The obverse features the “Tree of Life” from the Stoclet frieze, is framed by a square of the artist’s canvas, and was conceptualized by the mint’s chief engraver, Thomas Pesendorfer. The tree is made up of many fine swirls and mosaic-like pieces commonly found in Klimt’s art. To the right of the Tree of Life, a falcon symbolizing the Eye of Horus. Also on this side appears the country of issue, “Republik Oesterreich” or Republic of Austria, the face value of 50 euros, and the year of issue, 2013.

The reverse features a portion of the frieze “Expectation,” showing the head of a woman anxiously looking to the right. The scarf on her head has a very intricate geometric pattern. Her hand is held in a pose found commonly in Egyptian paintings. Her wrist has a beautiful armband, while more jewels and geometric shapes and swirls can be seen in her clothing. The reverse of the coin was conceived and engraved by mint engraver Herbert Waehner.

The Stoclet frieze was a special commission that Gustav Klimt received from Adolphe Stoclet, a wealthy industrialist of Brussels, Belgium. Stoclet was an avid art collector who also commissioned the architect Josef Hoffman. Klimt was commissioned to create a masterpiece in the dining room. The wealth and appreciation of the art nouveau movement by Stoclet meant that no boundaries were placed on the art nor on the budget of this now world heritage site, the Stoclet House in Brussels.

Klimt completed two intricate paintings on the dining room walls, one of which was the well-known “Expectation” featured on this gold coin. The “Expectation” is that of the young lady, who is a dancer, anxiously looking to the right, and yearning for love. (Another part of the frieze completes the search for love depicting a young couple embracing, and therefore is known as “Fulfillment.”)

The very complex and meaningful “Tree of Life” is symbolic of our roots deep in the ground, stretching up to the sky and the heavens. The Klimt “Tree of Life” bears both flowers and fruit and thereby symbolically includes both women and men, on their own, as well as together – bearing fruit.

The gold coins of this series illustrate the importance of women in Gustav Klimt’s artistic life.  The coins present his work in a manner similar to an exhibition.  Each of the coins will have another letter of his name K-L-I-M-T worked into the design – so that once the series is complete his last name will become part of the signature of the 5 coin series.

2012 Adele Bloch Bauer:  Letter K

2013 “Expectation”: Letter L

2014 “Judith II”: Letter I

2015 Hygieia from the “Faculty Paintings” of the University of Vienna: Letter M

2016 “The Kiss”: Letter T

The new coin is struck in 986 fine gold to a maximum mintage of 30,000 pieces in proof quality only. It contains 10 grams of fine gold. Each coin is packed in an attractive box with a numbered certificate of authenticity, which provides detailed background and technical information about the quality and design of the coin.

A beautiful wooden collection case for the whole series, “Klimt and his Women”, may be purchased separately. It contains a booklet explaining the whole series.

Collectors in the United States and Canada may purchase the “Expectation” coin by calling Euro Collections International toll-free at 1 877 897 7696. The coin may also be ordered online at www.eurocollections.com

]]> http://coinagemag.com/blog/high-expectation-for-second-klimt-coin/feed/ 0 http://coinagemag.com/blog/coin-collecting/free-books-at-anas-natl-money-show/ http://coinagemag.com/blog/coin-collecting/free-books-at-anas-natl-money-show/#comments Thu, 20 Sep 2012 19:24:38 +0000 Coinage Magazine http://coinagemag.com/?p=1786 Numismatic writer Michael Fuljenz, President of Universal Coin & Bullion (www.UniversalCoin.com), will offer free copies of his acclaimed reference book about popular United States gold pieces, Indian Gold Coins of the 20th Century, at the American Numismatic Association (ANA) National Money Show^SM in Dallas,Texas.

Known as America’s Gold Expert^SM, Fuljenz will autograph his books as part of the ANA’s author signings at 10:30 a.m., Friday, October 19, 2012, in the ANA Area, booth #537, in Hall D of the Dallas Convention Center, 650 S. Griffin.  He will give away a free copy of Indian Gold Coins of the 20th Century to the first two dozen people who register for it during his autograph session.  Additional copies will be available for purchase by the public at a discount rate of only $10 each, a 33 percent savings.

