PHILADELPHIA – United States Mint Director Edmund C. Moy was on hand at the Philadelphia Mint for a ribbon cutting to commemorate the public release of the 2009 Ultra High Relief (UHR) Double Eagle gold coin. About 40 people were in attendance including several members of the Mint’s executive staff from Washington.
Director Moy opened the exhibit to the public which consisted of three display cases similar to those seen in the Mint booth at the ANA show in Baltimore this July. The first two display cases contained test UHR strikes at various tonnages, two plaster sculptures of the obverse and reverse of the UHR design:
View full article »
Filed Under:
Eagle,
Gold by jasonogrady —
Comments OffJanuary 23, 2009
2009 Ultra High Relief Gold Double Eagle Coin
Experts commend the new 2009 Ultra High Relief Gold Coin.
Watch the video!
A post on the Mint News Blog provides collectors with the price for the 2009 Ultra High Relief Gold Double Eagle.
The new pricing methodology is based primarily on the London Fix weekly average (average of the London Fix prices covering the previous Thursday a.m. Fix through the Wednesday a.m. Fix) platinum and gold prices, which reflect the market value of the platinum and gold bullion that these products contain.
As required by law, the prices of these products also must be sufficient to recover all other costs incurred by the United States Mint, such as the cost of minting, marketing, and distributing such products (including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and promotional and overhead expenses).
This pricing methodology will allow the United States Mint to change the prices of these products as often as weekly so they better reflect the costs of platinum and gold on the open markets.
Provided the average price of gold remains between $850 and $899.99, the price of the coin will be $1,239.00.
UPDATE 12/08/08: It appears that the discount has been reduced to 8% (It started at 30%). Oh well, it was nice while it lasted. I hope that you picked something up!
Using this technique you can earn 20% (up to $200) cash back on qualifying eBay purchases. Yes, Virginia that means gold!
For example you can find $50 Gold Eagles on eBay for as low as $950 (with free shipping). After the $200 cash back (which takes 60 days to receive), your net price is $750 which is less than the spot price of gold as of this writing.
That’s a great deal considering that the Mint has been sold out of gold Eagles for a while and that many dealers (including large Coin World advertisers like APMEX) are currently charging a $200 to $220 premium over spot for gold Eagles.
Note: You must follow this technique exactly. Do not complete the eBay purchase if you don’t see the 20% off icon on the eBay listing and on the eBay Commit To Buy/Checkout page. I will not be held liable for your eBay purchases so please read and understand this technique before completing your purchase.
Here’s the summary:
- You must have accounts eBay, PayPal and Live.com where the name, postal address and email address match. If you already have a Live/MSN/Passport account and you’re not positive that all your credentials match, it’s best to just create a new account on the MSN Live Cash Back page. Remember to use the same name, postal address and email address that you use on eBay and PayPal.
- Once you’re certain that all three accounts agree follow this link and click on the first “Silver For Sale” eBay link in the shaded box at the top of the search results. This takes you into eBay through a special “Live.com” door that allows the 20% cash back eligibility.
- Be sure that you stay in the same window on eBay that you entered from Live.com. Don’t switch windows or tabs in your Web browser or you may lose the special eBay “session” that gives you the cash back. I think that you only have an hour to make your purchase, so it’s best to “watch” the item on eBay before you enter.
- Since the maximum cash back on eBay is $200, you should try to find a product that is as close to $1,000 as possible to maximize this deal. I purchased a gold Eagle for $950 which will net out to only $750 after the cash back.
- It’s strictly limited to one per person (too bad!) – hence all the account verifications.
Good luck and have fun!
The United States Mint has chosen the nation’s largest coin show in Baltimore, Md., this summer to unveil the much-anticipated 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle gold coin-a modern version of what many call the most beautiful gold piece ever created. United States Mint Director Ed Moy will participate in the Opening Ceremony of the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money on Wednesday, July 30, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. and then officially open the United States Mint exhibit. The display at the United States Mint booth will show the development of this modern masterpiece-a one-ounce 24-karat (.9999 pure) gold Ultra High Relief Double Eagle.
