'Doomsday Coin' Marks End of the World, Not

Rev. Harold Camping missed the mark a couple of times in 2011, predicting an end to the world that somehow failed to occur. Anyway, a few of the survivors might want a souvenir and if so, a marketer is ready with "The Doomsday Coin."

Tracking the So-Called "Tribute Medal" Copies of Great Art Medals

A new type of copy or replica has appeared recently on eBay termed a "tribute medal," these are inexpensive pewter versions of (mainly) art medals by the great medallists. I bought two and asked the seller for more info which he declined to provide. Unlike coins, there is no prohibition that I know of against copying art medals, still, my concern is that the next seller may not be so forthright in describing the item, perhaps at the expense of unwary newcomers to the field. I queried various experts and received various opinions on the matter, and I will mention the results in an article soon. Meanwhile, I notice in the E-Sylum newsletter of numismatic bibliophiles that I am not alone in my interest. A note from their latest newsletter follows:

QUERY: PEWTER TRIBUTE MEDALS INFORMATION SOUGHT

L. Michael Lawrence submitted this question for our readers. Can anyone help? -Editor

As a collector of French Art Nouveau medals, I have noted the recent appearance of "Pewter Tribute Medals" offered in the last few months by a single U.S. eBay seller. These pieces are inexpensive and appear to be modern reproductions of a variety of French medals, most notably of the Orpheus by Coudray.

Having purchased two of them, I observe that they are nicely done and quite accurate (Orpheus images attached). I have attempted to discover more about the origin and manufacture of these pieces by searching the internet and inquiring of the seller, but all websites lead right back to the eBay seller who is very polite but does not offer any details.

I'm curious to learn where and how these pieces are being made and seek input or information fromE-Sylum readers.

One Ton Gold Coin Minted in Australia

A one ton gold coin valued at one million Australian dollars has been produced to promote sales of the Australian gold kangaroo coin. Story and photo here.

Buyer Beware: Looted Treasure of Benghazi

The recent dust-up in Libya offered great opportunities for thievery. Noting the incredible quantity of stolen coins, collectors are wondering what the impact will be on the market -- however, with no documentation and no photographs, Libyan officials will be hardpressed to identify the stolen tgreasure if it is pieced out. Story here.

Rare (Maybe a Million$) Coin Missing From Brinks Delivery

A very rare double eagle was found to be missing from a Brinks shipment upon arrival at Heritage auction house. The shipper, an authentication company, apparently has tapes showing that the coin was safely passed along to Brinks. It would seem a simple matter to determine who had access up to the time of delivery to Heritage ... we'll see. Story here.

Order of the Golden Fleece Alive and Well

The Order of the Golden Fleece, mentioned in reference to several noble medallions, was established as a clever political maneuver in the days of the 100 Year War. The Order survives, though now as two entities. "The Spanish branch is presided by Juan Carlos I of Spain since 1938. He has turned the Order into a truly royal community. Members (current or former) are inter alia (in order of joining): Constantine, King of Greece, Charles Gustav, King of Sweden, Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Akihito, Emperor of Japan, Hussein, King of Jordan, Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands, Margrethe, Queen of Denmark, Elizabeth, Queen of the Commonwealth realms, Albert II, King of the Belgians and Harald V of Norway." More about the Order here.

A Different Take on Coins as Art

As you would note if visiting my art medal site mentioned in the side panel, I collect and sell coins and medals of interest for their images. I like it that the "root of all evil" can have artistic value. Although I use coins decoratively I hadn't considered the possibilities of volume -- as in creating a work using 250,000 Euro cents! It happened in Amsterdam in 2008. See the result here.