Honored as the Numismatic Literary Guild’s (NLG) 2010 Best Investment Book, Indian Gold Coins of the 20th Century looks at the history of the popular Indian Head design $2.50 (Quarter Eagle), $5 (Half Eagle) and $10 (Eagle) denomination U.S. gold coins.  It provides useful information and expert advice for collecting some ofAmerica’s most beautiful and popular rare coins.

Fuljenz examines the intriguing historical background and the controversies involved in the introduction of these revolutionary new U.S.gold coin designs spurred by President Theodore Roosevelt in the early 20th century.  A detailed, date-by-date analysis with color illustrations gives readers pertinent descriptions about the history of each date and mintmark as well as important comments about strike, luster, color and eye appeal.

He  includes overall rarity and uncirculated condition rarity rankings tabulated from Numismatic Guaranty Corporation and Professional Coin Grading Service population reports for grades MS-62 to MS-65.  There are also consumer education tips about protecting coins from theft, and the best ways to sell gold coins.

Published by Subterfuge Publishing, Indian Gold Coins of the 20th Century by Mike Fuljenz (ISBN:10-0981948898) has a retail priced of $14.95.  Copies are available by calling toll-free at (800) 877-3273.  It is also available on Amazon Kindle.

Fuljenz has won more national honors for excellence in more categories–an unparalleled 44 awards in 10 categories–than any other recipient of the prestigious NLG awards.

The ANA National Money Show in Dallas will be open to the public Thursday through Saturday, October 18 – 20, 2012.  Admission is $6 for adults, children 12 and under and ANA members will be admitted free.  Additional information is available online at www.NationalMoneyShow.com.

The 91 coins were a part of the personal items of Baseball Hall of Fame member Ted Williams. Each coin is encapsulated with the pedigree Ted Williams Collection.

Consisting of 78 U.S. and 13 world coins, the collection includes an 1873-S Open 3 $20 graded NGC XF 45, a 1926 Indian Head $10 graded NGC MS 63, a 1978 South Africa 1 Krugerrand graded NGC MS 67 and a 1909 France Gold 20 Franc graded NGC MS 66.

“We are pleased to grade this collection of coins from one of the legends of baseball,” said NGC CEO Steve Eichenbaum.

Williams, regarded as the greatest batsman in Major League history, spent his 22-year career with the Boston Red Sox. His many records and accomplishments include 6 AL Batting Championships, .344 career batting average and a .406 batting average in 1941. He was also awarded Most Valuable Player for 1946 and 1949 and Player of the Decade from 1951-1960.

“NGC has done an exemplary job in grading the coins from the Ted Williams Collection,” remarked David Hunt,
President, Hunt Auctions. “We felt it important to memorialize the provenance of this particular grouping of coins as having originated from one of the great sports collections to have ever come to market.”

The coins are a part of a large quantity of Ted Williams’ personal items that will be offered to the public by Hunt Auctions at a live event on April 28, 2012, at
Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. A portion of the proceeds from the sales will be donated to The Jimmy Fund, a prestigious Boston charity which is forever affiliated with Ted Williams, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Boston Red Sox. For more information about the coin collection or the auction events in general please visit www.huntauctions.com.

Weighing 1,012 kilograms, it is more than a tonne of 99.99 percent pure gold worth more than $53.5 million.

Read the whole story here.

The obverse of the coin depicts the fantastic gold crafted crown, resting on a cushion draped with a silk cloth embroidered with a repeat pattern of the Bohemian coat of arms featuring its heraldic lion. Also located on this side of the coin are the country of issue “Republik Oesterreich” Republic of Austria, and the face value of 100 euros, and the word “Wenzelskrone,” crown of St. Wenceslas.  A ring of tiny pearls along the outer edge encircles both sides of the coin.

