We hope you did and enjoyed the fun.

If not, we’ve updated the web site with notes about the March coin show.

We’ve also highlighted the next date on the Show Dates page and on our home page.

The charts for gold and silver have been updated with the prices just before the March coin show. The charts certainly provide a glimpse into the ups and downs of the markets during the life of the coin show and during the past year too.

Plus, take a look on the right hand side of the web pages for a couple of additions.

Now, we have a fanpage on facebook. Please “like us” and join the fun on our fanpage.

Next, we have a sign up area to receive our emails about the coin show and a variety of numismatic interests. We encourage you to sign up for the information.  ***We don’t spam and we never share email addresses.***

Head on over to the atlcoin.com for the updates and additions.

His introduction claimed, “Despite predictions of a cashless society, coins and dollar bills aren’t going away anytime soon. In fact, under some circumstances they remain the best way to pay.”

Of course, numismatists will be glad to hear this point of view. Just think about the future of the study and collection of money if we become a cashless society.

Sad indeed.

His article itemized the seven reasons. You need cash when:

1. Buying from small companies – small companies, with their thin margins, frequently cannot afford the bank or card processing fees for credit and debit cards

2. Working with a tight budget – financial planners frequently advise paying just with cash to keep within a budget and to attack debt

3. Technology fails –technology is great, but it does fail quite frequently and frequently at the absolute worst of times – cash is a good thing to have when what you want to purchase is in an area without a signal for your technology to work.

4. There’s an emergency – kin to the technology failure, emergencies tend to come with additional problems such as cash only – think of a tow truck driver when you have a break down in the wee hours of the morning

5. You want your purchase to remain anonymous – maybe you don’t want that special someone to see how much you paid for their gift on a bank  or credit card statement

6. People depend on tips – cash goes into their pocket where the amount added to a credit or debit card can have strings attached to it

7. You want to make a charitable donation – some individuals and groups are not set up for credit and debit contributions, for example, the homeless or the Shriners or firemen taking donations at the traffic light intersections

Now, let’s add number 8 with all of the numismatists wanting to continue with both the hobby and the investment of money.

A cashless system would devastate the future of money collecting.

Sure, maybe for a while the older coins and currency would have value as a collectible, but for how long?

Would it be months, years, decades?

My guess – numismatics would continue for a few years but as the older numismatists leave this world, there would be very few new members added. Eventually, the numismatic collectibles would lose their value except for a few select and very expensive pieces.

For now, we still enjoy coins and currency – old and new. The hobby is open to everyone – young, old, novice and expert.

Let’s just keep our coins and currency for as long as possible.

Doors open at 9:00 am, close at 5:00 pm, and admission – as always – is free.

This is also a reminder that the time changes in the wee hours of Sunday morning. At 2:00 am, the time moves ahead for  “spring forward.” In other words, we lose an hour. Just ouch.

As for the day, looking at the extended weather forecast, Sunday’s prediction shows scattered showers with temperatures in the upper 60s.

In other words, a great day to visit a coin show.

Make your plans to visit the coin show on Sunday.

Their article talked of the high end markets, the bullion markets, buying from home on the internet and coin shows.

In particular, they commented, “However, coin shows simply can’t be replaced. The hands-on action, camaraderie, and the thrill of haggling, are very important aspects of the hobby for so many participants. There is just no substitute for such qualities within the fraternity.”

Think about it.

The large coin shows offer auctions of high end numismatics in addition to the variety of dealers and collectibles on the bourse floor. These auctions provide an opportunity to view and bid on collectibles not readily available online or in your local coin shops.

But, talking of online, the coin shows, large and small, provide the ability to view the specific numismatic items – either in the auction lots or on the bourse – with your own eyes and your own loupe.

Shopping from home is convenient and easy. But, coin collecting is tactile to a certain degree. At a coin show you have the opportunity to touch the coin - at least the protective holder – or other numismatic item you are considering for purchase.

Ever heard of WYSIWYG (pronounced wi-si-wig)? That’s one of the best advantages of a coin show – What You See Is What You Get. You get to see, compare and select the best collectible to fit your budget and your collection.

And, with the increased number of counterfeit coins and currency, closely inspecting the items before you make your purchase becomes even more important.

In addition coin shows provide educational experiences in talking with the coin dealers and other numismatists visiting the show. Many numismatists could talk for hours about their favorite hobby, in particular, their special interests within the hobby.

Plus, other collectors and dealers with their knowledge and experience offer suggestions of the important characteristics to review for the individual numismatic collectibles – of which you may not be aware.

As the article noted, there is also the give and take of haggling that people enjoy at coin shows. Bidding for a coin online (for example, eBay) or buying one outright from a reputable online coin dealer just doesn’t offer the same excitement as the process of haggling to get the best deal.

In short, coin shows can be loud, noisy and chaotic to the uninitiated. But, for the experienced coin show attendees, a coin show offers a variety of fun and excitement not found elsewhere in their search for numismatic treasures.

