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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New SCWC 36th Edition 1901-2000 Now Available
Posted by tom
Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000 36th Edition
I have not yet received my desk copy, but the new 36th Edition Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000 is now available for purchase through our KP book website. You should also be seeing copies at shows and in stores very soon, if not already, as the distributors are the first to get stocked.
 This edition represents a huge effort in price updating, as I had to work on all silver, gold, platinum and palladium issues to bring them up to current market levels. From last years catalog production period to this years, the spot price of gold has risen by about 30%, while silver has climbed about 35%. Platinum went up by over 70% during the year, while palladium rose by over 40%.
When you see a copy of the book, you may notice that I am now listing market level ranges for precious metal spot prices used during book production, which takes many months. This range illustrates how much metals were changing during the 3-5 months it takes us to revise listings for the new edition. This presents a very difficult task, but I think this 36th edition offers a very good set of values, as fellow blogger George Cuhaj and I were able to accomplish some precise metals changes in the final weeks of production to ensure stability at the upper end of our spot ranges.
Another big added feature of the 36th edition is the inclusion of a pdf file DVD of the entire catalog. It's a great way to get the catalog onto your PC screen for quick easy reference, plus you can enlarge images for a closer look at design details. An electronic version of the Standard Catalog of World Coins is something collectors have been waiting a long time for, so if you have a DVD player on your desktop or laptop, pick up the 36th edition and enjoy the enclosed DVD today.
This new edition and it's DVD version should serve the hobby well over the coming year and of course, we have already been working on new updates out on NumisMaster, our live database, which will fold into next years 37th edition SCWC. It's a continual process and we appreciate everyones participation!
KP Update
5/30/2008 12:15:41 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 5-30-08
Gold $885.75
Silver $16.85
Platinum $2008.00
Palladium $430.00
Friday Fix
5/30/2008 11:43:34 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Presidential Error Coin at Heritage
Posted by tom
 Error Dollar in Heritage Auction
With the U.S. Mint State Quarter program and again with the Presidential Dollar program there has been a great flurry of activity focused at detecting and capitalizing on error coins. Off metal strikes, missing legends, plain edges and extra corn husks, there are seemingly lots of them out there waiting for collectors to uncover in rolls, bags and pocket change.
 Several books and websites can help you learn more about error and variety coins. KP published one last year, titled Strike It Rich - Eith Pocket Change by Brian Allen and Ken Potter. I really enjoyed this book and from what I'm told it sold gangbusters, so others must be finding it useful as well. Allen and Potter provided excellent close up images, clear explanations of differences and terms, plus many cross references to  other books. Web based sources are noted as well for specialty clubs like Combined Organization of Numismatic Error Collectors of America known as CONECA - whose publication is nmaed Errorscope and the National Collectors Association of Die Doubling known as NCADD - whose publication is called The Hubb.
Some error and variety coins have relatively little value, but many are quite expensive. Recently at least one rare 1969S doubled die Linclon cent was found by a collector in a roll of 1969S cents. The coin was full red and graded MS 64 by PCGS the Professional Coin Grading Service, which makes it one of the finest know examples. Check out this great photo of the coin, provided by Ken Potter. An example found and sold in 2007 brought about $85,000 and this latest one brought about $125,000 at auction!
 Some of the State Quarter errors have sold in the hundreds, as have the edge varieties of the Presidential dollars. In fact, Heritage Auctions has a plain edge John Adams dollar closing in their Sunday night Internet Auction which currently is bid at $425 and has at least four active bidders and five trackers watching the lot.
There is certainly interest in error coins and the opportunity is there for wonderful finds if collectors obtain a bit of knowledge and keep a keen eye out for the unusual.
KP Update | Lots You'll Like
5/30/2008 10:46:24 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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