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Gold coins are extremely beautiful items and collecting them goes back to when coins were first issued in pre-Roman Europe. However, it was only in the Middle Ages that the amassing of gold coins became a leisure pursuit amongst the aristocracy and merchants who could afford to save such valuable items for their beauty and historical importance alone. Coin collecting in general is still a very popular hobby enjoyed by millions of people of all ages. School children all over the world have small collections of overseas coins. Later, that hobby might expand into collecting coins from one’s own country. For example, it is easier and less expensive to collect a cent or penny from every year in the 20th Century in your own country than a foreign country. This higher level of collecting coins can later become an expensive hobby once one has started working and has more money to spend. One might choose to concentrate on collecting gold coins from a particular period or of a certain denomination. Dollar and sovereign coins are very popular in this regard. In the USA, gold coins were in distribution from 1838 to 1933. The first pattern was the Liberty Head Bust but this was changed in 1907 to the Indian Head and Saint Gaudens motifs, which were in use until 1933. The problems posed by the Great Depression caused gold coins to be recalled to be melted down. This made them scarcer and therefore more valuable. In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, gold was used for coins from before the birth of Christ and many exemplars of these Roman and Celtic gold coins still survive today. Gold is no longer used as currency in Europe either, although in the UK, a gold sovereign is still worth one pound. The motif on the reverse is George and the Dragon, while the reigning monarch’s head is on the obverse South Africa issued its first gold coin called the Krugerrand in 1967. The Krugerrand has no legal value because it was not meant to be used as currency. It is made of one ounce of pure gold and is usually purchased solely for investment purposes. Since then other countries have also minted bullion or investment coins. For instance, Canada manufactured the Gold Maple Leaf in 1979 and Australia made the Nugget in 1981. In the days of the Gold Standard, countries promised to match the value of their currency with the amount of gold they held in reserve. That meant that if a country printed paper money without buying more gold to support it, the value of the paper currency would fall in relation to foreign currencies. Different countries came off the Gold Standard at slightly different time, but most of them dropped the standard in or around 1971. Collecting gold coins is a fine pastime, but it should not really be seen as an investment, because old gold coins carry a premium to the value of gold inside them. This value is sentiment and that can change rapidly. If you want to collect gold coins all well and good, but if you want to buy gold for an investment, then buy bullion coins or bars. Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Clogau Welsh gold. If you have an interest in wedding rings too, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring |
Posts Tagged ‘politics’
About Gold Coins
Saturday, December 10th, 2011Disabled Veterans National Foundation Delivers Support to National Guard and Military Reservists in Northern California
Saturday, October 8th, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
The Disabled Veterans National Foundation (DVNF) announced today the delivery of office and residential furniture valued at approximately $47,000 to the Rancho Cordova Elks Lodge #2484 in Mather, CA to support their ‘Catch the Spirit’ program. The ‘Catch the Spirit’ program helps the many National Guard and Reservists troops serving in Afghanistan and Iraq on extended duty. The Catch the Spirit project is especially focused on helping these veterans’ families who too often struggle without enough assistance to make ends meet. “In the recent past we have relied heavily on our National Guard and Reservists to play a vital role in fighting the war on terror, and these troops are most often serving alongside our full-time military for extended periods of time,” said Precilla Wilkewitz, President of DVNF. “Many times these reservists or National Guard members leave behind families and good-paying jobs. The Catch the Spirit program is an excellent and vital program to help these soldiers and their families and we are grateful to our supporters to be able to send them needed support.” In 2007, the Rancho Cordova Elks Lodge founded ‘The Catch the Spirit’ project to expand its support for military families and veterans. In the few years following, the Lodge and the project helped close to 4,000 military families who received Thanksgiving meals and Christmas toys. “The recent challenge of supporting peace and fighting terror in the Middle East has tapped our National Guard troops and reservists incredibly,” said Wilkewitz. “Many of these Guard or Reservist soldiers are often serving for a year or longer and their families at home need all the help they can get. That is where this project is making such a difference for veterans in Northern California and we at DVNF are proud to be able to deliver so much needed support.” Investigate out far more of this writer’s creations on DVNF. |
Archery: Using It To Get Out More
Saturday, September 10th, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
