1. Students discover historic coins 

JSN.org is reporting that, in the midst of Hanukkah last week, a group of Israeli students from Handasaim Herzliya High School found three Hasmonean dynasty coins while on an an archaeological dig at the ruins in Adulam Park.

"The students’ excitement was contagious,” archaeologist Dr. Eitan Klein of the Israel Antiquities Authority said. “It’s very nice to see their enthusiasm as they connect with the past and with the fascinating world of archaeology for the first time.”

The coins were minted around 100 B.C., and were used for roughly 200 years after Alexander Jannaeus’s rule, which adds quite a bit of significance. 

Read more about the discovery.

2. Mailing the Mint

The United States Mint is currently analyzing a policy change to discontinue the distribution of mail order forms in 2016.

More about the possible change here.

3. Rare Israeli notes have hit the auction market

"A rare specimen album of some of the earliest Israel bank notes is among the highlights of Heritage Auctions’ world paper money sale at the Jan. 7 to 10 Florida United Numismatists convention in Tampa."

These historic notes are from 1948.

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5.  Precious metals pricing

Kitco.com lists the following prices per ounce Thursday at 3:44 p.m. ET:

• Gold: $1,051.10
• Silver: $13.690

6. Hot topics

Check out three interesting stories from the last couple of days:

1. U.S. Mint sells last of its of 2015 silver American Eagles Dec. 15
2. ‘Friendly Eagle’ flies on few 1971-D Eisenhower dollars: Q. David Bowers
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt medal is a 'junk box' find in Ohio