Platinum, Gold, Silver & Coins

Harry Potter legal tender coins.

A few years ago I purchased 1 Harry Potter collector coin……..I lied….I purchased 10, I got good deal.
These coins are 1 crown legal tenders in the Isle of Man. The Harry Potter 1 Crown coin is Minted by the Pobjoy Mint.

The Pobjoy Mint struck a series of these coins, each displaying scenes from the first 3 Harry Potter books

Harry Potter Encountering Aragog

Dobby Visits Harry Potter

Harry Potter Retrieves Sword

Harry Potter Tom Riddle Steals

Flying Key

Arriving at the Burrow - The one pictered below.

Because of licensing restrictions, the mint is not allowed to sell the coin in North America, making the coin difficult to get in Canada and the USA………I got 10.

You can find them on e-bay check my e-bay store …Maybe I will part with one or two……..maybe.
http://stores.ebay.com/Gem70-Collectibles

The 10 year 50 State Quarters program that earned almost 3 billion dollars ended in 2008. An estimated 147 million people collected the State Quarters. The 50 State Quarters Program honored each state in the order it was admitted into the Union.

I’m 1 of the 147 million people, I collected them from the beginning and have all the proof sets, uncirculated sets, P & D quarter singles and rolls, I don’t mean to brag about it…..ok maybe a little.

District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program.

The United States Mint will produce six newly designed quarters for 2009 honoring the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories.
President George Washington will be on the heads side of the quarter. The images of the tails side of the quarter are listed below.

The District of Columbia and U.S. Territories proof set went on sale at the United States Mint on 01/05/2009.

	District of Columbia Duke Ellington Description:  Features native son Duke Ellington, the internationally renowned composer and musician, seated at a grand piano with the inscriptions, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DUKE ELLINGTON and JUSTICE FOR ALL, the District’s motto Sculptor: Don Everhart US Mint - District of Columbia
	Puerto Rico Sentry Box Description:  Features a historic sentry box and a hibiscus flower with the inscriptions, PUERTO RICO and Isla del Encanto, which means “Isle of Enchantment.” Sculptor:  Joseph Menna US Mint - Puerto Rico
	Guam Flying Proa, Latte Stone and Island” Description:  Depicts the outline of the island, a flying proa (a seagoing craft built by the Chamorro people), a latte stone (an architectural element used as the base of homes) and the inscriptions, GUAM and Guahan I Tanó ManChamorro, which means “Guam - Land of the Chamorro.” Sculptor:  Jim Licaretz US Mint - Guam
	American Samoa Ava Bowl, Whisk and Staff Description:  Depicts the ava bowl (”tanoa”), whisk and staff in the foreground with a coconut tree on the shore in the background and the inscriptions, AMERICAN SAMOA and SAMOA MUAMUA LE ATUA, the motto of American Samoa, which means “Samoa, God is First.” Sculptor:  Charles Vickers US Mint - American Samoa
	U.S. Virgin Islands Banana Quit, Yellow Cedar and Islands Description:  Features an outline of the three major islands, the yellow breast or banana quit, its official bird; the yellow cedar or yellow elder, the official flower; and a Tyre Palm Tree with the inscriptions, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS and United in Pride and Hope, the official motto of the territory. Sculptor:  Joseph Menna US Mint - Virgin Islands
	Northern Mariana Islands Carolinian Canoe, Latte Stone and Mwar Description:  Represents the wealth of the islands in its natural resources of land, air and sea. Near the shore stands a large limestone latte, the supporting column of ancient indigenous Chamorro structures. A canoe of the indigenous Carolinians represents the people’s seafaring skills across vast distances. Two white fairy tern birds fly in characteristic synchrony overhead. A Carolinian mwar (head lei) composed of plumeria, langilang (Ylang Ylang), angagha (peacock flower) and teibwo (Pacific Basil) borders the bottom of the design near the inscription, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. Sculptor:  Phebe Hemphill US Mint - Northern Mariana Islands

In 1995 Mattel toys launched the Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt series which consisted of 12 1/64 scale die cast cars that were released one car a month with the regular collector series cars. There is one Treasure Hunt to a 72 car case, but not all cases have the hard to find treasure hunt.

