With the election of Barack Obama to the U.S. presidency, there has been an outpouring of strong emotions among many Americans the likes of which we haven't seen in relation to a U.S. president since John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Coin collectors are well aware of the important change to U.S. coinage that occurred as a result of the strong emotional response to Kennedy's death. The Franklin Half Dollar, which had only been in circulation for 16 years, was quickly replaced by the Kennedy Half. Normally, a coin design was supposed to have been in use for at least 25 years before being replaced, but due to the strong public sentiment for Kennedy, the new Half Dollar was released into circulation within 3 months of the assassination! The 1964 Kennedy Halves were widely hoarded as mementos, and public demand was so strong that more than 429,000,000 of them were struck. This was a gigantic mintage for half dollars, which usually saw mintages well below 10% of this number.
Fast-forward to 2008 and we have the election of Obama, the first U.S. President with African-American roots, a man who has a strong appeal to Americans of all racial backgrounds. Emotional feelings for Obama are running high, and many people who have no knowledge of coin collecting and what makes a coin valuable are buying coins for the first time. They are buying coins that commemorate Obama's success, and the slick TV shopping show marketers are taking full advantage of this emotional response and the naivete of non-collectors to sell them these numismatically worthless coins. The coins I am talking about are the colorized State Quarters and Presidential Dollars that are being sold for ridiculous prices. These marketers are defacing U.S. coins by applying color portraits of Obama, and then selling them to you at 15 to 60 times face value. My regular readers know that I have a strong dislike for coins with mutilated surfaces, especially when someone is selling them as investments. I had originally done a standard consumer advocate-type warning article about the Obama coins, until Scott Travers, the author of my all-time favorite coin collecting book, The Coin Collector's Survival Manual, saw my article and made me aware of a frightening fact. It seems that some people don't just buy 2 or 3 of these coins as keepsakes, they buy 300 to 500 of them as serious "investments!"
Learn more about the various types of colorized Obama commemorative coins which are being sold, and read what Travers has to say about their future growth potential as a collectible in my article about the Obama coins rip-off. My article also tells you which commemorative Obama coin is the only one that was officially commissioned by the Democratic Party.
Comments
Susan;
People like mementos of historical events. I have not seen the ads but my bet is the buyers are not buying them for investment value excepting a few who get souped up about these kinds of things.
But if they are being sold as investments then that is questionable, and probably unethincal. However compare these to Elvis and Barbie doll collectibles.
Who knows for sure, but it will probably be a long time before any Obama image appears on a mint issued coin. So these mementos may perhaps be filling a need to connect to his historical election.
BB
Hi BB,
Nice to see you dropping by!
If some folks have their way, we’ll be seeing Obama on a Presidential Dollar in 2017.
Susan =)
Is it surprising that the same people falling for these coins are the same people that fell for his hollow words? Look at hard facts – go to the IRS web site and look at the 2006 tax return information (the latest posted). Everyone making over $200 K pays a total of $544 Billion in taxes. He will have to double their taxes to pay for his Marxist schemes. Personally I will quit my job and live off the government before I pay a combined rate of 80% (Federal, state, local, SS, FICA).
What irritates me is that I did not think of this coin scam. Obviously Obama supporters will fall for anything.
The Obama Coins Rip-Off
Tuesday November 11, 2008
By Susan Headley,
What a lot of made up lies, this lady is not a coin expert and has other reasons to write this insane report, we ask her to come forward and fly to England ,Birmingham and see how we make these coins…
We await a reply… please see below the history of coins makes in Birmingham ..
Miss Susan Headley we are sure the BBC world service would also like to talk to you live on this made up report you have invented?
Now look at this as real fact!
Ralph Heaton II (1794-October 1862) was the son of Ralph Heaton I, an engineer, inventor and businessman in Slaney Street, and later Shadwell Street. Ralph Heaton II was a die sinker operating in Shadwell Street independently of his father. On 2 December 1817 Ralph I conveyed to his son land and buildings at 71 Bath Street to enable him to develop a separate company. Ralph II engaged in brass founding, stamping and piercing. Brass chandeliers were made for the newly invented gas lighting and a “bats wing” burner patented.
