By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek ….
As of October 21, 2023, charges have been filed against four suspects in the Philadelphia-area theft of $234,500 worth of dimes on April 13. The crime occurred in a Wal-Mart parking lot where the driver of a tractor-trailer coming from the United States Mint had stopped to take a break.
suspects robbed other tractor-trailers in the area
would attack when parked for break
removed driver
opened back with bolt cutters
hauled opportunistic stolen goods off in white cargo truck
had to break open pallettes of dimes
put dimes in small bags
put dimes into coinstar machines in MD over the next weeks
also deposited in banks near philly
but the coins deposited and sold to coinstar were only a couple grand in face
Rakiem Savage, 25
Ronald Byrd, 31
Haneef Palmer, 30
Malik Palmer, 32
all four from Philadelphia
currently held by FBI
charged w/ conspiracy, robbery, theft of government money
could face dozens of years in prison
Recent Alerts from Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) ……
Gold Bars Stolen in Texas Residential Burglary
The North Richland Hills, Texas Police Department is investigating a residential burglary resulting in the loss of 100 one-ounce gold bars from the Royal Canadian Mint. The carded bars were housed in boxes of 25. The investigation is on-going and investigators are asking for assistance from any dealer who may be offered this kind of bar in quantity.
Persons of Interest in Pennsylvania Coin Show Thefts
Coin Show theft suspects. Images: NCIC.
NCIC has been working with several law enforcement agencies who are investigating coin show thefts. The subjects pictured below are persons of interest and were photographed and videoed in or around the shows. Dealers or collectors who may have seen or come into contact with these subjects should contact Doug@numismaticcrimes.org.
Bad Check for California Bullion Order
A California dealer received a suspicious bullion order in the amount of $10,471.00 USD from a subject using the name of “Ethan Wootton”. The e-check was written on TD Bank. The dealer’s bank was unable to locate an account on the check and fortunately the product was not shipped.
Check information:
TD Bank
Account Holder:
Ethan Wootton
San Francisco, CA
Routing number: 000000106
NCIC was unable to locate a TD Bank with routing number 000000106. Dealers should use caution if contacted by the subject or any checks written on TD Bank.
Numismatic Threat an Ongoing Fight
Collectors and dealers are facing tremendous challenges related to theft, fraud, and robbery as the incidence of numismatic and retail crime escalates across the country. Factors contributing to this trend include economic conditions, social issues, and the prevalence of organized crime.
The Numismatic Crime Information Center has seen a steady increase in organized criminal groups targeting coin shops and local shows. Numismatic items have significant market value, making them lucrative targets for theft by organized crime groups. This type of criminal activity is alarming due to the potential for violence against collectors and dealers.
NCIC is committed to safeguarding the integrity of the numismatic community and industry by tackling criminal activities such as organized crime, fraud, robbery, postal thefts, and counterfeits. Our recent efforts have resulted in numerous successful recoveries, arrests, and convictions:
NCIC participated in the arrest and conviction of a postal employee involved in the theft of over one million dollars in coins and precious metals.
NCIC’s email alert network system was responsible for the recovery of over $40,000 in currency that was reported in 2021.
NCIC’s tracking of organized Romanian gangs targeting coin shows and shops resulted in six arrests with the assistance of U.S. and International law enforcement partners.
NCIC’s growing email crime alert system and the ability to disseminate real-time numismatic crime information expeditiously has become a major investigative resource and crime prevention tool.
However, this important mission is not without its challenges. With rising expenses, your financial support is needed more than ever to sustain NCIC’s operations. This is where you can be effective.
Your financial support, will continue to directly contribute to:
Funding investigations: your support will enable NCIC to investigate and resolve numismatic crimes effectively and bring criminals to justice.
Educational Outreach: Your donation will aid in the creation of educational resources and outreach programs that promote awareness of numismatic crimes and teach collectors and dealers on how to protect themselves.
Technology Enhancement: NCIC needs updated technology and databases to stay ahead of criminals. Your donation can help invest in tools necessary to combat on-going modern criminal threats.
Community Building: By supporting NCIC, you are helping to strengthen the bonds within the numismatic community and law enforcement.
Investigative tools and Resources: Your support allows NCIC to develop and create the necessary tools and resources to effectively investigate crimes related to coins and precious metals.
As the year ends, I hope you will consider sending a tax-deductible donation to help NCIC continue to provide the numismatic community and law enforcement with free investigative and educational resources.
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to the Numismatic Crime Information Center’s mission. Your generous tax-deductible donation matters in the fight against numismatic crime. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 14080, Arlington, Texas, 76094, or PayPal.
Recent Alerts from Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) ……
Facebook Counterfeit Bullion Suspect Arrested in Alabama
A Sylacauga, Alabama man has been arrested for selling counterfeit gold bars. Dylan Jemison was arrested after selling counterfeit carded gold Argor Heraeus bars to individuals on Facebook Marketplace. The suspect was in possession of dozens of counterfeit bars. Jemison was charged with a third degree felony.
Dealer Pieter Liem of the Coin and Currency Exchange was the victim of theft after leaving the recent Nuphilex Coin and Stamp Show in Montreal, Canada on November 5, 2023. The victim stopped in Kingston, Ontario, where the suspect or suspects removed several bags from Liem’s vehicle. The stolen bags were tracked to an apartment in Montreal but trackers were disabled shortly before authorities arrived. It is believed that the suspect/suspects and stolen inventory is in the Montreal or greater Quebec area. The investigation is on-going and further details will follow.
60 sets 1 cent-$1 from 1961-67 in hard plastic holders
300-500 graded bank notes
1969 Specimen $20 bill with Serial #1
Devils Face $1000 PCGS 53
Various Chartered Banknotes
Large number of slabbed World Bank notes Indonesia, Bahamas, Netherlands, France, England, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Scotland, Timor
U.S. currency $85,000 including several mint packs of $5, $10 and $20’s
Canadian currency $30,000
Key date Morgan and Peace dollars and many other coins
Dealer Theft After Pennsylvania Coin Show
A dealer attending the Meadville, Pennsylvania coin show on November 5, 2023, was packing up after the show and when he left the bourse floor to get his vehicle, an unknown suspect took two black catalog-style carrying cases containing gold coins from his table. The suspect left and video shows a second suspect waiting outside. Investigators are reviewing video for photos and possible suspect vehicle.
A partial list of the stolen coins:
American Eagle sets 4 coins each
12- Gold coins type set
1990 Proof Eagle set in box (5 coin set)
2008 Gold Buffalo 4 coin set
2-Rolls 1/10 gold Eagles, Krugerrand, Maples
4-1986 gold 1/10 Eagles
4-Gold ¼ oz Eagles
1904 20 Dollar Gold ANACS MS Details
1924 20 Dollar Gold ANACS 7205024
1907 10 Dollar AU50 5138343
1908-S 10 Dollar VF35 4631216-031
1909-D 10 Dollar EF40 5154527
1913 10 Dollar EF45 7545015
1913 10 Dollar AU53 25542313
1926 MS61 10 Dollar 222391-005
1881 10 Dollar A-56 7125549
1881-S 10 Dollar AU58 5153517
1961 10 Dollar HS 02 6677686-001
1882 10 Dollar AU50 Details 7355676
1894 10 Dollar AU55 7355077
1907 10 Dollar AU50 Details 5138343
1881 5 Dollar AU55 5287398
1881 5 Dollar AU55 5013180
1882 5 Dollar AU50 528746
1893 5 Dollar AU50 5212689
1893 5 Dollar AU53 7185550
1893-CC 5 Dollar AU Details 6677686-004
1895 5 Dollar AU53 5287397
1895 5 Dollar AU58 Details 7546423
1900 5 Dollar AU50 cleaned 7546427
1901-S 5 Dollar AU58 5153515
1908 5 Dollar AU50 NGE 634496-001
1911 5 Dollar AU58 5229647
1912 5 Dollar AU58
1913 5 Dollar Details 5957140-004
1903 2.5 Dollar A55 cleaned 5229646
1908 2.5 Dollar AU58 Details 5153875
1910 2.5 Dollar AU53 5211854
1911 2.5 Dollar AU50 Details 7396013
1911-D 2.5 Dollar AU55 NGC 2599252-001
1912 2.5 Dollar AU55
1914-D 2.5 Dollar AU55 5138213
1927 2.5 Dollar 1CG
1926 2:5 Dollar AU58 5213042
1927 2.5 Dollar AU58 735503
1928 2.5 Dollar AU58 7546430
1906 20 Franc AU55 Details 5155112
1854 1 Dollar AU Details 6677686-008
651AD Byzantine Heraditus (Type 2?) Gold Coin
651AD Byzantine Gold Coin Maurtiberi
Lost/Stolen from Mail: USPS – California to Florida
A package being sent overnight via USPS has been reported lost/stolen. The package was last scanned in Boca Raton, Florida.
The package contained the following two notes:
$50 gold certificate star note in a PMG 12 holder Serial #00008795A
1935-F $1 star note with serial number *65399715F
Stolen from Mail: USPS – New Jersey to California
A package shipped USPS from New Jersey to California has been reported missing/stolen. The package was received damaged and contents missing.
The package contained the following coin:
1888-O TOP-100 $1 Vam-183 DBO Scarface LDS NGC MS63 6510768-001
Stolen from Mail: USPS – Austin, Texas
A package shipped to Austin, Texas has been reported stolen. The package was delivered and stolen from the recipient’s public mailroom.
The package contained the following coins:
3- 1986 Silver Eagle NGC MS70 Cert# 6615570-002,003,004
1- 1987 Silver Eagle NGC MS70 Cert# 6615570-007
7- 1988 Silver Eagle NGC MS70 Cert# 6615570-017,018,019,020021,022,023
3- 1990 Silver Eagle NGC MS70 Cert# 6615570-024,028,032
1- 2000 Silver Eagle NGC MS70 Cert# 6615570-036
* * *
Please contact the Numismatic Crime Information Center’s Doug Davis if you have questions or information about any of the cases above. You can reach him at (817) 723-7231, or email him at doug@numismaticcrimes.org.
The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation whose mission is to serve as a national and international resource for collectors, dealers and law enforcement in the education, prevention and investigation of crimes involving coins, paper money, tokens, medals and related numismatic items.
NCIC disseminates current crime related issues to the numismatic industry and provides local, state and federal law enforcement agencies with the fundamental investigative techniques, knowledge and understanding to respond effectively to the complex challenges encountered during a crime.
Recent Alerts from Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) ……
Numismatic Crime Information Center Annouces Recovery of $1,000 Note
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office in Floridahad been investigating a theft from a dealer who attended the Palm Beach Coin Show on September 25, 2023. The dealer had reported the theft of a PMG-graded 1934A $1,000 Federal Reserve Note (Serial No. G00250564A) from his table. The victim has reported that the note has been recovered. No further details are available at this time.
Lost/Stolen Canadian Banknotes Recovered
Due to the assistance of FedEx and a Florida dealer, the notes listed in the PDF links below have been recovered. A FedEx package had been shipped from Canada to California and was received without the contents. The package contained a group of Canadian notes.
North Carolina Numismatic Association Coin Show Theft
A dealer at the recent North Carolina Numismatic Association coin show in Concord, NC, has reported the theft of two Morgan silver dollar coins. The dealer believes the crime occurred when a group of people were at his table. One suspect engaged him in a long conversation while showing him multiple coins and it is believed that the other suspects removed the coins.
A police report has been filed with the Concord, NC police department: Case #02711.
Below are the stolen coins:
1885-CC PCGS MS65 – Cert#15383412
1892 PCGS PF63 – Cert#38557340
Stolen from Mail: USPS – Massachusetts to California
A package shipped Priority Mail from Massachusetts to California on October 17, 2023, via the United States Postal Service (USPS) was returned to the sender empty. Upon examination by the victim, it was apparent that the package had been opened and re-taped.
The following coin was stolen:
1851-O Gold one dollar PCGS MS65 Cert# 46849885
Arizona Fraudster Makes Large Bullion Purchase with Bad Check
The suspect pictured below entered the Sun West Credit Union and used a fake driver’s license to obtain a cashier’s check for $135,000. The suspect then took the check and purchased 50 Rand Refinery gold bars and 19 Krugerrands from a local dealer.
The check was deposited and cleared the same day but was voided three business days later. Phoenix, Arizona police are currently investigating: Case #2023-1590670.
Investigators are seeking any additional information on this incident.
* * *
Please contact the Numismatic Crime Information Center’s Doug Davis if you have questions or information about any of the cases above. You can reach him at (817) 723-7231, or email him at doug@numismaticcrimes.org.
The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation whose mission is to serve as a national and international resource for collectors, dealers and law enforcement in the education, prevention and investigation of crimes involving coins, paper money, tokens, medals and related numismatic items.
NCIC disseminates current crime related issues to the numismatic industry and provides local, state and federal law enforcement agencies with the fundamental investigative techniques, knowledge and understanding to respond effectively to the complex challenges encountered during a crime.
On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and 30 state securities regulatory agencies that are members of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced the entry of a consent order in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Safeguard Metals LLC and Jeffrey Ikahn (formerly Jeffrey Santulan a/k/a Jeffrey Hill), finding them liable for operating a nationwide $68 million USD fraudulent scheme involving the sale of overpriced silver coins that targeted the elderly and retirement-aged people.
In addition to finding the defendants liable for fraud, the order enjoins them from future violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations, as charged; future violations of state laws and regulations, as charged; and from trading or registering with the CFTC and the states in this action. The order further reserves determination of the amounts of restitution, disgorgement, and civil monetary penalty for future decision by the court or by consent.
“The defendants targeted elderly victims to liquidate their retirement savings to invest in a precious metals scam,” said Director of Enforcement Ian McGinley. “Working closely with the 30 state co-plaintiffs, this resolution as to liability is a critical step in addressing the defendants’ fraud.”