 The Treasure hunt series is now very popular with die cast car collectors. You can idenify the treasure hunt by the green bar and a treasure chest on the blister card, most blister cards will say Treasure Hunt or T-Hunt on them. The most valuable Treasure Hunt is the  ‘67 Camaro Treasure Hunt from the first series “1995″. I just checked Ebay and there is one selling there, the current price is $305.00 with 17 hours left on auction…..Just think, you could have purchased this car at the local store for $0.99 in 1995.

I started collecting Hotwheels in 1998 until about 2002. I can remember hanging out in front of the local K-Mart with other collectors waiting for them to open and making a mad dash to the toy ilse where the hotwheels were. You really got to picture this…grown men in their 20s to 60s running to the toy isles every morning.

Hotwheels have become very popular in 22 countries
http://intl.hotwheels.com/

Pictures of  a few of my Hot Wheels below

	1998 Hot Wheels First Edition 40s Ford, Hard to find powder blue variation
	67 GTO  Hot Wheels  Jiffy Lube Promo
	2002 Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt La Troca
	100% Hot Wheels VW Micro Bus

Canada is gearing up for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games You can keep up to date with the newest information and events leading up to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic website. http://www.vancouver2010.com

You also got to check out the Royal Canadian Mint they are offering a large selections of Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Gold, Silver and Clad collector and novelty coins which include some of my personal favorites:

A Varity of fun colored Olympic Mascot 25 Cent coins that come in a souvenir folder.
These 25 cent coins have colored images of mascots found here at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic website.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot
 

2010 Sterling Silver Lucky Loonie.

2010 Lucky Loonie Circulation Coin Roll.

2010 Vancouver Landscape Coin Collection.

2010 Vancouver - $75 Gold Colored Coin – Wolf (2009)

You can purchase these coins from the Royal Canadian Mints website
http://www.mint.ca

You can also purchase some of these coins as well as souvenirs at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic website……ok folks this is what I live for, I’m a collectible junkie, I could go broke at this website owning some of these coins and souvenirs is like being a part of the 2010 Winter Olympic games.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/store/

BUFFALO GOLD BULLION COINS

The American Buffalo gold coins are the first 24-karat gold coins ever struck by the United States Mint. These coins bear the original designs by James Earle Fraser which appear on the Indian Head 5 cent coins known as the Buffalo nickel - 1913 Type 1.

The Native American depiction on the coins obverse is believed to be based on three different American Indians. Two of the American Indians who modeled for Fraser as he sculpted the coin were named by the designer before his death. They were known as Chief Iron Tail of the Lakota Sioux and Chief Two Moons of the Cheyenne. Although many have claimed to have had a sitting with Fraser for this design, he could not recall the name of the third person and satisfactory documentation has not yet been found to identify that individual. It is widely believed that the bison on the coins reverse was modeled after Black Diamond, a popular attraction at the New York Zoological Gardens.  http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/buffalo24k/

The 2008 Buffalo 24 karat gold coin pictured below

	Obverse Engraver: James Earle Fraser Description: Based on the original 1913 Buffalo nickel, Type 1, as designed by James Earle Fraser — features a profile of a Native American.
	Reverse Engraver: James Earle Fraser Description: Based on the original 1913 Buffalo nickel, Type 1, as designed by James Earle Fraser — features an American Buffalo (also known as a bison).

The Magnificent Platinum American Eagle coins  are a favorite among coin collectors and bullion investors.

The 2008 platinum coin series is sold out at the United States Mint, the platinum coins are often the first to sell out at the US mint. Congress authorized the American Eagle Bullion program to provide investors with a cost effective way to invest in gold and silver.

The American Eagle Bullion program was launched in 1986 with the sale of gold and silver bullion coins. The United States Mint added Platinum coins to the bullion series in 1997.In 2006, the United States Mint introduced a special uncirculated version of the popular platinum, gold and silver American Eagle coins struck on specially polished coin blanks.

Platinum American Eagle coins come in four sizes;  ounce, half ounce, quarter ounce and tenth ounce. The special uncirculated version of the American Eagle Platinum Coins carry the “W” mint mark.