The reverse of the coin depicts Rudolf II in richly embroidered robes typical of the Renaissance period.  Three statues, of the 30 that exist, along either side of the historic Charles Bridge are noted in the central design field.  The Charles Bridge existing since the 1360’s was the most important crossing over the Vltava River; the waves of which are seen to the lower right of Rudolf.   In the background parts of the old city of Prague are detailed.  The castle of Prague, Hradschin, and the spires of the famous cathedral of St. Vitus, where the Wenceslas crown is secured, soar above the old city.  Mint engraver Herbert Waehner designed both sides of the coin.

The Czech crown of Bohemia, the Wenceslas crown is not just any crown.  Mystery surrounds it.  The ominous legend that mysteriously envelops the crown states that of anyone who wears it without the right to do so will die within a year.  Sadly, this myth seems to have proven to be true, even within the last 100 years.  Therefore, the crown is securely locked behind not just one lock, but seven locks, deep within the cathedral.   There are seven keys held by seven high-ranking officials of the church as well as the state.  All seven must come together in order to gain access to the crown.  It is very rare indeed; only happening 9 times during the 20^th century.

The crown was originally crafted in 1347.  The Wenceslas crown is made of 21 and 22 karat gold and weighs 2.5 kilos.  The diameter is 19 centimetres.  The crown has four panels, each with a fleur de lys design that are encrusted with 30 emeralds, 19 sapphires, 20 pearls and a large ruby. The crown comes together though two intersecting arches topped by a cross.

Amongst the things Wenceslas was most known for was his habit of caring for the sick and destitute by personally visiting churches and giving alms not just to widows and orphans but also to prisoners.  He was also known to harvest grain and bake communion wafers for the church. After his death the people of Bohemia spoke about his humble qualities and religious aura.  A holy cult formed around Wenceslas the righteous king, one who has power by simply being pious.

Although Wenceslas was only a duke, during the reign of King Otto I (912 -973), Otto posthumously recognized Wenceslas as King.  The poplar Christmas carol “Good Kind Wenceslas” is inspired by the kind deeds of Wenceslas and maybe based on the words of a Czech poet put to music by Englishman John Neale.

There is a statue of Wenceslas on horseback in the main square of Prague, appropriately named Wenceslas square.  It is here that in 1989, the end of communist rule was declared.

Rudolf is depicted on the coin since he had many similarities to Wenceslas.  Both had the right to the Bohemian crown.

The new 100 Euro gold coin is struck in proof quality (reverse frosting) with a maximum mintage of 30,000 pieces.  The coin has a diameter of 30 mm., contains 16 grams of gold and is .986 fine.  Each coin is encapsulated and comes in a box with a numbered certificate of authenticity. Each coin may be purchased for 1349.00 USD by contacting Euro Collections International toll free at 1 877 897 7696, faxing 1 866 875 2577, or ordering online at www.eurocollections.com

A unique lapel pin plated with gold and bearing a miniature version of the Crown of St.  Wenceslas also accompanies the gold coin.

A wooden collection case with a red velvet insert on the lid bearing a miniature reproduction of a heraldic crown of an Austrian Archduke may be purchased separately for the series.

The series “Crowns of the House of Habsburg” will be continued next year, in November, with the final coin of the series featuring the Crown of the Austrian Empire.

[Franklin Center, New York] The Franklin Mint unveiled a rare and unprecedented work of artistry–The Taj Mahal Gold Coin–at its new Manhattan showroom (8 West 40th Street, 14th Fl.).

Minted and designed by the Monnaie de Paris, only 29 of these coins will ever be produced. The Taj Mahal Gold Coin is the most valuable French piece ever released and is the world’s first coin to include 68 hand-set Cartier diamonds.

“For any collector or investor looking to buy gold, The Taj Mahal Gold Coin offers a unique opportunity to buy a piece of history,” said Walter J. Kole, chief numismatist for The Franklin Mint.

“Gold has appreciated in value at a historic rate over the past few years, and diamonds always seem to retain their value. This masterwork represents a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for art, coin and other collectors, made possible by The Franklin Mint exclusively in the United States.”

The Taj Mahal Coin is valued at $160,000 and is being offered exclusively in the United States by The Franklin Mint.