Precious Metals Fraud Case Background
The order finds Safeguard Metals and Ikahn executed a nationwide fraud, from approximately October 2017 through at least July 2021, in which the defendants solicited and received approximately $68 million in investor funds. The majority of the funds were retirement savings solicited from approximately 450 people to purchase precious metals, primarily silver coins.
The order finds the defendants’ fraudulent scheme involved deceiving customers into purchasing precious metals through false and misleading statements, including about the risk and safety of their investments in traditional retirement accounts. The defendants also deceived customers into purchasing silver coins at prices that included grossly inflated price markups that vastly exceeded the price markups disclosed to customers. For example, customers paid an average markup of 71% when the customer agreement stated the defendants would charge a maximum markup of 23% on silver coins. These excessive markups caused customers an immediate and substantial loss on their investment. Also, to disguise their fraudulent scheme, the defendants misled their customers about the true value of the silver coins they purchased.
Parallel Civil Action
In a parallel, separate action, on February 1, 2022, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil action against Safeguard Metals and Ikahn for violations arising from the fraudulent precious metals scheme and fraudulently overpriced silver coins, and for rendering unlawful investment advice. SEC v. Safeguard Metals, Case No. 2:22-cv-00693 JFW (C.D. Cal. Feb. 1, 2022). On June 14, the SEC entered a similar consent order with the defendants where they admitted liability. The consent order enjoined them from further violations, and allowed the amount of disgorgement and civil monetary penalty to be determined at a later date.
The CFTC and NASAA thank and acknowledge the assistance of the SEC.
* * * * * *
CFTC’s Precious Metals Customer Fraud Advisory
The CFTC has issued several customer protection Fraud Advisories that provide the warning signs of fraud, including the Precious Metals Fraud Advisory, which alerts customers to precious metals fraud and lists simple ways to spot precious metals scams.
The CFTC also strongly urges the public to verify a company’s registration with the CFTC before committing funds. If unregistered, a customer should be wary of providing funds to that entity. A company’s registration status can be found at NFA BASIC.
Customers and other individuals can report suspicious activities or information, such as possible violations of commodity trading laws, to the Division of Enforcement via a toll-free hotline 866-FON-CFTC (866-366-2382), file a tip or complaint online, or contact the Whistleblower Office. Whistleblowers are eligible to receive between 10% and 30% of the monetary sanctions collected paid from the Customer Protection Fund financed through monetary sanctions paid to the CFTC by violators of the CEA.
NASAA’s Precious Metals Investor Advisory
NASAA and its members have issued a series of investor advisories, including an advisory on matters to consider before making gold-related investments.
Investors should also contact their state or provincial securities regulator with questions about any investment opportunity or the person offering it for sale before investing in the product. For contact information, visit the NASAA website here.
Recent Numismatic Crime Alerts from Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Vehicle Burglary at Michigan Coin Show The Allen Park, Michigan Police Department is investigating a vehicle burglary that occurred on October 1, 2023. A dealer loading up after the monthly Allen Park coin show told police that a […]
Whether a dealer or collector, here are some tips and suggestions for protecting your rare coins By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… The rare coin business produces billions of dollars in revenue each year. In fact, a few companies can boast of billion-dollar-plus revenues individually. With this much money floating around, […]
Funds stolen from tax-deferred retirement accounts Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI) announced on September 28, 2023 a joint civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against precious metals dealer Regal […]
Recent Numismatic Crime as Reported by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Vehicle Burglary – Simi Valley, California Police in Simi Valley, California are investigating the burglary of a large number of PCGS-certified coins from a collector’s vehicle. The victim had stopped at a business and upon returning to […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on Tuesday, September 26, that it has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas against Dallas-based Damien Moran and precious metals dealer companies Crown Bullion, Inc. and Bright Future Financial LLC (also d/b/a Oakhurst Metals) […]
By CoinWeek …. Civil forfeiture is a controversial tactic of government and law enforcement agencies. Your property can be taken without criminal charges levied against you, and it’s up to the Government to decide when (or if) you get it back. But two people in the Los Angeles area–people who might be considered typical bullion […]
Recent Numismatic Crime as Reported by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Show Theft – Lansing, Michigan Police in Lansing, Michigan are investigating a theft at the Lansing Coin Show on September 2. A female suspect stole a tub of coins from a dealer’s table while the dealer […]
A Report on Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Mail Fraud: Bad Checks for Bullion Orders A dealer in Manakin Sabot, Virginia has reported receiving bad checks through the United States Postal Service from an individual who tried to order over $70,000 USD in coins […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Firday, August 11, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against Rene Larralde of Melbourne, Florida; Juan Pablo Valcarce of West Melbourne, Florida; Brian Early of New Orleans, Louisiana; Alisha Ann […]
A Report on Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Theft Suspect Detained at St. Louis Coin Show The subject pictured below was caught stealing at the Missouri Numismatic Society’s (MNS) coin show in St. Charles. Anyone who has seen or done business with this individual […]
The altered date on this half dollar imitates a true numismatic rarity Altered Date Counterfeits by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… In the early part of the 19th century, the fledgling United States was in a crisis. US merchant ships were being blocked from conducting trade with mainland Europe by the British Royal Navy. This lead to […]
Coin theft is one of the biggest threats coin dealers face, whether they are working out of a brick-and-mortar storefront or attending coin shows halfway across the country By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for CoinWeek.com …… It doesn’t matter how big a show is or where it’s held, all coin shows present inherent security risks. […]
A Report on Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen in Transit: UPS – Texas to California A package being shipped from Texas to Los Angeles, California was picked up by the recipient at a UPS store and found the contents missing. The package contained […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Monday, July 3, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge Richard G. Andrews of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware entered a consent order against Argent Asset Group LLC and First State Depository Company, LLC (FSD) on June 20. In addition, on June […]
To address the mass proliferation of counterfeits plaguing the U.S. marketplace, the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) in partnership with the U.S. Treasury Department and in cooperation with the American Numismatic Association (ANA) will sponsor an accredited seminar for local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Entitled, “Counterfeit Coins, Precious Metals, Numismatic and Financial Crime […]
Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen in Transit: UPS – New York to Maryland A package shipped via UPS overnight from New York to Maryland has been reported stolen/lost. The package was reported damaged and the contents missing. Coins Lost/Stolen: 2022 American Gold Buffalo […]
Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen in Transit: USPS – Chicago A USPS Registered Mail package has been reported lost/stolen. The package was shipped from North Carolina and the last scan showed it had been received at a Chicago distribution facility. The package contained […]
Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen in Transit: USPS – Texas to Georgia A USPS Express Mail package being shipped from Dallas, Texas, to Georgia arrived with the contents missing. The recipient observed that the package had been cut open and contents removed. The […]
On Monday, May 15, 2023, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and state regulators in California and Hawaii announced they have filed a joint civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against a precious metals dealer, its chief executive officer (CEO), and a senior account executive for perpetrating a […]
Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Residential Theft in Georgia The Screven, GA Police Department is investigating a residential theft that resulted in the loss of the coins listed below: Lost/Stolen in Transit: UPS – Germany to New York A UPS package being shipped from […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, it has filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York against two affiliated precious metals dealers located in Los Angeles, California: Fisher Capital LLC and AMS Consulting Solutions […]
CBS has given an update on a U.S. Mint delivery of millions of dimes stolen from a truck in Philadelphia CBS Philadelphia reports that a truck containing dimes from the Philadelphia Mint was broken into early in the morning of April 13, resulting in two million dimes–$200,000 USD–being stolen. The break-in occurred sometime after […]
By Doug Davis – President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Suspect Arrested in Counterfeit CSA Note Case On February 22, 2023, the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) sent out an alert requesting information on a person of interest, Jeremy Tewell, regarding an ongoing investigation involving counterfeit CSA notes. The subject was arrested on March […]
Recent examples of fake “certified” Morgan and Peace dollars have been found with the same certification numbers on the encapsulation inserts, cautions the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF). “Unsuspecting buyers may find that the cert number perfectly matches the coin when they look it up on a legitimate authentication company’s website, but counterfeiters are spewing out […]
Two people were charged in connection with the thefts of rare coins and bullion coins mailed to customers from Beaumont, Texas. One of the suspects was an employee of the United States Postal Service (USPS) who is now awaiting federal sentencing along with forfeiture of funds. The other suspect was her adult son who died […]
By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The United States Mint had high hopes when it introduced the Trade dollar in 1873. Silver miners believed that the Chinese market held incredible potential, but it never lived up to expectations. Millions of Trade dollars also found their way into circulation in the U.S. at a time when […]
Telltale clues indicate this fake originated from a later coin By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The early years of the United States Mint saw some rather uncouth practices in striking coins that would not be tolerated today, such as the creation of “overdates”, in which a die from a previous year was repunched […]
By the European Central Bank (ECB) …… 376,000 counterfeit euro banknotes withdrawn from circulation in 2022, second-lowest level ever in proportion to total banknotes in circulation Around two-thirds of withdrawn counterfeits were €20 and €50 banknotes Authenticity of euro banknotes verified using “feel, look, and tilt” method * * * Some 376,000 counterfeit euro banknotes […]
By Doug Davis – President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Suspects Arrested in Coin Dealer Vehicle Burglary A coin dealer heading home from the recent Tennessee State Numismatic Society (TSNS) show was the victim of a vehicle burglary. The victim stopped to eat and while inside two suspects gained entry into the vehicle. A […]
“The world is becoming less secure and coin shows are increasingly a target for both sophisticated and novice criminals looking to make a quick score,” cautions Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) Executive Director Robert Brueggeman, who also is the founder of Positive Protection, Inc., a nationwide security company. To reduce the odds of becoming a victim, […]
By Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) ….. The classic commemorative series, while full of some of the best-designed United States coins of the 20th century, essentially was used to make money for various causes. Such was the case with the 1922 Grant commemorative half dollars. In 1921, the Ulysses S. Grant Centenary Association wanted to coordinate […]
By Doug Davis – President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Shop Burglary – Florida The Bay County Sheriff’s Deptartment is investigating the early morning burglary of PCB Coins and Cards in Panama City, Florida on February 16. The suspects gained entry by using a sledgehammer to breach the front glass door. Once inside, […]
Investigators discover more than 300 websites selling counterfeit “rare coins” and “precious metal” items, including some advertisers on Walmart.com A Long Island, New York investor mistakenly thought he could make a quick profit of at least several hundred dollars on an online purchase of coins from a vendor he found advertising at www.Walmart.com. Instead, […]
Investigators discover more than 300 websites selling counterfeit “rare coins” and “precious metal” items, including some advertisers on Walmart.com A Long Island, New York investor mistakenly thought he could make a quick profit of at least several hundred dollars on an online purchase of coins from a vendor he found advertising at www.Walmart.com. Instead, […]
Investigators discover more than 300 websites selling counterfeit “rare coins” and “precious metal” items, including some advertisers on Walmart.com A Long Island, New York investor mistakenly thought he could make a quick profit of at least several hundred dollars on an online purchase of coins from a vendor he found advertising at www.Walmart.com. Instead, […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This latest installment is on an earlier series of the quarter denomination based on a B-10 1818 Capped Bust variety, picked by the counterfeiters to spawn a family of fakes. The first image is of a genuine example courtesy of PCGS; the die scratch from […]
The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) recently conducted an eight-hour class, “Counterfeit Coin and Precious Metals Investigations” to 35 Kansas and Missouri local, state and federal law enforcement investigators. Participants in the ACEF seminar were shown examples of fake numismatic items during the training session held in the Kansas City suburb of Mission, Kansas. “This educational […]
The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) recently conducted an eight-hour class, “Counterfeit Coin and Precious Metals Investigations” to 35 Kansas and Missouri local, state and federal law enforcement investigators. Participants in the ACEF seminar were shown examples of fake numismatic items during the training session held in the Kansas City suburb of Mission, Kansas. “This educational […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This latest installment is on an earlier series of the quarter denomination based on a B-10 1818 Capped Bust variety, picked by the counterfeiters to spawn a family of fakes. The first image is of a genuine example courtesy of PCGS; the die scratch from the […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Alert: Suspects Traveling in Gold Theft On October 28, 2022, the subjects pictured below were responsible for the theft of seven one-ounce American Gold Eagles from a coin shop in Texarkana, Texas. The subjects entered the shop wanting to buy several one-ounce […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, District of Montana …… On Monday, November 7, 2022, a Colorado man who admitted to defrauding a Montana family of $391,280 USD by purporting to invest the money in gold in Africa was sentenced to 27 months in prison and fined $5,000, to be followed by three years of […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Shop Burglary – Stockton, California The Stockton Police Department is investigating a burglary of Avenue Coins. At approximately 2:15 am on October 13, 2022, three vehicles occupied by seven males wearing hoodies and armed with bolt cutters and a pry-bar breached […]
One of the most sophisticated euro counterfeits ever detected in the EU By Europol …… On September 21, 2022, Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Spanish Regional Catalan Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) to dismantle an organized crime group involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes. The police intervention […]
