11/10/2009 U.S. Mint Warns About Chinese-Made Counterfeit Coins
The U.S. Mint has issued a Consumer Advisory warning citizens about the counterfeit U.S. coins that have been flooding into the United States from China. Although counterfeit coins are as old a phenomena as coins themselves, dating back to antiquity, the Chinese-made counterfeits represent an unusually dangerous threat because of the high technology being employed to produce many of them.
The U.S. Mint Advisory characterizes the coins as "imitations" and includes a photograph of a Proof Morgan Dollar. The Advisory states that the imitation coins bear dates prior to 1950. You can read the entire counterfeit coin advisory on the U.S. Mint's Web site.
I have been warning coin collectors about these Chinese-made counterfeit coins since early 2008, when I obtained photographs and the operational details of a working coin counterfeiting ring based in China. The fake coins are primarily entering the hobby marketplace through online auction venues such as eBay.
10/04/2009 Uncirculated 2009 U.S. Mint Set Available
The U.S. Mint has begun selling one of its most popular annual items - the Uncirculated Mint Set. This attractive set comes in two separate folders, one for the Philadelphia-struck coins, and one for the coins struck at Denver. This year's set has an all-time high number of coins - 36! The 18 coins from each Mint are as follows:
4 Presidential Dollars
1 Native American (Sacagawea) Dollar
1 Half Dollar
6 Territorial and D.C. Quarters
1 Dime
1 Nickel
4 Cents
The Cents are struck in the original 95% copper alloy that the Lincoln Cent was struck from in 1909 when it was first issued. They bear the 4 special designs commemorating Lincoln's life which are being issued this year.
The cost of this year's Uncirculated Mint Set is $27.95, plus the U.S. Mint charges an additional $4.95 per order for shipping and handling. You can order the 2009 Uncirculated Mint Sets from the U.S. Mint Web site.