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 Friday, August 01, 2008
Friday Fix
Posted by tom
 Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 8-1-08
Gold $912.50
Silver $17.59
Platinum $1,675.00
Palladium $367.00
Friday Fix
8/1/2008 10:54:28 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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17th Century Coinage - Auction Houses
Posted by tom
Auction Houses for 1601-1700 Coins
My last posting elicited a question from one of my regular readers regarding availability and sources for purchasing 17th Century Ducats and Thalers. I posted a comment in reply, but thougth this question deserved a full posting all it's own.
Like I said in my last posting, this is why dealer and auction houses should place image ads in our catalogs, especially for the ealier time periods, where one of our books will be used for several years before a new edition emerges.
 Many collectors of modern coins assume that earlier coinage is all very rare, but this is not always the case. There are many minor coins and even several crown sized types which are quite reasonable in price and relatively common in the market. Collecting 17th Century coinage is within the reach of most any coin collector. The key is to know the best sources.
Many coin dealers offer the more common coins of the 1601-1700 period. One of the most friendly and helpful of them is Allen G. Berman. Allen is always willing to talk and he offers excellent coins at reasonable prices. Check out his website and see for yourself or see his regular ads in World Coin News.
For more expensive high end coins of 1601-1700 consider working with M. Louis Teller Numismatic Company. Teller handles some of the finest coins you can acquire. You will always see his ad on the back cover of World Coin News or check out thier website.
Of course, once you have become accustomed to whatever 17th Century area you have chosen to collect, you will want to begin looking at coin auctions. There are many auction houses here in the U.S. which occasionally offer coins from 1601-1700. Some of the best include: Heritage Galleries, Stack's and Ponterio & Associates.
For the most comprehensive collections of European coins from the 17th Century you will want to seek out auction catalogs from several of the main European firms. These auction houses always seem to be at the center of the market for Ducats, Thalers and their multiples:
Fritz Rudolf Kunker GmbH & Co.KG, Gorny & Mosch Giessener Munzhandlung GmbH, Hess-Divo AG, UBS and Munzenhandlung Harald Moller GmbH.
Don't shy away, once you get going, you will find that the 17th Century offers a great deal for the curious coin collector.
Auction Lot of the Week | KP Update
8/1/2008 10:11:27 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Guys and Dolls
Posted by tom
 Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
Guys and Dolls
First off, I have got to say, I am not a big fan of musicals. Generally speaking it needs to be as comic as it will surely be romantic, if a musical is going to get to me. Given that preamble, I can clearly say that The Music Man is by far my favorite musical. I know every lyric and melody and most of the dialogue as well. Coming in second on my short list is West Side Story, primarily because of the Officer Krupke song. Third is Brigadoon, which I feel has a mystical off-beat quality. And finally, Guys and Dolls, which is this weeks Recommended Film.
I cannot resist the language, the lack of contractions, the flambouyant characters, the gental mix of obsessions for Gambling and Romance. Damon Runyon's stories strike a wonderful balance in elements of humanity. The stage play slipped into film with grace and elegance at the hands of behind the sceens guys like Samuel Goldwyn, Frank Loesser, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Michael Kidd. In front of the camera you have Frank Sinatra, Stubby Kaye, Vivian Blaine, Jean Simmons, Marlon Brando and cast of the greatest character actors ever assembled.
Who can resist a comedy of Gamblers, Soul Savers, Show Girls, Gangsters, Cops and High Rollers. It's a dream come true.
Tom's Recommended Film of the Week
8/1/2008 8:56:43 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Hot Market for 1601-1700 Coinage!
Posted by tom
High Prices for 1601-1700 Thalers Ducats and Minors
While many of my colleagues enjoy the ANA Show in Baltimore, work continues, here in Iola, on our massive updating of the Standard Catalog of World Coins 1601-1700 4th edition. Everyone on the cataloging staff, plus a few outside helpers, have pitched in and taken a great deal of the data entry work out of my hands, so that I can concentrate on research. I'm lucky to have such a great group of co-workers and contributors! And my luck is turning into your luck each day as I find more auction results and fixed prices to drive the values in this new 4th editon up in line with todays market.
Earlier in the week I took a few minutes from my hectic schedule to write back cover copy for the SCWC 1601-1700 4th edition. While the marketing people may edit or re-write this before the book sees publication, I thought my readers might like a sneak peek at what I said, as it reflects the intensity and scope of our work pretty well. So here it is, for my readers eyes only:
Welcome to one of the most greatly appreciating areas in all the world of numismatics. Picking up this volume of the new 4th edition Standard Catalog of World Coins 1601-1700 shows that you have an interest in coins of quality and your interest is well founded. The retail prices presented in this catalog represent some of the fastest rising values in world coins. Economic factors have conspired this year, driving collector interest and prices for these classic coins right through the roof!
