Posted on 07/21/2011 1:36:11 PM PDT by DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis
It's a case that combines history and mystery--and very valuable gold coins. The stakes were certainly high: One of these rare $20 pieces sold for a record $7.59 million in 2002.
Here's the story. A jury decided that a Philadelphia woman, Joan Langbord, who found the coins in her father's bank deposit box, never should have owned them, and that the U.S. government was right to take them back.
The government argued that the never-circulated gold coins should never have been anywhere outside the U.S. Mint. Only a half-million of the coins were made. The rare "double eagle" coins, designed by sculptor August Saint-Gaudens, are fervently sought by collectors—and worth a mint. When the United States abolished the gold standard in 1933, most of the pieces were melted down.
Two were sent to the Smithsonian, and 20 disappeared—the very 20 that can be traced to Langbord's father, a Philadelphia jeweler named Israel Switt. In challenging Langbord's ownership rights, the government argued that the dollar coins were most likely stolen. Langbord, who is 81, argued that her father did business with the Mint, and the coins could have been acquired legally...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Not blaming you and I already went to the Yahoo site to make my point there. At least it was a 'blog' so journalistic standards are really not a factor - still bad though!
There is a lawsuit. I would argue that if her father had not put them in storage the government would have melted them down and destroyed their value. Therefore if the government tries to sell them, his heirs are due a great deal of the money.
I wonder if intimidation entered into the verdict. I know I wouldn’t have wanted to be on that jury.
That seems to be a thing with many blogs.
Interesting thought there. I wouldn’t have wanted to be on that jury either.
I put NOTHING passed my government. (see tag)
Actually no it would have been very hard and not worth the effort.
First, there are NO LEGAL TENDER 1933 $20 Gold Coins OTHER than the uniquely declared 2002 Egyptian/Farouk that was auctioned as the SOLE SURVIVING example for that $7+ million price. All of the minted examples were (supposed to be) melted down before they were actually distributed. The commonly accepted story is that the US Mint's Chief Custodial Agent stole these coins by opening the 1933 mint bags and substituting prior year Double Eagles to keep the weights correct prior to the melting.
These coins in this legal case were always illegal and unsalable and that was why they stayed hidden in that safe deposit box. Thus there is no resale market / auction market that such a coin could be sold in.
I think the family plans on appealing this case.
I’m with you on that. The government has given us very little reason to trust them in many matters.
Kinda like stolen art, eh?
Who has time but a useless moron Federal worker to sit on a Federal jury?
It was over the minute they expanded the right to vote.
Time to get out while the getting's good, there is no putting that horse back in the barn.
An electorate that cant tell the difference between Reagan and Obama and gave algore the the popular vote in 2000 has no business in the voting booth.
It is indeed over.
The government isn't going to sell them so they get nothing for all their effort. They acted primarily out of envy and resentment. You'd think the statute of limitations ran out long ago, especially when it's not certain a crime was even committed. To be consistent if they find out an illegal alien came into the country 80 years ago they have to round up their grand kids and send them all back.
Possession is 9/10ths of the law ... (unless you have something the government wants).
Excellent point about actually monetary benefit; however, the feds prefer 100% of nothing over sharing anything. Yes, it is about control.
Remember, the prosecutors and judges lie to the jury and leave out critical facts all the time. The "verdicts" are very directed.
Yep, in which case possession means nothing at all, and the victory goes to whoever has the most force and power avaliable (always the government).
The government is criminals.
Bull. There are collectors that would pay a pretty penny just to have them. There is always a market for everything.
When they stole that pile of silver from the Liberty Dollar guy, that should have tipped you off to how this case was going to end.
The government is thieves, liars and thugs. Why do you think that the Big Banks are "negotiating" a civil settlement for thousands of fraudulent felony paperwork filings?
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