One of the most sophisticated euro counterfeits ever detected in the EU By Europol …… On September 21, 2022, Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Spanish Regional Catalan Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) to dismantle an organized crime group involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit euro banknotes. The police […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware against a precious metals dealer, Argent Asset Group LLC, and a precious metals depository, First State Depository Company, LLC, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen in Transit: FedEx – Arizona to Florida A package being sent via FedEx has been reported stolen/lost. The package was last scanned at the FedEx hub in Memphis, Tennessee. FedEx has been unable to locate the package. Lost/Stolen Coins: 315 Bolivia […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Thursday, September 22, 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued an order filing and simultaneously settling charges against Goldline, Inc. and A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc., both California companies, for fraud in connection with off-exchange retail commodity transactions; failing to register as a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM); […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen in Transit: USPS – New York to Oregon A package being sent from New York to Oregon was received by the recipient with the contents removed. One end of the package had been opened and re-taped. The package contained the following […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) for CoinWeek ….. In my previous CoinWeek article on these 1833 “N-5” counterfeits, I cited the genuine source coin used to create the dies for the fakes. That example has a couple of key “attribution” defects that should be unique only to it but were transferred into […]
New coins depicting King Charles III are expected to be popular with the public and collectors when The Royal Mint strikes and distributes them, according to the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG). However, the nonprofit coin dealer’s organization cautions that consumers and investors should know the difference between official legal tender and coins issued by countries […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Burglary – Phoneix, Arizona The Phoenix Police Department is investigating a commercial burglary where the suspects pried open an inside office door and stole coins packaged for shipping the next day. No additional information is available at this time. Stolen Coins: […]
On August 15, 2022, during setup of the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) World’s Fair of Money in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, a dealer had a display case of Rolex watches and coins stolen. Over the past several months, organized groups have been targeting coin shows and coin shops. These offenses are becoming serious issues […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Show Dealers Becoming High-Profile Targets During the past several months, organized groups have been targeting coin shows and coin shops. However, most recently, the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) has seen coin show dealers becoming high-profile targets, and offenses have occurred […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… USPS: Stolen/Missing – New Jersey to California A package being shipped from New Jersey to Torrance, California was received by the recipient already sliced open and with four coins removed. The package contained the following coins: 1938-D BUFFALO 5C MS66 PCGS SERIAL […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Friday, August 5, 2022, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada against Daniel Shak of Las Vegas, Nevada, charging him with spoofing and engaging in a manipulative and deceptive scheme in the gold […]
By Jay Turner for PCGS …… There are many counterfeits and altered coins that unfortunately often defraud people in pursuit of building their collection or looking for arbitrage. With a little commonsense, many of these pieces can be easily detected and avoided. When Spain lost its empire in the Americas, one of the overseas territories […]
Museum-quality book features never-before-seen accounts from numismatists, historians, descendants of Holocaust survivors, and the granddaughter of the Nazi who ran “Operation Bernhard” A new book titled Forging Secrets: Faces and Facts Inside the Nazi Operation Bernhard Scheme will become available to the public at a special event at the Hyatt Regency Chicago O’Hare on […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Attention Coin Dealers: Suspects Follow Victim Home in Atlanta A dealer at the recent monthly Atlanta coin show was loading his car and observed a subject watching him. The dealer started to approach the individual who immediately turned and walked away. Before […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California …… A former cargo handling company employee at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was sentenced on Monday, June 27, 2022, to 12 months in federal prison for stealing four gold bars that were part of a larger shipment headed from Australia to New York. Marlon […]
ACEF warns of fake “precious metal” and “rare coins” offered online, and helps a Texas investor who became an unsuspecting victim Looking to buy gold and silver, “Oliver”, an investor in Texas, responded to advertisements on Facebook from two companies that touted exceptionally low “introductory offer” prices for silver and gold bullion coins. He […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… UPS: Stolen/Missing – New York to Florida A package being shipped via UPS from New York to Florida has been reported missing. The package contained the coins in the following picture: USPS: Stolen/Missing – Nevada to Washington A package being shipped Priority […]
Actor Jonathan Banks is best known for playing Mike Ehrmantraut, a hard-as-nails ex-cop turned criminal, who served as the head of security for drug lord Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) in the hit A&E television dramas Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. A noted character actor, in the fourth episode of the second season of the […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… UPDATE: Nebraska Vehicle Burglary The following is a video of the recent vehicle burglary that occurred in Omaha, Nebraska. Dealers should be aware that organized groups are targeting coin shows across the country. NCIC is monitoring these offenses in order to identify […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Since my “last” installment of this series about my 1796 large cent , I have attended the EAC Convention in St. Louis, where I had the opportunity to have a table exhibiting many of my Dark Side examples! Included was this latest “Dark Corner” subject with […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… USPS: Coins Stolen in Transit – California to Louisiana On May 16, 2022, a package was sent Priority Express mail from California to Hammond, Louisiana. On May 18, 2022, the package was delivered to the recipient with the package cut open, re-taped, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Shop Burglary – San Jose, California Falcone Jewelry and Coin in San Jose, California was burglarized in the early morning hours of May 4, 2022. The suspects breached the front door and removed the following items: Morgan and Peace dollar BU […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… So, here we are after my “last” installment of this series. In that one, I stated: “that’s it for now – but should we find another TPG-authenticated variety not discussed previously I will add a new Dark Corner article.” And now I would like to […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… This is the last of my intended short Dark Corner articles – a fitting last example, as it is the one that got me started on this research journey a few years ago! My intention for this series was as follows: –Write short informational articles on […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, District of Utah …… Gaylen Dean Rust, 62, of Layton, Utah, was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison by a U.S. District Court Judge on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, after being convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and securities fraud. Rust was ordered […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Pawn Shop Robbery – Owner Severely Beaten The owner of a pawn shop in Queens, New York was critically injured during an aggravated robbery. The suspect beat the owner with a metal bar multiple times and escaped with an undetermined amount of […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that Judge Steven C. Seeger of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued final judgments and consent orders against James Vorley and Cedric Chanu, former precious metals traders, for spoofing and engaging in a deceptive or […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Theft of Jewelry, Rolex Watches at Long Beach Coin Show Long Beach Police Department is investigating a theft that occurred at the recent Long Beach coin show. A large number of rings and several Rolex watches were taken. No details are available […]
The sale of counterfeit U.S. coins and precious metals on e-commerce platforms and third-party marketplaces continues to escalate and the number of victims proves to be a highly lucrative and profitable business for counterfeiters. “Unfortunately, victims across the country are falling prey to the unscrupulous marketing tactics, which result in financial losses,” said Doug Davis, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen Packages – FedEx, UPS The following parcels have been reported lost/stolen: FedEx A package being sent from Bayside, New York to Gardner, Massachusetts has been reported lost/stolen in transit. The package contained five raw $20 gold pieces (dated 1891, 1899, 1904, […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Another of the holed and repaired fakes, the 1836 Gobrecht Dollar is one of the most expensive “varieties” of the deceptive struck counterfeit series. It is also one of the most TPG-authenticated of the group, with eight certified examples documented and several having sold in major […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Wednesday, March 2, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida entered consent orders on March 1 for permanent injunction, monetary sanctions, and equitable relief against Marvin W. Courson III and Christopher A. Kertatos. Both Courson and Kertatos […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In the previous installment, I discussed counterfeits struck from dies made from damaged and repaired genuine source coins, with many starting as holed examples. And in this installment, I will also review a holed example and the struck clones for a popular Liberty Seated variety, the […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Suspects in Theft of Gold Kruerrands The two females pictured above are responsible for the theft of gold coins from a shop in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. The suspects entered the store and wanted to buy gold one-ounce Kruggerands for a wedding. The […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In the previous installment, I discussed an example that had been “tooled” to look like something it is not, with TOOLING referring to either the smoothing of a coin’s fields to remove scratches, corrosion and other forms of damage or to the restoration of lost details […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and 27 state securities regulatory agencies that are members of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced the filing of a joint civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against a precious metals dealer […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coins and Silver Seized in Arrest The Police Department of Groveland, Florida is investigating a seizure of coins and silver bars incidental to an arrest of a drug suspect. Officers recovered 93 Royal Canadian Mint silver bars and 45 tubes of Canadian […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida …… Jesus Gabriel Rodriguez, Jr., 45, former CEO of Transvalue, a South Florida company that transported gold, cash, and other valuables by armored truck, pled guilty yesterday to submitting false customs documents that hid the true origin of gold being imported into Miami as part […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In this series, I intend to continue to showcase different levels of “counterfeits”, using a rather broad definition of the term. To that end, this installment focuses on a one-off example that is actually an altered/tooled variety made to appear as another. It is deceptive enough […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… In my first installment from the Dark Corner, I reviewed a counterfeit that was created to fill a need at the time (possibly the 1970s): the fake struck 1882 Great Britain shilling. Although the “coin” appears to be well made, it does not match up well […]
By Victor Bozarth for PCGS …… In March 1962, Treasury Secretary John Snyder donated his 450-piece complete coin collection to the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library. In November of that year, the entire collection was stolen by burglars who struck during the night. Some 60 years later, not a single verifiable specimen from the original […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Million Dollar Coin Burglary at Sunnyvale, California Dealer The Sunnyvale, CA Police Department is investigating the burglary of Mac’s Coins and Collectables resulting in the loss of over one million dollars in bullion and miscellaneous graded dollars and silver coins. The […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Suspect in Coin Show Theft Arrested On November 26, 2021, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) sent out an alert regarding a theft that occurred at the recent Baltimore coin show. On November 30, 2021, a suspect described as a Hispanic male attempted […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Major FedEx Theft – Florida to California The contents of a package being shipped via FedEx from Florida to California have been stolen. The package was last scanned in Memphis, Tennessee. However, FedEx advised the box was empty. Stolen Coins: 1900-O $1 […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California …… Global Gold Exchange, LLC and its managers, Richard M. Owen, James Warren, and Jeffrey Morrow, were sentenced in federal court on Friday, December 3 for committing multiple financial and firearms crimes, including laundering money through their unlicensed money transmitting business by falsely reporting transactions as […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Precious Metals Dealer Burglary The police department in Phoenix, Arizona is investigating an early morning burglary of a local precious metals dealer, which occurred, on November 11, 2021. The suspects wearing masks and hoodies gained entry through the front door and removed […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Storage Facility Bullion Burglary Police in Seattle, Washington are investigating a burglary that occurred on 10/21/21. The victim advised that several suspects burglarized his storage facility and took a large amount of silver and gold. Below is a partial list of the […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… USPS – Coins Stolen in Transit, California to Las Vegas A package was being sent priority mail from California to Las Vegas, Nevada. Upon arrival, the recipient advised the parcel had been cut open and contents removed. The stolen coins: 1872-CC $5 […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coins Lost/Stolen in the Mail – NV to CA A USPS priority mail package has been reported stolen/lost. The package was being sent priority mail from Carson City, Nevada to Poway, California. Lost/Stolen Coins: 1880-CC Morgan Dollar GSA Hard Pack With Box […]
Facebook has become the predominant choice of fraudsters Online scams related to counterfeit coins and precious metals continue to escalate and a major tool used by fraudsters is the utilization of Facebook pop-up ads to scam unsuspecting victims, according to the non-profit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF). “ACEF and its working group, the Anti-Counterfeiting Task […]
Three major numismatic organizations that sent a letter to Facebook executives to complain that the social media platform “has become the predominant choice of some fraudsters” are disappointed with the lack of a response by Facebook and the continuing appearance of pop-up advertisements selling counterfeit coins. No response has been received in the month since […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Vehicle Burglary – Dealer Inventory Dealer Susanne Watts was the victim of a vehicle burglary that occurred on August 8 after leaving a Las Vegas coin show; the offense occurring in Barstow, California. Three Hispanic suspects wearing masks were seen entering the […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Major Burglary in Maui Detectives with the Maui Police Department in Hawaii are investigating a residential burglary involving coins and precious metals. The loss is in excess of one million dollars. Partial Listing of Stolen Coins: 700 Platinum Eagles various denominations […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Post Coin Show Car Break-In A collector exhibiting and volunteering at the recent Elgin Coin Show drove home and was the victim of a vehicle burglary. The suspect or suspects removed a blue luggage/black satchel and small plastic case while the victim […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Thursday, July 22, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a preliminary injunction in the CFTC’s anti-fraud enforcement action against Monex Deposit Company (Monex) and its affiliated companies and principals on July 20. This marks […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida …… South Florida federal prosecutors have charged a Miami-Dade County business owner with facilitating a $140 million transnational illicit gold smuggling operation aimed at laundering cash with alleged ties to criminal activity. According to the criminal complaint affidavit unsealed on June 22, Jesus Gabriel Rodriguez, Jr., […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California …… Two cargo handling company employees who worked at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) each pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for stealing four gold bars that were part of a larger shipment headed from Australia to New York. Marlon Moody, 38, and Brian […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… On Thursday, July 1, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it has filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Robert Jeffrey Johnson, Kathleen Hook, Ross Baldwin, Precious Commodities, Inc. (PCI), National Coin Broker, Inc. (NCB), […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Latin American Coins Stolen/Lost in Texas A UPS package shipped from Spain to the United States has been reported missing. It is believed the package was last scanned in Texas. The package contained the following coins: 4 Reales Mexico Felipe II lot […]