“Coin collectors wait for items like The Taj Mahal Gold Coin to come on the market with great anticipation. A gold coin of this weight, inlaid with Cartier diamonds is a rarity that many collectors have never seen,” added Kole. “Given that only 29 of these coins will ever be produced, we anticipate a complete sell-out of the edition in a short period of time.”

This magnificent coin is housed inside a custom leather display handcrafted by the makers of the finest luggage in the world, Goyard.

For more information please visit: www.FranklinMint.com/TajGold.

Monnaie de Paris is one of the oldest institutions in France. Its origin can be traced back to the edict of currency by the Emperor Charles le Chauve on June 24 of the year 864. Its facility, located in the West of France since 1973, strikes the circulating coins for all of France, as well as other countries.

The Monnaie de Paris is a member of the prestigious Comité Colbert, an association with current membership totaling 75 luxury French companies.

What do you do when a gold seller fails to deliver or the merchandise you received was not as described when you ordered it?  Who can you contact for help when you don’t receive payment for gold you’ve submitted to sell?

In two recent cases, “Howard” in Mississippi wired $20,000 several months ago to a California coin and bullion dealer to purchase gold coins, and “Richard” in Virginia sent $150,000 to the same dealer.  With the recent run-up in bullion prices they both would have made a nice profit, except they still have not received any gold from the dealer.  Howard laments, “All I’ve gotten is the run-around.”

“If you don’t know gold coins, you’d better know your gold coin dealer,” is the advice to collectors and investors from three nonprofit organizations: the American Numismatic Association (www.money.org), the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (www.ictaonline.org) and the Professional Numismatists Guild (www.pngdealers.com).        

“There are many reputable, professional numismatists in the United States,” the three organizations emphasize.  “Before you make a purchase or offer something for sale, do your homework and check the dealer’s credentials.  For example, contact the Better Business Bureau to check the company’s BBB rating or if the company is even accredited by the BBB.”

A listing of Better Business Bureau accredited and rated companies nationwide can be found online at www.bbb.org.

The dealer that received the combined $170,000 in unfulfilled purchase orders from “Howard” and “Richard” had an “F” rating from the BBB. 

Typically, dealers who are unresponsive to reasonable requests from customers seeking resolution of disputes are not involved in the mainstream of numismatics, but may advertise in prominent, mainstream news media. 

Based on the experiences of the ANA, ICTA and PNG, and in consultation with law enforcement agencies, the three organizations suggest that buyers or sellers of gold coins who encounter problems consider taking these actions:

• Make copies of all correspondence, receipts and transactions and if possible have copies of advertisements or the dates and times ads were broadcast. 
• Always contact the company directly to try to resolve the dispute.  Ask for the manager or company owner.
• Take thorough notes of your conversation(s). 

If the problem is still not resolved after a reasonable amount of time, contact the Customer Service and/or Advertising Departments of the news media organization(s) that published or broadcast the company’s advertisements and let them know about the problems.

The ANA, ICTA and PNG advise: “It’s your money, so do your homework before placing an order, and if there is a problem then don’t just sit back and wait.  Be persistent in your efforts to resolve the dispute. Follow up with the company you did business with and the agencies where you’ve filed a complaint.  You may also want to consult with an attorney.”

Depending on the specific circumstances of the situation, one or more of these agencies also may be able to assist in the resolution of the dispute.

Numismatic Consumer Alliance, Inc. (www.StopCoinFraud.org) helps consumers secure relief for allegedly fraudulent and illegal conduct within the coin industry. Address: P.O. Box 144, Bedminster, New Jersey 07921.  Phone: (908) 781-7947.

Numismatic Crime Information Center (www.NumismaticCrimes.org) can help with investigative resources, information and direction for customers, dealers and law enforcement agencies.  Address: P.O. Box 14080, Arlington, Texas 76094.  Phone: (817) 723-7231.

 Credit Card Companies if the purchase in dispute was made with a credit card within the past six months.  Call the Customer Service number on the credit card and inquire about doing a charge back for undelivered merchandise.

