U.S. Mint To Launch "Suggestion Box" Website This Fall

Above, U.S. Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson with yours truly and Mitch Geriminsky last March.

The American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money in Pittsburgh is over, but there was some interesting news to come out of the show from the U.S. Mint.

Coin World reported:

Sometime this fall, the United States Mint will launch a website separate from its main online presence to solicit suggestions for numismatic products to recognize the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

The bureau’s director, Ventris C. Gibson, made the announcement Aug. 11 during the 50th anniversary celebration of the Liberty Seated Collectors Club, held during the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh.

Although the convention, one of the largest in the world, boasted millions of dollars in numismatic products from around the world, purchase of food items on the bourse was “cashless,” requiring credit cards to complete transactions

The United States Mint had a strong presence during the convention Aug. 8 to 12.

 To read more, go here.

Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson Participate In World's Fair of Money

Above, yours truly, U.S. Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson and
 Mitch Germinsky at the National Money show in Phoenix.

U.S. Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson will be participating at the World's Fair of Money next week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The event is put on by the American Numismatic Association.

According to InvestorsObserver:

Washington, DC, Aug. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United States Mint (Mint) Director Ventris C. Gibson will participate in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) World’s Fair of Money ® at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, 1000 Fort Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.  The ribbon cutting will occur on Tuesday, August 8, at 12:00 p.m. (EDT), and attendees will have an opportunity to meet with Director Gibson while visiting the Mint booth at Halls A and B – Booth 1430.  The Fair runs from August 8 to 12, 2023.

Attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to participate in a daily drawing.  Four ANA Director’s Strike Silver Tickets will be drawn each day, giving the ticket holder the ability to purchase one of 20 2023 Peace Silver Dollar Uncirculated Coins that were personally struck by Director Gibson.

Mitch Geriminsky and I met Director Gibson last March at the ANA's National Money Show in Phoenix.

To read more, go here.

Counterfeit Coin Training For Law Enforcement

Above, counterfeit coins I bought last year. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I and a couple of friends managed to buy counterfeit "silver" coins last year, this is a topic of interest to me.

A seminar for law enforcement on counterfeit coins will be held at the American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money in Pittsburgh next month.

Greysheet reported:

(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) -- To address the mass proliferation of counterfeits plaguing the U.S. marketplace, the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (www.ACEFonline.org) in partnership with the U.S. Treasury Department and in cooperation with the American Numismatic Association will sponsor an accredited seminar for local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Entitled, “Counterfeit Coins, Precious Metals, Numismatic and Financial Crime Investigations,” the eight-hour seminar will be conducted on Thursday, August 10, during the ANA 2023 Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money® in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Instructors for the seminar will be former Texas Police Chief Doug Davis, Director of the ACEF Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force, and Chris Hersey, Senior Special Agent in the Treasury Department’s Office of the Inspector General.

“The curriculum during the 8:30 am to 4:30 pm seminar will provide law enforcement attendees from across the country with the fundamental investigative techniques, resources, knowledge and understanding to respond effectively to the complex challenges encountered during the investigation of crimes related to counterfeit coinage and precious metals as well as other numismatic and related financial crimes,” explained Davis. 

Based on our dealings with law enforcement over the counterfeit coins my friends and I bought last year, this seminar is needed as the police we dealt with really didn't know what to do when we reported the crime. I urge police agencies around the country to attend this seminar.

I reported the matter to ACEF and dealt with Doug Davis on it. The coins originated from China.

To read more, go here.

Seminars On Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection

Above, counterfeit Morgan and American Eagle coins. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The American Numismatic Association's World's Fair of Money is coming this summer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

They are also holding two pre-show seminars that should interest coin collectors. One is on grading and the other is on counterfeit detection. The second one would have come in handy last year as I bought two fake coins originating from China. Fortunately for me, my bank reversed the charges.

According to Greystreet:

The American Numismatic Association's (ANA) World's Fair of Money® ( WorldsFairOfMoney.com ) is being hosted at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA, August 8-12. The show brings coin collectors together from all over the world, featuring hundreds of dealers, auctions, displays of rare treasures, educational opportunities and more.

Leading up to the show, the ANA is holding two pre-show seminars to help collectors expand their knowledge in grading U.S. coins and identifying counterfeits.

I attended the ANA's National Money Show in Phoenix in March. If the World's Fair of Money is anywhere as good, it would be worthwhile to attend it. There, I joined the American Numismatic Association.

To read more, go here.

Review of the National Money Show

Above, the National Money Show in Phoenix. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The National Money Show in Phoenix this past week at the Phoenix Convention Center was an enjoyable event. It seemed to be well-organized with a huge room of dealers from around the country.

There were all kinds of coins, bullion, rounds and ingots to be had. There were special presentations and seminars during the show, there were none that I was interested in on Saturday. People of all ages were in attendance, which is a good sign. I spent a few hundred dollars there.

There were some things I noticed. One, I saw no dealers with coin collecting supplies such as capsules, cases (there was one lady selling used cases), boxes and other items for collection organizing. I thought this was odd. 

Above, the show's main entrance. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Another thing I noticed was that on Saturday (the free admission day), about half of the dealers began packing up to leave about three hours after the show started (10:00). Other dealers who stayed open remarked that they, too, thought it was odd since there were plenty of people wandering the aisles. 

There were new coins along with old ones. It seemed that the older coins were dominated by Morgan silver dollars, which was fine with me (my favorite coin). Just about every dealer had them. I should have made a list of the ones I have and so that I could reference it and just look for the ones I don't have. My mistake. I was hoping to meet Doug Davis of the Anti-Counterfeit Educational Foundation. I didn't see him. He was on the schedule earlier in the week. Each dealer I spoke with were friendly and willing to answer whatever questions I had.

Above, Mitch Geriminsky and I with U.S. Mint Director Ventris C. Gibson.

The National Money Show is sponsored by the American Numismatic Association (ANA), based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They put on two shows per year: The World's Fair of Money in the summer, and the National Money Show in the spring. The cities for each show change each year.

Looking at this year's schedule, the World's Fair of Money this summer will be held in Pittsburgh on August 8-12, 2023. 

Vendors included private and public coin businesses, coin clubs and the U.S. Mint. Memberships in the ANA were also available. I got myself a senior Platinum ANA membership at the show. 

If either of the shows are scheduled in a nearby city in the future, I will attend. I had a great time. The three and a half hours we were there went by quickly.

For more information on the American Numismatic Association, go here.