Friday, June 21, 2019

Stater of Kherei

DYNASTS OF LYCIA. Kherei, circa 430-410 BC. Stater, Tlos mint.
Obv: Helmeted head of Athena to right.
Rev: πŠœπŠ•πŠπŠ•πŠšπŠ†πŠ›πŠ‹-πŠ—πŠπŠ€πŠ‡πŠ† (Lycian; =kerαΊ½i-tlawi); Gorgoneion within border of dots in a circular incuse.

There are two or three known examples. The photo is my composite of the Jameson specimen and the example auctioned in Switzerland by Nomos.

The inscription is in Lycian and names the ruler and the city of issue.

Saturday, June 15, 2019

US Mint suspends redemption program

A Coin World article by Paul Gilkes reports that the US Mint has suspended the Mutilated Coin Redemption Program “pending the development of additional safeguard”.

As previously reported here, the US government pays $19.84/pound for dimes, quarters and half dollars that are bent, broken or corroded. Chinese recyclers were returning 'coins' that did not have the metallic composition of original coins. Every year millions of dollars of such coins are somehow being found in China by firms that recycle cars and electronic equipment.