Certified Collectibles Group (CCG), which includes eight of the world’s leading providers of authentication, grading, and conservation services for coins, paper money, comic books, trading cards, and other collectibles, announced earlier this month that it has filed a second amended complaint in its lawsuit charging international technology firm Globant S.A., along with its subsidiary Globant […]
Defendants Defrauded 140 Victims of More Than Eight Million Dollars By United States Attorney’s Office, District of Utah …… Marc Tager, Jonathon Shoucair, Matthew Mangrum, and Kenneth Gross have all been sentenced for their role in an eight million dollar telemarketing fraud scheme that promised investors, most of them elderly, that their business […]
By Jack D. Young, Early American Coppers (EAC) …… Probably one of the most significant “finds” we as a group have made is this Gobrecht dollar, and it is certainly the earliest we have seen, as the holed source coin sold in a 2008 auction. This article is intended as another installment disclosing discovered current […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… FedEx – Missing/Stolen Paper Money A FedEx package being sent from Georgia to Washington has been reported missing/stolen. The last tracking showed that the package arrived in Bellingham, WA on March 26, 2021 yet the recipient never received the package. The package […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida entered an order granting the CFTC’s motion for entry of default judgment against defendants The Alista Group, LLC of Orlando, Florida and other locations, and Luis M. Pineda Palacios, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… FedEx – Coins Stolen in Transit A FedEx package being shipped from Washington to Georgia arrived with contents missing. The package contained the following: 1874 Indian Cent-Ty 3 Bronze PCGS PR66RB PCGS #2310 1909-D $5 Indian Head PCGS MS64+ (CAC) PCGS […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… $5,000 Reward for Return of Coin The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) has been authorized to offer a $5,000 reward for the return of the coin pictured below. The coin was stolen at the most recent Denver Coin Show in 2020: 1853 […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coins Located – International Coordination/Cooperation Thanks to a tip the following coins were located on an auction site in Canada. NCIC assisted in coordinating the investigation with the victim, Postal Inspectors, Canadian law enforcement, and the Department of Homeland Security. The investigation […]
By Paradime Coins …… There is no doubt that eBay is a force in Numismatics. Sometimes a positive one, as when a someone snipes the last-needed Overton variety to complete one of the only variety Bust half collections, and sometimes a negative one, as when an unbeknownst collector buys a fake coin. Though at Paradimecoins.com, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Mising/Stolen Package – NY to CA A USPS package shipped from New York to Palos Verdes Estates, California has been reported missing/stolen. The last scan was in the Los Angeles area but was never received by recipient. The package contained the following […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… State Police Request Assistance in Burglary Case Pennsylvania State Police are investigating a residential burglary involving the coins listed below: (1) 1879 $2.50 gold Liberty Eagle Quarter – ungraded (25) .999% American Silver Eagle rounds (8) 1/10 oz American Gold Eagle Saint-Gaudens […]
Promptly acting on a tip from a concerned collector, the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation’s (ACEF) Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) has notified law enforcement agencies and online shopping platform Amazon.com about a seller who is in apparent violation of federal laws involving reproductions of rare coins. The seller using the name SeTing offered nine reproductions of coins […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Dealer Bag Stolen at Las Vegas Show Las Vegas Detectives are investigating the theft of a bag belonging to Lake Region Coin and Currency after leaving the Las Vegas Coin Show. The theft occurred outside the hotel while waiting for transportation to […]
Funded only by donations, the nonprofit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) worked with law enforcement agencies in 2020 to protect collectors, dealers, and the general public by helping remove from the marketplace over $1 million of counterfeit rare coins and precious metals items, according to a year-end update from the foundation. Among the cases, ACEF and […]
1916-D Counterfeit Mercury Dime By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Skillful identification of counterfeit coins is essential to the hobby. Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) recently received a die struck copy of an important coin that bore tooling marks, a telltale sign of counterfeit efforts. Read on for more details. It is very easy for authenticators to […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen/Lost in Transit: Florida to Germany A USPS package being shipped from Florida to Germany has been reported missing/stolen. The package contained a 2017 Gold South Africa Krugerrand 50th Anniversary NGC Proof 69 Early Release Tsehlo signed NGC#4541786-027. Stolen/Lost in Transit: California […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Good morning, this is Doug Davis from the nonprofit Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC). Today I would like to introduce you to our new forums section on the NCIC website. Please take the time to visit our site, check out our forums, […]
By Michael Fuljenz – Universal Coin & Bullion …… Counterfeit products – including fakes of rare and circulating U.S. coins and precious metal bullion coins– have been a continuing and are a still-growing problem. In the past few years, I have examined several customers’ coin collections and sadly detected one or more counterfeit coins in each. In one instance, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen from Dealer’s Table The coin pictured below was stolen from a dealers table at the Denver Coin Show. The suspect was a white male who identified himself as Steve Dupont and gave an Englewood, Colorado address. 1853 $20 USAOG 900-Thousandths PCGS […]
A prominent area of discoloration around the mintmark is a sign that this Morgan Dollar is a counterfeit. Morgan Dollar Counterfeit By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The vast majority of the more than 1.2 million Morgan dollars struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1903 entered circulation, either immediately or as they were trickled out […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen/Lost Express Mail Package A package being shipped from Williamsburg, Virginia to New Jersey on August 28, 2020, has been reported stolen/missing. The package arrived at the Richmond, VA distribution center on August 29, 2020. However, there has been no movement and […]
Professional Coin Grading Service leads numismatic hobby with a massive leap forward in anti-counterfeiting technology Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) has announced that it will begin embedding Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in all its encapsulated coins, medals, tokens, and banknotes in October 2020. This revolutionary advancement launches after an initial limited rollout earlier […]
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today issued an order filing and settling charges against JPMorgan Chase & Company (JPMC & Co.) and its subsidiaries, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (JPMS) (collectively JPM), for manipulative and deceptive conduct and spoofing that spanned at least […]
Largest Joint Filing Between CFTC and State Regulators in History By Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and 30 state regulators that are members of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced the filing of a joint civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Suspects Wanted in Memphis Coin Shop Robbery On 9/7/20 a white male and white female entered “A Coin & Silver Shop” in Memphis, Tennessee wanting to see gold coins. Both subjects had a thick accent. The subjects looked at several gold coins […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Minnesota Mall Theft The following coins were stolen from a locked display case inside the Moorhead Antique Mall: Austria, 2K ( Kreuzer), Salzburg, dated 1715, NGC graded MS 63, Certification #702118-015 Austria, 3K (Kreuzer), Hall, dated 1644, NGC graded MS 64, Certification […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen from USPS A package was sent to a dealer in New York City containing coins, jewelry, and several watches. The recipient opened the package and found several items missing. After close inspection, the bottom of the box had been opened at […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) advises the public not to take cash from their retirement plans under relaxed distribution rules provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to speculate or invest in gold, silver, or other precious metals without first consulting licensed […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Numismatic Crime – Package Cut Open The following coin was stolen from a USPS package that was cut open and removed on its way to Portland, Oregon. First Strike 2009-P Ultra High Relief $20 PVGS MS70 PL #38159425 Stolen/Missing Express Mail An […]
By Mike Garofalo for PCGS …… Thursday, October 5, 1967, was a really terrific day for this author. I was 14 years old, a freshman in high school, and my beloved Boston Red Sox had just played Game 2 of baseball’s 1967 World Series. The Sox pitching ace, Jim Lonborg, shut out the St. […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against The Alista Group, LLC (Alista), owner Marvin W. Courson III, and company employees Christopher A. Kertatos and Luis M. Pineda Palacios a/k/a Luis Pineda, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen Package of Gold Coins An expressmail package being sent from White River Junction, Vermont to NGC’s offices in Sarasota, Florida on July 1 disappeared sometime not long after it left White River Jct. at 6:20 PM. The package contained the following […]
Seller a suspect in another counterfeits case Acting on a tip from the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF), federal and local California law enforcement agents now are investigating the attempted sale of $400,000 worth of counterfeit coins – including a fake example of the historic 1879 Coiled Hair gold $4 “Stella” that brought $300,000 at […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen Package – Carson City, Nevada A package being sent from Carson City, Nevada to Reno, NV has been reported lost/stolen. Last tracking indicates package was received at a Reno US Postal Service distribution center. The package has not been delivered to […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Aggravated Robbery The Dallas Police Department is investigating an aggravated robbery of an 84-year-old coin collector. The victim had just returned home from his bank and was exiting his vehicle when attacked from behind. The assailant grabbed the victim’s briefcase causing the […]
By Max Spiegel, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) ……… Tool marks, soft design details and dull surfaces help NGC graders identify a counterfeit coins, in this case a 1915-S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Panama-Pacific Exposition, which was held in San Francisco in 1915 to celebrate the opening of the Panama […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen/Missing Coins and Currency A first class package sent from Pennsylvania to the Seattle, Washington area has been reported missing/stolen. The package contained the following: 1899 $5 Chief Note in Fine condition- serial # ( N79553616) 1896 $1 Educational Note in VF […]
Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation is working with fraud victims and federal law enforcement agencies A fraudulent advertisement for bullion coins on Facebook, fake encapsulation holders and requests for expert help from federal agencies kept the nonprofit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) busy during May 2020. “Among the cases we’re investigating is the sale of 10 fake […]
Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen/Missing Currency The notes pictured below were shipped via the US Postal Service: Stolen Currency The Abilene, Texas Police Department is investigating the theft of the following notes listed below: Schwertner National Bank $10 Small Notes 10956A001513 B000474A B000553A […]
Recent Numismatic Crime by Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Missing/Stolen Packages A FedEx package being shipped (March 25) from Westlake Village, California to Naples, Florida has been reported missing. Package Contents: 1908 No Motto $20 St. Gaudens NGC MS64 Cert #4602252-112 .999 Silver Silver City Las Vegas, Nevada […]
Numismatic Crime with Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Numismatic Crime – Stolen Russian Coins Numismatic Crime Detectives in Omaha, Nebraska are investigating a theft resulting in the loss of over $30,000 USD in Russian coins. Below is an image of the police report: Interstate Coin Show Theft and […]
The March 24, 2020 consumer/investor advisory statement below is from Doug Davis, Director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force of the non-profit Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF). Mr. Davis is a former Texas police chief. * * * The 11-year low in silver and the uncertainty of the economy during the COVID-19 crisis has triggered the rush […]
Among other problems, this fake is too thick to be a genuine example of this key date By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… In 1921, the United States was still reeling from the effects of World War I. Over 116,000 American serviceman lost their lives in what was then called The Great War. Due to […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen Ancient Coins The Long Beach, California Police Department is investigating a vehicle burglary resulting in the loss of the following coins: Macedonia, Philip II silver tetradrachm, Pella life time issue EF Roman Republican silver denarius, Musa series, muse Thalia Choice EF […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Numismatic Crime Residential Burglary – Tennessee Detectives with Williamson County, Tennessee are investigating a residential burglary that resulted in the loss of a large number of coins. Here is a partial listing of the stolen coins: 1951, $.05, Proof Jefferson, PR67 toned, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Burglary Detectives with Williamson County, Tennessee are investigating a residential burglary that resulted in the loss of a large number of coins. A partial listing of stolen coins follows below: 1951, $.05, Proof Jefferson, PR67 toned, ANACS 5309758 1955, $.05, Proof Jefferson, […]
Counterfeit Coins Importer Sentenced to 10½ Years in Prison Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation alerted and assisted investigators in the case A federal court judge in Camden, New Jersey has sentenced admitted counterfeit coins importer, Johnathan A. Kirschner, 35, of Moorestown, New Jersey, to 10½ years in prison. After being alerted by members of the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational […]
See it? Report it! The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) now provides collectors, dealers, the general public and victims of suspected fraud with a convenient and secure way to report information about counterfeit coins, bars, holders, rounds, mint products, paper money or other suspicious counterfeit related activities. “See it? Report it! If you have information about […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen/Missing Notes Jhon E. Cash Rare Currency of Highland Village, Texas has reported that two $5,000 notes have been stolen/missing in the North Dallas area of Lewisville or Highland Village, Texas in late November or December of 2019. Jhon E. Cash […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) …. On Friday, January 10, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced it had filed a civil enforcement action on January 8 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, charging US Coin Bullion LLC, Salvatore Esposito, and Joseph Esposito with misappropriating over $7.9 […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen Package Recovered The coins listed below were reported missing in transit between Houston, Texas and Louisville, Kentucky. The loss occurred on or around November 20, but as of December 26, 2019 the package and the coins have been recovered. 1881 […]
A lost coin is found and lessons are learned in a numismatic holiday caper By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) …… Last week, I experienced one of the most amazing events of my 45-year numismatic career. While I have often said that every day in my profession is like the Antiques Roadshow, seldom […]
By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek …. In many places around the world, United States Federal Reserve Notes are accepted as an official currency and legal tender. In many other places, they exist in a quasi-legal limbo, often circulating on the grey and black markets. And no matter where the notes are found or how they […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Coin Dealer Inventory Stolen in Vehicle Burglary The Torrance, California Police Department is investigating a vehicle burglary involving currency dealer Vern Potter. The offense occurred after leaving the North County Monthly Coin Show on Sunday, December 1, 2019. Mr. Potter ‘s entire […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Law Enforcement Education The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) and the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) are currently looking for counterfeit examples of the following: Silver and Gold Eagles Boxed Silver and Gold Eagles (Unc, Proof, Boxes, and Certificates) US Mint product counterfeits […]
