U.S. Mint Lawyer at My Table at Denver ANA

All 1933 Double Eagles are now "fruit of a poison criminal tree" and unless some future government action waives their right to recover them, they will always be stolen property. A jury has now determined that not ONLY are the Langbord 10 all stolen, but all remaining unaccounted for are as well.

At NO point in history has the government ever failed to seek recovery of 1933 Double Eagles and that fact is dispositive AND what distinguishes this from every other fear-mongering paranoid delusion so prevalent in numismatic circles.

 

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Kurt,

My main concern was that the coins not be destroyed if the government gained clear possession. I discussed this with a mint official at the Denver ANA, and my fear was allayed. Long term loans (not gifts!) to museums were mentioned as probable, and of course, a few will be displayed as part of Mint and Treasury PR efforts. I wouldn't mind a few being auctioned with money going to the Treasury, but that is not under consideration at present.

I think any museum that has them will display them prominently and permanently. I've visited the Smithsonian several times over the decades, and one of theirs was always on display. They would no more hide both away than they would hide the Hope diamond.

I remember the old display rooms in the Smithsonian in which many of the coins were in horizontal cases. My son, who was 10 at the time, leaned too hard on a case. A bell sounded, and two uniformed guards and a detective materialized out of nowhere. My son was advised not to lean on the cases, and all was well.

I'm not sure that the jury finding in this civil case automatically establishes a criminal law precedent regarding any 33 DE's that show up in the future. Unless there is something unusual about the circumstances, there would be a seizure possibly followed by yet another civil trial rather than criminal charges being brought. Unusual circumstances might be an attempt to sneak the coins out of the country, connection to organized crime, drug payoff, payoff of a government official, etc. I think if one is discovered in the hands of a collector or dealer without special circumstances, the former custodian will simply lose the coin without going to jail.

A really interesting scenario will occur if any appear offshore. The political and legal maneuvering will be fun to watch.

Cal

 

I made a comment about an issue but it must have got lost or censored. It was about the 1913 Liberty head nickel, it should have been confiscated also. It was never intended for regular issue, wish I had a job at the mint so I could make my own rarities. LOL

 

Nope. I saw that post. The goobers look the other way on that one. I guess B. Max had a deaf Senator in his corner.......

 

OK, for now it's illegal to own a 33 DE., one of the original one's. So why doesn't someone, the government, mint some for collectors to have. Just like the 1804 silver dollars that were re-struck circa 1858. But make them affordable for just about any collector. Edited Language , read the rules! its just a coin, that's why I sold my coin collections and went into currency. I believe that currency is the new wave for collectors, my opinion.

 

Many believe a lot of the motivation is protecting the value of the legal to own DE

 

DE? Delaware? It was always legal. ¿Que? ¿Que es ’DE’?

 

33 DE is jargon for 1933 Double Eagle.

 

Should the government print a few million of each of the educational notes so every currency collector can have one?

Cal

 

Thanks Cal. Foggy bottom tonite.

 

Ok, I get your point. But there are plenty of the old notes out there at all price ranges. The thrill of collecting is negotiating the price, meeting people and hearing their stories. Or is it about the greed and bragging rights. Remember, that when the guy with all the money dies, he's still dead. And he left a mess for his heirs to fight over. I've never seen a Brinks truck behind a Hearst.

 

The same true for coins just not that particular DE which ironically only gets so much attention because of the attempts to get them. If they were just allowed to be they'd just be a rarer version in the series that most people would just ignore

 

There are plenty of coins at all price ranges too.

The 1933 Double Eagle is the coin equivalent of a $100,000 Gold Certificate.

They were made and they were all recalled and none of them are legal to own any more. Except one. He had a really good lawyer.

Oh, and by the way, Hearst was a newspaper publisher. Hurst made transmission upgrades, and what carries a coffin to the cemetery is called a hearse.

 

I think the fed's ought to raffle a couple of them off, and let we the people have a chance to own one! Put the rest of them in a museum for the rest of us to see them. I wouldn't like to see them melted!

 

thanks for the correct spelling /use of hearse. But I think everyone with half a brain got the point. LOL.

 

*If I remember right* the owner of the last one sold paid a hefty fee to the treasury to have it monetized and the treasury agreed they will never monetize another one. If they can't monetize another one it won't be legal to own.

 

The monetization fee was $20 (face value)

Mr. Fenton was then forced to turn 50% of the sale proceeds to the Feds. Not exactly the same, but in spirit, they are.

 

I was going to respond but you said it better than I.
Edited! Political not allowed .

 

Careful fellow. Treading on political ground and that ain't favored here in these forums............though I see and agree where you're coming from.

 

Juries have convicted many people of things they never did.