The largest public display ever assembled in the United States of huge, modern, certified Chinese gold coins will be exhibited at the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money, August 5 - 9, 2009, in West Hall A of the Los Angeles, California Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa. The event is open to the public.

The big Chinese gold coins in the exhibit range in size from five ounces to one kilo (32.15 ounces) each.

"There will be over 300 ounces of rare, low-mintage gold. It will be the most amazing display of authenticated, modern Chinese coins ever seen in the United States," said Nicholas Brown of Majestic Rarities in Chicago who is exhibiting the large gold coins.

Many of the rare coins in this display have a low mintage of only 200 each or less. A highlight of the display will be the 1992 proof gold and silver one-kilo Lunar New Year commemorative coins. Only 21 of the gold coins were issued and only 185 of the silver. Both kilo-size coins depict all 12 animals of the Lunar New Year cycle, 1981 to 1992.

Federal appeals court judges expressed their worries about the fact that blind people are not able to distinguish between a $50 bill and a $1 bill. The judges, however, still hesitate on forcing the redesign of the U.S. currency.

The case rose after a judge stated that the government discriminated against sightless people because it keeps the banknotes in the same color, shape and texture. Although the judge gave several days to the Treasury Department to start solving the issue, while appeals play out, the question regarding changes still remained withheld.

The main distinction between a planchet and a coin blank is that the former has a raised rim, which is applied to the coin's blank with the help of an upsetting mill. The mill compresses the edge of the coin blank as it is rotated among two beveled surfaces. Errors that occur from planchet include all the mistakes that are a result of a defective blank; this does not depend on whether it has passed or not through the upsetting mill.

Planchet Error

The silver dollar coins, minted in 1799, have at least 11 obverse dies and 17 reverse dies, which are being used in about 23 various combinations. An increased number of silver dollar coins was the result of silver deposited in other sources besides Bank of North America. The amount of deposited silver improved in 1800.

Although the economy of the United States was declining, there was no obligation for the Mint to store silver dollar coins to only one depositor. Interesting to note that today about 16 different types of 1800 silver dollar coins can be found. Probably one of the most interesting among them being the coin where there is a misspelling on its reverse, saying AMERICAI. An important fact is that the dollar denomination was a single silver coin that the Mint struck in the period between 1798 and 1800.

The first gold coins in the United States were issued back in 1795. The Unites States Mint set the value of the U.S. Dollar at 24 grains of gold. The value was based in accordance with the world price on the precious metal, which at that time was $19.39 per troy ounce.

The U.S. gold coins started to be issued in seven different mints around the country as the Western Frontier of the Unites States began its expansion. The mints were set from Philadelphia to San Francisco. The sizes of coins varied from one dollar gold piece to fifty dollar denomination. It is worth mentioning that at that time the U.S. mints issued coins that were worth their weight in gold.

The increased number of U.S. silver dollar coins, which were produced in amount of about 72,920, was caused by the amount of bullion, which was deposited in the U.S. treasury, as well as the right of the Mint director to strike minor denomination U.S. coins throughout the 1796.

It is worth mentioning that the Royal Mint in Great Britain did not pay attention to small change silver coins.

In 1797 all silver coins denominations were produced in low quantity. Thus only 7,776 silver dollar coins were struck. The weak situation occurred due to a lack of silver bullion, which was deposited at the Mint.

1795 saw the starting point of a new design for the Draped Bust silver coin. The new design went through 1803, having 2 different reverse types.

Changes in designs occurred probably due to some political situations in 1795. The new designs replaced the old ones just like the Spanish colonial 8-reales changed their design from pillars and hemispheres to coins including the Spanish king, illustrating the fact that the coinage reform had occurred.

The denomination of the silver dollar did not proceed until 1794. This was mainly due to an issue related to the requisitioning of the needed silver. Thomas Jefferson, being the secretary of the State had been responsible for the country’s Mint. This however brought him to a personal conflict with Alexander Hamilton, who at that time was the Secretary of the Treasury. Due to this fact Hamilton wasn’t eager to assist in the needed requisitions for bullion, meant for striking silver dollar coins.

No one knows for sure, but it seems that dies for the Flowing Hair silver dollar were probably produced as late as September 1794. Robert Scot, who was at that time a Mint Engraver, was the one to create the design of the initial U.S. silver coins. Thus he was the one to design the Flowing Hair silver dollar.