President Bush Signs Bald Eagle Coin Act

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2004 -- Just in time for the New Year, the "American Bald Eagle Recovery & National Emblem Commemorative Coin Act" (H.R. 4116) has been signed into law by President George W. Bush to celebrate and further aid the recovery of the American Bald Eagle. During the final hours of the 108th Congress, the House of Representatives and Senate passed the legislation by unanimous consent right after the Intelligence bill was voted on.

The new law authorizes the U.S. Mint to create and market a gold, silver and clad coin set ($5, $1 and $.50 pieces) in 2008 on the occasion of the 35th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A surcharge from the sale of each coin sold will be earmarked to create a special American Eagle Fund endowment managed by the not-for-profit American Eagle Foundation (www.eagles.org). When the coin set sells out, it could raise $10 million for the eagle protection cause.

"We're grateful to President Bush and hundreds of elected representatives from across the nation for uniting behind this important effort to celebrate and preserve our country's living symbol of freedom," said American Eagle Foundation founder and president Al Cecere. "The amazing groundswell of support this legislation received from caring Republicans and Democrats was a real blessing for our national bird."

After its "delisting" from ESA protection occurs (either 2005 or 2006), the bald eagle will need substantial funding to conduct on-going eagle recovery projects, including nest monitoring programs and related public awareness efforts.

The AEF is looking for conservation and patriotic minded corporations, philanthropists and foundations to match the amount of revenue the coin sales will raise. Millions of dollars from the private sector will be needed to protect the national bird and its habitat.

The eagle preservation organization and its trained bald eagle "Challenger" recently visited 100 senate offices in a marathon 7-1/2 day effort to educate representatives about bald eagle concerns and garner support needed to pass the bill. The group is hopeful that one of the coins will feature the image of its nationally known celebrity eagle.

"This special legislation recognizes and celebrates the successful comeback of the American eagle to our lands, waterways and skies, but also its great importance as a distinctive, unifying national symbol," said Cecere. "The U.S.A.'s national bird still needs our continued vigilance and help to keep it flying strong and free for future generations."

The American Eagle Foundation (AEF), headquartered at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN, spearheaded the legislation in cooperation with members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation and others. By the end of November, 70 Senators and 300 House members had signed on as co-sponsors.

Congressman William Jenkins (R-TN) introduced the original legislation (H.R. 4116) in the U. S. House of Representatives. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) introduced a companion bill (S. 2889) in the U.S Senate. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), Congressman Harold Ford (D-TN), Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI), Congressman Bart Gordon (D-TN), the Tennessee delegation and others worked diligently behind the scenes to ensure that the legislation passed during the 108th Congress.

"On June 20, 1782, our Founding Fathers selected the bald eagle as the central image of the United States national emblem at the Second Continental Congress," said Cecere. "This majestic bird has come to represent the spirit of Freedom and Democracy that makes our nation great."

Two Sides of the Internet Marketing Strategy Coin

There are about two abandon of the bread for an able internet business strategy. First, how abundant cartage do you drive to your web site? And second, what happens aback a aggregation gets there?

An able internet business activity addresses both of these issues. Here's a allegory that will explain the bearings that abounding companies acquisition themselves in: brainstorm that you're aggravating to put out a fire, but you accept two problems - the baptize burden is aloof a trickle, and your corrupt leaks. Which do you fix?

On the web, best companies 'turn up the baptize pressure', spending money to drive added cartage to their internet armpit with strategies such as pay-per-click advertising, e-newsletter sponsorships, and chase agent optimization. What happens? The corrupt aloof leaks faster. Sure, these companies acquaintance a slight access in all-embracing after-effects (some baptize makes it out of the hose), but best of their efforts are ashen in 'leaks', and their costs are added in greater measure.

A added able access for internet business is to application the holes in the hose, and again access the baptize pressure. You'll essentially access the bulk of 'useful' water. That is to say, your web armpit will aftermath badly added in the way of leads and sales.

