The majestic U.S. Mint display at the 2007 ANA World's Fair of Money in Milwaukee took up an entire corner of the cavernous room. Although the booth looks abandoned at the moment, it's only because I waited for an opportune time to take this wide angle photo.
Some things of interest in the photo include the Statehood Quarters map on the right side. They've been hauling this map around to coin shows and other events for years, adding the Quarter markers as each State gets its coins. It's hard to believe that the Statehood Quarters program has been chugging along for nine years already! Soon it will all be over... unless Congress authorizes a Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or other coins to follow in 2009. One wag at the Onion suggested that the Mint should start doing the Commemorative Counties Pennies once we get done with the State Quarters. With 3,143 U.S. counties to coin, at the rate of five per year it would take the U.S. Mint 629 years to issue them all! At least the Penny would still be around for awhile!
Back to our photo, take note of the "countdown to liftoff" on the right hand side, below the Statehood Quarters map. This is a countdown to the unveiling of the twelve 22 karat Sacagawea Dollars that flew aboard the space shuttle a few years ago. They have never before been seen in public, and it's a good thing they told us they were made of gold because they looked pretty much the same to me! (There is more about these coins later in this gallery.)
On the left side of the photo you can see a youngster wearing a red vest, using the H.I.P. Pocket Change computer. There were dozens of Young Numismatists wearing these vests at the show, offering minor services to the coin dealers such as polishing the glass on their display cases, or fetching coffee and doughnuts. The kids work for tips, and I bet many of them got the types of coin tips you wouldn't want to just spend. I think this program is a wonderful idea, and I'd love to see it offered at other coin shows, although perhaps there should be a reasonable minimum age for the kids. Some of the ones I saw here looked about 6 or 7.
Some things of interest in the photo include the Statehood Quarters map on the right side. They've been hauling this map around to coin shows and other events for years, adding the Quarter markers as each State gets its coins. It's hard to believe that the Statehood Quarters program has been chugging along for nine years already! Soon it will all be over... unless Congress authorizes a Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or other coins to follow in 2009. One wag at the Onion suggested that the Mint should start doing the Commemorative Counties Pennies once we get done with the State Quarters. With 3,143 U.S. counties to coin, at the rate of five per year it would take the U.S. Mint 629 years to issue them all! At least the Penny would still be around for awhile!
Back to our photo, take note of the "countdown to liftoff" on the right hand side, below the Statehood Quarters map. This is a countdown to the unveiling of the twelve 22 karat Sacagawea Dollars that flew aboard the space shuttle a few years ago. They have never before been seen in public, and it's a good thing they told us they were made of gold because they looked pretty much the same to me! (There is more about these coins later in this gallery.)