President Obama on Thursday signed the Girl Scout Commemorative Coin Act into law, authorizing the Untied States Mint to strike up to 350,000 silver dollar coins to honor the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA).

The coins will be minted and sold in 2013, marking the end of Girl Scouts’ yearlong centennial celebration and kicking off a new century of leadership and service to girls.

The bill, H.R. 621, was introduced by Rep. Jack Kingston and easily passed by a voice vote on Oct. 13. Sen. Susan Collins sponsored a companion bill, S. 451. Instead of moving that forward, the Senate simply passed the House version on Oct. 19 by Unanimous Consent.

President Obama signed the bill at 3:15 p.m. ET during a ceremony at the White House that included Connie L. Lindsey, GSUSA National Board Chair, Laurie Westley, Senior Vice President, Public Policy, Advocacy & the Research Institute, and girls from the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital.

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Read the rest of Girl Scout Commemorative Coin Act is Law (313 words)

Twenty years ago in 1989 the Austrian State Mint passed from the Treasury into the ownership of the central bank. The mint was given the freedom to produce and sell products in accordance with the demands of the modern numismatic and investment markets. One of the very first innovations introduced by the new CEO, Paul Berger, was the production of a gold bullion coin for investment purposes: the Vienna Philharmonic.

On 16th October this year a limited quantity of 6,027 Vienna Philharmonic coins, each weighing 20 ounces of fine gold, will go on sale in Europe, America and Japan.

20 ounces to commemorate 20 years!

Why the odd number? The mint decided to offer 2009 coins (the date of the 20th anniversary) in its three major markets: in Europe, in America and in Japan. Investors still remember the 15 giant coins (each of 1,000 ounces) that celebrated the fifteenth anniversary in 2004, and that entered the Guinness Book of Records as the then largest gold coin in the world. All 15 giant coins were snapped up within days, and the excitement surrounding this special issue of a 20 ounce coin promises a similar market reaction.

The new 20 ounce coin has a diameter of 74 mm and a thickness of 8.3 mm and is housed in a prestigious wooden and red velvet case. Pre-orders for this unique anniversary gold coin have already started pouring into the mint in Vienna. It promises to be a major success as indeed the past 20 years of the Austrian bullion programme have been.

The Vienna Philharmonic Story

The decision in 1989 to issue a gold bullion coin in the two weights of 1 ounce and ¼ ounce was greeted with indulgent smiles. Austria, a small central European country since the destruction of her empire in 1918 and without any gold mining industry to support, was entering the bullion market, long dominated by the Krugerrand and that time divided between the USA, Canada and Western Australia.

Berger and his team decided that music was the ideal theme for their new coin. Austria was internationally renowned for its music, but they decided against the portrayal of one of the many great composers like Mozart, Haydn or Strauss. That would make the coin appear like a commemorative edition for collectors. Instead they chose a living and world-famous musical institution: the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. To their delight the members of the orchestra enthusiastically endorse this choice, freely grant the use of their name. The engraver, Thomas Pesendorfer, designed a collection of instruments to represent the orchestra itself and for the other side of the coin he took the great pipe organ of the Golden Hall in Vienna where the orchestra plays at home. It is seen on television around the world every year on 1st January during the New Year’s Day Concert.

The new Austrian coin was launched in Vienna on 10th October and was an immediate success. The demand in the home market was nothing less than ferocious. In two and a half months 419,000 ounces were sold, achieving with one blow an 18% world market share for the entire year 1989! It rapidly established itself as a serious participant in the international gold market. In 1992 and again in 1995, 1996 and 2000 the Vienna Philharmonic was ranked by the World Gold Council as the top selling gold bullion coin worldwide. In 2008 the Vienna Philharmonic continued to rank No. 1 in Europe and in Japan, and with a year’s market share of 25% it came in 3rd worldwide narrowly missing 2nd place. The “indulgent smiles” have long since disappeared.

A 1/10 ounce in 1991 and a ½ ounce coin in 1994 completed the traditional family of four sizes. In 2008 a silver 1 ounce Vienna Philharmonic was added to the investment range with resounding success.