Mint
On 1 April 1850 the auction was announced of equipment from the defunct Soho Mint, created by Matthew Boulton around 1788. At the auction on 29 April Ralph Heaton II bought the four steam-powered screw presses and six planchet presses for making blanks from strip metal.
These were installed at the Bath Street works, and in that year trade tokens were struck for use in Australia. In 1851 coins were struck for Chile using the letter H as a mintmark. The same year copper planchets were made for the Royal Mint to make into pennies, halfpennies, farthings, half-farthings and quarter-farthings. In 1852 the Mint won a contract to produce a new series of coins for France.
In this the Mint pioneered the minting of bronze. Ralph Heaton III (son of Ralph II) took key workers to Marseilles to equip and operate the French mint there, staying to fulfil the contract, and producing 750 tons of Napoleon III bronze coins from 1853-7.
In 1853 the Royal Mint was overwhelmed with producing silver and gold coins. The Birmingham Mint won its first contract to strike finished coins for Britain – 500 tons of copper, struck between August 1853 and August 1855, with another contract to follow in 1856.
These coins had no mint mark to identify them as from Birmingham. During the peak of operation the four original Boulton screw presses were striking about 110,000 coins per day.
As overseas orders increased, particularly for India, the Mint added a new lever press and further equipment, filling the Bath Street premises. In 1860 the firm bought a one acre plot on Icknield Street (the current site, since enlarged) and constructed a three storey red brick factory.
Completed in 1862 it employed 300 staff. It was at this time the largest private mint in the world. In 1861 a contract for bronze coins for the newly unified Italy was signed, the Mint sending blanks and equipment to Milan to be struck into finished coins by their staff in Milan.
[edit] Ralph Heaton III
On the death of Ralph II in 1862, Ralph III (1827-10 November 1891) took over the running of Ralph Heaton & Sons. He added eleven lever presses, made on site, retiring the last of Boulton’s screw presses in 1882. In addition to the production of coins and blanks the firm manufactured metal parts for ammunition, gas fittings, medals, ornaments, plumbing fittings, rolled and strip metal, tube and wire.
In 1871 the first order for silver coinage was for Canada, and in 1874 the first gold was struck – Burgersponds for the new South African Republic – 837 pieces.
Following parliamentary approval in 1881 to upgrade the Royal Mint, the firm provided ten lever presses and a cutting-out press, effectively depriving itself of coining contracts from the Royal Mint for some time.
Shortly before his death, Ralph III converted the family business into a public limited liability company, passing control on 22 March 1889 to the new company named The Mint, Birmingham, Limited. The agreement paid £110,000 to Heaton with £10,000 worth of copper. In addition £2,000 annual rent for the Mint property would be paid, and his son, Ralph IV would be general manager, his other sons Gerald and Walter would have senior positions, and he, Ralph III, would remain as a director. He died two years later.
Mr. Willon,
Thank you for expressing your concerns about my Obama Coins coverage. If you had read my blog post here carefully, you would have noted that my complaint is about colorized U.S. coins, and not the fine products that your world-renowned mint produces. As far as I know, WEW doesn’t even produce any colorized coins, but I certainly have never seen any colorized Obama coins from your mint. I have, however, seen your beautiful original Obama creations, from the dies you sculpted yourselves.
If you had clicked through to the article this blog post is promoting, you would have seen that among the many rip-offs who are selling Obama coins, the coins from your mint are the ONLY ONES that I characterized as genuine and authorized by the Democratic Party. Please see the article here:
Obama Coins Rip-Off
I hope you are sincere about the offer to tour your mint the next time I come to London. I would love to see your facility and how you produce your lovely, high-quality coins!
For readers who might be wondering which Mint I mean, here is their Web site:
Winston Elizabeth & Windsor Mint
Susan Headley
About.com Guide to Coins
Thanks for the explanation of the Presidential Barack Obama coin. You are the first to explain the process in layman terms. Hopefully, it will save someone from making an investment and purchase the coin for sentimental value. After all, value of an item has never been determined by an appraiser, rather what the purchaser feels it’s worth to him/her.
Budzy1911, shame on you for bringing politics into this informative website. Your comments tarnish this blob more than any heated decal on a coin could ever damage. Some people!!!!
