(Newport Beach, California) - Coins depicting John Adams, the second in the series of Presidential Dollars, officially enter circulation on Wednesday, May 17, 2007, and collectors are eager to see if any major errors appear.

“We applaud the United States Mint for its overall high quality of production of its circulating coinage, but in any kind of mass manufacturing process mistakes are bound to happen. There’s been tremendous interest by collectors and the general public in the George Washington dollars that were released without the edge lettering. Will similar errors appear on the Adams coins? We should know soon,” said Ron Guth, President of Professional Coin Grading Service.

In addition to numerous examples without edge lettering, PCGS has certified a Washington dollar struck with only the edge lettering; there was no obverse or reverse design. The company paid a $2,500 finder’s reward to a Colorado couple who found the coin in a roll of dollars and submitted it to PCGS for certification this past March.

PCGS is still offering $10,000 finder’s rewards for the first people who submit for verification two other types of dollar coin errors: a genuine, Sacagawea golden dollar coin mistakenly struck with the edge lettering intended for the new Presidential dollar coins, and an example of an over-strike with the both the Sacagawea and Presidential designs on the same planchet.

“We’re asking the public, collectors and dealers to carefully look at their money. You never know what will show up,” said Guth.

PCGS is the world’s largest rare coin authentication company and a division of Collectors Universe, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLCT).

For additional information about Professional Coin Grading Service, contact PCGS at (800) 447-8848, or by e-mail at [email protected].

1. How many years were non-Bicentennial Eisenhower dollars struck?

2. What country ranked second in total coinage behind the United States in 1982?

3. What does the phrase “Not worth a Continental” refer to?

4. How is a repunched mint mark error created?

5. Name the non-silver and gold US denominations struck in each of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries

Answers

They were told that their gold and platinum coins would double or triple in value. But the customers found out the glitter and glow weren’t even worth one-third of what they’d paid, according to two lawsuits filed this month and in April against rare coin companies in Austin and Beaumont.

“They pitch coins to elderly people by saying, ‘Remember the Depression? … The only thing worth any value at that time was gold coins, and we could be in a depression next week,’ ” said Jason Gibson, a Houston attorney representing the plaintiffs.

Nearly 50 plaintiffs have lost almost $13 million to 16 companies in Beaumont such as First Capital Reserve, First National Reserve and Universal Coin and Bullion, according to the lawsuits. Many of the companies are connected to each other, Gibson said.

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Elderly customers thought they were making a sound investment when they bought rare coins from a Beaumont company, but instead found themselves in what may have been a scam to defraud the elderly.

Stephen Dinneen, Kurt Kumetat, Roland Smith, Joseph Tice and Harold John Tice as the legal representatives of the deceased Harold Joseph Tice filed a lawsuit on May 2 in Jefferson County District Court against U.S. Rare Coin & Bullion Reserve Inc., U.S. Money Reserve Inc., Capitol Mint Inc., Providence Rare Coins, U.S. Vault Collection, U.S. Vault Collection LM, Annette Renaud, Milton Verrett and Tony Califa.

According to the original petition, plaintiffs collectively were convinced by defendants’ false, misleading and high-pressure sales tactics to purchase $420,000.00 in “rare” gold, platinum and silver coins. Specifically, defendants intentionally and knowingly made various false and misleading representations to plaintiffs, in an attempt to increase their monetary investment in defendants’ “rare” coins, the suit says.

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(Fallbrook, California) - To assist dealers and law enforcement agencies, an online database of stolen and missing coins has been established by the Professional Numismatists Guild at www.stolencoin.org.

“Access to the stolen coin tracking web site will be available to registered PNG member-dealers and to police and other law enforcement agencies. They will be able to conveniently report and search for specific information about crimes and losses related to numismatic material,” said Robert Brueggeman, PNG Executive Director and President of the security company, Positive Protection, Inc. of Fallbrook, California.

Items can be searched or listed under more than 100 categories ranging from Colonial coins to state commemorative quarters, from copper half cents to $100 denomination platinum bullion coins. Other descriptions, such as grade and variety, also can be indicated, and certified (“slabbed”) coins can be listed and searched by the certification service’s assigned serial number.

“As numismatic professionals, our primary mission is to make the hobby safe for collectors and investors by maintaining rigid standards of excellence for our member dealers. As part of the PNG Code of Ethics, member-dealers must refrain from knowingly dealing in stolen numismatic items. This new web site will help us fulfill that pledge,” explained Jeff Garrett, PNG President and President of Mid-American Rare Coin Galleries of Lexington, Kentucky.

Announcement of the stolen coin tracking web site was made during the PNG general membership meeting on PNG Day, May 9, 2007, at the Central States Numismatic Society convention in St. Louis, Missouri.

PNG is a non-profit organization founded in 1955 and is composed of the many of the world’s top rare coin and paper money dealers. For additional information, contact the PNG at 3950 Concordia Lane, Fallbrook, California 92028. Phone: (760) 728-1300. E-mail: [email protected]. Online: www.PNGdealers.com