An 1893 Barber quarter dollar graded Proof 69 by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. comes close to perfection and sold for $19,213.20 in Heritage's FUN Platinum Night sale.

Jeff and Chris deal with numismatic shakeups in this week's episode. They review the first coinage of the Irish Free State as a nod to St. Patrick's Day and interview Michael Dlugosz, author of a book on British Conder tokens. COVID-19, front of mind for so many, and its effects on the hobby are discussed as well.

The spread of the coronavirus is disrupting daily routines, and now coin shows worldwide are being canceled or postponed as governments order mandatory restrictions.

In 2019 PCGS expanded its Prooflike designation, and this PCGS MS-67+ Prooflike 1894 Barber quarter dollar shows the market's appreciation, bringing $17,400 at the FUN show.

One top quality Barber quarter dollar bringing a top price at the Heritage FUN Show auctions in January was this PCGS MS-67+1897-S coin, with a green CAC sticker, that sold for $43,200.

Officials at the United States Mint and Bureau of Engraving and Printing have closed their facilities to the public in response to the coronavirus.

CCAC members recommended designs for three of the four 2021 American Innovation dollars, but asked for additional designs for the coin for North Carolina.

The cancellation of the NCAA tournament on April 4 due to the pandemic is forcing changes to the unveiling of the colorized Basketball Hall of Fame coins.

Dominated by “a depiction of Pikes Peak that resembles Dairy Queen soft serve ice cream" this AU-58 Clark, Gruber & Co. 1860 $10 gold coin brought $26,400 at Kagin's ANA auction. .

Chris interviews Neil Musante, a numismatic researcher whose recent two-volume work, Medallic Washington, deals with exonumic depictions of the United States' first president.

At only 80 percent of the gold value the coins were marked, “Salt Lake City Pure Gold” was nearly all melted, so the few survivors, like this PCGS AU-53+ 1849 $2.50 coin, are desirable.

The purchase of the bulk of the Baker Collection of George Washington medals and tokens by Dwight Manley is both a personal win and a win for the numismatic community.

A lustrous MS-61 example of America’s first privately minted gold coinage led bidding at Kagin’s February 27 and 28 ANA National Money Show auction in Atlanta.

Feb. 27 anybody at the ANA National Money Show could get a Proof 2020-W Jefferson 5-cent coin complementary with each 2020-S Proof set purchase from the U.S. Mint.

The spot price of palladium is testing the $3,000 an ounce plateau on the London market, outdistancing the price of gold by $1,000 an ounce or more.

Columns found only in the March 23 issue include those about changes in the Indian Head cent in 1864 and two related die marriages of the 1880 Morgan dollar.

Dwight Manley has revealed that he bought the majority of Washington tokens and medals from the William Spohn Baker Collection offered by Stack’s Bowers Galleries.

The most-read stories from the last week included stories about limited-edition products in the Basketball commemorative coin program and circulating 2020 dollar coins.

Jeff and Chris speak with the sovereign ruler of Bermania, Allen Berman, a coin dealer and expert in Papal Coinage. They also discuss coinage from micronation, tiny, generally-unrecognized territories and look at an issue of Coin World from 1991.

Collectors will pay a solid premium for nice MS-62 coins that approach the MS-63 grade, as seen in this 1884-S Morgan dollar graded PCGS MS-62 with a green CAC sticker.