Aided by advancements in technology, the United States Mint now can produce in quantity the ultra high relief coin envisioned, but never fully realized, by renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens in the early 20th century. The collectible coin will be about 50 percent thicker than other United States Mint one-ounce gold coins to achieve the greater depth and relief to which Saint-Gaudens aspired. Visitors will be able to feel the ultra high relief on a plaster of the coin that will be featured at the exhibit.
The World’s Fair of Money runs from July 30 – August 3, 2008 at the Baltimore Convention Center, One West Pratt Street – Baltimore, Maryland – 21201. Phone: 410-649-7000.
Read the rest of the press release at the U.S. Mint web site.
The first reported discovery was reported in the May 5 issue of Coin World. Leesburg, Ga. collector John Nanney notified them that he discovered an uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle with the Reverse of 2007 silver dollar on April 15.
The U.S. Mint estimates that 47,000 uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver dollars with the 2007 reverse designs were minted based on the fact that 15 of othe ‘07 reverse dies were found to have been used.
Silver Eagles issued in 2008 show numerous subtle modifications to their design. Many of the lettering changes can be seen on the obverse:
- The L in LIBERTY has an angled feature to the foot rather than two straight lines forming the letter. The foot of the letter is also shorter than prior years.
- The E of LIBERTY is also quite different in that the center portion extends to be in line with the upper extension of the letter. On prior years, the center stem does not extend to the length of the upper stem.
- The G of GOD has no serif.
- Probably the most obvious and interesting redesign effect is the U of TRUST as well as the U of UNITED on the coin’s reverse. On the 2008 issues the U is shaped as a small case “u” would be. That is, it shows the down stroke on the right side of the letter.
- The date is much smaller on the 2008 than on the 2007 dated American Silver Eagle
The United States Mint will begin accepting orders for the 2008 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins at 12:00 noon (ET) on May 5, 2008. This year’s coins feature the final design in the three-year series entitled, “The Foundations of American Democracy,” celebrating our Nation’s Judicial Branch of government.Emblazoned on the reverse of the 2008 American Eagle Platinum Proof Coins is an allegorical image of Lady Justice, a classic symbol dating back to the Greeks and Romans. Scales, suspended from a finger of her right hand, represent the delicate balance of the law. A sword in her left hand symbolizes the power of reason, which can be wielded in either direction. The bald eagle-our Nation’s symbol of courage and freedom-watches over our firm foundation of democracy.
Source: CoinLink.com
The Proof One Ounce coin will cost US$2,299.95, and the Proof Four-Coin Set will sell for US$4,119.95. Volatility in the spot price of platinum over the past year has forced the Mint to raise its prices for the Proof 2008-W American Eagle .9995 fine platinum coins, ranging 17.4 to 45 percent higher than 2007 prices.
Two reverse types have been discovered on uncirculated 2008-W American Eagle silver coins sold by the Mint directly to collectors, but Numismatic Guaranty Corp. says it is not yet known whether there are two types of reverses for the regular bullion coins sold through the Mint’s national authorized purchaser network.
One type is the same reverse as was used in 2007. The other type is one introduced this year.
“This is a significant hub variety,” says Rick Montgomery, NGC president. “It has very clear diagnostics, and appears on one of the most widely collected of all U.S. coins.”
The most obvious identification diagnostic, NGC says, is the “U” of UNITED on the coin’s reverse. On the Reverse of 2008, as the new type has been designated, the “U” has a spur on the right side of the letter.
Source: Numismaster
The U.S. Mint press relations office provided some interesting information about this variety and the minting of Silver Eagles in general. Here are some of the facts they provided:
- Approximately 47,000 2008-W Silver Eagles were released with the 2007 reverse type.
- The reason for the change in hub is that the Mint has upgraded from using hand-engraved hub creation methods, to digital engraving methods.
- The Mint believes that 15 dies with the 2007 Reverse type were involved.
- The variety was created during 3 production shifts, which is how the Mint arrived at its estimate of the number of coins involved.
- The U.S. Mint marketing materials depicted the 2007 reverse type.
- The Mint did not plan for the hub change to happen mid-year, and has confirmed it was unintentional that the 2007 Reverses were used for 2008.