We are all being encouraged to get out more frequently, so many people are looking for a reason for doing it. You could choose a spectator sport like football, but that is not really going to do your body much good, you should be looking for a participation sport. If you are younger, then play soccer by all means, but if you are getting on a little, you will most likely be looking for a sport that is not quite so taxing. Men like to take aim and shoot things even if not kill them. Golf is an option, but I want to suggest that you give archery a try. Archery has the edge over shooting a gun because it requires some physical strength. It is not just a question of pulling, sorry, squeezing a trigger. If you take up archery, you will probably want to develop some more upper-body strength, especially if the heaviest work you have done for the last twenty years is pick up a pen. Archery is an rounded sport in many ways, depending on how much you get into it. Most novices will start out by going to an archery club and joining in for the day. People will lend them a bow and show them the safety aspects and the correct way to hold a bow and shoot an arrow. This should give you a good notion of which sort of bow you would like. After a week or two, you might purchase your own bow and you might move from indoor target archery to outdoor target archery or even field archery, which is virtual hunting. From there, you will almost certainly meet people who take archery a stage further. You will meet competition archers, bow hunters and people who assemble their own equipment. You may find one of these aspects of archery enthralling. You may take up bow hunting or even bow fishing. This will lead you off at a tangent, because you will have to learn about the animals that you hunt. You will have to learn where they live and what their habits are. This involves research. Or you can take up the archery counterpart to clay pigeon shooting, which is known as field archery. In field archery, the archers walk around a course and model animals or standard targets will become visible at diverse distances. This is fun. You will also meet individuals who like to make their own arrows or even their own bows. This is another fascinating feature of archery. You can purchase the different components that go to make up an arrow and you can buy a kit to make a bow or you can start from scratch with an axe, a knife and a lathe. Again you will need to do a lot of research, in order to get your archery equipment just the way you want it. This will lead you down yet another tangent to archery, but it will enhance your understanding of archery, increase your enjoyment of the sport and, as they say, add another string to your bow. Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on several topics, but is currently concerned with longbows for sale. If you would like to know more or for special deals, please go to our website at Kids Archery Set. |
Archery Targets For Indoors And Out
Saturday, August 6th, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
Archery is about striking a target with an arrow shot from a bow. The bow can either be an upright bow or a crossbow, although most people think of upright bows when they hear the word ‘archery’. Within the sport or hobby of target archery, there are two kinds: target archery and field archery. The winner is the archer with the highest combined score of his arrows that struck the target. Target archery necessitates shooting arrows, usually six, from a variety of distances usually 90, 70, 50 and 30 metres. The archers stand in a line before their targets starting at 90 metres and shoot an arrow on the order of whoever is in charge. Then they all advance to the 70 metre mark and shoot again on the order and so on. After the six arrows have been shot, the archers advance to their targets and tally up up their scores. Field archery necessitates walking around a course where targets are placed at different distances. The targets can be the traditional round ones or they may be replicas of wild animals like hare, elk or mountain lions. Traditional targets are manufactured from straw. Handfuls of straw are tied with string and crafted into a sort of rope. This rope is then wound around and around itself until a target of the correct size has been made. The rope is held in place either by pinning it or tying it. A canvas or paper target is then pinned to the face of it. Target archery can be practiced outdoors or indoors and the target sizes are different to match the various distances. An outdoor archery target can be either 122 centimetres or 80 centimetres in diameter. The centre of this target is 24.4 centimetres in diameter and there are four concentric circles around this. The indoor target is 80 centimetres in diameter. The centre of this size target is 16 centimetres and also has four concentric rings around it. Each ring is about eight centimetres wide on the smaller target. The targets are coloured gold in the centre, then red, blue, black and white. At the centre of the gold is what many archers call the ‘pinhole’. It is a small cross of about two millimetres in width. The target should then be put on an easel or stand with a gradient of about 15 degrees. The pinhole should be 130 centimetres off the ground (plus or minus five centimetres). If there is more than one archer, the pinholes should all be at the same height off the ground and the targets should be clearly numbered. The shooting line should be plainly marked and an archer’s shooting spot should be marked too. Five yards behind the archer, there should be another line, behind which non-competitors may stand. The danger zone between the archers and the targets should be roped off to prevent spectators wandering into the line of fire. Knowing that the spectators are kept well back helps the archers to focus on their archery. Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on several topics, but is currently concerned with longbows for sale. If you would like to know more or for special deals, please go to our website at Kids Archery Set. |
A New World: Women In Politics
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