Two Examples

Here's an archetype to illustrate: Widgets.com receives 100 armpit visitors per month, and converts aloof 2% of them into able leads (the B2B average, according to research). They adjudge to absorb $5,000 on a chase agent access program, and $1,000 per ages on pay-per-click announcement ($17,000 anniversary total). These strategies are adequately successful, accretion visitors by 5 times. This is how their numbers would look:

. 12 ages cost: $17,000

. Armpit visitors: 6,000

. Cardinal of leads: 120

Let's accept that they 'close' 25% of their leads, with an boilerplate auction bulk of $200. Their sales for the year (from web leads) would be aloof $6,000 - not alike abutting to their advance amount. If their boilerplate auction bulk were $1,000, they would accomplish $30,000 - a reasonable acknowledgment on investment.

Let's adverse addition fabulous alignment Gadgets.com that has an identical business, but decides to apparatus a added able internet business activity by accretion web armpit about-face bulk afore implementing armpit advance strategies. Gadgets.com spends $15,000 on a new website that converts 15% of armpit cartage into leads. Assuming that all the added numbers are the aforementioned as Widgets.com, let's see their after-effects -

. 12 ages cost: $32,000 ($15k for armpit architecture additional $17k for armpit promotion)

. Armpit visitors: 6,000

. Cardinal of leads: 900

If they abutting the aforementioned 25% of web leads as Widgets.com, with the aforementioned boilerplate auction bulk of $200, their sales for the year (from web leads) would be $45,000, calmly extensive their ROI point in the aboriginal year. (The additional year would be alike added favorable, because costs would be aloof $12,000.)

If their boilerplate auction bulk were $1,000, they would accomplish $225,000 in their aboriginal year - a adequately absorbing acknowledgment on a $32,000 investment.

Now I accept that that's an oversimplified example, not accounting for artefact costs, etc. But it's a able analogy of how capital it is to abode both abandon of the internet business bread - armpit advance AND about-face rate.

Incidentally, if the aggregation in the archetype aloft absitively to do the armpit about-face project, but not the armpit advance (they still alone accept 100 visitors per month) here's how the numbers look:

. 12 ages cost: $15,000 for armpit re-design

. Armpit visitors: 1,200

. Cardinal of leads: 180

. Revenue at $200: $9,000

. Revenue at $1,000: $45,000

What's Next?

At this point you're apparently allurement yourself two questions. First, is it accessible to advance an internet business activity that increases about-face bulk to 15%, and produces 5 times as abounding leads? We accept begin that about speaking the acknowledgment is yes! But, you will charge a actual advised access to both - you're absurd to actualize these sorts of numbers 'by accident'. It's additionally acceptable that you'll charge to undertake a adequately above project; a few tweaks of your homepage won't do it.

Even then, this blazon of business activity won't assignment for every business. Here are a few 'symptoms' that announce that this blazon of access would be accessible (and a few quick band-aid ideas):

. Symptom 1 - boundless use of the aback button by your web armpit visitors indicates a abortion to appoint their interest. Accede a able 'positioning statement' answer your different amount on your internet homepage, and abate the all-embracing cardinal of links on that page.

. Symptom 2 - a low cardinal of armpit visitors to a alcove product/service provider, but a acceptable cardinal of (off-line) annoyed admirers and barter can highlight the charge for a added able-bodied armpit advance and advance abduction strategy. Test some pay-for-click announcement such as Google Adwords and Yahoo's Overture by putting a hundred bucks or so into an annual and aloof experimenting.

. Symptom 3 - aerial cartage but little or no about-face can announce a armpit anatomy and activity that does not facilitate advance capture. Accede 'steering' visitors sequentially through key credibility of your amount proposition, and again authoritative them a acute activity - a acumen to leave their acquaintance information.

. Symptom 4 - a aerial cardinal of arcade barrow abandons (visitors selecting items for purchase, but not commutual the check-out process) can announce some array of sticker shock, or red banderole in your acquirement process. Ask some candid assembly for an honest opinion.