By Alan Carr – BuyGoldOnline.io – Original Article …… Link to Part I The Summer Bliss Robbery (2012) – 216 kg Gold Bars On November 30, 2012, masked men in police jackets boarded the Summer Bliss fishing boat in Curaçao and stole 70 gold bars weighing a total of 216kg. Estimated worth of the haul: […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Fraudulent Credit Card Bullion Purchases The following two coins were purchased using fraudulent credit cards: 1 ounce gold eagle NGC MS703376247-004 ( Address used 1003 Allendale Rd Four Oaks NC, 27524) 2014 500 YN Gold Panda MS70 PCGS 52206.70/28747839 (Address used 1360 […]
By Alan Carr, Buy Gold Online… The fame and fortune that is associated with a gold bullion heist are, for most of us, in the realms of our deepest and darkest fantasies. Nevertheless, the thought of living in riches and never having to work again has seduced some individuals to try their luck at stealing […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Residential Burglary The Colorado Springs, Colorado Police Department is investigating the residential burglary of professional numismatist Ken Bressett. The offense occurred on November 2, 2019. The following is a partial listing of stolen items: Nice foreign from China, Japan, India, and Spanish […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Residential Burglary The Colorado Springs, Colorado Police Department is investigating a numismatic crime, the residential burglary of professional numismatist Ken Bressett. The offense occurred on November 2, 2019. The following is a partial listing of stolen items: Nice foreign from China, Japan, […]
The altered date on this half dollar imitates a true numismatic rarity. By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… In the early part of the 19th century, the fledgling United States was in a crisis. US merchant ships were being blocked from conducting trade with mainland Europe by the British Royal Navy. This lead to serious economic woes […]
Adding gold, silver or platinum bullion coins or ingots to an investment portfolio can be a smart choice, but knowing your seller can be a crucial choice, advises the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), a nonprofit organization of many of the country’s top rare coin and bullion coin experts. In recent months, law enforcement officials in […]
The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) has been granted membership into CrimeDex, the world’s largest criminal investigation network composed of more than 4,000 law enforcement agencies, financial institutions and criminal investigators across the United States and around the globe. “The CrimeDex platform allows members to send out alerts, develop leads, and track criminal trends and patterns,” […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …… On Monday, October 28, the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a default judgment against defendants Aviv Michael Hen of New York, and Omega Knight 2, LLC, as well as a consent order against […]
Numismatic Crime By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Credit Card Fraud NCIC has received information regarding numerous attempts to purchase gold bullion coins using fraudulent Synchrony Bank credit cards. The suspect/suspects request to purchase one to two one-ounce bullion coins (usually one-ounce Buffalos). The reported offenses have occurred […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …… On Tuesday, October 1, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced that civil enforcement actions were filed and simultaneously settled against two trading firms and one bank for violating the Commodity Exchange Act’s (CEA) prohibition on spoofing (bidding or offering with the intent to cancel the bid or […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Fraudulent Money Orders During the past couple of weeks, the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) has been working with our Postal Inspector contacts in Los Angeles, California in reference to bad money orders coming from an address in LA. The suspect’s MO […]
By the United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida …… United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that brothers Salvatore Esposito (47, Orlando) and Joseph Esposito (43, Orlando) have agreed to plead guilty to an information charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Each faces a maximum penalty of […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… $20,000 Gold Theft-Suspects Identified Rochester, Minnesota police are investigating the theft of $20,000 USD in gold coins from Med City Coins. Two white males with heavy accents entered the store flashing a large amount of cash and wanting to buy gold coins. […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission ….. On September 16, the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued an order filing and settling charges against Christian Trunz, a former precious metals trader at two financial institutions who entered into a formal cooperation agreement with the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement and admitted to spoofing in […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission ….. On Monday, September 16, he U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued two orders filing and settling charges against John Lawrence and his employer, Heraeus Metals New York LLC, for spoofing — bidding or offering with the intent to cancel the bid or offer before execution. The order […]
By Nassau County District Attorney’s Office …… Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a coin dealer from Fort Salonga was arraigned on Wednesday, September 11 for a $330,000 cross-country coin consignment and sale scheme that targeted coin dealers and private collectors from California, Michigan, Ohio and Long Island. Harold Adamo, 53, was arraigned […]
As part of its on-going efforts to combat “coin doctoring”, the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) is urging dealers and collectors to respect the heritage and historical significance of all coinage to preserve the past as best as possible. PNG also is offering to assist anyone who suspects he or she unwittingly purchased a doctored coin. […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Counterfeits The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) has received two reports involving the sale of Carson City dollars to a subject identified as Jacob Zulch out of Gratiot, Michigan and Port Huron, Michigan. The subject returned the coins, but the ones he […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Vehicle Burglary A dealer traveling in the Tarpon Springs, Florida area stopped at a store for a short period of time and when he returned to his vehicle it had been burglarized. The following coins were stolen: 30 Gold American Eagles (raw) […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California …… Global Gold Exchange, LLC and its managers, Jeffrey Morrow and Richard M. Owen, pleaded guilty in federal court on August 2 to multiple financial crimes, admitting that they laundered money through their unlicensed money transmitting business by falsely reporting cash transactions as sales of “gold” […]
Over $2.5 Million in Gold Coins Taken From Casa de Moneda By CoinWeek News Staff …. Yesterday in Mexico City, two men (one of them armed) robbed a branch of the Casa de Moneda of more than $2 million worth of commemorative gold coins and other valuables. According to the Secretary of Public Security […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. On Thursday, July 25, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reinstated its anti-fraud enforcement action against Monex Deposit Company and its affiliated companies and principals. The Ninth Circuit held that the district court erred in dismissing the case, and ruled that the CFTC’s charges of […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …… On Thursday, July 25, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued two orders filing and settling charges against former precious metals traders at separate financial institutions who entered into formal cooperation agreements with the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement and admitted to spoofing and manipulative conduct in the futures markets. […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Recovered Coins The Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force is requesting assistance in identifying an offense/victim involving the coins pictured below. The coins were located in a vehicle operated by a known narcotics user. Anyone with information please contact Michael Allard of the […]
Fraud scheme carried out in multiple states, some victims still may be unidentified By Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) …… Minnesota coin dealer Barry Ron Skog, 68, was sentenced July 9 to 30 months in federal prison for carrying out a counterfeit coin fraud scheme in multiple states. In addition, Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright, U.S. […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Crime Prevention Information Although the following information concerns jewelry stores, the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) recently received two reports of coin shops having the power cut to their business. During the past two months, numerous jewelry stores across the country have […]
With the recent, rapid jump in the price of gold, investors should beware of scam artists trying to lure them with urgent claims of too-good-to-be-true low prices and quick, guaranteed bullion market profits, cautions leaders of the Accredited Precious Metals Dealer (APMD) program, a division of the nonprofit Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG). “Don’t make a […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Lost/Stolen USPS The following notes being shipped via USPS have been reported stolen/lost. Michigan The following note was shipped on May 17, 2019 from Pennsylvania to Michigan but was never received by the recipient: Series 1928 Red Seal $2 United States Note […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… NATIONWIDE PATTERN OF BURGLARS CUTTING POWER LINES TO JEWELRY STORES TO DISABLE ALARM SYSTEMS In the past 37 days, there have been reports of over 30 burglary cases of jewelry stores across the country. In all cases, the power lines have been […]
Counterfeit Coins – Reverse of a Denver Mint Indian Half Eagle By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The missing details on this $5 Indian reveal it to be in the category of counterfeit coins. One common technique used by authenticators on the lookout for counterfeit coins is to assess a coin’s level of detail. This can […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Stolen Gold Coins-Coin Shop On May 10,2019 two suspects, male and female, entered Willard Coin Exchange in Mansfield, Ohio and requested to see gold coins from a showcase. While the male suspect looked at the gold, the female browsed in the shop. […]
By CoinWeek News Staff …. On Wednesday, May 8, a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah returned six criminal indictments against a family at the middle of an alleged $200 million Ponzi scheme. Husband and wife Gaylen Dean Rust and Denise Gunderson Rust of Layton, both 59 years […]
CoinWeek Podcast #114: Coin Shop Theft Mobile phone users. Stream this podcast for free by downloading the podomatic app or subscribe to the CoinWeek Podcast on iTunes. On April 7, coin dealer Chris Lyche was alerted that his brick and mortar coin shop, GSA Coins & Jewelry, had been robbed. Despite installing a new security system and taking every […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Missing/Stolen-FedEx Rare Coin Company of America (Rarcoa) recently had a package with six coins routed to Wisconsin that fell off the shipping grid. The package was sent via FedEx and its original destination was Houston, Texas. Missing/Stolen Coins: 1927 $20 SAINT MOTTO […]
By Federal Bureau of Investigation …… Miami-based, gold refinery Republic Metals Corporation (RMC) executed a non-prosecution agreement with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida after cooperating in an investigation focusing on money laundering and violations of the Bank Secrecy Act in the gold importation and refining industry. Under the terms […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… USPS Thefts Chicago Area An express mail package containing a large number of slabbed and raw dollars was shipped on April 9, 2019, from California to Illinois. Upon arrival, the recipient advised the package had been opened and re-taped using express mail […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… USPS – Theft of Coins/Bullion Two Express Mail packages were dropped off at a post office in Sarasota, Florida on April 1, 2019. Both packages were scanned but only one left the facility and was delivered to the correct recipient. It appears […]
By Federal Bureau of Investigation …… Harry Dean Proudfoot III, 79, formerly a resident of Tigard, Oregon, was sentenced on Tuesday, April 9, to 84 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for running a fraudulent gold mining investment scheme and stealing approximately $4 million from more than 140 investors. According to […]
By CoinWeek Staff Reports …. On Monday, April 1, internet auction site Sixbid.com sent out a notice that several auction houses who sell coins and other numismatic items through the site were reporting that bidders were receiving fake invoices and “second chance offers” via email that falsely claim to be from the aforementioned auctioneers and […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …… The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that on March 18, 2019, District Judge James Lawrence King of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered an order finding Coral Gables, Florida resident Robert Escobio in contempt (“Contempt Order”) for failing to pay more […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Assistance Needed – Suspect Identification The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) is working with the NYPD Major Theft Unit to identify gold and jewelry theft victims that involved the person pictured below. The subject has been traveling across the US targeting […]
Recent Alerts From the Numismatic Crime Information Center By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Missing/Stolen – Rare Finest Known Aluminum Morgan A registered USPS package has been reported missing/stolen. The package contained the following coin: 1885 Edge Lettered Aluminum Snowden $1 Morgan, PCGS PR68 Cameo Judd-1749 CAC. […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that a federal court in Florida has entered an Order of Final Judgment by Default (Final Judgment Order) and an Order Granting Motion for Final Default Judgment (collectively, Orders), against Betty Lea Grimes of Boca Raton, and the precious metals firm […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission ….. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered an Order of Default Judgment and Permanent Injunction against Royal Metals Group, LLC (RMG), and its member, manager and part owner, Chelsea Gless of Iowa (collectively, “defendants”) for […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission ….. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on March 4 that a Florida federal court ordered Carlos Javier Ramirez and his companies, Royal Leisure International, Inc. (RLI) and Gold Chasers, Inc. (GCI), to pay restitution and civil monetary penalties for fraudulently soliciting customers to purchase physical gold and misappropriating […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… USPS Losses The following two offenses have been reported stolen/missing. #1 The following two coins were sent priority mail from Carson City, Nevada to Fort Worth, Texas. They have been reported missing/stolen: #2 A registered package being sent from Honolulu to Redondo […]
Barry Ron Skog, 68, of Burnsville, Minnesota, pleaded guilty February 21 to one count of selling counterfeit coins and one count of mail fraud in the United States District Court of Minnesota in St. Paul. Skog faces a potential maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment on the count of selling counterfeit coins and a potential […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission ….. In 2015, the CFTC Charged California Resident Hannes Tulving, Jr. and His Firm with Misappropriation and Fraudulent Solicitation in a Precious Metals Scheme that Defrauded at Least 381 Customers Nationwide * * * The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr. of the […]
Do you know someone who has actively helped in the fight against counterfeit coins, banknotes and/or fake third-party encapsulation holders the past year? The Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) is seeking nominees for its third annual Alan Kreuzer Memorial Award. “This award is a prestigious honor to recognize the vigorous the vigorous anti-counterfeiting efforts of collectors, […]
April 25 is the new date for Kirschner’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Court Judge Robert B. Kugler had been scheduled to sentence Jonathan A. Kirschner on February 5 for his admitted crimes of falsely impersonating an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and of unlawfully importing counterfeit coins and […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Suspects Change Theft Pattern/MO During the past 45-60 days, NCIC has seen a change in the pattern and MO of Roma gang suspects. It is evident that these individuals are beginning to target smaller shows. Coin show dealers and promoters should […]
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING NCIC will be conducting a “Numismatic Crime Investigations” class to law enforcement investigators during the Long Beach Expo The Long Beach Expo will be the host for an in-depth Numismatic Crime Investigations class on January 31, 2019, in Long Beach, California. The class will be presented by the Numismatic Crime Information Center […]