The women in politics can no longer be ignored. The past one hundred years has seen the ladies of America step up and become among the most influential and powerful people in our world. While their involvement has put an entirely new face on democracy, it’s also opened the doors up to new discussion and viewpoints, providing equal freedom of speech for everyone. Presently, male and female politicians are both considered equally as legitimate. Thanks to the efforts of brave ladies of our past, championing suffrage for females everywhere, they now have not only the right to vote, but the right to have involvement in government. Over the years there have been many influential ladies, but presently there has been an influx of even more. Of late, well-known political figures have been ladies. Nancy Pelosi was the Majority Leader in the House and Speaker, while Barbara Boxer was the first female Senator to be elected to Congress. Sarah Palin was the Governor of Alaska and a Vice Presidential candidate in 2008. Gabrielle Giffords, a Congresswoman, gained nation-wide fame and sympathy when she was shot at a local rally by an armed gunman, drawing attention to the causes that she supported and respect for her position. Sarah Palin was a Mayor in Alaska before she became Governor, championing domestic oil drilling among other conservative views. In 2008 she was tapped by Senator John McCain to run as his Vice Presidential Candidate. In 2009 she resigned from the office of Governor and became a best-selling author, Fox News Contributor, and is rumored to be a potential candidate for the Presidential Elections of 2012. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is a well-known advocate of Universal Healthcare and the encouragement of Second Amendment Laws. Governor Jan Brewer has gained almost worldwide attention for her firm stance on immigration policies due to the amount of immigration problems that abound in her state of Arizona. Of late she has counter-sued the Federal Government for acting in an unconstitutional lawsuit against her immigration laws. Modernly, the role of a First Lady at the White House has changed from charming hostess to diplomat. She now travels and campaigns with her husband, attends diplomatic meetings sometimes in his stead and spends her time championing political causes that are close to her heart. There is no doubt that the ladies of America play an important role in shaping the future. Grow your own food indoors with LED Grow Lights. Also, check out cannabis grow lights. |
Stained Glass Through The Ages
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
No one actually knows when stained glass was first invented because it happened before people started recording history. However, some historians think that it was first used as a luxury in the homes of affluent Romans in the first century AD. Stained glass was eventually recognized as an art form in the fourth century as Christians began to worship openly and to construct intricate churches in which to celebrate their religion. On the other hand, some historians demonstrate that there are remnants in ancient ruins that imply that pagans employed stained glass in their rites. Although we will probably never really know the start of stained glass, it is pretty certain that the proliferation of Christianity is directly related to the increased of use of stained glass. The Gothic Era started in the 12th Century and stained glass windows became an important element in the design of cathedrals. It really all started with the pioneering designs of the St. Denis, France, where stained glass windows were employed to convey light into the church itself and into the minds of its worshipers. Unfortunately, most of the stained glass in the St. Denis Cathedral was destroyed during the French Revolution, but there are a few pieces left and even some entire windows on exhibit in Europe. Gothic style stained glass was made up of strong lines, but these gradually went out of fashion as the Renaissance commenced. During the Renaissance, artisans showed better detail and more subtle colouring in order to add to the realism. Stained glass windows became more like paintings on glass than architectural features and some of the notable elements such as lead lines vanished. Because of the difficulties in showing the great detail essential to the Renaissance period, the old style, which was true stained glass more or less died out. Since stained glass was used by and large by the Catholic Church, much of the work was smashed during the reign of King Henry VIII after his split with the Pope. However, not only old stained glass windows were damaged, but many of the glass making works were sabotaged too. However, religious strife was not the only cause of the decline of stained glass. The style of the Baroque period was for more detailed murals, which necessitated the use of clear glass. Therefore, many of the remaining stained glass windows were permitted to decay, and furthermore not many new stained glass windows were produced. In the late 17th century, the public mood returned to the Gothic style of architecture, which produced a renewed interest in stained glass windows. Artisans continued to paint directly onto the glass at first, but later tried to imitate the old leaden frames of medieval times. However, since the original techniques had not been used for such a long time, they had become forgotten and the artisans of the period were unable to recreate the exact styles prevailing in Gothic stained glass. During the 19th century, La Farge and Tiffany created new kinds of stained glass. La Farge was interested in window designs, while Tiffany went into new areas like the Tiffany lamp shade. Nowadays, stained glass artists are not limited by religious doctrines, although much of the work they do involves restoration. Modern stained glass is also used as the centre pane in front doors, especially uPVC doors, by rich and poor equally in the West. Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Waterford crystal vases. If you have an interest in Irish crystal or wedding rings, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring |
Wine Glasses
Saturday, July 9th, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
The rising trend of popularity of wine has led to a boom in things to go with wine like corkscrews, stoppers, coolers, napkins, pouring baskets, decanters, candles, thermometers, bottle jackets, hydrometers and dozens of varieties of each accessory from electric versions to manual ones. Needless to say, a lot of these accessories will be used until the novelty wears off and then left at the back of the cupboard. However, there is one category of wine drinking accessory that no wine drinker should be without and that is wine glasses. They are indispensable, I am sure that everyone would agree. But the good thing about wine glasses is that they are decorative when they are not in use too. A set of six lead crystal wine glasses is a fine-looking sight. And a fine set of glasses correctly shaped for the wine you are drinking will greatly enhance your enjoyment of that wine. This is because the shape of the glass is very influential on the drinker’s capacity to savour the taste and the aroma of wine. Therefore, it is necessary to use the correct glasses for the type of wine being served. Red wines benefit a lot from contact with air, so, aside from opening the bottle an hour before drinking it, you could decant it. The older and heavier the wine, the more air it needs. The next step is to serve the red wine in large glasses. This is not so as to be able to get as much wine in there as possible! A full, normal size bottle contains six servings no matter what glass you use, but a large glass allows you to swirl the wine around the glass, thereby increasing its contact with air. A large tulip shaped glass is a good example of this kind of wine glass and any dark red wine would benefit from being drunk out of such a vessel. Try a Rioja or Bordeaux, for instance. White wines, on the other hand, do not need to breathe for as long as red wines and are best drunk slightly chilled. Therefore, the wine glasses tend to have a smaller bowl and a longer stem. The bowl is smaller, because swirling is not necessary and the stem is longer, so that the heat from your hand does not warm the wine up prematurely. Try a Chardonnay, a Sauvignon or a German wine in these glasses. Champagne glasses are called champagne flutes because the bowl is long and narrow, which allows the bubbles to float through more of the wine than if the bowl were short. This is beneficial for the wine, the taste and its appearance. The stem is also long as with other white wines to diminish heat transfer. The last main kind of glass is the sherry schooner, which is also used for port. Sherry and port are both heavy reds and so need to breathe, which is one of the reasons why they ought to be decanted. However, a schooner has hardly any stem, because the warmth from your hand is required to keep the wine at the right temperature. Besides the shape of the bowl and the length of the stem, the next most important factor is the quality of the glass and its design. Some people like hand-blown glass and it can be very beautiful, but it also tends to be light and fragile. I prefer to use lead crystal glasses, which are a lot heavier and can take a deeper pattern. Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Waterford crystal vases. If you have an interest in Irish crystal or wedding rings, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring |
Crystal Corporate Gifts
Sunday, July 3rd, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
It can be very tricky to find beautiful and memorable corporate gifts. Many corporate gifts are just junk, especially the less expensive ones. However, there is a class of gift that is always treasured and can be deemed useful too. Have you always given a calendar or a letter opener? Or a key ring, just like every other business does? Or a bottle of wine that is forgotten the day after it was opened? Well, there is hope yet. What about glass crystal? Everybody loves lead crystal, do they not? Lead crystal items really are the bees’ knees of gifts, corporate gifts or not. People always need ashtrays, paper weights, and pen holders and made in lead crystal they look expensive and stylish adding to the image of your company. Lead crystal goods are available in many varieties. They make fruit bowls, vases, glasses, paper weights, pen trays, ashtrays, picture frames and carriage clocks along with a dozen other items. When selecting a lead crystal corporate gift, you might like to bear the following points in mind: If you are presenting these corporate gifts to your staff, you may like to differentiate between your employees or give everyone the same gift. You can on grounds of sex, length of service, marital status or input to the company’s profits. There again, you may know the longest serving personnel very well and want to get them something that will suit them personally. You can do this in terms of cost or style or both. For instance, office staff might appreciate a lead crystal paperweight, pen-holder or picture frame. Blue collar workers may rather a lead crystal vase or bowl. Single people might play golf or sail and like an item etched with a golfing or sailing motif. Married people might like a picture frame or a vase. Long-serving personnel or high-earners might appreciate a carriage clock. Cost is obviously an important factor, but often corporate gifts are tax-deducible and glass crystal items vary greatly in price depending on the manufacturer. For example, you can get a nice lead crystal goblet set for $15, but if you want to give Waterford lead crystal, you can expect to pay three times as much. Are you giving these corporate gifts to clients or / and prospective clients? In this case, you will have to have them inscribed with your firm’s contact details. You will also want the corporate gift to stay in the client’s office, so it should be office orientated, not home orientated. Something like a heavy paperweight shaped like a rock or a desk tidy fashioned like a boat. This is the best kind of promotion after word-of-mouth and sign-written vehicles and should be taken seriously by any company that must have clients. Giving a well-thought of gift like lead crystal is a way of enhancing your reputation and that of the beneficiary. The only other thing to keep in mind is that corporate gifts in lead crystal are valuable and need to be handled with care, so if you are having them inscribed, which you must do, then you will need to know how long it will take to get your consignment done and delivered. Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Waterford crystal vases. If you have an interest in Irish crystal or wedding rings, please go to our website now at White Gold Claddagh Ring |
Different Color Of Cotton Envelopes
Saturday, July 2nd, 2011| Scentsy | Flameless Candles | Wickless Candles |
These cotton envelopes are not made from any wood base pulp. In case you are a person who believes trees give off life, and do not like for trees to be cut down. The envelopes that are made of cotton may be preferred compared to the ones made of wood pulp. These envelopes come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. Some traditional envelopes may fade, deteriorate, or with the age progression may discolor and may also lose their form. These quality envelopes will retain their form and color. They can be kept longer without fading, deteriorating, staying pretty and vibrant, and not losing its color. They can be used just like any other envelopes. They can hold letters, papers, cards, or anything else that can be fit into them. The matching paper with the same color going into them will look more elegant compared to a different color of paper being matched with a different color envelope. There are envelopes that are made for all occasions. There are thin ones and thick ones. Color can be chosen for theme coordination. Security envelopes are made so the content and information inside can not not be seen by someone who may like snoop through your mail. Business or professional envelopes are used for important information like letterheads, deeds, legal documents, wills, presentations, statements, invoices, and checks. Using these instead of the ordinary envelope will have a better appearance and look more professional when the important document is received. The cost may differ from standard envelopes that are made out of wood. They may cost the same or they may be cheaper, but is dependent upon the manufacturer. If you believe cutting down trees is cutting down life, the purchase of cotton envelopes is worth spending your money to have a piece of mind and a quality of life. Learn more about the use of cotton envelopes now in our overview of all you need to know about envelopes options. |
Holidays And Holy Days In The USA
Thursday, August 11th, 2011Congress and the president have designated ten days as federal holidays. Being ‘federal’, these holidays theoretically only pertain to federal employees and residents of the District of Columbia, although they are so widely observed that they can be thought of as national holidays.
Legally, it is up to each individual state to designate public holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before or the Monday after is given in lieu to make a long weekend.
New Year’s Day (January 1) - celebrating the New Year dates back to pre-Christian times, when rites were performed to attempt to ensure the return of Spring.
Martin Luther King Jnr. Day (third Monday in January) - before he was shot dead in 1968, Martin Luther King Jnr. was the foremost civil rights leader in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Congress set this day aside to commemorate his life and accomplishments in 1983.
Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February) - originally it was commemorated on Washington’s actual birthday, the 22nd of February, but it was moved in 1971 to make a long weekend. It is sometimes known as Presidents’ Day, because it is near Lincoln’s birthday on the 12th February.
Memorial Day (last Monday in May) - also known as Decoration Day, it honours soldiers fallen in battle.It originates from the Civil War and is customarily marked by parades and services.
Independence Day (4th July) - this, the most significant US holiday, marks the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. It was first celebrated in 1777 and is marked by fireworks, parades and speeches.
Labor Day (first Monday in September) - this, the idea of Peter J. McGuire, the president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, was adopted in 1894 to celebrate American workers.
Columbus Day (second Monday in October) - Christopher Columbus and his crew landed in the Bahamas on Oct 12th 1492. It was first commemorated in 1792, although it was not officially recognized until 1909. It is a cause of special pride to Italian-Americans, who claim the Genoan voyager as their own.
Veterans Day (Nov 11th) - or Armistice Day commemorates the end of the First World War on Nov 11th 1918. It was made a legal holiday in 1938, but its name was changed in 1954 to honour all American veteran soldiers.
Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) - it was first commemorated in Plymouth County, Massachusetts in 1621, the year in which the Pilgrims landed in the New World to give thanks for the new harvest and the new land they had colonized. President Lincoln proclaimed it a holiday in 1863.
Christmas Day (December 25th) - Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Franklin Covey planner refillss If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars
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