The E-Sylum:  Volume 6, Number 32, August 10, 2003, Article 20

SEPTEMBER 11 COINS

  An August 6 Wall Street Journal article put the spotlight on
  "September 11" coins being marketed as relics from the
  2001 World Trade Center attacks.

  "The coins -- some gold, others platinum, but mostly silver --
  were in an underground vault below 4 World Trade Center
  that belonged to ScotiaMocatta, the precious-metals trading
  unit of Bank of Nova Scotia, also known as Scotiabank. A
  Bank of Nova Scotia spokeswoman said a coin specialist
  and wholesaler approached Bank of Nova Scotia and offered
  to buy some of the coins from the Toronto bank. The coins
  are being sold in plastic coin holders emblazoned with the
  phrase "9-11-01 WTC Ground Zero Recovery." The bank
  isn't involved in the sale of the coins."

  "It's morbid, disgusting and shocks the senses that any
  individual or corporation could capitalize on the Sept. 11
  tragedy in this horrid way," said Scott A. Travers..."

  "This is a rather extreme case of making money with the
  World Trade Center," said Ute Wartenberg Kagan, executive
  director of the American Numismatic Society..."

  "Shortly after the World Trade Center attacks, Bank of Nova
  Scotia said it would supply 3,800 ounces of silver it owned
  recovered from its vault at Ground Zero to make 427 "Angels
  of Courage" for the families of New York fire, police and
  emergency workers killed in the attacks. Additional angels
  were presented to dignitaries."

  [Subscription required]
  http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB106012198859689500,00.html

  [Morbid relics have a long history in numismatics.  For example,
  most recoveries of sunken treasure coins are basically grave
  robberies, as was the recovery of coins and ingots from the
  S. S. Central America and the recovery of Lt. George Dixon's
  "Lucky" $20 gold piece from the wreck of the Confederate
  submarine Hunley (see The E-Sylum v4n22, May 27,  2001).
   -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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