The latest Coin World weekly issue, dated Oct. 9, 2017, is out the door, and we present exclusive previews of a few articles, to be found also in our latest digital edition.

American Eagle program gets its fourth metal, and high premiums

The American Eagle program is getting a new metal, its fourth, with the introduction of the nation’s first palladium bullion coin. As this week’s Editorial indicates, premiums were already well above those charged for similar products (Maple Leafs and generic bars) from other issuers just days before the coins would be offered by the U.S. Mint to authorized purchasers on Sept. 25.

“As of Sept. 21, one firm was offering (for October delivery) the American Eagle at a huge premium over its Canadian and generic counterparts. It is offering the U.S. coin at a premium ‘As low as $102.99 per oz over spot!’ compared to a premium of $9.99 per ounce over spot for the Canadian coin and generic bars of the same weight and fineness (yes, those numbers are correct).”

Look closely, and you’ll see changes in the American Eagle silver dollar

Think the 2017 American Eagle silver bullion coin is identical to the 1986 version of the coin, the first to be issued? It isn’t, writes Scott Schechter in his “Making Moderns” column.

Noticeable changes were made to the design in 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2008 and 2010, Schechter writes. Relief has been changed, the designs made sharper, the sculptural form has been lost and restored, and the text font has been changed (the latter resulting in the only collectible die variety for the series). To learn more about the changes, read Schechter’s column in the print and digital issues of Coin World.

‘Weak-Fatty’ gold coins: you don’t want any in your collection

In his “Detecting Counterfeits” column, Michael Fahey discusses a type of counterfeit gold coin called a “Weak-Fatty.” He writes, “I do not remember who coined the term ‘Weak-Fatty,’ but that was what we called them. The finer details of the design were usually weak or indistinct on these fakes, and the peripheral lettering was fat and rounded, instead of being crisp and sharp.”

The counterfeit 1899-S Coronet gold half eagle that is reviewed in the column “is a typical example of a ‘Weak-Fatty’ fake,” Fahey writes. Diagnostics, photographs and tips of what to look for found in his column are available only in the Oct. 9 issue of Coin World.

Car wash token and more: what rolls of dollar coins can yield

Bill O’Rourke writes in his newest “Found in Rolls” column, “One of the things that fascinates me as I search through rolls of coins is the amazing variety of numismatic material that can be found.” One roll of small-sized dollar coins recently searched yielded a ringed-bimetallic token good for use at a Florida business, O’Rourke reports. “This token has a brass outer ring with an aluminum core and was apparently made for use at a local car wash,” he writes.

He also found Presidential dollars and Sacagawea/Native American dollars that were not officially released into circulation but made their way there anyway. Learn more what he found in his latest column, appearing only in the print and digital issue of Coin World.

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