Keep this blog what it is; the most informative coin blog on the web.
Thank you.
I’m surprised to hear dispariging remarks about Sues’ blog. Are these actual coins commisioned by a country? Or are they medals? Coins are legal currancy commisioned by the country at large. No one out side, with out the rule of law passed by congress can commision their own coins as legal coinage, intended for sale as such. That is a misrepresentation of the facts. I have a few coins minted by an island country. They maybe worth something there. There not legal tender here. Unless i misinterpret the whole gist of this matter. No one here has said anything out of line regarding what you term coins. So what are they really? Besides fancy campaign buttons.
Your truly!
coiny
Coiny,
You make a good point that some of these Obama items shouldn’t properly be called “coins” by the strict numismatic definition of the term. I think we’re all using the term “coins” because it is how they’re being advertised, and it is the best way to communicate with non-collectors. The ones the private WEW mint is making from their own dies are, as you say, most properly called “medals” (or possibly even “medalets” if you want to be really precise.)
Thanks for bringing this point up.
Susan Headley
Coins
Any time Sue! It’s time somebody calls it what it is. The scathing diatribe you recieved from this so called mint? Was un-called for. If they invite you there. Make sure you get the royal red carpet treatment. At their expense. They called you out. Let them shell out their shillings. Keep your dimes.
coiny
It is absolutely ridiculous the goo goo gaa gaa about obama. He is currently the President-elect……NOT the president yet. And what is the matter with people. He is NOT a god or a messiah or “the one”
It is absolutely insulting the way people have become obama “groupies” Has this country lost all of its sophistication and class altogether.
Annie
No- Obama is not a GOD. But like Jesus he is villified in his own country, reaches out to the masses of all the people, bring all people together, cares about all even racist like you. If someone wants to buy a coin for whatever reason then it’s up to the person. I’m sure you have all had your morning or evening drink of “HATERADE.”
“Get over it” The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone!
Okay everybody…
While I appreciate the fact that Barack Obama has stirred some powerful emotions in Americans (it is, after all, an important point made in the blog post above,) I must request that comments about this blog post be confined to discussing the coins and not to Obama himself. If you would like to enjoy some hearty political discourse, I encourage you to visit the following two sites (depending on your personal views):
Liberal Politics in the USA
Conservative Politics in the USA
Both sites have vibrant political discussion forums and many blog posts with comment-discussion threads like this one, but focused on political views rather than coins.
Since I don’t believe in selectively editing what people say, I will be forced to delete the entire comment if political viewpoints or opinions about Obama himself continue to be brought up.
Thank you for understanding.
Susan Headley
About.com Guide to Coins
Oh no! Here we go again. I saw my first comercial for Obama coins last night. Mind you, from the united states MINT. Not the real mint. You get a 2008 quarter, and a 2008 kennedy half dollar thrown in at no extra charge. When you order the 08 Obama quarter all plated in 14 K gold plate. All for the low price of 9.99. Regulary priced to sell at 29.95. Maybe that wasn’t a quarter, the reverse was the lady liberty, as on the prez dollars. All have Obamas face painted on the obverse. Can’t beat that for 9.99!???
coiny
Hi,
I am outraged the goverment doesn’t step in and do something about companies selling painted coins in general. This new Obama coin really makes me mad as they put it on a uncirculated Kennedy half dollar. I think it is a a disgrace and insult as No president should be covered up on a coin for sheer profit. I think are goverment has I right to tell companies that this is defacing and they should make them stop and cease selling them imediatly.
I find it hard to buy a coin commemorating John F. Kennedy on, with a defacing of the coin with Obama’s picture on it. I think law (United States Code Title 18, Part I, Chapter 17 331. Mutilation, Diminution, and Falsification of coins) falls in to play here as I don’t think you can deface a coin to make a profit from it. I may be wrong but I would be afraid to buy or own an illegal defaced coin. I think it is a shame that the freedom to make a profit means you can break the law. All I have the freedom to do is never buy from such a capitalist company that is only in it for the money!