 Local Police Department or Sheriff’s Department, the local District Attorney or County Prosecutor and the State Attorney General in the city, county and/or state in which you live or in which the dealer has a place of business.  Contact the law enforcement agencies in the city, county or state where the transaction took place.  Phone numbers can be found in the Government pages of local phone books or online.  A convenient listing of contact information for every state attorney general can be found on the National Association of Attorneys General website, www.naag.org.

Federal Bureau of Investigation or Secret Service depending on the dollar amount of the transaction and whether interstate commerce or counterfeit coins were involved in the transaction.  Phone numbers for the nearest FBI and Secret Service offices can be found in the Government pages of local telephone books.

United States Postal Service may be able to provide assistance if the transaction occurred using the U.S. Mail.  Go to your main post office and ask to talk with the local Postmaster or Postal Inspector.  

American Numismatic Association (www.money.org) if the dealers involved in the dispute are ANA members and the dispute involves alleged violation of the ANA Code of Ethics, the association offers complaint mediation services for a fee based on the dollar value of the transaction.  Address: 818 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.  Phone: (800) 367-9723.

Professional Numismatists Guild (www.PNGdealers.com) if the dealers in question are PNG members they must adhere to the Guild’s Code of Ethics, support the PNG Collector’s Bill of Rights and must agree to binding arbitration to resolve any disputes involving numismatic merchandise.  Address: 3950 Concordia Lane, Fallbrook, California 92028.  Phone: (760) 728-1300.

Federal Trade Commission Consumer Sentinel Network (www.FTC.gov); however, don’t expect an immediate response.  The FTC usually responds when a significant number of serious complaints accumulate against a company, but it is still good to alert the FTC about unresolved disputes so they can be added to the agency’s files. Information about filing a complaint can be found online at www.consumeraction.gov.  Phone: (877) 382-4357.

Additional consumer protection information from the American Numismatic Association about “How to Buy Gold & Silver” can be found online at http://www.money.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ExploretheWorldofMoney/BuyingGold/default.htm, and the Professional Numismatists Guild offers consumer education information about “Three Things Gold Buyers Must Know First” online at http://www.pngdealers.com/item.php?item_id=129&category_id=2.

It’s official: The Realm of Coins has a new heavyweight champion—with a seven-figure price tag to back its claim to the title.

A 2007 Canadian Maple Leaf containing 220.5 pounds of gold (that’s 100 kilograms to you metric-minded nerds) changed hands (or forklifts) for $4 million at an auction held in late June in Vienna, Austria. Put another way, it sold for 3.27 million euros.

That’s among the highest prices ever paid for a single coin. But most single coins are designed, of course, with people’s pockets—not flatbed trucks—in mind.

More to the point, the price appears to be an all-time record for a single bullion coin—for that’s how the auction bidders seem to have viewed this behemoth.

The coin is .9999 fine—essentially pure gold—and contains 2,646 troy ounces of gold. With the yellow metal trading for about $1,250 an ounce at the time of the sale, that translates into a bullion value of roughly $3.3 million.

Austria’s Dorotheum auction house, which conducted the sale, concluded–correctly, it appears–that bullion value, not rarity, was the primary motivation of the buyer, a Spanish precious-metal trading company called Oro Direct.

Dorotheum sold the coin as part of its liquidation of assets belonging to the previous owner, AvW Group, an Austrian investment firm that went bankrupt.

 The coin is 21 inches (53 centimeters) in diameter and 1.2 inches thick, carries a face value of 1 million Canadian dollars ($960,000 U.S.) and bears the same design as the regular 1-ounce Maple Leaf, with the standard coinage portrait of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse and a (very large) likeness of the maple leaf, Canada’s national symbol, on the reverse.

Why make a coin weighing more than a tenth of a ton? As a pocket piece for Paul Bunyan … a teething ring for Godzilla?

It was produced by the Royal Canadian Mint (presumably with great difficulty) in what seems to have been a high-profile game of “Can You Top This?”

In 2004, the Austrian Mint celebrated the 15^th anniversary of its Philharmonic gold bullion coin by producing 15 super-size examples of the coin, each containing 1,000 troy ounces (68.57 pounds) of pure gold and carrying a face value of 100,000 euros. This earned the giant Philharmonics a spot in Guinness World Records as the largest gold coins in the world.