The 4th edition Standard Catalog of World Coins 1601-1700 features
· Fully updated values for all listings
· Heavy changes in value for most European coinage
· Serious value changes for all German States coinage
· Significant value changes for all Gold coinage
· Special auction quotes for many rare coinage types
· Expanded legend descriptions for many types
If you own a 3rd edition of this catalog, set it aside and add this new 4th edition to your daily working reference library. It’s one tool you cannot afford to do without
Now, two additional things for you to keep in mind.
First, the SCWC 1601-1700 4th edition will be a smaller print run book than the 20th or 21st Century SCWC's. This means that they may go out of print more quickly, so, if you dabble in this area of coins, or more importantly, if you are a regular collector or dealer in 1601-1700 material, don't wait too long to get a copy for your reference library.
Second, if you are a coin dealer or represent an auction house which normally offers 1601-1700 coinage, you may seriously want to consider placing an advertisement in this book. The deadline for advertising in the new Standard Catalog of World Coins 1601-1700 4th edition is August 20th, so get moving!
If you have advertised with KP before, in our news papers, magazines or catalogs, just give your regular ad rep a call or email. If this is something new for you, stop by our booth at the ANA, or give us a call for more information.
Robbie Cain of our ad staff is out in Baltimore at the ANA starting tomorrow, so stop by the KP booth and talk to her this week if you are at the show too. Otherwise, give her a call at 1-800-573-0333 ext. 13220 or send her an email at robbie.cain@fwpubs.com
We only publish the SCWC 1601-1700 catalog on a five year cycle, so don't miss this opportunity, or you may be waiting until 2013 for another chance to put your companies name and contact information in the hands of serious buyers from around the world.
KP Update
7/31/2008 6:29:51 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008
2009 U.S. Coin Digest Available On DVD
Posted by tom
DVD Product for 2009 U.S. Coin Digest
This years 7th edition of the U.S. Coin Digest inlcuded a DVD with searchable pdf files of the entire catalog bound into the back inside cover of the book. Cover price for this book DVD combination was $16.99. But if you really only want the DVD, we now are offering a stand alone DVD product for only $9.95.
That's pretty cheap for a great reference containing information on all U.S. coinage. It's the same as the book, but in digital only form for use on your desktop or laptop computer. You get all the color images just like in the book, except you can enlarge these images on the screen for better viewing of finer details. You get all the coin values, just like the book offers, for Colonial coins and tokens, standard U.S. Coins, Territorial gold coins, Commemoratives, Hawaii, Philippines and Puerto Rico coinage. Plus the basic 60 plus pages of introductory information so useful for begining coin collectors.
It's all there in the stand alone DVD package for only $9.95. Check it out at the magazine website today.
KP Update
7/30/2008 11:13:37 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Gold Slips Below $900, Silver Below $17
Posted by tom
Gold Below $900 - Silver Below $17
After days of incesent market pounding, Gold has finally given way and dropped below the $900 mark. Silver has also followed suit and dropped below the $17 mark. As of this posting they are at $897 and $16.92 respectively and the trend is for continued decline.
Crude oil has slipped to $121.70 a barrel this morning and continues to slide under the pressures of falling demand. It seems apparent that $4.00 a gallon gas represents a threshold at which Americans are willing to alter their mode of transportation in an effort to reduce gas consumption and save money.
The U.S. dollar, though nothing to write home about, seems to holding it's own against other currencies, which is an amazing thing given our economic circumstnaces.
The U.S. economy in general is striving to fight back against mounds of bad press. Outrageous deficit spending, Mortgage and banking bailouts on the horizon, large business layoffs and cutbacks, all contribute to our financial woes. However, one thing has changed. Europe is begining to experience similar economic problems and the super Asian economic growth has run into a few snags.
These factors are helping to level the playing field for the U.S. and now we must look to innovation in manufacturing and product development to help the U.S. economy rebuild itself. I have never been a big proponent of government attempts to control the economy. The tools of the Fed are crude and limited. However, in our present position, I could see some good coming out of tax credits or enticements for technological innovation.
This is the time for us to rebuild our economy based on practical technologies and useful products for everyday life. Let the government begin to ecourage businesses to build towards long term developement. This is the way of our future.
News You Can Use
7/30/2008 10:40:04 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 7-25-08
Gold $920.50
Silver $17.55
Platinum $1726.00
Palladium $383.00
Friday Fix
7/25/2008 10:00:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, July 24, 2008
Major Correction in Precious Metals
Posted by tom
Gold & Crude Oil Lead the Way Down
Investors are experiencing a major correction in all precious metals and crude oil this week. Gold is down below $925 this morning, with silver down to about $17.45, platinum down to about $1715 and palladium around $385. Crude oil has dropped to about $125.
This development is forcing investors, traders and end users to closely examine factors and make tough decisions about what the future might hold for these commodities. Some think the 10 to 1 ratio of barrels of crude oil to an ounce of gold will swing back, even though it has been twisted out of purpotion lately. Some are questioning if the rise in gold has come to a conclusion and we have nowhere to go but down. Some see this weeks events as a natural low before a late summer rally, providing god opportunites for bargain hunters. The point is, a shift like this has everyone thinking, which is a wonderful thing to behold.
