The U.S. Mint will issue several new coin products next week. To order coins from the mint, visit their website at www.usmint.gov, or call them at 1-800-USA-MINT.
On Aug. 13, the mint will debut a holiday ornament called “Mighty Minters.” This will feature a design showing cartoon characters with a Kennedy half dollar set into the center. The next day, another holiday ornament will be offered with a wreath design surrounding a Kennedy Half dollar.
On Aug. 15, the 2019 American Liberty gold one ounce coin will debut. This will feature a modern style liberty head on the obverse, with flowing hair and rays emanating behind her head, with an American eagle on the reverse. For those who cannot afford a one ounce gold version, it will be offered with the same design in a silver medal.
A coin show will be held on Aug. 11 at The Elks Lodge on Route 12 (794 Southbridge St.) in Auburn from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Admission and off-street parking are free.
This column has covered U.S. postage stamp issues since its beginning in 1975. This writer has been asked, “Do you buy all of the stamps that the post office issues?”
Even though I have been a stamp dealer longer than I’ve written this column, the answer is “no.” The stamp hobby has aged over the years, with very few young people showing much interest in it. I have not maintained a comprehensive stamp “stock” or inventory for almost 30 years, mainly dealing in collections and better individual items.
I still collect stamps, but with a concentration in two specific U.S. topics, and a foreign country of his ancestry. Stamps do not make a good “investment” for future value growth, unless one has a large budget to purchase recognized rarities in nice condition.
People still collect stamps, even United States ones as they are issued. The last new issue stamp I purchased was a pane of the Golden Spike anniversary triplet issue that appeared earlier this year. They were in a unique format for a U.S. issue, and accurately depicted an important historical event.
The satisfaction of a hobby should be derived from the enjoyment of finding items you want to collect, and arranging them in an album. You can enjoy low-priced stamps, if you collect a certain topic that has meaning to you.