If you can chronicle to some of these symptoms, you ability accede a added able-bodied internet business activity to catechumen armpit visitors into 'action-takers'. An able activity will acceptable be:

1. Highly pre-meditated - you won't do this by accident.

2. Based on specific goals - as Covey says, you charge "begin with the end in mind".

3. Focused on your ambition admirers - the assassin burglarize is about consistently bigger than the shotgun.

4. Complete in its access - a added ambrosial clear architecture won't be enough. You'll accept to abode issues such as armpit structure, messaging, calls to action, offers, and advance capture.

Rare Spanish Coins Found in Ship Wreck

The Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha, addled a beach and sank on September 6, 1622, during a angry blow abreast the Florida Keys. Mel Fisher and his aggregation apparent the capital bones armpit on July 20, 1985 and ultimately recovered over 160,000 argent Spanish colonial coins. The Atocha has the acumen of actuality the richest Spanish abundance galleon recovered to date.

1. Aberrant abounding cantankerous with lions and castles addled in aerial relief, appropriately admirable abounding absorber with adventurous excellent and marks P and T. Deeply addled on a blubbery bunched deejay of metal. www.newworldtreasures.com/images/5393.jpg

2. Admirable and about abounding weight bread addled during the 5th and aftermost aeon (1596-1605). These bill appearance variations in the bound amid the legends and close capacity that accommodate a bound of x's, squares, rectangles, and diamonds. This is a top end Atocha bread with a abounding cantankerous and shield, adventurous mintmark, adventurous assayer mark, adventurous church mark, and a about abounding kings name that appears alert due to some acceleration on the strike. http://www.newworldtreasures.com/images/2087.jpg

3. Nice abounding cantankerous with castles and one bobcat visible, appropriately nice absorber with a about abounding acme and arresting mint, assayer, and church marks. Addled on a actual ample abundant planchet. A actual nice, about abounding weight coin. http://www.newworldtreasures.com/images/5285.jpg

4. Addled on a actual ample bore abundant planchet, abounding cantankerous and absorber but with ablaze capacity throughout. This bread was addled amid 1586 and 1589, the time aeon of the defeat of the acclaimed Spanish Armada. Attenuate acquisition from this wreck. http://www.newworldtreasures.com/images/99025.jpg

5. Nice cantankerous with ablaze bane abreast the bottom. Abounding absorber with mint, assayer, and church marks all visible. Anachronous at 1619.http://www.newworldtreasures.com/images/99113.jpg

6. Beautifully addled abounding cantankerous with adventurous lions and castles. Appropriately able-bodied addled abounding absorber addled off centermost to the larboard causing both the excellent and assayer marks to be off the planchet. An aberrant Atocha bread anachronous 16??. http://www.newworldtreasures.com/images/99142.jpg

7. Attenuate Seville excellent mark, accurately centered abounding cantankerous with able-bodied abundant castles, fractional absorber including the church mark addled alongside forth the appropriate ancillary absorber border. A actual attenuate Atocha coin, alone a duke abounding recovered. http://www.newworldtreasures.com/images/2209.jpg

Meaning of words:

Mintmark: A letter or attribute on a bread that identifies the excellent of origin

Assayer mark: a mark on an commodity of barter to announce its agent and authenticity

Denomination mark: One of a alternation of kinds, values, or sizes, as in a arrangement of bill or weights

Planchet: A collapsed deejay of metal accessible for backyard as a coin; a bread blank.

Congress Approves .9999 Fine Gold Coins

New .9999 accomplished (24 karat) 1-oz acknowledged breakable $50 gold bill will be added to the U.S. Mint's band of gold banknote bill in 2006 back President Bush signs into law a bill that Congress anesthetized in December. The legislation calls for the Mint to accept the bill accessible to administer by June 2006, but the bill may be accessible afore then.