By Rick Bretz for CoinWeek ….. The Binion Hoard offers the collector a variety of ways to collect coins, currency and memorabilia like ashtrays, dice, gambling equipment, photos, casino chips, etc. A collector could assemble a traditional date/mintmark set, or he could choose to assemble a set of the various souvenir items available. But […]
By Rick Bretz for CoinWeek …. The Binion Hoard offers the collector a variety of ways to collect coins, currency and memorabilia like ashtrays, dice, gambling equipment, photos, casino chips, etc. A collector could assemble a traditional date/mintmark set, or he could choose to assemble a set of the various souvenir items available. But first, […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) was established in 1986 to coordinate and collaborate initiatives between law enforcement and the numismatic community in “Targeting Numismatic Crimes Around the World”. NCIC is devoted exclusively to assisting law enforcement and victims during the investigation […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission ….. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Securities, through its Attorney General (State of Utah) filed an amended complaint alleging that Denise Gunderson Rust (Denise Rust) and Joshua Daniel Rust (Joshua Rust) actively participated and aided and abetted, in a precious metals […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Traveling Suspect The suspects pictured were in Grants Pass, Oregon yesterday mid-morning and responsible for stealing $7,000 in gold coins. At approximately 4pm the same suspects were in a shop in Redding, California approximately 200 miles away. The owner contacted the Numismatic […]
By United States Attorney’s Office, District of Rhode Island …… A Pawtucket, Rhode Island man, previously convicted and incarcerated for producing counterfeit casino coins, was arrested at his Pawtucket residence on Friday, December 8 and made an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond on charges that he allegedly possessed equipment […]
By Minnesota Commerce Department …… The Minnesota Commerce Department announced that a federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin (Madison) has returned an indictment against a former Twin Cities area bullion coin dealer. Jamie Lee Smith, 41, of Baldwin, Wisconsin, was charged on November 28 in a 23-count indictment with wire fraud, […]
Special courts set up in August have handed out multiple death sentences in similar cases By CoinWeek News Staff …. Two weeks ago, international news agencies reported that Iran had executed two men for hoarding gold coins. As part of a larger effort to control the Iranian economy after reimposed sanctions by the United […]
By Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) …… The Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) and the Anti-Counterfeiting Educational Foundation (ACEF) have jointly announced an agreement to transfer the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) and the position of director of anti-counterfeiting from ICTA to the non-profit 501-C-3 foundation. The transfer became effective November 15. The volunteer […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission ….. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Securities, through its Attorney General, jointly filed a civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, Central Division, against Defendants Gaylen Dean Rust (Rust) and Rust Rare Coin, Inc. […]
By CoinWeek News Staff …. On Wednesday, November 14, former treasure hunter Tommy Thompson reached a settlement in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus, Ohio concerning the 13-year-old lawsuit brought against him by one of the original investors in his efforts to salvage the site of the 1857 wreck of SS Central America. The […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Vehicle Burglary, Inventory Stolen The owner of Coin Castle Coins was the victim of a vehicle burglary while traveling home after a recent Chattanooga coin show. The victim had stopped in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee and unknown person or persons smashed the back […]
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Requests and Hosts Numismatic Crime Class for Investigators and Surrounding Agencies The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department will host an in-depth Numismatic Crime Investigations class on October 12, 2018 in Beaumont, Texas. The class will be presented by the Numismatic Crime Information Center and will provide attendees with the basic skills, knowledge […]
Sir Isaac Newton and Coins By Everett Millman – Gainesvillecoins.com ……. Contemporary scholarship has introduced a number of new mysteries regarding history’s most famous “natural philosopher” (i.e. scientist), Sir Isaac Newton. Some of these new revelations point toward his fascination with alchemy as well as the Holy Scripture. However, one thing about Newton is unequivocal: He […]
The Following reports are distributed by The Numismatic Crime Information Center run by Doug Davis. Anyone with information on ANY of these crimes should contact: Doug Davis 817-723-7231 or email him at Doug@numismaticcrimes.org July 30, 2018 Traveling Theft Suspects The following suspects may be part of a traveling group and have committed several coin thefts for […]
No sign of the 100 Kilo Maple Leaf Gold Coin , worth over $4 million US By CoinWeek News Staff …. UPDATE, 7/26/2018: According to reports in the Daily Mail, along with articles in German publications the Sächsische Zeitung, the Focus magazine, the Tagesspiegel and the Deutsche Wirtschaftsnachrichten., a Lebanese Crime Family ( The Remmo Family) is believed to be behind the […]
Counterfeit Banknotes – By Ethan Bickford, PMG Researcher …….. One of the most successful makers of counterfeit banknotes of the 20th century was Czeslaw Bojarski and he preferred to work alone. We have many prefabricated images in our heads of counterfeit banknotes operations; massive mafia printing operations in some dingy cellar in the city, massive […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Vehicle Burglary in Boca Raton Boca Raton, Florida detectives are investigating a vehicle burglary that occurred in the early morning hours of June 16, 2018 at the Hampton Inn in Boca Raton. The following coins were stolen: 2 Gold American Eagles (0.5 […]
Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) reports that a seller of counterfeit coins in counterfeit NGC holders has pleaded guilty to importing counterfeit coins and bars into the United States. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. NGC first became aware that Jonathan Kirschner of Moorestown, New Jersey, was selling counterfeit NGC holders […]
By Industry Council for Tangible Assets …… Since 1986 when the United States Mint first introduced silver and gold American Eagle bullion coins, they have been top sellers in the United States as well as around the world. A new survey conducted by the Anti-Counterfeiting Task Force (ACTF) indicates the popular U.S. bullion coins […]
By Numismatic Crime Information Center ……. The recent alert sent out by the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) showed graphic photos of the recent armed robbery of Fort Worth Coin Company in Fort Worth, Texas. The incident illustrates the risk of operating a brick-and-mortar business. It is imperative that shop owners have robbery policy […]
The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) will offer a one-day training class on “Numismatic Crime Investigations” for local, state and federal law enforcement officers during the ANA World’s Fair of Money August 14-18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The eight-hour class is designed to provide law-enforcement personnel–including patrol officers, detectives, investigators and prosecutors–with the fundamental investigative […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. On June 12, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil enforcement action charging Florida-based Defendants Mark Olsen Mining Company (MOMC) and Betty Lea Grimes with engaging in illegal, off-exchange transactions in precious metals with retail customers on both a fully paid as well as a leveraged, […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil enforcement action for CFTC Charges Omega Knight 2, LLC, Owner with $5.5 Million Precious Metals Fraud in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Defendants Omega Knight 2, LLC (Omega Knight), its owner and president, Aviv Michael […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… USPS Lost/Stolen The coins listed below have been reported lost/Stolen. The coins were sent via USPS and the last known location was San Diego, California: 1891-CC Top 100 VAM 3 Spitting Eagle Morgan Dollar NGC AU-58 07779158004653665003 1891-CC Top 100 VAM […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Residential Burglary Investigators with the Medina, Minnesota police department are investigating a burglary where someone entered a residence and stole more than $27,000 worth of uncirculated Presidential dollar and Kennedy half dollar coins. The dollars were 2007-2017 and the halves were from […]
By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) …… Residential Burglary Investigators with the Medina, Minnesota police department are investigating a burglary where someone entered a residence and stole more than $27,000 worth of uncirculated Presidential dollar and Kennedy half dollar coins. The dollars were 2007-2017 and the halves were […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …… The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a federal civil enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas against Defendant Charles H. McAllister, of Auburn, Alabama, charging him with fraud and misappropriation in connection with contracts of sale of precious metals through his company, […]
Along with Former Vault Manager, Former Northwest Territorial Mint President Ross Hansen was indicted for Defrauding Customers with False Promises about Bullion Delivery, Storage, & Leasing; Over 3,000+ Customers may have lost more than $25 Million By United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington …… The former President and CEO and the former vault […]
Coinweek News Wire for April 6, 2018 …. Current Events 1.) Filipinos Not Happy With New Coin Designs Even with this breakdown, it’s obvious that it’s not going to be easy to distinguish which coin is which. All have similar colors, identical layouts, and some are only a few millimeters bigger than others. For example, the PHP10 […]
Two proof Morgan dollars were stolen from the home of football star Rob Gronkowski as he played in Super Bowl LII While New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski was busy playing in Super Bowl LII on February 5, suspects were busy burglarizing his home, which he shared with three other individuals. The suspects stole […]
Did you receive an email or call trying to sell you a Philadelphia World’s Fair of Money hotel room? The ANA did not authorize this. This is a hotel scam alert …… A scam has come to our attention that a third-party booking company inaccurately representing itself as our hotel vendor is contacting ANA members, […]
By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for March 2, 2018 Current Events 1.) New Jim Thorpe one-dollar coins selling out fast The people of Jim Thorpe were lining up to get the newest coin from the US Mint. The Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank has already sold out of a 3,000-coin shipment it received […]
Numismatic crime offenses related to USPS and FedEx shipments continue to plague the numismatic industry and in most cases are frustrating to the victims. The immediate challenge in these type of offenses is determining which law enforcement agency federal or local takes the lead role. The Numismatic Crime Information Center is addressing these issues along with other […]
By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for February 9, 2018 Brain Food 1.) Digital != crypto != virtual I suspect that the Telegraph’s confusion may have arisen because of the tendency amongst management consultants (and others) to conflate the two entirely different kinds of electronic money: a cryptocurrency and a digital currency are […]
By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for February 2, 2018 Brain Food 1.) When paper money was as risky as bitcoin The first paper money notes in these parts were issued by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1690. That caught the attention of London. In 1740, when the Massachusetts Land Bank wanted to […]
By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for January 26, 2018 Brain Food 1.) This is the reason why only dead people can be featured on American currency In 1866, Congress issued an act stating that no living person can be portrayed on American currency. Our Founding Fathers believed it was unpatriotic for living […]
By Coinweek Coin News Wire …. Coin News Wire for January 19, 2018 Brain Food 1.) Who Really Designed the American Dime? …[I]t takes a keen eye to see the very subtle “JS” just beneath Franklin D. Roosevelt’s truncated neck. These are the initials of John Sinnock, the U.S. Mint’s Chief Engraver from 1925 to 1947, […]
By Scott Barman for the Gold & Silver PAC ….. Gold & Silver News From the Political Coordinator HAPPY NEW YEAR! A new year not only marks the beginning of the year but also a chance for a new beginning. For states whose legislature is part-time based on the state constitution, the sessions begin in earnest […]
By Federal Bureau of Investigation …. EDITORS NOTE – CoinWeek reported on this investigation on April 17, 2017. You can read that article here ….. Four Peruvian citizens were indicted for their alleged involvement in a multi-billion dollar, international gold money laundering scheme. On November 16, 2017, Pedro David Perez Miranda, a/k/a “Peter Ferrari,” a/k/a “Peter,” […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for December 29, 2017 Brain Food 1.) The economics of the Bitcoin payment system Unlike other payment systems, Bitcoin is a two-sided platform with pre-specified rules. Its two main constituencies are the users who hold balances and engage in electronic transactions, and miners who maintain the system’s infrastructure. A […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) obtained three related Consent Orders of Permanent Injunction against Defendants Mintco LLC of Delray Beach, Florida, and its owners Stuart Rubin of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Richard Q. Zimmerman of Wellington Florida, finding that all Defendants engaged in illegal off-exchange precious metals […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission Bitcoin web page…. On December 15, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) launched a virtual currency resource web page, cftc.gov/bitcoin. This dedicated page is a central repository for Commission-produced resources about virtual currency, and is designed to educate and inform the public about these commodities, including the possible risks associated […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for December 15, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Ancient Jewish Coins – Fame, Fortune and Fakes Did you get gelt? No, not the chocolate kind but honest-to-goodness gelt. Maybe you were lucky to receive a genuine Judaean coin for Chanukah. Or a medallion from the early years from the State […]
By Scott Barman for the Gold & Silver PAC ….. Gold & Silver News From the Political Coordinator The most talked about and most complicated bill to analyze has been H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. While a lot of information has been talked about in the media, there have been many groups behind […]
By CoinWeek News Staff …. After a quick morning hearing on Thursday, November 30, Franklin County, Ohio Common Pleas Judge Laurel Beatty-Blunt signed an order approving the sale of $30 million worth of gold, gold coins and other items recovered from the site of the 1857 shipwreck of SS Central America. The approximately 16,000 […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 23, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Patriotic collectors boost market for ancient Chinese artefacts Following the fashions to buy western art and classic wristwatches, historical Chinese artefacts are now the must-have item for the country’s wealthy collectors who are snapping up maps, books and other objects that […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 10, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Boise’s Assay Office played an important role for the whole nation Between 1861 and 1866, Idaho Territory produced about $52 million in gold ($728 million in today’s dollars). As the sheer volume of gold to be tested increased, the nearest facility […]
By CoinWeek News Staff …. As part of the long-running legal saga involving former treasure hunter Tommy Thompson, attorney Ira O. Kane, the court-appointed receiver representing Recovery Limited Partnership and Columbus Exploration LLC, has asked a state judge in Ohio to approve the sale of gold recovered from the SS Central America shipwreck. If approved, […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 3, 2017: Brain Food 1.) The Ideal Auction Preston McAfee, Chief Economist at Microsoft, explains the different kinds of auctions, how they work, what the pros and cons are, and why we don’t have auctions for everything we buy. Truly fascinating stuff. But where it gets deep […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for October 27, 2017: Brain Food 1.) Coin stash that puts new spin on China’s 100 years of humiliation Inside a nondescript Hong Kong warehouse sit seven tons of Qing dynasty coins – proof, their owner says, that it was the imperial monetary system, not the opium trade, that […]