The 2008 American Eagle Platinum Coin special uncirculated version pictured below.

	Obverse Designer: John Mercanti Engraver: John Mercanti Description: “Portrait of Liberty”, Lady Liberty looking toward future.
	Reverse Designer: Joel Iskowitz Reverse Engraver: Charles Vickers Description: Representing the Judicial Branch, the design features Lady Justice, a classic symbol dating back to Greek and Roman times. In her right hand, the scales are suspended from one finger, representing the delicate balance of the law.

People are getting tricked into believing the so called “Barack Obama Presidential coins are produced by the US Mint. These coins are genuine $1, 50 cent and Silver Eagle United States coins that private commercial businesses have altered by affixing a colorized image of Barack Obama to the coin, some businesses have treated the coins by gold-plating them. These items are not official United States Mint products. They are not approved or authorized by the United States Mint, the Department of the Treasury or the United States Government.

At this time 01/04/09 there are no coins minted by the United States Mint that have the image of Barack Obama or has there ever been coins produced by the United States mint that have the image of Barack Obama.

Have you purchased one of these coins assuming the coin is a product authorized by the United States and feel you have been misled. Go to this web address

http://www.usmint.gov/consumer/index.cfm?action=links

Most all altered Coins are Junk and will never have any real numismatic value. Barack Obama Should be on the Official United States Presidential Dollar in the future………I will post more on this at a later date.

Picture of  Altered Coin Below

PUBLIC LAW 109–145—DEC. 22, 2005 Redesign for 2009 Lincoln Cent.

On September 22, 2008 United States Mint exposed 4 one cent Lincoln reverse (tails) designs.

Sorry, I’m a little late with this information “3 months”.  Check your change for these 4 new designs in 2009 only.

The Secretary of the Treasury will issue the 2009 1 cent coins with the exact metal content contained in 1909 “95% copper, 5% tin” for numismatic purposes. The mint will also issue these coin with the same metal content used in current issues “2.5% copper, balance zinc”

2009 Lincoln One Cent Program is to celebrate the bicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth and the 100th anniversary of the first issue of the Lincoln cent.

Silver is gaining in 2009….I like Silver.

 Silver fell 24% in 2008, from reports I’ve read looks like silver will gain in the first quarter of  2009.  

Collecting silver bullion is a hobbie of mine, I love the American Eagle silver 1 ounce coins. The silver American Eagle 1 ounce  coin called the silver eagle by coin collectors is one the most appealing coins produced by the US Mint today. The obverse of the silver coin displays the Liberty Walking design by Adolph Weinman. This design was used on american half dollar coins  from 1916 to 1947.  The reverse of the coin is a version of the heraldic eagle by John Mercanti.

The silver american eagle series coins are produced annually by the United States Mint since 1986. Coin Weight 1 oz, diameter 40.6 mm,  .9993 silver,  .0007 copper; Minted at Philadelphia, San Francisco and West Point.

Up until 2006 you could only purchase the uncirculated version from a local coin dealer or bullion trader. In 2006 the US Mint released a special uncircalted version. These coins are hand loaded into the coin press and the coin blanks are custom polished. These coins are minted at West Point in upstate NY and carry the W mint mark.

1999 Silver Eagle picture below.

 Frantic Cry’s of a 38 year old male  “Drama Queen”

A friend of mine called the other night, his tone was loud his voice unstable, I could not make heads or tails of what his belligerent rantings were about.

Finally after about 2 minutes of this I interrupted…….Dude, you got to chill, now start from the beginning. He replied The United States Mint Ripped Me Off.

My friend had purchased a bag of presidential dollars from the US mint when he open the bag to cherry pick he could not find a single dollar above mint state 62.

I told him his first mistake was opening the bag, mint sewn bags are a novelty item and will hold more value unopened. I also told him that he would have better luck going to the local bank and asking them if they had any new bags or rolls of the newest presidential dollars, he would only have to pay face value and not the premium the mint charges.

The United State Mint bags and rolls are collector items and the coins that go into them are business struck, which means they go through a mass production process and get banged and slammed around going from conveyer to bins to bags.

If you want cherry mint state coins you need to buy the annual United States Mint uncirculated coin sets.