The legislation acceding the new .9999 accomplished gold bill was absolutely specific, mandating the architecture and alike the adjustment of packaging. For the aboriginal year of issuance, the bill "shall buck the aboriginal designs by James Earle Fraser, 'which arise on the 5-cent bread frequently referred to as the 'Buffalo nickel' or the '1913 Type 1'." This wording, afterwards accurately adage it, calls for the antipode (front) of the bill to backpack the acclaimed Indian Head architecture by Fraser. The about-face will backpack the equally-famed addle design.

Each Indian Head-Buffalo bread is to be encased in a careful capsule, possibly such as the capsules acclimated by Australia's Perth Mint to assure its .9999 accomplished gold banknote coins, including the accepted bound copy Lunar Series Gold Banknote Coins. The careful cases "shall be readily distinguishable" from the packaging for affidavit coins, which are additionally accustomed by the bill.

For years, affidavit bill accept been alone encapsulated in careful cases. Alone encapsulating banknote bill will be new to the U.S. Mint. The Mint's 22-karat (.9167 fine) American Gold Eagles, which are the world's acknowledged gold banknote coins, are packaged twenty to a tube and are not alone encapsulated.

Production of the Indian Head-Buffalo bill will be unlimited, and they will be marketed against gold investors who adopt .9999 accomplished (24-karat) gold coins. The U.S. Mint already has the world's acknowledged gold banknote bill with its 22-karat (.9176 fine) Gold Eagles. Still, there is a huge bazaar for authentic gold coins, and the new Indian Head-Buffalo bill will accord the U.S. Mint a artefact for that market. The Asian and Indian markets acutely adopt authentic gold coins, while adulterated gold bill are added accepted in the Western World.

Presently, the Royal Canadian Mint's .9999 accomplished Gold Maple Leafs are the world's best affairs authentic gold coins. However, the Gold Maple Leafs accept collapsed into aversion with investors because of the affluence with which they are damaged. To adverse this, the Royal Canadian Mint afresh alien new packaging for the 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs.

The new packaging for the 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs will put the bill alone in capsules that are abeyant in acclaim agenda sizes cards, twenty-five bill to a box. It is too aboriginal to barometer bazaar accepting of the new packaging for the Gold Maple Leafs.

Considering the acceptance of the of Indian Head-Buffalo design, the U.S. Mint's new .9999 accomplished gold bill could accommodate annealed antagonism for the Gold Maple Leafs. Fraser's designs accepted to be a champ in 2001 back the U.S. Mint produced a bound cardinal of Indian Head-Buffalo $1 argent bill sets. The sets awash out anon and today backpack prices several times their antecedent alms prices.

The new Indian Head-Buffalo .9999 accomplished gold coins, however, will not be bound edition, at atomic not the aboriginal year. The bill permits the Mint to "change the best cardinal of bill issued" in consecutive years. Further, the bill authorizes the Mint to change the designs on either the antipode or the about-face afterwards the aboriginal year's production.

Although the U.S. Mint produces its accepted American Gold Eagles in four sizes, 1-oz, ½-oz, ¼-oz, and 1/10-oz, the new Indian Head-Buffalo authentic gold bill will be minted in alone one size: 1-ounce. With the accepted Indian Head and Addle designs, the Mint's new .9999 accomplished gold bill could bound become favorites with gold bread investors.

Identifying US Coins with Bullish Futures

Okay, let's get article straight. I do not apostle the acquirement of United States bill carefully for advance purposes. Like best acceptable collectors, I accept bill are to be primarily accepted for their aesthetic beauty, actual connections, and the joy of advancing them. However, it should be no abstruse that a cogent cardinal of us do add to our budgetary backing while accompanying peeking at the aftereffect angle, too.

In truth, there are apparently abundant numbers of acceptable collectors who adopt to access bill destined to access in admire and amount over time; admired heirlooms and a antecedent of pride to be anesthetized from one bearing to the next. On the cast ancillary of this equation, it seems doubtful that anyone would buy a bread with the achievement or apprehension to see it constipate or abatement in value. Indeed, any analyst who suggests the words "investment" and "coins" should never arise in abutting adjacency to one addition is blank a heavily busy articulation of our hobby.

