Australia and China Offer ‘Year of the Mouse’ Commemorative Coins
The Chinese calendar offers an intriguing system of time measurement that predates all other calendars. For coin collectors, its yearly changing of themes also makes it well designed for commemorative coins.
February 7 marks the start of the 'Year of the Rat', which occurs once every 12 years. (Several past, present and next occurrence years are, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020.)
For this new year, there are several commemorative coins celebrating the event from at least two different countries.
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Bowers and Merena Sets Records at Orlando Rarities Sale on January...
Total Prices Realized Exceed $4.27 Million
1927-S Standing Liberty Quarter Strike Rarity in PCGS MS-65 FH Led the Way at $161,000
IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America's leading rare coin auction house, started the “fun” early in Florida last week with the January 2008 Orlando Rarities Sale. The sale was conducted in a single session on January 8 at the International Plaza Resort & Spa, two days prior to the Orlando F.U.N. Show. The auction offered 670 exceptional coin lots and realized $4,270,699 – a total that includes many record-setting sales among the individual lots.
“This was a small auction for us in terms of number of lots, but it was overwhelming in terms of the tremendous quality of coins that were offered,” said Steve Deeds, president 
of Bowers and Merena. “Any time we conduct a Rarities Sale we promise to offer only the finest specimens available, and this sale certainly didn’t disappoint interested bidders.”
Continued Deeds: “The highest single realized price in this sale was achieved by lot 179, a strike and condition rarity 1927-S Standing Liberty Quarter certified MS-65 Full Head by PCGS. The coin sold for $161,000, which is approximately 124 percent of the current Coin Dealer Newsletter ‘Greysheet’ ‘Ask’ price of $130,000.”
Bald Eagle Commemorative Coins for Sale January 15
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Judge Says, Unlock Shipwreck Treasure Secrets
Deep seas, adventure, mystery, suspense and a battle over who owns a sunken treasure ... they are the trappings of an action-adventure movie that could make hundreds of millions.
But it's not a movie. The money involved is no exaggeration and these are no mere plots titles. Everything is real. Florida based exploration, shipwreck and recovery company Odyssey Marine and the Spanish government have been waging a battle within the middle of a courtroom.
At stake are the rights to 17 tons of silver and gold coins - an enormous and extremely valuable coin hoard Odyssey discovered within the 'Black Swan', the code name they gave to the colonial-era shipwreck lying on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.
On Thursday, Judge Mark Pizzo of U.S. District Court in Tampa ruled that Odyssey Marine must provide the location of the Black Swan and provide Spain an opportunity to inspect the treasure. In return, all information must remain confidential to protect Odyssey's interests.
American Elements to Mint Coins from Rare and Advanced Metals for...
