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Message:: [QUOTE="Zohar444, post: 2765225, member: 13450"]<a href="http://sheqel.info/4-1.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://sheqel.info/4-1.htm" rel="nofollow">http://sheqel.info/4-1.htm</a> "The "Menorah" coin, also popularly known as "Tenth Anniversary", is Israel's first commemorative, and by far its most controversial coin minted entirely for the collectors' market. Both the fledgling Bank of Israel (est. 1954), and the just-formed Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation (IGCMC), had no experience whatsoever in the issuance of commemorative coins. When both the mass-produced BU coin and the limited-edition Proof coin were distributed to collectors, it became soon known that it is difficult to discern between both versions, as no mintmarks were used. This oversight and the scarcity of the Proof coin, prompted some unscrupulous local dealers to have numerous BU coins carefully buffed by a metal tooling workshop, in order to obtain the same glossy surface as the Proof version, and to pass them off as "genuine Proof" coins to unsuspecting buyers. "Proof" fakes have become collectors' items too, and are traded a at few dollars above the price of BU coins." Danny Kaye apparently bought 363 of these directly from the Israeli government and they were placed in special PCGS holders.[/QUOTE]