News You Can Use
7/24/2008 10:17:26 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Circumstances Conspire for Market Explosion
Posted by tom
European Coin Market Explodes
After nearly 20 years of a very constant and steady coin market, we are finally experiencing a vast explosion in values for many classic issues. The driving forces of rising bullion prices and falling U.S. Dollar value have conspired to give us a burgeoning coin market for the best material available. As always, the higher the grade the more significant the increase.
 Take a look at some current coin auctions and compare them to prices realized for the same types just a few years ago. You'll find the results very interesting, at least I have. Over the first seven months of 2008 I have been busy doing just that as we work our way through the updating process for the new Standard Catalog of World Coins 1601-1700 4th edition.
For the last month or two I have been researching values for German States coinage of the 1601-1700 period. It's quite fascinating actually. With few exceptions the values provided in our third edition, published in 2003 have remained viable right up until about 2007. But for the last year and a half most everything, except the most common types have been on the rise. Minor coins have seen respectable increases, Talers have been driven up considerably and Ducats and other gold types have jumped substantially.
In many cases I find myself doubling prices on some of the Ducats and  Talers. In some instances I am having to quote auction prices. An excellent example arose while I was researching Breslau. The recent June 2008 Fritz Rudolf Kunker Munzenhandlung Auction 140 offered a pair of 1620 gold coins of Breslau, graced with Freidrich V of Pflaz. Both the Ducat and 2 Ducat pieces were offered and each realized just over $17,000, well above the former SCWC values, making an auction quote a very viable option for the Winter King.
It's a golden age for German States, as well as many other European countries. There is strong competition for scarce coins in high grade and buyers are seeing nothing but upside potential. New money has met old money and they are getting along famously.
Focus Country
7/22/2008 10:05:59 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Friday, July 18, 2008
Friday Fix
Posted by tom
Friday Fix
London pm fixes for 7-18-08
Gold $959.75
Silver $18.55
Platinum $1849.00
Palladium $419.00
Friday Fix
7/18/2008 9:25:08 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, July 17, 2008
DVD of 1901-2000 Standard Catalog of World Coins
Posted by tom
1901-2000 Standard Catalog of World Coins DVD
 Since I began writing this blog I have noticed that many people are searching for a free download of the Standard Catalog of Wolrd Coins. Well, I must tell you that nothing in this world is truely free and any "free" download of the SCWC that you might find is most certainly a pirated older version of the catalog. So what I can say with certainty is, just give it up and pay for the real deal!
There are three main ways you can get the information contained in the Standard Catalog of World Coins.
First
- You can go the old fashioned way and buy the book. Now-a-days we include a DVD version of the catalog in each book we revise, so you get a paper copy and an electronic copy in one tidy package.
Second
- You can buy a stand alone DVD package of many of out titles for a bit less than the Book/DVD combo.
Third
- You can search all data, except pricing information, for free at our website - www.numismaster.com and for a reasonable annual fee you can get the pricing information as well.
 Here is an example. We recently released the 36th edition of the 1901-2000 Standard Catalog of World Coins. You can buy the Book/DVD combination at our Krause Books website for $60.00. You can buy the stand alone DVD version at our magazine website for $44.95. Or, you can go out to NumisMaster and subscribe to all our data from 1601-Present for $79.95.
There are different benefits and features for each of these options, which line up with the different costs, but in each case you get the catalog in an electronic, searchable version. Nothing this useful is truely free in life, but the current SCWC is readily available in several forms, all with electronic features for use on your home computer or laptop. Pick the one which suits you best, pay for it, use it and enjoy coin collecting!
KP Update
7/17/2008 10:17:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Silver & Gold Push on Towards New Heights
Posted by tom
Gold & Silver Push On
Although precious metals have endured a great deal of cautionary commentary of late, weak conditions in the stock market, failure at major mortgage companies, over extension in credit, problems with the banking industry, weakness with the U.S. dollar and corrections in the rise of crude oil have all conspired to keep gold and silver at the forefront of stable liquid investments. With all living costs on the rise and the economy weak beyond belief, gold is one solid concern on a sketchy horizon.
In the early part of this week gold made another run at $1,000 an ounce, but fell short. It rests this morning, after some profit consolidation, at about $975. Silver sits at just about $19.00.
In the coin market the last 12 month have been phenomenal. Prices for classic material have been driven through the roof by a weakened dollar and burgeoning spot prices.
Lately, all of my time is being spent pushing up prices of 17th Century German States, Austrian, French and other central European coinage for our upcoming 4th edition of the 1601-1700 Standard Catalog of World Coins. To view my progress and see just how extensive and critical these updates are, please stop over at www.numismaster.com and register. For about $80.00 a year you can be at the leading edge of all things numismatic. You can see updates, additions and price changes months before the rest of the hobby gets them in the print edition.
You see what's happening, now you can know what's coming.
KP Update | News You Can Use
7/16/2008 10:03:01 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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