 Canadian officials—green with envy and flush with gold—set about rewriting the record book by coming up with an even more mammoth Maple Leaf. The RCM made just five examples of the 2007 coin, one of which reportedly found its way to Queen Elizabeth.

Obviously, being one of only five pieces known doesn’t do nearly as much for the value of a 220.5-pound gold coin as it does for a 5-gram base-metal five-cent piece. Five, of course, is also the number of known examples of the 1913 Liberty Head nickel. One of those sold for $4.15 million in 2005—making it more valuable than the huge Maple Leaf, as well as much more portable.

With all these gold gargantuans floating around, who can blame the U.S. Mint for seeking its “pound of flash” by offering 5-ounce silver versions of the (dare I say those trademarked words) “America the Beautiful” quarters depicting national parks and historic sites. These, after all, are every bit as impractical as the Austrian and Canadian manhole covers. And having intrinsic worth of about $100 each, they seem even more foolish with their statement of value inscribed as QUARTER DOLLAR.

What’s more, the Mint’s “hockey puck” silver coins should give certification services a chance to stretch their new “Plus” grading to the limit. With all the king-size slabs that could be required, in fact, this might be the best time to get into plastics since Mister McGuire gave that advice to Benjamin Braddock in “The Graduate.”

If this keeps up, British coins won’t be the only ones whose value is measured in pounds. And everyone’s pay will be based on scale.

Then again, the whole idea may end up going over like a lead balloon.

We’ll just have to weight and see.

The experts, Scott A. Travers and Maurice H. Rosen, will be the featured speakers at Coin Collector’s Survival® Conference 2010, a 90-minute seminar that will give attendees useful information on how to “survive and thrive during the decade of gold.”

The Survival Conference will start at 10:30 a.m. August 13 in Room 200 of the convention center. Admission is free, and everyone who attends will receive a copy of one of the bestselling books authored by Travers, as well as a newsletter published by Rosen. The free books and newsletters will be vintage copies of earlier editions.

Travers is a nationally known New York City coin dealer, author and consumer advocate who has written more than half a dozen award-winning books, including The Coin Collector’s Survival Manual®, a hobby bestseller that will have its seventh edition published by Random House in November. The New York Times has described him as “the Ralph Nader of numismatics” for his consumer activism.

Rosen is a prominent professional numismatist and coin market analyst from Plainview, New York, whose influential Rosen Numismatic Advisory is recognized perennially as the outstanding newsletter in the field of rare coins and precious metals. He forecasts in the soon-to-be-published edition of the Survival Manual that “by the end of 2020, the price of gold in U.S. dollars will be $5,000 to $10,000 per ounce.”

Travers and Rosen both foresaw the tremendous advance in the market value of gold well before it began. Travers was predicting $1,000-an-ounce gold in books and articles several years beforehand, when the price was less than half that amount and barely one-third its present level of about $1,200.

Also taking part in the symposium will be Jerry Jordan, award-winning news editor of The Examiner, a newspaper in Beaumont, Texas, who wrote a series of articles exposing apparent abuses by traveling gold buyers. Jordan’s four-part series revealed that in many cases, the itinerant buyers – operating out of hotel suites – apparently offered unwary sellers a small fraction of the true value for their gold coins and jewelry.

Three days later, U.S. Mint Deputy Director Andy Brunhart stated, “Transparency, agility, and customer service are the catalysts for our new pricing method. The volatile precious metals market prompted our customers to suggest that we re-vamp our process, and we listened.”

The new “structure” is based on a range of the average market price for gold and platinum, and product prices will fluctuate within this structure. The range for numismatic gold products is $50; it’s $100 for platinum products.

Pricing for these products is directly tied to the average weekly London fix prices for gold and platinum. If the market value for the metals moves to a higher or lower range, the price of each product is increased or decreased in corresponding increments.

Since the “re-vamp,” prices for these products have only increased, even though precious metals prices have fluctuated.

Apparently all of the planets are aligned south of the waning moon because the Sarah Polk first spouse gold coin’s price has been reduced by $25. Read the whole story here.