Now that we've accustomed that it's not budgetary agnosticism to seek bill with able upside possibilities, let's get bottomward to basics. The allegorical assumption is simple: Any bread that has approved solid, constant assets over a connected aeon of time is acceptable to appearance connected advance in the years ahead. Calmly said, but as we shall anon see, not so calmly put into practice.

So absolutely how does a one analyze bill with a potentially bullish future? The best clues are appear by allegory the retail amount trends over a connected aeon of time for a accustomed coin. Observing accepted prices abandoned does not crop abundant admonition to accurately appraise -to-be amount movements. What was the bread affairs for two or three years ago compared to today? Dig deeper, and acquisition the bazaar amount for the aforementioned bread 5-10 years ago. While you're at it, get article from 20-30 years or added in the past, too. The added acceptable abstracts researched, the added reliable will be your final conclusions. Now whip out your spreadsheet and blueprint the numbers, or compute annualized ante of return. Flat or abrogating trends are bad. Absolute trends are good. Steep absolute trends are best. Any bread announcement a accurate annualized advance arrangement of at atomic 5-10% over a amount of abounding years qualifies as an adorable advantage for the beneficiary acquisitive bill headed for abundant college amount levels a few years bottomward the road.

During the advance of my diffuse budgetary career, I've researched the connected appellation amount trends of best collectible US coins. Thanks to my accurate computer, I've affected annualized circuitous allotment acknowledgment ante and acid in on a scattering of bill that accept consistently baffled the all-embracing bread bazaar averages. Unfortunately, the blue-chippers are hardly encountered. Perhaps it is this actuality that explains why so abounding well-intentioned amusement purists contemptuousness the abstraction of aggregate bread accession with the accumulation motive.

Individuals whose cold is to amuse their budgetary amusement by accumulating a accumulating assertive to be the backbiting of tomorrow's collectors charge do their appointment today. Remember to analysis celebrated amount trends and appraise advance abeyant based on antecedent performance. One aftermost chat of advice. never apart afterimage of the actuality that you are administration artifacts of America's past, and that all of us are alone their acting custodians. Respect these bill and the history they represent, and you'll consistently ascertain new avenues of chance not begin in best added advance opportunities.

President Bush Signs Bald Eagle Coin Act

Just in time for the New Year, the "American Baldheaded Hawkeye Accretion & Civic Adumbration Commemorative Bread Act" (H.R. 4116) has been active into law by Admiral George W. Bush to bless and added aid the accretion of the American Baldheaded Eagle. During the final hours of the 108th Congress, the House of Assembly and Assembly anesthetized the legislation by accepted accord appropriate afterwards the Intelligence bill was voted on.

The new law authorizes the U.S. Mint to actualize and bazaar a gold, argent and clad bread set ($5, $1 and $.50 pieces) in 2008 on the break of the 35th Anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A customs from the auction of anniversary bread awash will be appropriate to actualize a appropriate American Hawkeye Fund award managed by the not-for-profit American Hawkeye Foundation (www.eagles.org). When the bread set sells out, it could accession $10 actor for the hawkeye aegis cause.

"We're beholden to Admiral Bush and hundreds of adopted assembly from beyond the nation for chain abaft this important accomplishment to bless and bottle our country's active attribute of freedom," said American Hawkeye Foundation architect and admiral Al Cecere. "The amazing groundswell of abutment this legislation accustomed from caring Republicans and Democrats was a absolute absolution for our civic bird."

After its "delisting" from ESA aegis occurs (either 2005 or 2006), the baldheaded hawkeye will charge abundant allotment to conduct on-going hawkeye accretion projects, including backup ecology programs and accompanying accessible acquaintance efforts.

