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LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 25, 2024

The E-Sylum (2/25/2024)


Book Content

LOOSE CHANGE: FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Here are some additional items in the media this week that may be of interest.-Editor

Sensational Clickbait

Last week I wrote about those ubiquitous clickbait headlines with ridiculous claims of coin values. I'd missed it, but Charles Morgan of CoinWeek covered the topic earlier in the month. Here's an excerpt - see the complete article online. -Editor

Bicentennial quarter fish storyIf you use Google's mobile app and you have an active interest in coin collecting, you've probably seen a few articles online recently claiming that Bicentennial quarters still in circulation are worth millions-sometimes hundreds of millions of dollars-and that other circulating coins are worth nearly as much.

Sometimes, the feature image of these articles shows the correct coin, but often they present unrelated coins. In one article suggested by Google, the publisher used a stock photo of ancient gold coins. Finding a Roman solidus in change would be a newsworthy, once-in-a-lifetime event, but the Romans didn't strike Bicentennial quarters. The United States Mint did.

Bicentennial quarters have not exploded in value in recent years, nor has the U.S. dollar suffered the fate of Zimbabwe's hyperinflated currency. Instead, these articles are complete fabrications, likely the work of unethical Search Engine Optimization (SEO) companies or tabloid publishers looking to divert the public's interest in finding life-altering treasure in change to some utterly unrelated offer of a good or service.

To read the complete article, see:
Sensational Claims About the Bicentennial Quarter Proliferate Online(https://coinweek.com/sensational-claims-about-the-bicentennial-quarter-proliferate-online/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
ABOUT THOSE NUMISMATIC HEADLINES(https://www.coinbooks.org/v27/esylum_v27n07a13.html)

King Charles III Banknotes

Kavan Ratnatunga passed along this De La Rue press release about the new King Charles III banknotes. Thanks.-Editor

 King Charles III banknotes

De La Rue has been the sole manufacturer of Sterling banknotes for over twenty years. We worked closely with the Bank of England to introduce the original polymer banknotes featuring Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and continued this collaboration for the new King Charles III polymer banknotes, which will enter circulation on the 5th June 2024.

The King Charles III banknotes are based on the existing polymer series, designed in partnership between the Bank of England and De La Rue. The King's image will appear as a portrait on the front of the banknotes, as well as in the see-through security window.

The new banknotes will co-circulate with the original notes featuring Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which will remain legal tender. They will also continue to be printed on De La Rue's durable SAFEGUARD® polymer substrate as part of the Bank of England's dual supply banknote substrate strategy.

To read the complete article, see:
King Charles III banknotes to enter circulation on 5 June 2024(https://www.delarue.com/media-center/king-charles-iii-banknotes-to-enter-circulation-on-5th-june-2024)

Coins Removed from Alligator's Stomach

In the who-knew-alligators-liked-coins-too? department, Mark Vitunic, Aaron Oppenheim and Len Augsburger passed along this story of the Nebraska zoo gator who swallowed 70 coins. Thanks.-Editor

coins from alligator's stomachAn alligator at a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, needed an emergency procedure late last week to remove dozens of coins from its stomach, zoo officials said.

A total of 70 metal coins were found inside Thibodaux, a 36-year-old alligator, according to the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

A plastic pipe was placed to protect his mouth and safely pass the tools used to access the coins, such as a camera that helped us guide the retrieval of these objects, veterinarian Christina Ploog said in a statement from the zoo.

The coins were found during a routine examination on the animal. All were successfully removed.

Guests should not throw coins into any bodies of water at the Zoo, the facility said in a statement.

To read the complete articles, see:
70 coins removed from stomach of alligator at Nebraska zoo(https://www.cnn.com/travel/alligator-coins-removed-nebraska-zoo/index.html)
70 coins found in white alligator's stomach in Nebraska ZOO(https://essanews.com/70-coins-found-in-white-alligators-stomach-in-nebraska-zoo,6997805738470368a)
Nebraska Zoo Removes 70 Coins from Alligator's Stomach, Asks Visitors Not to Toss Money into Water(https://people.com/nebraska-zoo-removes-70-coins-alligator-s-stomach-asks-visitors-avoid-coin-tossing-8584976)

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