Looking for a five ounce silver America the Beautiful bullion coin? More people collect US coins than those of any other nation so a mintage of 33,000 is a drop in the bucket when it comes to satisfying demand. What should have been a mintage three times larger shrunk due to technical difficulties at the US Mint.

To learn about the values of our old coins (as if we would ever want to sell them!) my family uses The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States Coins, because it’s easy to read and the information is very nicely organized. Coin books also teach about coin values so that before you go on a coin shopping trip, you will know what you should spend on a 1922 Buffalo nickel or some other treasure for your collection.

Meanwhile here at home, one local economist keeps getting a little press each month, Alan Gin, from University of San Diego, as he continues with semi-optimistic economic forecast. Other local economists seem to be drinking the same tea because when they report their latest forecast they neglect the fire burning around the data.

Getting There: Take the #64 Bus from Rome’s Termini Train Station (it’s also a subway station called Termini), which goes right by the sanctuary. Free admission, but donations appreciated.

Collecting cans for 37 cents a pound is a tough way to make a living. Here in Michigan and other states, however, there’s a 10 cent deposit on every beverage container. During festivals I see people with bags of hundreds of cans they collected in the parks and garbage containers. Some travel here every year during the Cherry Festival, just to collect returnable bottles and cans that week.

As a general rule, online coin dealers are far more likely to accept credit cards than your local “>coin shop High Point

Treasure hunting is about having the right frame of mind. There are treasures to be found everywhere. I once found a chest with foreign notes and coins in the crawl space under our house. Hotel owners report that visitors tuck money in the bedside bible, and forget to take it with them. Sometimes you just have to look.