CoinNews

U.S. treasure hunting company Odyssey Marine Exploration struck gold twice in a single week. The company announced Thursday it had discovered new shipwreck sites near the English Channel containing Colonial period artifacts.

That announcement came on the heels of Tuesday's revelation that Odyssey's adventures will be spotlighted on a Discovery Channel shipwreck series that will be seen around the world.

Odyssey has been fighting a huge legal battle with Spain over ownership of 17-tons of Colonial-era coins recovered in May of 2007. While those legal battles will wage on with several hundred million at stake, the latest news from Odyssey is fortuitous in its timing.

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New Zealand has issued commemorative silver and gold proof coins honoring the life achievements of Sir Edmund Hillary. The release of the proof coins mark the 55th anniversary of Hillary's adventurous climb of Mount Everest with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953. The two were the first climbers to conquer Everest.

Sir Edmund Hillary was 33 then, and lived on to accomplish other extraordinary feats during his 88-year lifetime. According to the New Zealand Post, who released the coins,

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2008 First Spouse gold coins and bronze medals honoring Louisa Adams may be purchased from the United States Mint Thursday, May 28. The Louisa Adams gold coins are the second for 2008 and sixth in the First Spouse Gold Coin Series - a series that started off blazing hot, but have drastically cooled due to prices and demand.

Martha Washington, Abigail Adams and Jefferson's Liberty First Spouse gold coins flew of the Mint shelves and sold at records speeds — within hours of their availability.

The fourth and fifth coins — Dolley Madison and Elizabeth Monroe — sputtered. Their demand in the secondary market cooled and the high price of gold made buying them a larger obstacle.

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