Looking back on 20 years of continual growth and success, the Vienna Philharmonic has established itself firmly as one of the four great gold bullion coins offered on the international market of today. This one-time issue of a limited number of 20 ounce gold coins is but a fitting tribute to a 20 year long success story that shows no signs of letting up in the near future.

Related posts:

1. Last of the Austrian Mint’s “Vienna Jugendstil” Series
2. Austrian Mint Issues 5 Euro Silver Coin Honoring Great Conductor
3. Gold touches 27-year high of $746.30 an ounce; silver surges nearly 3%

Even though multitudes of American investors have lost faith in Wall Street and our nation’s banking system, they can still show their patriotism by purchasing American gold bullion, as they convert their wealth into precious metal diversification. Traditional investments in stocks and bonds have had their overextended course of contrived prosperity, now it’s time to pay the piper. As we all prepare for the treacheries of an indeterminate inflationary period, many investors are claiming financial independence from our banks and brokers by diversifying with American gold bullion like Engelhard brand, one-ounce, and ten-ounce bars, and American gold bullion coins like 22-karat American Eagles, or 24-karat American Buffalos.

Engelhard 24-karat bars are manufactured in New Jersey, and make great items for personal possession, as well as short-term diversifications for rare coins like $20 Lady Liberty’s, or $20 Saint Gaudens, which are traditionally used for long-term stability. Bullion prices usually hover just above the current spot price, and investors can also use this affordability for long-term financial safety, as government approved, gold-backed IRA contributions. Rare coins are not permitted for precious metal IRA storage, but the aforementioned American Eagles, and Buffalo coins are permissible, along with proof, and “Ultra-High” proof versions of the modern American Eagle bullion coin. Investors may also wish to round off their budgets with fractional denominations of the $50 American Eagle, which include ½-ounce, ¼-ounce, and 1/10-ounce coins. These investors are encouraged to complete their research, and then to contact one of our friendly specialists, who offer institutional discounts on bullion, and rare coin.

Danny Burns

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CiDRA Minerals Processing announced today that they have been awarded, through M3 Engineering & Technology, an additional contract to supply SONARtrac® process monitoring systems to the Peñasquito project, expanding their installed base of CiDRA’s SONARtrac systems to 17.

This project covers approximately 39,000ha, located 27km west of Concepción del Oro district and the north-eastern portion of Zacatecas State, Mexico. The SONARtrac systems will provide volumetric flow measurements on critical slurry lines.

Peñasquito is a development project that is 100% owned …

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PolyCom treated water is of great benefit during the initial phase of construction projects. Mine developers, civil roadworks contractors and subdivision specialists benefit from reduced water use and the ability to improve sub-standard soils to make sub-grade improvements.

PolyCom enables the use of most materials usually cut to spoil by improving workability of difficult to handle materials. It provides less mess from mud dragging out, improved traction and reduced dust.

Water savings as high as 30% can be achieved during construction, and PolyCom also enhances the wet-weather perfor…

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The diminishing nature of some land-based mineral resources (the resource determines where you mine and whether you mine – not a nongovernmental organisation focus which is, in fact, a welcome interest) has increased the importance of marine mining and has reignited the interest of mining houses in this new frontier.

Although Southern Africa has a relatively long history of marine mining, the focus was mostly on land-based natural resources during the commodity boom as the emphasis was placed on large volumes when weighed against the cost of mining.

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Newmont Mining continues to hold talks with the government of Indonesia, ahead of a November 12 deadline for the sale of a total of 24% of the Batu Hijau copper/gold mine, CEO Richard O’Brien said on Thursday.

The company understands that the local government will buy the initial 10% (the 3% and 7% stakes which were to have been sold in 2006 and 2007 respectively), and a price has been fixed for the transaction.

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Mining and heavy equipment including drills, crawler tractors, wheel loaders, motor scrapers and hydraulic excavators to be sold to the highest bidders at the Company’s new location.

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Top global supplier of minerals processing and materials handling equipment, FL smidth, has won another important coal handling contract in India

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Higher gold sales and minority mine contributions a major factor

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