By U.S. Attorney’s Office ….. A former resident of Old Tappan, New Jersey, was sentenced on October 20, 2017 to 15 months in prison for evading personal income taxes on more than $400,000 in income in 2013, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced. William Dominick, 69, of Collier County, Florida, previously pleaded guilty before […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for September 22, 2017: Brain Food 1.) The ATM at 50: How it’s changed consumer behavior The wide acceptance of the ATMs changed the types of cash Americans typically carry in the pocketbooks. Since ATMs became more widely available in the early 1980s, the $20 bill has regularly been […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for September 22, 2017: Brain Food 1.) The ATM at 50: How it’s changed consumer behavior The wide acceptance of the ATMs changed the types of cash Americans typically carry in the pocketbooks. Since ATMs became more widely available in the early 1980s, the $20 bill has regularly been […]
Following the recent fraud charges filed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) against a California gold seller, a trade group composed of veteran precious metals experts is urging investors to take three important steps before making any purchases of gold, silver or platinum bullion coins or ingots. “To avoid paying too much when you […]
Convicted of all 46 counts against him, 73-year-old Bates evades maximum sentence of 20 years for each one By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek …. On Thursday, September 7, the Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, Lawrence J. Laurenzi, announced the federal sentences given to Larry Bates and three other members of […]
One of the largest cases of fraud the CFTC has ever dealt with, according to new lawsuit By CoinWeek News Staff …. On Wednesday, September 6, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil injunction against three associated precious metals trading companies and the father and son partners who run them. The three companies, […]
By Industry Council for Tangible Assets ….. A 28-year-old man from Waite Park, Minnesota, on September 25 is expected to respond to a felony charge for theft-by-swindle stemming from selling counterfeit coins to three pawn shops in the greater Minneapolis area. Eric Michael Johnson, identified in a complaint filed July 31 in Minnesota’s Seventh Judicial […]
By Industry Council for Tangible Assets ….. A 28-year-old man from Waite Park, Minnesota, on September 25 is expected to respond to a felony charge for theft-by-swindle stemming from selling counterfeit coins to three pawn shops in the greater Minneapolis area. Eric Michael Johnson, identified in a complaint filed July 31 in Minnesota’s Seventh […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for September 1, 2017: Brain Food 1.) Scrooge McDuck and Switzerland For almost 400 years, kreuzers were probably the most important small coins being circulated every day in Switzerland. It was not only a method of payment, but was also used to measure the value of other coins. […]
By Federal Bureau of Investigation …. A Beverly Hills man who has a long history of swindling investors and admitted most recently to participating in a scheme involving bogus gold contracts – and giving fake gold bars as “collateral” to victims – has been sentenced to 96 months in federal prison. Mark Ross Weinberg, […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for August 25, 2017: Under the Radar 1.) King Rama IX commemorative coins unveiled A portrait of the late monarch in court regalia appears on one side of the coins along with his name in Thai. On the reverse are a depiction of the crematorium being erected at […]
By CoinWeek News Staff …. Police involved in the July 12 raids in relation to the March theft of the 100 kg “Big Maple Leaf” gold coin from the Bode Museum in Berlin are reporting that a 100 kg gold bar was recovered during those raids in the Neukölln district. One of the four minor […]
Worked for different coin companies in Beaumont over a period of five years By CoinWeek News Staff …. Last Wednesday on July 12, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas announced that 42-year-old Wesley Judy Pollard, Jr. of Beaumont had been arrested earlier that day on allegations of federal mail […]
No sign of the “Big Maple Leaf”, worth over $4 million By CoinWeek News Staff …. Last week, German authorities released closed-circuit surveillance footage of three suspects allegedly responsible for the March 27 theft of the 220-pound “Big Maple Leaf” gold coin from the Bode Museum in Berlin. Ultimately, however, the suspects were tracked down […]
Includes special bras for female employees By Everett Millman – Gainesvillecoins.com …… Combating counterfeits and theft are among the chief concerns facing any government mint. In an effort to both weed out and deter fakes of all sorts, many mints have begun including special security measures on their gold and silver bullion coins. Over time, […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge Jose E. Martinez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a Consent Order against North American Asset Management, LLC (NAAM) of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, its owner and president Alexi Bethel of Miami, Florida, […]
Former politician Larry Bates played on the beliefs of fellow Christians to sell gold and silver that he never delivered By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek …. Seventy-year-old Larry Bates is a talk radio CEO, a former Tennessee state representative, and a gold and silver bullion dealer. Now, after a five-week trial in Memphis back […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a final Order of Default Judgment (Order) against Defendants Kelvin Burgos and his company K.B. Concepts Group, LLC d/b/a Apex Asset Advisors, LLC […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for May 26, 2017 Brain Food 1.) How Learning to Love Coins Made the Vikings Modern The Vikings originally traded with precious metals by weight, known as a “bullion economy.” They accepted coins from other nations, but only as their weight value in gold or silver. As the Vikings […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for May 26, 2017 Brain Food 1.) How Learning to Love Coins Made the Vikings Modern The Vikings originally traded with precious metals by weight, known as a “bullion economy.” They accepted coins from other nations, but only as their weight value in gold or silver. As the […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. On May 23, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge Kenneth A. Marra of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a Consent Order against Guardian Asset Group, LLC (Guardian) of West Palm Beach, Florida, and its owner and principal, Andrew […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. On May 23, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge Kenneth A. Marra of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a Consent Order against Guardian Asset Group, LLC (Guardian) of West Palm Beach, Florida, and its owner and principal, Andrew Kurzbard, […]
By Universal Coin & Bullion …… With input from numismatic experts, the Attorney General of Texas, Ken Paxton, has issued a consumer protection alert about buying and selling gold coins. Award-winning rare coins and precious metals writer, Michael Fuljenz, President of Universal Coin & Bullion in Beaumont, Texas, provided continuing consultation to the attorney general’s […]
By Federal Bureau of Investigation …. A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty on May 17 to robbing a coin and jewelry store while pointing a gun at the elderly store owner and a customer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada. Noah Patrick Fields, 22, pleaded guilty to one […]
1916-D Counterfeit Mercury Dime By Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… Skillful identification of counterfeit coins is essential to the hobby. Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) recently received a die struck copy of an important coin that bore tooling marks, a telltale sign of counterfeit efforts. Read on for more details. It is very easy for authenticators to […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for May 12, 2017 Current Events 1.) Indian Demonetization did not impede future black money flows: UN report The Indian government’s demonetisation measures did not impede future black money flows in new denominations, a UN report said on Monday. According to UN Economic and Social Survey of Asia […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for April 14 2017 Brain Food 1.) Test How Much You Know About Bitcoin As the world’s monetary systems teetered on the edge in late 2008, some computer whizzes sought a digital solution. As Lehman Brothers lay dying, a math-based, completely digital means of exchange known as bitcoin […]
By CoinWeek Staff Reports …. If the March 4 arrests of coin collectors and a coin dealer at the 50th Numismata in Munich are any indication, collectors in the United States have reason to fear that Germany’s new Cultural Property Protection law may live down to the predictions of those who signed last year’s petition […]
Coin theft is one of the biggest threats coin dealers face, whether they are working out of a brick-and-mortar storefront or attending coin shows halfway across the country By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for CoinWeek.com …… It doesn’t matter how big a show is or where it’s held, all coin shows present inherent security risks. It […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for March 10, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Switzerland ranked world’s worst currency manipulator The Economist magazine placed Switzerland first in a recent ranking of currency manipulators. According to the analysis, China, commonly thought of as the world’s champion at keeping its currency’s value artificially low, appears to be doing […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced the filing of a federal civil enforcement action in Florida charging Defendants Carlos Javier Ramirez, Gold Chasers, Inc., and Royal Leisure International, Inc., all with last known addresses in Orlando, Florida, with misappropriating customer funds and engaging in fraudulent […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for February 24, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Coins tell tales of kings, their fancies The longest reigning ruler Aurangazeb changed his monetary system so many times in his 49 years of reign that numismatist and author of the book South Asian Coins and Paper Money, Rajender Marudhar, says that […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for February 17, 2017 Brain Food 1.) A walk through the coinage of ancient India “The first known coins of India, the silver bent bars of the Gandhara Janapada region (Afghanistan, which was part of India), were punch marked coins with symbols of flowers on each side dated 2500 […]
By Federal Bureau of Investigation …. A former resident of Old Tappan, New Jersey, today admitted evading personal income taxes on more than $400,000 in income in 2013, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. William Dominick, 68, of Collier County, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court to […]
By Scott Barman for the Gold & Silver PAC ….. From the Political Coordinator As I was sitting down to talk with an old friend over coffee, he turns to me and says, “I think frankly when it comes to chaos you ain’t seen nothing yet.” This Washington veteran, who began his career as an intern […]
Photo from the Bristol Post By Shaquille Brissett for Gainesville Coins …. Here’s a caper that’s perhaps more fit for the silver screen than a news site, but it’s true nonetheless. Over £33,000 (approx. $41,250 USD) in stolen coins were taken from a distribution company in the Stoke Gifford village of South Gloucestershire, England. […]
Court Earlier Entered a Default Judgment Order against Oakmont Financial, Inc. By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge William P. Dimitrouleas of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered an Order of Final Judgment by Default (Order) against Defendant Joseph Charles […]
By Numismatic Crime Information Center ……. On Friday January 6, 2017, during the FUN Show, the hotel room of a collector was burglarized, resulting in the loss of 19 coins, mostly US Bust Half-Dollars. An itemized list appears below. The total value exceeds $40,000 USD. Fort Lauderdale police and Doug Davis of the Numismatic Crime […]
So-called “Trump coins” are being offered in the marketplace, and they may be delightful souvenirs, but in many cases should not be mistaken for “rare coins,” cautions the Professional Numismatists Guild. In some cases, the items being offered are not even actually coins despite how they’re advertised, according to the PNG. “Buyers today may […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for January 27, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Should bank tellers reveal the value of old coins? A teenager takes a bunch of old coins, some of them may be of silver or antiques, to a bank and gets just the face value of them in exchange. The question, “Does […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for January 6, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Design Moments: Irish Free State coins c. 1928 By 1926 the newly-minted Irish Free State was ready to get its own coinage and by the time the Coinage Act was enacted in 1927 a design competition was under way… 2.) Stories […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for January 6, 2017 Brain Food 1.) Design Moments: Irish Free State coins c. 1928 By 1926 the newly-minted Irish Free State was ready to get its own coinage and by the time the Coinage Act was enacted in 1927 a design competition was under way… 2.) Stories […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for December 30, 2016 Brain Food 1.) The medal detective Few things mean as much to soldiers as their medals. But if the medals get lost, how do they find their way home? That’s where Major Zachariah Fike comes in… 2.) All India coin in India-1940-1965 3.) Falkirk’s […]
By Mike Markowitz for CoinWeek …. “To declare that a forged coin is genuine is a mistake, but to declare that a genuine coin is a forgery is a crime.” –Leo Mildenberg (1913 – 2001)[1] FOR CLASSICAL NUMISMATISTS any discussion of fake ancient coins is… a delicate subject. Dealers worry that fear of fakes […]
By Mike Markowitz for CoinWeek …. “To declare that a forged coin is genuine is a mistake, but to declare that a genuine coin is a forgery is a crime.” –Leo Mildenberg (1913 – 2001)[1] FOR CLASSICAL NUMISMATISTS any discussion of fake ancient coins is… a delicate subject. Dealers worry that fear of fakes will […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for December 2, 2016 Current Events 1.) Zimbabwe police fire tear gas at bank note protest “We are not going to embrace bond notes,” Hardlife Mudzingwa, a spokesman for Tajamuka, told AFP. “They are being used to mop up the US dollars that people have in their accounts so […]
There was more than one surprise on election night… By CoinWeek Staff Reports …. While much of the world–and certainly much of the world’s press–was otherwise occupied on election day, shortly before midnight on Tuesday, November 8, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Indian 500 rupee (Rs 500, or ₹500) and 1,000 rupee […]
There was more than one surprise on election night… By CoinWeek Staff Reports …. While much of the world–and certainly much of the world’s press–was otherwise occupied on election day, shortly before midnight on Tuesday, November 8, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Indian 500 rupee (Rs 500, or ₹500) and 1,000 rupee […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 25, 2016 Brain Food 1.) Q&A: Erik Goldstein Erik J. Goldstein is the senior curator of mechanical arts and numismatics at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and has been in this position since 2002. A student of military history and numismatics, he has lectured widely and instructs a three-year […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 18, 2016 Brain Food 1.) The priceless legacy of P.L. Gupta We owe a great debt to coin collector P.L. Gupta, whose career continues to shape the study of the monetary and numismatic history of India… 2.) A Brief History of the Racketeer Nickel [T]he Deadwood nickel is […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 11, 2016 Current Events 1.) Some Central Florida toll booths not registering $1 coins Central Florida Expressway Authority officials said they weren’t aware of the problem until Channel 9 brought it to their attention… Under the Radar 2.) Commemorative Singapore Botanic Gardens coin unveiled A commemorative coin showcasing iconic features of the Singapore […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for November 4, 2016 Canada 150 1.) Royal Canadian Mint unveils its 2017 Canada 150 circulation coin series The Royal Canadian Mint has unveiled its 2017 Canada 150 circulation coin series featuring the work of five Canadians selected by popular vote to design the tails side of the […]
For many years, the United States Mint has administered a program by which people and businesses could exchange bent and partial coins (commonly referred to as “mutilated coins”) for reimbursement. Bent coins are defined as U.S. coins which are bent or deformed so as to preclude normal machine counting but which are readily and clearly […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for October 28, 2016 Brain Food 1.) Is It Illegal to Deface US Currency? While this video may be ridiculously awesome, because Bill Murray is super cool, have you ever wondered if it is illegal to deface or alter a U.S. bank note? 2.) 7 Tips For Surviving Your First […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for October 21, 2016 Brain Food 1.) What is the Average Lifespan of a Coin? Coins are tough little devils. Over the course of a coins’ lifespan, they will be dropped, kicked, stepped on, possibly run over by a vehicle, or involved in some children’s experiment to discover just how […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) obtained a federal court default judgment Order Adopting the Report and Recommendation (Order) against Defendants The Yorkshire Group, Inc. (Yorkshire) and its principal Scott Platto. The Order stems from a CFTC Complaint, filed on September 25, 2013, that charged the Defendants […]
