Just A Few Golden Facts

Release: OCTOBER 9, 2026
     When I was in college in Vermont, a guy in our dorm named “Barton” was admittedly different.  One day, he received a package from a mining supply firm.  It contained a mining pan and a few other odds and ends.  We learned Barton was determined to find gold in nearby streams.  Never mind that, other than a brief gold strike in the mid-1800s, the precious metal just isn’t present in Vermont.  Didn’t matter.  Barton was determined....

Collectors Once Again Yelling “STELLAAAA!”

 

RELEASE: OCTOBER 2, 2026

     In 1999, many in the European hemisphere thought an agreement to replace their monetary system with the “Euro” was wise.  They believed having a singular currency would bolster trade and eliminate exchange rate fluctuations and transaction costs.  All are good objectives.  Most countries complied.  A few holdouts were the United Kingdom, Poland, Switzerland and Norway/Iceland.
    So far, it’s been something of a success.  The hiccup seems to be the realization that a single interest rate set by the European Central Bank can’t fix all economic problems in all countries....

A New High-Seas Postal Honor

 Release: SEPTEMBER 25, 2026
     What one thing do all the following American people of note all have in common?
    Actors Eddie Albert; Humphrey Bogart; Beau, Jeff and Lloyd Bridges; Sid Ceasar; Buddy Ebsen; Glenn Ford; Alan Hale, Jr.; Gale Gordon, Victor Mature and Rudy Valee.  Add to those, newsman Walter Cronkite; conductor Arthur Fiedler; author Halex Haley; golfer Arnold Palmer; military member George S. Patton Jr.; weatherman Al Roker; and Danny Joe Brown – lead singer for the rock group Molly Hatchet.  There are plenty more but the diversity should be clear.
    The answer is all have served in or for the US Coast Guard (USCG).  No kidding.
    Most of us who don’t live in or near major naval bases such as San Diego/Coronado, Norfolk or Pearl Harbor rarely if ever see the big ships or seamen who crew on them.  Coastguardsmen/women or “Coasties,” as they are sometimes affectionately referred to, work closer to home.           The Coast Guard often operates on inland waterways – notably gulf and bay areas, major rivers and the Great Lakes.  Where there is water and boating, the Coast Guard often has a presence....

Pendulum Swings Back On Some New Stamps

Release: SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
    If there’s anything sure in this world it’s the promise that “the pendulum” swings in both directions.  Be it politics, lifestyles or traditional beliefs, how quickly things turn around!

9/11 Commemorative Coin That’s Worth A Buck

Release: SEPTEMBER 11, 2026
    A sunny day last week allowed us all to recall one of the darkest days in American history.  Some might argue that day came 84 years ago at Pearl Harbor in Japan when the Japanese attacked the anchored Pacific fleet that sunny Sunday morning on December 7.  On that, “day of infamy,” over 2,400 Americans lost their lives.  Or, it could have been three years later on the beaches of Normandy.  That June morning marked D-Day when the US entered the war in Europe.  That day, just over 2,500 US soldiers were killed trying to land on the beaches....

Discovered Riches Can Often Reroute Plans

 

Release: SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
     A major concern road planners have is encountering an impediment along a planned thoroughfare.  Everything may seem fine on maps and surveys.  But, as crews excavate below the surface, surprise elements can arise.  This is particularly true for hidden historic obstacles.  Those can shut down and/or reroute entire projects....

More Than Knowledge Found In Books

 Release: August 28, 2026

    One of the Kiplinger financial publications recently included an article chronicling 10 'Treasures' Your Adult Children Don't Want You to Pass Down.  I could guess some. For instance, vintage china once coveted by grandparents and new brides.  Today, there is clear indifference to any classic china patterns families once fought over.  Seasoned auction companies even attest that china sets once worth hundreds or many thousands are now relegated to “bargain bins....”