Hi James! You have a point. Although there is a gray area here as far as defaceing goes. It has to be interpreted, as to what exactly are these companys doing, that runs afoul of the law. An old mint director had stated that, once you buy a coin, you own it. You can do with it a you please. As you stated, there is a profit being made, there is also misleading information being put out about their products being coins. Collectable coins. This is something that falls to the treasury dept. to figure out. They may be just inside the law, with out breaking the law. This is one we’ll have to wait and see. I’m curious about it my self.
coiny
This should not be allowed.
one coin for your own pleasure is one thing, But to do it in Mass, cannot be legal.
This is the Scam of Scams.
that paint does not add value to the coin, and to a collector, it is worth less. To paint a coin like that makes a Graded coin, upgradeable.
Do not fall for it.
makes a great white elephant gift though
I agree with Tont, the value of these coins or medals, however they are being “coined”, is what the purchaser in the future values them at. It does not matter if they are unofficial, defaced, spendable or not. The coins/medals are commemorative. I commute to DC to work and you can find everything from hats, calendars, newspapers, tees etc. My bet is that if anyone bought hundreds of these sets they are planning to be in DC the days up to and on inauguration day selling them and making a killing. People want to have something that commemorates this historic event. And I would bet, based on the turnout expected for this inauguration, that every one of those sets sell. Wish I had thought of it.
To the experts I say that you may be wrong on this one. Value is in the pocketbook of the purchaser.
Haters get over it. Obama is the president elect but on January 20, 2009 he wil be the president, without a doubt.
When we get our first elected female president I wonder what you all will say about her coins because you know there will be some.
I think this is an insult to everyone since George Washington who has every been elected President. What has Obama done to deserve to be on a coin with Washington or Kennedy? So far he has proven to be an excellent speaker with a winning smile. What else has he done? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? For some of us this will not be a plus in uniting this country!
You know if the only thing you have on your mind is to criticize someone, maybe you should take a long hard long at your insecurities. A real American would be trying to find ways to better themselves, support their family, love their family, care for their fellow man and make this place a better place than they were born into. You want to earn respect and credibility give some respect and credibility, instead of tearing someone down. That’s not showing that you know alot. That’s showing ignorance. Do you know how to speak more than one language? Probably not, that’s ignorant. I am tired of playing,ta ta.
I agree with another post about the monetary value. I am thinking about getting a couple of the coins just because I like them and they have more of a sentimental value; they are not something I would use a serious investment. Everything we buy almost is worth less than we pay for it. You think just because some designer’s name is on the clothes that makes them worth the ridiculous amounts people pay for labels? Who decides how much value is in a name? This coin situation is no different. They have more of a historical meaning, and to me, that’s valuable and I think that is why so many people are buying them. You could be right about one thing though Susan: Serious investors, do your research. Casual buyers like me will probably just buy a couple to have.
And to all who STILL object to the new president, ask yourselves if he could do any worse than BUSH, who you morons likely voted for. Who could seriously take a crotchety old veteran and a clearly retarded governor who no one has heard of of a state no one cares about? I guess you would rather see them on a coin….ha! America has spoken….please do yourselves a favor and get over it.
Real investors are getting ripped off with these defaced coins. I support Obama, but I have done research myself in regards to the so called Obama Dollar coins. I never buy anything without doing research on them first, to many scams out there. Susan Headley knows what she is talking about, so everyone should listen to her. Yes, would be a nice coin for sentamental reasons, but will not be worth anything as they are defaced legal tender coins. All those businesses out their selling them as legal tender should be ashamed of themselves.
If I ever get my order I’l be surprised.
I truely hope President-elect Obama does not conduct the business of thecountry the way his coins are being marketed. My expectations for his sucess as President has been deminished respective to mt dealing with his coin marketer’s failure.
First Susan, I think its funny how Jon Wilson needlessly ranted at you but did not respond to your reply, Typical Brit, Anyway I think its deplorable how Coinnetwork is defacing our presidential dollars (which should be a crime if its not) and comparing obama with Washington and JFK, To all you obama believers you in for a rude awakining. So good Luck with that!