By CoinWeek …. CoinWeek News Wire for October 14, 2016 Brain Food 1.) A guide to valuing all your old Irish coins (PHOTOS) Between the formation of the Republic of Ireland, the shift towards decimalization, and the introduction of the Euro, Irish currency underwent a great number of changes over the past 100 years, resulting in […]
By Scott Barman for the Gold & Silver Political Action Committee ….. From the Political Coordinator Every four years we elect a president and vice president. By definition, elections are politically motivated exercises and candidates look to convince you to elect them and not their opponent. I used an opportunity to have a discussion about […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for October 7, 2016 Brain Food 1.) ANA Unveils Treasures In Your Pocket In 2014 a collector discovered a 1969-S Lincoln cent in his pocket change. Upon further inspection, he realized it was a rare doubled die cent. The value of his find? $19,800… To encourage budding coin collectors, the […]
At the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) 2016 World’s Fair of Money, CoinWeek’s editors stopped by the table of numismatic bookseller Kolbe & Fanning to take a look at an intriguing collecting of letters from known counterfeiter and numismatic forger Thomas Wyatt. In this 4K CoinWeek Exclusive video, Dr. David Fanning discusses the contents of the letters […]
By Numismatic Crime Information Center ……. On August 27, 2016 Thomas Gintz, owner of A & E Coin in Dover, Ohio had attended the Blue Ridge Numismatic Association coin show in Dalton, Georgia. After leaving the show he drove approximately 150 miles and stopped at a restaurant in Lenoir City, Tennessee. Gintz was in the […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil injunctive enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Florida-based Defendants KB Concepts Group, LLC d/b/a Apex Asset Advisors, LLC (Apex) and Kelvin Burgos, Apex’s president, controlling person, and managing member responsible […]
By Everett Millman – Gainesville Coins ……. The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) is alleging that one of its former employees gradually smuggled $180,000 CAD (approximately $136,000 USD) worth of gold out of the mint. The strange part is how they say he did it: by hiding the gold in his anal cavity. Leston Lawrence, a […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for September 23, 2016 The Future Is Now 1.) Bitcoin is money, U.S. judge says in case tied to JPMorgan hack “Bitcoins are funds within the plain meaning of that term,” [Judge Alison] Nathan wrote. “Bitcoins can be accepted as a payment for goods and services or bought directly […]
Robert Escobio and His Companies are Permanently Banned from Commodity Trading and Registration, and Ordered to Pay Approximately $2.5 Million in Restitution and Penalties By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today a victory after trial involving a fraudulent precious metals scheme perpetrated by Robert Escobio of […]
Federal Court in Nevada Orders My Global Leverage, LLC and Toney Blondo Eggleston to Pay More than $1.4 Million in Restitution and a Monetary Penalty for Engaging in Illegal, Off-Exchange Precious Metals Transactions By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge Andrew P. Gordon of the […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for September 9, 2016 Brain Food 1.) The birth and death of paper money Kublai Khan, said Marco Polo, had ‘a more extensive command of treasure than any other sovereign in the universe’. There were no jangling pockets of coins in Kanbalu. Bark had been stripped from the mulberry […]
UC Riverside political scientist suggests that introduction of coins fits historical pattern of troubled regimes turning to gold as “golden parachute” By University of California, Riverside ….. When ISIS announced in 2014 that it would create its own currency of gold, silver and copper coins, the terrorist organization said its intent was to free its […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for September 2, 2016 Brain Food 1.) What to do with an ink-stained bank note? Would you know what to do with a bank note stained with dye — an indicator that the note was stolen in a robbery or ATM theft?… 2.) Collectors Universe Reports Financial Results for […]
In CFTC Enforcement Action, Federal Court Orders Florida Resident Martin Sommers and His Company International Monetary Metals, Inc. to Pay over $9.8 Million for Engaging in Illegal, Off-Exchange Precious Metals Transactions and Registration Violations By Commodity Futures Trading Commission …. On August 12, 2016, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that Judge […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for August 19, 2016 Brain Food 1.) Gold Is Hot This Year. So Are Fakes “If we sit and wait around for the government to take care of it, we’ll all be in real trouble,“ said Terry Hanlon, president of Dillon Gage Metals, a wholesale precious-metals trader… 2.) A […]
By Jeff Garrett for Numismatic Guaranty Corporation …… The issue of counterfeit coins has been around for a very long time For years, the numismatic industry has dealt effectively with the problem of counterfeit rare coins. You can read numismatic journals from the 19th century and realize that collectors were dealing with the problem even […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for August 5, 2016 Brain Food 1.) Newman Numismatic Portal Update The Newman Numismatic Portal will be represented at the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) World’s Fair of Money in Anaheim, California next week. Stop by and visit, or attend one of our presentations. Our schedule is: Wednesday, August 10: […]
By CoinWeek News Staff …. Exactly one year after the Philadelphia United States Attorney’s Office filed a petition with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the U.S. Government to rehear the case of Langbord et al v. U.S. Department of Treasury et al (Case No. 12-4574), the en banc court issued […]
By Littleton Coin Company ……….. There’s been a lot of buzz lately in the numismatic world about counterfeit coins – especially those coming from China. Counterfeiting is as old as coins themselves. However, the biggest problem with these newer fraudulent coins is that better technology makes them harder to detect – since they appear more […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for July 22, 2016 Brain Food 1.) The history keepers On a cool, cloudy Tuesday morning … a coin collector stops by the Laxmi Narayan temple in Basantapur, looking for a coin minted during the reign of Prithivi Narayan Shah. There he finds an old man, seated on […]
By Wealthy Max Ltd ….. The Wealthy Max Limited legal defense team from GeyerGorey LLP, represented by Robert Connolly, presented the arguments behind its motion to dismiss the civil forfeiture case brought by the US Attorney for the District of New Jersey. The hearing was held in the courtroom of Judge Juan R. Sanchez, […]
By Coinweek …. CoinWeek News Wire for July 10, 2016 Brain Food 1.) From cotton to cash: how to (actually) make a euro Reinhold Gerstetter is responsible for the design of the euro banknotes. Fans of the old Deutsche Mark may recognize his work – he drew the faces on their last edition, before Germany […]
Beware of counterfeit vintage rare coins and fake modern gold and silver bullion items now being offered in the marketplace. Purchase only from reputable dealers, cautions the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG). The PNG is a nonprofit organization composed of many of the country’s top numismatic experts. Counterfeit 2012-dated American Eagle $50 denomination one-ounce gold bullion […]
News and Alerts Concerning Numismatic Crime for the Month of April By Numismatic Crime Information Center …… Vehicle Burglarized Below is a list of US coins and paper money stolen from Dick August after leaving a coin show in Westford, Massachusetts on April 24, 2016. Mr. August stopped a short distance from the show […]
Under the authority of 31 U.S.C. 5120, the United States Mint established a program by which people and businesses could exchange bent and partial coins for reimbursement. Fused or mixed coins cannot be redeemed by the United States Mint. On November 2, 2015, the United States Mint suspended the exchange program for a period of […]
Recommends U.S. Mint Require Tougher Compliance Program for Coin Redeemers By FormerFeds Group, LLC ……. The FormerFeds Group, LLC today announced the release of its White Paper on the U.S. Mint’s Mutilated Coin Redemption Program including recommendations to improve coin redemption procedures. This program was suspended by the Department of the Treasury in November 2015 […]
By Coinweek …. This week, we visit Peruvian counterfeiters, tour the Karlsruhe Mint in Germany and find out whether those coin counting machines at your local bank or grocery store are accurate. And we check in on a lot of news coming out of India. We also touch upon the Panama Papers, and reveal a […]
By Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez for Coinweek ……. Recycling firm Wealthy Max Ltd is hoping to save face with a transparency program following a controversy that spelled massive fines and civil proceedings for the company, which has links to China. The firm, which submitted tons of coins to the United States Mint’s Mutilated Coin Redemption Program, has […]
By Everett Millman – Gainesville Coins ………. A new wave of counterfeit PAMP Suisse gold bars are making the rounds. These new fakes show much better quality than earlier attempts, especially with the packaging. Previous fake PAMP gold bars have been easily detected when compared to the real thing (see image, below). These new […]
By CoinWeek News Staff …. Never take the Federal Reserve’s lunch money. That’s the message 49-year-old Stephen Lancaster Dennis received on Monday, March 7, 2016 as he reached a plea agreement in federal court for the theft of 784,000 quarters ($196,000) from a Brink’s location in Birmingham, Alabama in 2014. At the time of the […]
Defendants Ordered to Comply with the Law of the Eleventh Circuit for all Financed Transactions and Show Delivery of Physical Metal to the Customer or the Customer’s Depository Results within 28 Days By Commodity Futures Trading Commission…. On Thursday, February 4, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced today that the U.S. District Court […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission…. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil injunctive enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Defendants Oakmont Financial, Inc. (Oakmont) of Boynton Beach, Florida, and Joseph Charles DiCrisci of New York, New York, an Oakmont owner and principal. The […]
Third Santa Monica Case Against National Gold Coin Dealers By Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office…. The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office has obtained a $2 million court judgment against precious metals dealer Seacoast Coin, Inc., formerly doing business as Merit Financial and Merit Gold and Silver. Merit was based in Santa Monica but did business […]
By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek…. Twenty-two years ago, noted numismatist Walter H. Breen died at Chino’s California Institute for Men, part of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. A convicted serial child molester, it’s hard to imagine that Breen’s stay at the facility was ever meant to rehabilitate the man. Instead, […]
Under the authority of 31 U.S.C. 5120, the United States Mint established a program by which people and businesses could exchange bent and partial coins for reimbursement. Fused or mixed coins cannot be redeemed by the United States Mint. Because of the possibility of unlawful activity on the coin exchange program, the United States Mint […]
By Commodity Futures Trading Commission…. On Wednesday, September 30, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a civil injunctive enforcement action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Defendants Guardian Asset Group, LLC and its owner and principal, Andrew Kurzbard, both of West Palm Beach, Florida. The CFTC Complaint […]
Collectors will have the opportunity to learn from the experts at two Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) coin grading and counterfeit detection seminars during the upcoming September 2015 Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectible Expo. PCGS will offer two separate seminars from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 19. Grading 102 […]
CoinWeek News Staff…. Numismatic Crime Information Center is offering a $5000 Reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer. On Monday, July 20, 2015, two men were shot dead inside of a Cheyenne, Wyoming coin shop, during the commission of an armed robbery. Police have identified the victims as 67-year-old […]
By CoinWeek News Staff…. On Wednesday, July 1, the United States Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia filed a petition with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the U.S. Federal Government, seeking a rehearing in the case of Langbord et al v. U.S. Department of Treasury et al (Case No. 12-4574). A three-judge […]
Milwaukee, Wisconsin based Fox6now.com posted this story about A slick website, cold calls and high-pressure tactics that were at the heart of a coin collection scam that cost victims millions of dollars. The suspects preyed on the elderly and were relentless.
By Paul Montgomery and Associates – PaulMontgomeryOnline.com…. A Federal Court Judge in Texas has ruled that a coin fraud victim’s estate should receive almost $2 million from a Long Island coin dealer and his grading company under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO). The estate was assisted in its three-year recovery efforts […]
By Wayne Homren for The E-Sylum eNewsletter…. Each week, CoinWeek, in collaboration with the Numismatic Bibliomania Society, brings you a highlighted feature from the current volume of the E-Sylum eNewsletter. New York’s First Bank Robbery [Last] week I came across a blog article on New York’s first bank robbery. What was most interesting to me […]
By The European Central Bank, Directorate of General Communications…. The European Central Bank, Europol and the European Commission jointly organised the 3rd International Conference on the Protection of the Euro against Counterfeiting. The conference was held at the ECB’s new headquarters in Frankfurt am Main from 24 to 27 March 2015 and was the first […]
By Rick Bretz for CoinWeek…. The Binion Hoard offers the collector a variety of ways to collect coins, currency, and memorabilia like ashtrays, dice, gambling equipment, photos, casino chips, etc. A collector could assemble a traditional date/mintmark set, or he could choose to assemble a set of the various souvenir items available. But first, who […]
By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek…. On December 31, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced that it had recovered over 800 ancient coins from the house of a Beit Shemesh man who confessed to looting items from a local archaeological site. The unidentified man, who is in his 50s, was apprehended by border police while on […]
By Hubert Walker for CoinWeek…. Police in Madrid arrested three individuals yesterday on charges of counterfeiting up to 12,000 two-euro coins over five years. The three appeared to be running the counterfeiting operation out of their houses, using equipment readily-available at the average home improvement store. During the arrests, officers found a total of […]
by Doug Davis Founder/President and Bryan Davis/Forensic Investigator … Numismatic Crime Information Center ……… Numismatic crime continues to escalate and the chance of a dealer or collector becoming a victim is very real in today’s society. It is important to realize that not everyone is a law abiding citizen. There are individuals and organized groups who […]
By Vic Bozarth – The Rare Coin Road Warrior ….. Dear Rare Coin Enthusiasts….. Many of you may have wondered what happened to Vic Bozarth-The Rare Coin Road Warrior. Sherri and I are still traveling 200 nights per year to coin shows and on coin buying trips all over the continental U.S. We are still […]
By Charles Morgan for CoinWeek… In this, the second installment of CoinWeek’s coverage of the Whitman Baltimore Winter Expo 2014 Coin Show, I talk to a collector from Pennsylvania about his pursuit of a rare obsolete bank note and take a quick look at the 10 coins that brought the most money on Rarities Night. I […]
Crimes related to numismatics know no boundaries and affects the numismatic industry around the world. Millions of dollars in numismatic items have been stolen from collectors and dealers who have fallen prey to a numismatic crime. The Numismatic Crime Information Center is a 501 (c)(3) non profit corporation established to coordinate and collaborate initiatives between […]
By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek… In CoinWeek’s initial report on Merit Gold and Silver, we wrote that the Santa Monica City’s Attorney’s Office had filed a complaint against the firm, alleging that Merit had “engaged in an aggressive, nationwide fraud scheme that… bilked customers out of tens of millions of dollars”, and […]
Crimes related to numismatics know no boundaries and affects the numismatic industry around the world. Millions of dollars in numismatic items have been stolen from collectors and dealers who have fallen prey to a numismatic crime. The Numismatic Crime Information Center is a 501 (c)(3) non profit corporation established to coordinate and collaborate initiatives between […]
by Joshua T. Herbstman for CoinWeek…. At some time or another, we have all gotten an email that resembles the following: Dear Sir, During the regime of our late head of state, General Sani Abacha, the government officials set up companies and awarded themselves contracts which were grossly over-invoiced in various Ministries. The new civilian […]
by Joshua T. Herbstman for CoinWeek…. At some time or another, we have all gotten an email that resembles the following: Dear Sir, During the regime of our late head of state, General Sani Abacha, the government officials set up companies and awarded themselves contracts which were grossly over-invoiced in various Ministries. The new civilian […]
