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.

Learn More About Counterfeit Coins

• Inside a Chinese Coin Counterfeiting Ring
• Top 5 Tips to Avoid Buying Fake Coins on eBay
• Counterfeit Coin Detection Kit
• Fake Chinese Ackey Coins and Dies

U.S. Mint Warns About Chinese-Made Counterfeit Coins originally appeared on About.com Coins on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 04:54:54.

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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.

Uncirculated 2009 U.S. Mint Set Available originally appeared on About.com Coins on Sunday, October 4th, 2009 at 11:00:59.

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