I had the unfortuante opportunity for both my father and I to work at the ground zero site. I am looking at getting a 2001 silver eagle to save and pass down to each of my children as a reminder of that day. But I am not looking to blindly get ripped off at the same time. Can anyone share some insight as to what the difference is in the slabs. Ive seen the PCGS MS69 with the serial number on the front with bar code and others with the serial number on the back. The one I saw with the bar code was tagged by pcgs as a WTC coin in the registry while the other is a tagged as a standard silver eagle. Any insight on the difference would be greatly appreciated. Mike.
What's going on with the coins tagged as WTC ASEs? Were they made with silver scrap from the towers or something? Actually, that would be kind of late in the year, so maybe were they found in the ruins? You may want to consider this too: http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wc...1&parent_category_rn=10141&top_category=10141
There are a number of dates that were in 'storage' in an underground depository. There are numerically graded one's, and one's slabbed as BU. I, myself, have one, not numerically graded, by PCGS, that is dated 2001. I decided to get the 2001 dated ASE, as opposed to another date that WAS numerically graded, simply because it was a 2001 event.
Does anyone know what dates of ASE's were recovered? I have been trying to find a list but have never been able to.
They are actual ASE's, along with AGE's, and not made simply with silver scrap, and other countries coinage (I believe I've only seen a Philipino coin, but have heard there are other countries coinage). Those made with silver salvaged from the site are simply layered clad 'coins', not minted by the U.S. Mint.
I had seen one list awhile back, and will try to find that. It was pretty comprehensive, but only included dates that were actually slabbed by PCGS. I believe ICG has 'graded' or slabbed some, but I wouldn't touch them. There is proof that the PCGS slabbed/graded examples were transported directly from 'ground zero' to PCGS.
One of my next projects is going to be to put together a PCGS MS/PF69 set of ASE's...and I want to include at least the 2001 WTC coin...but possibly several others. I want to know what dates are out there so I can decide what I want in my set. But, I only want graded coins...no "BU."
I have one that I picked up awhile back but I have really big doubts that any of them being sold were ever from ground zero, including mine. Keep in mind that 9/11 happened ten years ago and coin dealers who specifically sell these want us to believe there were thousands upon thousands of them found. Also, the idea that one of these companies made some ASE's out of the silver found is ridiculous. jmho
I found this, though I have seen it before...I've seen him on ebay. Not promoting the book, but it's clear about the info in it, and one of the on the site gives you at least a list of the countries....http://www.wtc911coins.com/about/
That's more information than I have found anywhere else. Now, from what I can see...there were ASE's dated 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 2000, and 2001 recovered and all but 1989 and 2000 had some grade MS69. So, I could in theory include an 87, 91, 93, and 2001 as part of my set.
The ASE's supposedly found at ground zero has been called one of the biggest lies in America. Supposedly the only coins taken directly to PCGS and slabbed were 100 or so that were fully numbered. There are actually registries made by some collectors. The ones you see on ebay today under PCGS are not numbered on the front of the slab or anything, maybe on the reverse of the slab but the original ones had it on the front. If you guys want to buy those coins then you are buying them at your own risk. I wish I could find the link I came across years ago but I can't. Since there has been so much fraud about companies saying they made coins recovered from ground zero, and other fraudulent scams I personally don't see how anyone can believe that PCGS or anyone has ever really slabbed any ASE's from the WTC. I'm just saying, why hasn't David Hall or anyone from PCGS ever said anything about this issue. Could PCGS have been taken for a ride as well? I don't know and maybe there's something I'm missing, if y'all know better than me then please educate me but I'll tell you right now. Most of the gold and silver found in the vaults were bars of gold and silver and belonged to corporations. I did read that there were around 79 ASE's found but I don't remember what happened to them. There is references made in the collector's universe forum, maybe even in the link below. I bought the one I have knowing that it had a questionable history. Hope you guys go into this with eyes wide open. good luck friends!! http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=607409&STARTPAGE=2
The WTC coins and bar did come for the vaults in the WTC complex but NOT from under the two towers themselves. There were thousands of coins that were brought from the WTC and slabbed. Oniginally the ony pieces released were 2001 ASE's and the first one were all the GEM UNCIRCULATED pieces. These were NOT slabbed by PCGS. They were produced by Collectors Universe the parent company of PCGS using PCGS shells. These all have the Collectors Universe logo on the back and not the PCGS logo and hologram. The initial seller of these coins was promising to donate a portion of the proceeds to the firefighter fund. Next to appear were the 2001 ASE's slabbed and graded by PCGS. By now the sellers were no longer claiming that part of the proceeds were going to charity. It was another six months before all the other dates of ASE's and all the other stuff began appearing on the market. After about another three months the various "1 of XXX" death coin slabs began appearing. ALL of these slabs are marked 1 of XXX so every coin is #1. There was nothing special about these "numbered" sets. They simply sent in a batch of coins, had them numbered that way, and when they were all gone sent in another batch and also numbered that way. They could send in say ten monster boxes one at a time and have ten "1 of 500" issues with no way to tell them apart. Then they could sell 5000 #1 coins. There were gold silver and even platinum coins from various countries slabbed in these holders. There were also gold and I believe platinum 1 oz bars slabbed as well. For the most part all of these "death coins" were sold at premiums playing on peoples feelings about the event with the extra money just lining the pockets of the promoter. These should not be confused with the 100 NY state quarters slabbed by PCGS with the NY Firefighter 9/11 label. These were produced and auctioned off to the members of the PCGS coin forum with ALL of the money raised being donated to the firefighters relief fund. Over $42,000 was raised for the fund. No one made one thin dime of profit on these coins. The coins were donated and PCGS donated the slabbing. These slabs are tightly held and seldom come on the market. Usually when they do the proceeds are once again earmarked for a charity. Unfortunately for the next two year PCGS used that same US flag label for the membership giveaway to new and renewing PCGS memberships. You have to read the label to make sure of what you are getting. They should have retired that label after the firefighters fund slabs. After the WTC "death coins" came out at least one dealer was able to get coins slabbed by PCGS with a similar flag label. Those coins have nothing to do with the WTC.
A friend of mine works for a major northeast bullion distributor and one of his jobs before 9/11 was to drive down to the WTC twice a month to pick up bullion for the company. A lot of people don't realize there was a major bullion distributor that had a vault under the WTC, and not just storage for the local businesses, that had huge amounts of silver and gold stored there. Rchard