Somebody (I wonder who?) is probably trying to hard-sell these illegally defaced Obama coins Quickly, before it’s determined that B.O. wasn’t actually born in this country, but in Kenya, Africa, (as his own grandmother and half sister have said publicly) and therefore, he might ineligible to be sworn in January 20th as POTUS. There’s a LOT of investigations going on right now to find out what the heck is going on, and I heard it’s going all the way to the Supreme Court VERY soon. Maybe those coins might be worth more if B.O. doesn’t get sworn in in case the Hawaiian birth certificate turns out to be a forgery. Hmmmmmm..
It is sad that people has used a site with useful information to continue with Political rhetoric. He is President Elect and will be President 20 January. so all you haters how about find something else to do besides spreading lies and hating on Obama.
the coins are a rip off, just like Obama!!
in 2007 or 2008 the FEDs closed and confiscated all of NORFEDS ( A Private mint that actually mints coins of value. I.E. one ounce sliver, gold, copper nickel) Gold, Silver, Copper, etc along with all of their minted supplies. They shut them down and charged the owner with trying to undermine the us currency. Ron Paul was featured on many of the coins confiscated. The selling of private minted silver gold and copper is not illegal. NORFED never said it was currency although at least his coins had real value and could help you hedge against inflation. The COLORED Barack Obama coins on the other hand are touted as real currency,which they are, that are then defaced by the company. defacing the u.s. currency is a crime as well as selling defaced currency and touting as still numistic currency is also illegal. Are FEDS and the IRS going to raid this company. Are they going to arrest and charge the producers, how bout Montel. I think Obamas first act as president should be to shut this crap down and and also pay restitution to NORFED.
The commercials I have seen claim the coins are legal tender, unlike the ones made in Liberia where they are only legal in Liveria, however my understanding is that to have your face on a legal United States coin one requirement was that you be DEAD. In my opinion I think the government should step in, confiscate all the coins, make the company buy back all the coins sold (including shipping both ways), fine and imprison the makers of the coins. If the companies want to honor Obama, then fine, do so with his own coin, but do not alter existing coins, and do not try to pass them off as legal tender.
If we are truly honoring our president, then why is his little black face positioned to the side of those big late white-faced presidents? Not to mention, that it’s not even printed in the same material as the coin: gold or silver plated. It’s colored; as if to say something to our people about the coin makers’ characteristics. To us it shows an utmost lack of respect. It needs to be changed.
I thought that this was to post comments on the coins not about the President (Obama) himself. Well, anyway these coins are nothing more than gold colored foil paper. Please do not invest your time or money into these coins. The ones you need to be aware of is the ones that Mr. Montel Williams helps to advertise. My mother-in-law purchased these. I repeat do not invest in the ones that Mr. Montel Wiliams advertise. If you do you will be as pissed off as we are.
So buyer beware!!!!!!!
They’re starting to appear all over ebay too. It’s pretty frustrating because I display what are supposed to be relevant ebay auction lists on a coin collecting website I’m trying to build and auctions for the Barack Obama coins keep showing up!
Well, unfortunately my mother fell pray to one site selling these coins. The site is deceptive and a rip-off. The “free” extra coin costs add’l S&H, but you have no chance to opt out of the free coin. The two come packaged together as well. When I saw her bill of nearly $250 from them I started to investigate what happened. When you get to the site you are automatically asked to enter your name, address and credit card info., plus the quantity of coins you want. My mom requested 5 coins. When you click to proceed a series of pages come up offering additional coin sets, calendars, etc. A quantity equaling your original coin order is entered by default and a large box is set to click “OK Proceed” with a tiny grayed out box next to it with “No”. She apparently missed the first screen and ended up with 5 coin sets at $29.95 ea. To top it off, she was hit with $75 S&H, $4.95 for each coin, $4.95 for each “free” coin, and $4.95 for each coin set.
The coins themselves have a sticker of President Obama placed over the face of them. Very tacky indeed, a complete rip off.
To figure out what happened to her and why her charges were so much (before we received the shipment) I began a “fake” order. Before I reached any final page or received any sort of confirmation of my order, I closed out of the website. There was no chance to view and confirm my order, as is customary of most sites. Well, to my amazement I received an email congratulating me on my order and providing an order number and total. I have sent an email demaning it be cancelled and will see what happens (just sent a bit ago). Is there any recourse or an agency that this site can be reported to? It is clearly fraud as far as I can see. My mother is elderly and was deceived by the ads and site and I’m sure she is not alone. Any advise would be appreciated.
