(Santa Ana, California) – The Federal Reserve Board’s reduction in the prime lending rate, September 16, now is saving collectors and dealers money on loans based on certified collectibles as collateral.

“The Fed rate cut has resulted in significant savings on loans because the loan rate is based on the floating prime rate. A collector or dealer obtaining a $50,000 loan for one year now will save $125, and the savings are even greater for higher loan amounts of that duration,” explained Mike Lewis, President of Collectors Finance Corporation (CFC) of Santa Ana, California, a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT).

“One of our collectors who borrowed from us in order to upgrade his collection of Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles is saving $2,500 this year as a result of the drop in the prime rate,” he said.

“The loans can quickly provide additional funds for paying off auction bills or making additional acquisitions for inventory or a collection. We’ve had a number of collectors and dealers who have taken advantage of the lower interest rates since the Fed lowered the prime rate by a half-percent.”

Only collectibles certified by a division of Collectors Universe can qualify for a loan. The subsidiaries are Professional Coin Grading Service (coins and bullion); PCGS Currency (bank notes); Professional Sports Authenticator (sports and trading cards); PSA/DNA Authentication Services (sports memorabilia, photographs and autographs); Professional Stamp Experts (stamps); Gem Certification and Assurance Lab (diamonds); and American Gemological Laboratories (colored gem stones).

Loan amounts range from 35 up to 80 percent of the market value of the certified collateral based on the type of collateral, and loans can be made for up to one full year.

For additional information, contact Mike Lewis at Collectors Finance Corporation at (949) 469-2646 extension 375. E-mail: [email protected]. Online: www.collectors.com/cfc.chtml.

1. What US Mint struck the only 1922 Lincoln Cents?

2. What are the denominations used in Andorra?

3. When could US paper money be officially postal canceled?

4. How do Washington Indian peace medals differ from those of later presidents?

5. A coin bearing a CC mint mark was struck at what US Mint?

Answers

1. Denver 2. Diner and pesetas 3. April 13, 1976 4. The design elements are incused, engraved directly into the medals 5. Carson City

At over 300 pages, The Authoritative Reference on Buffalo Nickels is no light read. It’s not the only book devoted to the series, and I haven’t read the others, so this review will simply discuss its merits and weaknesses without comparisons to other books.

Chapter 1: Buffalo Nickel Business Strikes

The chapter starts off with an overview of the series, discussing mintages, die varieties, scarcity and historic tidbits of the series. It’s followed by a discussion of each date in the series, going into more detail and providing valuations for various grades.

Chapter 2: Buffalo Nickel Proof and Brilliant Proof Issues

The chapter begins with an in-depth discussion of proof coins, detailing the difference between cameo and satin. There’s an overview of proof Buffalo Nickels minted in 1913-1916, followed by a detailed year by year handling of the proof mintages. Each date has a photo of a proof Buffalo Nickel from that year, and populations from the national archives and certification agencies (PCGS and NGC).

Chapter 3: Die Varieties Explained

This is a short chapter, starting off with an explanation on how dies are made, then a historical account from the treasury. It ends with instructions on how to use the die variety section.

Chapter 4: Buffalo Nickel Doubled Dies

This chapter discusses doubled dies in detail, specifically hub doubling, using photographic examples from various other series. The rest of the chapter has each die variety from the series with enlarged photos of the doubling. It includes overall rarity, interest level, grade, value, description and comments on the variety. At over 150 pages, this chapter makes up the majority of the book.

Chapter 5: Buffalo Nickel Over Mintmarks

The chapter begins with an overview of over mintmarks, followed by a date by date discussion with photos of the few years in the series that has an instance of over mintmarks.

Chapter 6: Buffalo Nickel Repunched Mintmarks

In similar fashion, this chapter provides information about the years with known repunched mintmarks, including those deemed not to have sufficient evidence to be listed.

Chapter 7: Buffalo Nickel 3 ½ Legged Varieties

The last chapter is devoted to the most well-known variety of the Buffalo Nickels series - three and three and a half legged buffalo nickels. Plenty of high magnification photographs of the variety for illustration.

Conclusion

If you’re a collector of the Buffalo Nickel series, this book is probably wise to get a hold of. However, for those general collectors of 20th century type coins, the book is strong on details and weak on stories. Those interested in learning more about the history and stories behind the series should look elsewhere, but anyone wanting to know detailed reports of varieties need look no further.

It’s currently selling for $23.73 on Amazon.

The U.S. government today digitally unveiled a new, more secure design for the $5 bill that will be issued and enter circulation in early 2008.

There are now two watermarks on the redesigned $5 bill. A large number “5” watermark is located to the right of the portrait. A second watermark – a column of three smaller “5”s – has been added to the new $5 bill design and is positioned to the left of the portrait.

The embedded security thread runs vertically and is now located to the right of the portrait on the redesigned $5 bill. The letters “USA” followed by the number “5” in an alternating pattern are visible along the thread from both sides of the bill. The thread glows blue when held under ultraviolet light.

This is the first time in history that U.S. paper money has been unveiled entirely online.

Because the $5 bill is heavily used in vending and transit farecard machines, the U.S. government began informing the manufacturers and end-users of those machines about the upcoming new $5 bill more than a year ago, to provide ample time to adjust them to accept the new design.

A new $100 bill will follow.

For more information, check out the money factory.

1. What coin features a Roman numeral III within a wreath on the reverse?

2. What country uses the denomination called markkaa?

3. What are the three printing steps in the production of modern Federal Reserve notes?

4. Is machine (also known as strike doubling) the result of a doubled die?

5. Plate money was issued by what country?

Answers

1. The copper-nickel 3-cent piece 2. Finland 3. Back printing, face printing and overprinting 4. No 5. Sweden