Whether you did or didn’t, we’ve updated the 2012 Coin Show Notes with highlights from the February Coin Show.

What about the coin challenge we introduced to the blog on January 23? Did you recognize the coin?

You can review the February Coin Challenge and visit the link at the bottom of the page to verify that you correctly identified the coin.

Plus, we updated the gold charts and silver charts that show the ups and downs of the precious metals during the coin show years. The charts reflect the London Fix numbers on the Friday before each coin show.

As always, we add reminders for the next monthly coin show which is Sunday, March 11, 2012. The coin show will be in the Joe Mack Wilson ballroom at the Hilton Atlanta/Marietta Hotel and Conference Center.

Browse the Greater Atlanta Coin Show web site to check out the coin shows and the coin challenges.

But, the hotel was able to move the coin show to the Joe Mack Wilson ballroom on the main conference floor.

The coin show opens at 9 am to the public and closes at 5 pm. As always, everyone is welcome, and the admission is free.

According to weather.com, the weekend will be cooler (46°), but the day is expected to be mostly sunny. Granted, we’re several days away from the weekend, but it will be a great day to visit a coin show.

The coin show provides a variety of coin dealers representing a broad spectrum of interests in coins, currency, bullion and other interesting collectibles. The coin dealers sell, buy and trade in their specialties and interests. They also provide free, verbal appraisals for your related treasures.

For experienced numismatists and investors, visit the various dealers to view the interesting collectibles they offer to add to your collections.

For people new to the hobby or just curious, you are welcome to visit the coin show, look around and ask questions.

For those who have coins, currency or precious metals (e.g., silver and gold) and want to learn their value, bring them to the coin show to get opinions from a variety of dealers. You can choose to sell at the coin show or keep your treasures for a later date.

There will be coin dealers during the open hours from 9 to 5, but due to long drives or other Sunday evening obligations, several of the coin dealers leave mid afternoon. To find the most coin dealers and the most opportunities, arrive early in the day.

Mark your calendars and visit the coin show this Sunday, February 12, 2012.

You can find links to various newspaper articles about the shortages during that era near the bottom of our mint set pages (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, and 1969).

These shortages and the changes in the coins’ metal content piqued the interest of coin collectors back in the day. The news along with the difficulty finding coins also generated an interest in coin collecting for those who had never collected coins.

Perhaps these notes, found in a collection, showcase the beginning steps for a new coin collector.

This first page shows his notes about pennies, nickels and dimes.

It also shows where he made a purchase of $1.05 in coins and a new 1965 Red Book for a total of $2.80 plus tax. The tax shows $0.08 for a total purchase of $2.88 which was not insignificant back then.

As an aside, those totals represent a nice trip down memory lane regarding sales taxes. For those who don’t know or don’t remember, we used to have sales tax of three cents on the dollar.

Back to his notes, the new coin collector goes on to identify specific coins and mint marks:

• All “S” mint coins
• All cents below 1940 (in nice shape)
• All Buffalo nickels with all 4 digits
• All 38-P, 55-P, 58-P, 59-P nickels
• All 54-P and steel cents

His next page goes on to detail specific years and mint marks by denomination.

Is this what he wants to look for in pocket change in “good condition?” Though difficult today, back then you could still find coins with those dates in pocket change.

And, had he found several of the coins listed, he could have enjoyed a significant increase in the value of his collection. For example, the 1932 D and S, 1936D and 1937S quarters, the 1939D and 1950D nickels and the 1949S and 1950S dimes are some of the key dates in the years he noted.

Did this gentleman pursue his interests? Or, did these notes get put aside to be visited on rare occasions?

Maybe he bought a few of the US Mint collectible sets, either mint sets or proof sets. In all likelihood, that’s where he hid his notes for us to find many years later.

For some people, those coin shortages in the mid-sixties started their lifelong and intense interest in numismatics. For others, their coin collecting days were few and far between – maybe when they received their annual mailings from the US Mint.

Whether an intense hobbyist or a casual one, we hope this gentleman enjoyed his coin collecting and coin collection during the last 45+ years.

We found this 1982 Proof Set Brochure in with some proof sets. Like the coins, the brochure provides an interesting view into the US Mint’s historical marketing material. And, like always, it’s interesting to view the US Mint’s marketing without the internet versus their marketing processes today.

Let’s take a look at the front of the folded brochure:

The front of the US Mint’s 1982 Proof Set Brochure includes red, white and blue colors with an inked sketch of a building. Unfolded slightly, you can get a better view of the US Mint’s design for the brochure.

The red, white and blue colors provide imagery for the nation’s stars and stripes.