Keri
Hi keri, find your attorney general online for your state. All states have one online. There should be a directory there to help you file a complaint. To see what they can do for your mom. At the momment the F.B.I. want’s to know about scamers of a different nature online. You could just go to the F.B.I. website and look it over. They have a link to a web site on theirs where you can send scam artist things related to the internet.
Good luck!
coiny
Keri,
Exactly as coinycom said, contact your state Attorney General’s office and file a complaint. They helped me with Sears a few years ago. Also, the FBI’s site for submitting Internet related crime is: http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx
Best of luck!
Coiny and Coins and Collectibles,
Thank you both for your notes. It gets more interesting. Contacting their customer service by phone gets you put on hold for eternity and by email gets you a Mail Delivery Failure notification! Let’s hope the AG or FBI can do something. Thanks again.
Keri
Keri,
Sorry I haven’t had a chance to get back to you. I have received your emails and am looking into your situation, but I won’t be able to respond to you in detail until I return from my trip to see the Philadelphia Mint (hopefully Wednesday evening.)
I would appreciate hearing any other complaints about this same Obama coins seller that other readers might have.
Also, I want to thank those who have taken the time to offer advice to Keri in this situation.
Susan Headley
About.com Guide to Coins
Thanks Susan. I look forward to talking with you in a few days. Have a good trip.
Keri
Dear Montel and white guy companion,
Whoever, except with the written permission of the Director of the United States Mint, knowingly uses the words “United States Mint” or “U.S. Mint” or any colorable imitation of such words, in connection with any advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, or other publication, play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression that such advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, or other publication, play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, is approved, endorsed, or authorized by or associated in any manner with, the United States Mint; or …
…Shall be punished as follows: a corporation, partnership, business trust, association, or other business entity, by a fine under this title; an officer or member thereof participating or knowingly acquiescing in such violation or any individual violating this section, by a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.
This section shall not make unlawful the use of any name or title which was lawful on the date of enactment of this title.
This section shall not make unlawful the use of the word “national” as part of the name of any business or firm engaged in the insurance or indemnity business, whether such firm was engaged in the insurance or indemnity business prior or subsequent to the date of enactment of this paragraph.
A violation of this section may be enjoined at the suit of the United States Attorney, upon complaint by any duly authorized representative of any department or agency of the United States.
furthermore…
Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States; or
Whoever fraudulently possesses, passes, utters, publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or brings into the United States, any such coin, knowing the same to be altered, defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled, or lightened—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
That said, the website (US Coin Network) for the Obama Coins does offer a disclaimer:
The U.S. Coin Network is not affiliated with the United States Government in any way.
The United States Government does not endorse this featured product nor is the U.S. Coin Network affiliated with the United States Mint.
That’s all. It seems pretty cut and dry. In 50 years those coins will be worth the value of the metal from which they are made. The currency has been DEFACED. Quit buying this stuff you morons. And somebody go after these creeps.
Thanks.
I say if you can’t spend it in the USA then it isn’t a USA coin. So they are fake fake fake….
HA HA HA. A fake for a fake. HA HA HA
LOL. i guess that’s not change you can believe in.
Technically, the coins have not been “altered, defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled, or lightened”; since the stickers are removable, and not permanent. I suppose one could try to make a case that the stickers “deface” the coins, or even that they “impair” the coin, but I think those arguments would fail in court, because the standard has always been whether the modification (whatever it was) was permanent. A case from back in the 1920’s established that painting a coin did not qualify, because the paint could be removed, without harming the coin. On the other hand, a minter who pressed out nickels to the size of quarters, and then welded them bank-to-back as a “Jefferson-Washington” tribute WAS convicted of violating the mutilation statute. Technically, those little machines that press out pennies, and stamp them with some sort of tourist schmaltz image, violate the law as well, but the Treasury Dept. leaves them alone.
Obama got Baby Mama Drama!
That’s my “2 cents” worth. Cheap coins get cheap comments.
First I am not a coin collector. I have an interest in it but am uneducated as to worth/rip-off. I just want to know where the money goes that (how many hands it goes through) is received from the sale of the Obama coins.