No matter what your thoughts are on the results of the 2008 presidential election, you cannot deny the buzz around products featuring images of president-elect Barack Obama.
Among the memorabilia are new coin products that depict President Barack Obama.
It is important to know that these new Barack Obama coins may be great items for the history buff, presidential student, or fan of the new president-elect, but these coins are not official legal-tender products of the United States Mint.
Coins such as the Barack Obama coin generally fall into the categories of “novelty coins” or “rounds.”
The Treasury Department has received a lot of questions about these coins. The U.S. Mint does not issue inaugural coins, and it wants to make sure everyone knows that. In a recent consumer alert, the government reminds potential buyers these coins are not official United States Mint products. Furthermore, these products, businesses, and advertisements are not approved, endorsed, sponsored or authorized by the United States Mint, the Department of the Treasury or the United States Government.
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Barack Obama Colorized Silver Eagle
Just the other evening, I happened to see a Home Shopping Network ad for a 2008 Obama Colorized Silver Eagle.
This coin is colorized and features an image of the new president-elect on the obverse of the coin.
On the reverse is an unaltered reverse bearing an eagle.
This coin, being sold for $49.95 on the Home Shopping Network website, makes a great addition for anybody enthusiastic about the new president-elect or those interested in presidential history, but beware that the only aspect of this coin that is an official U.S. Mint product is the original silver eagle itself. The colorized portions were added by a private party.
Barack Obama Gold and Silver Coins
Winston, Elizabeth, and Windsor, a private British minting company, has been producing and selling gold and silver coins bearing an image of Barack Obama.
The sterling silver version of the coin is being sold for £295 (about $465 right now) and is a full 60 millimeters in diameter.
Gold-plated Barack Obama coins are being sold for £35 (about $55), and for another £10 ($16), you can include a wooden presentation box.
Obama-Biden Colorized Coins
Collectible Shopping Network now offers on their website a 10-piece set of Illinois State Quarters featuring a colorized image of Barack Obama and vice-president-elect Joseph Biden.
These coin sets are currently selling for $99.95
Barack Obama One-Ounce Silver Coins
Vision Trading Partners of Las Vegas, Nevada is selling a one-ounce silver coin featuring a bust of Barack Obama on the obverse and an image of an eagle on the reverse.
This silver coin is struck by Sunshine Minting of Idaho and currently sells for $100.
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century.
I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek.
I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!