The text on the back of the brochure explains the building:

Featured on the front panel – The San Francisco Assay Office, home of proof coin productions since 1968. Congress designated this facility as an Assay Office in July 1962 with Public Law 87-534. Prior to that time the building, which was built in 1937, had been a Mint; however, because of high operating costs and facility expansion at the Denver and Philadelphia Mints, coinage operations in San Francisco were closed down in March 1955. In the mid-sixties a critical shortage of coins began to develop and the Assay Office was called upon to fabricate one cent and five cent blanks which were shipped to the Denver Mint to be struck. In 1965 the Assay Office was given authority to strike coins for circulation. The San Francisco Assay Office continues the production of one cent coins, with no mint mark, for circulation in addition to the highly specialized production of proof coins. Over 3.5 million proof coin sets were sold last year.

Inside the unfolded brochure for the 1982 Proof Set, the US Mint provided their marketing information:

In the first columns, the US Mint included details of the contents of the 1982 Proof Set and the proof coining processes:

The 1982 Proof Coin Set…

…Contains a proof half dollar, quarter, nickel, dime and one cent coin produced by the San Francisco Assay Office. These are the only coins to have the ‘S’ mint mark in 1982. This year’s set also contains a proof medal featuring the Treasury Seal and the date 1789 on the obverse and an eagle and the inscription United States Proof Set on the reverse. The medal was specially designed for the 1982 sets which are priced at $11.00 per set.

The produce of proof coins is a unique operation with special handling being given to both the dies and the blanks. Proof blanks are burnished with thousands of steel beads and cleaning chemicals to buff out imperfections and polish the surface. The polished blanks are then rinsed, dried and transferred to the press room where a final cleaning and inspection is given them by the coin operator before they are struck. Proof dies are first sandblasted resulting in a frosted appearance and texture to the die’s surface. The portrait is then covered with tape and the background is polished with several grades of diamond polish and buffed. When the tape is removed the frosted design against the polished background gives a beautiful two-toned effect to the die which is transferred to the coins when they are individually struck twice. Proof coins are sealed in a clear plastic package to protect their beauty.

Limitations: One order per customer; five orders per address.

Individuals can order a maximum of five sets. Customers wanting to order five sets must do so with their initial order. No more than five orders will be sent to one address. The limitations are imposed to make these sets available to as many customers as possible and may be reduced if orders exceed production capabilities.

Ordering period: Beginning February 1, 1982. Please note that the ordering period is earlier than ususal. The Mint anticipates accepting orders for at least a two month period. However, if orders exceed our production capability an earlier cut-off date will be announced. All orders received after the announced cut-off date will be returned. If your payment is deposited and we cannot honor your order, a refund will be made. Orders cannot be canceled by the customer.

Mailing of sets: The 1982 sets will be produced, packaged and mailed throughout the year with all sets mailed by December 31, 1982. Notification of your order number and expected delivery date will be sent to you if your order is not among the first to be mailed.

They further explained how to submit the orders and the payment types they would accept. Remember, this was in 1982.

ONLY ACCEPTABLE PAYMENTS:

(a) A personal check or cashier’s check drawn on a US bank and payable in US currency or
(b) A US or International money order

They also provided strict instructions on how to fill out the check. Take a look at this one:

In particular, the check must be made out to the Bureau of the Mint and the customer order number had to be in the upper right corner of the check. (Though probably invalid after 30 years, the identifying numbers are hidden just in case.)

Click on 1982 proof set to view the contents of the collectible the US Mint described in their brochure.

This trip down the historical memory lane also makes you wonder how long the original buyer kept their 1982 proof set, did they sell it (them, since they ordered five) or did their heirs sell them. Maybe they gave them to grandchildren or someone else.

With the ups and downs of the economy and the markets, the 1982 proof set today is worth less than half the $11.00 originally paid.

That, of course, is good for those buying the 1982 proof set…

The Middle Georgia Coin Club advertises over 150 dealers of coins, currency, stamps and postcards will set-up at the coin show for selling, buying, trading or appraisal. The Georgia National Fairgrounds events calendar identifies the show as the Coin, Stamp, & Postcard Show & Sale.

The show opens to the public at noon on Friday, January 27. The show hours listed on the events calendar are Friday noon to 6:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 to 4:00 and Sunday 9:00 to 4:00.

For 2012, the coin show can be found in the Miller & Howard Halls (Miller-Murphy-Howard Building). You can find more information about the fairgrounds on their web site:  http://www.gnfa.com/.

As with most coin shows, admission is FREE to the Middle Georgia Coin Club’s coin show.

For more information, contact Bill Lane  (478-986-9795 or 478- 955-0724) or Charles Asbell (478-750-9929).

Take a look at this picture:

Yes, it is part of the image on a coin.

The US Mint provides images on our coins with historical, political or current events significance. With that said, let’s mention a few hints:

1. This coin is a commemorative coin
2. The image is on the reverse of the coin
3. The image shows a rock wall
4. The rock wall plays a secondary role and is not the main subject of the coin
5. The excerpt helps showcase an historical icon from the nation’s infancy

That’s enough for now. We may offer a few more hints – check back on the blog to see.

Have fun identifying the coin!

We will post the answer after the next coin show which is Sunday, February 12.