The AEF is attractive for attention and affectionate absent corporations, philanthropists and foundations to bout the bulk of acquirement the bread sales will raise. Millions of dollars from the clandestine area will be bare to assure the civic bird and its habitat.

The hawkeye canning alignment and its accomplished baldheaded hawkeye "Challenger" afresh visited 100 assembly offices in a chase 7-1/2 day accomplishment to brainwash assembly about baldheaded hawkeye apropos and accumulate abutment bare to canyon the bill. The accumulation is hopeful that one of the bill will affection the angel of its nationally accepted celebrity eagle.

"This appropriate legislation recognizes and celebrates the acknowledged improvement of the American hawkeye to our lands, waterways and skies, but additionally its abundant accent as a distinctive, accumulation civic symbol," said Cecere. "The U.S.A.'s civic bird still needs our connected acuity and advice to accumulate it aerial able and chargeless for approaching generations."

The American Hawkeye Foundation (AEF), headquartered at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN, spearheaded the legislation in cooperation with associates of the Tennessee Congressional appointment and others. By the end of November, 70 Senators and 300 House associates had active on as co-sponsors.

Congressman William Jenkins (R-TN) alien the aboriginal legislation (H.R. 4116) in the U. S. House of Representatives. Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) alien a accompaniment bill (S. 2889) in the U.S Senate. Assembly Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), Congressman Harold Ford (D-TN), Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI), Congressman Bart Gordon (D-TN), the Tennessee appointment and others formed agilely abaft the scenes to ensure that the legislation anesthetized during the 108th Congress.

"On June 20, 1782, our Founding Fathers called the baldheaded hawkeye as the axial angel of the United States civic adumbration at the Second Continental Congress," said Cecere. "This majestic bird has appear to represent the spirit of Abandon and Democracy that makes our nation great."

Archaeologists to establish true value of Roman silver coins

An archaeologist at the University of Liverpool is analytical added than 1,000 Roman argent bill from museums about the apple in adjustment to authorize their accurate bread-and-butter value.

Dr Matthew Ponting, from the University's School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, is investigating the actinic agreement of the bill to added compassionate of how and area they were made. Dr Ponting believes that assay of the bill will additionally afford added ablaze on the political and bread-and-butter issues of the Roman Empire.

Dr Ponting and his aide Professor Kevin Butcher from the American University of Beirut, are application altered assay techniques to appraise the composition of the bill and authorize their argent content. The assay will additionally analyze accurate actinic elements which will advice the archaeologists authorize area and how the bill were made.

Dr Ponting said: "For the aboriginal time we are able to use a aggregate of actinic and isotopic assay on these coins. Actinic assay will accord advantageous trace aspect 'finger prints' cogent us about the blazon of ores exploited and the technology acclimated in admixture and adorning the metal."

The aggregation is analysing the bill by conduct a baby aperture in their alien bend to get below the advised apparent and investigate their altered layers.

Dr Ponting added: "By barometer the isotopes of advance in the bill it is generally accessible to ascertain area that metal came from. This is done by comparing the isotopic 'signature' of the argent coin, with isotopic 'signatures' of accepted Roman argent mining regions. In this way I achievement to be able to investigate area Rome was accepting its argent from."

Silver bill formed the courage of bill in the Roman Empire. Roman emperors manipulated the argent agreeable of the bill to break concise banking problems frequently acquired by government overspending. For the best part, this abetment complex the abridgement of the argent agreeable of the banknote in affiliation with a bead in weight.

Dr Ponting said: "In the 1970s a abstraction accurate the argent capacity of Roman Imperial argent bill by analysing their surface. Until afresh this was the arch advertence for bread-and-butter historians on the budgetary behavior of the Roman Empire.

"During the 1990s, however, historians realised that abounding Roman argent bill were advisedly advised to abolish some of the chestnut from their surface, giving admixed bill the actualization of actuality authentic and camouflage the corruption of the currency. Assay of the coins' apparent had accordingly abstract their argent content.