bigjarofwasps

Found this, thought it might be of inerest........ The Pittman Act was a United States federal law sponsored by Senator Key Pittman of Nevada and enacted on April 23, 1919. The act authorized the conversion of not exceeding 350,000,000 standard silver dollars into bullion and its sale, or use for subsidiary silver coinage, and directed purchase of domestic silver for recoinage of a like number of dollars. Under the Act, 270,232,722 standard silver dollars were converted into bullion (259,121,554 for sale to Great Britain at $1.00 per fine ounce, plus mint charges, and 11,111,168 for subsidiary silver coinage), the equivalent of about 209,000,000 fine ounces of silver. Between 1920 and 1933, under the Act, the same quantity of silver was purchased from the output of American mines, at a fixed price of $1 per ounce, from which 270,232,722 standard silver dollars were recoined. Further provisions relating to silver coinage were contained in the Thomas Amendment to the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933.

http://www.operationbanner.com/roh/default...MonthAsNumber=2

Gunner Robert Curtis becomes the first British soldier to die in Northern Ireland 06/02/1971 Shot by sniper while on British Army foot patrol, New Lodge Road, Belfast.

1972 was the bloodiest year of the conflict with 134 soldiers being killed. I believe that a total of 720 British soldiers, were killed during the conflict.

L/Bdr Restorick was shot in the back by a sniper at an army checkpoint in Bessbrook, County Armagh, in February 1997. L/Bdr Restorick, was the last British soldier to be killed in action, during Op Banner.

The total number of UK troops killed while on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 has risen to 73 after the deaths of three soldiers in Helmand province on 24 August 2007. Three British soldiers were killed in a "friendly fire" incident involving US military aircraft while on operations in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan on 24 August. Privates Aaron McClure, Robert Foster and John Thrumble from 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment were on a patrol near Kajaki when they came under Taleban fire. The MoD says events surrounding the deaths are under investigation Two US F15 fighters were called in to provide close air support, when a bomb from one of the aircraft struck the compound the three men and their platoon were in. Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Carver, Commanding Officer 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment, said Pte McClure, 19, from Ipswich,"was already a veteran of over forty engagements with the enemy. It is tragic that where the Taliban had failed, it was an accident that has taken him from us." Lt Col Carver described Pte Thrumble, 21, from Chelmsford, Essex, as "proven in combat on countless occasions - his raw courage and ability to raise a smile were invaluable in these testing times". Of Pte Foster, aged 19 and from Harlow in Essex, Lt Col Carver said: "Fiercely loyal to his friends, he had seemingly limitless reserves of courage and strength of character way beyond his years." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6963767.stm

Something to do with the US war effort during WW1? In those days they weren`t the super power that they are today! Whatever the Pittman Act was, the old Morgan dollar certainly bore the brunt of it. Now theres a new thread....Morgan Dollars, leave it with me!

The more I think about it the more it becomes less likley that the government would create such an award. Nice idea as it is theres just to many variables!!! However, theres more.... http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/20...89520-19665928/

How many CSM NI's will that be - somewhere around 1/4 million or more with about 30,000 Acumulated CSM's? Must be if not more!!!!!! Badly positioned badge on that Welsh Guardsman's beret - overlapping the band. Well spotted..."Get him awayyyyyyyyy!!!!!"

Okey so the common theme here is no, and some good arguments to back it all up. The going back to 1946 point, the cost of that alone doesn`t bear thinking about. The better medical care instead, yes I can see your point, but the way the whole funding system works, means that money from one dept can not be passed over to another no matter how good the cause. Just ask your local council about that!!! Lets not forget that a vast majority of the wounded service personal, are MD from the forces, I think a medal to recognise there wounds is a good thing. It doesn`t have to cost a great deal (just look at the Purple Heart) for that, but if it ever materalises lets hope its tastful!! Well thats me off my soap box. Surely there must be some positive views out there, as it stands its not looking very good for the Mirror!!

Hi Guys, Don`t know if you guys are aware or not of this currently running campaign by the Daily Mirror (I`m not a reader, just happened acrosss it by chance), but thought it might be of interest..... http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/20...89520-19685975/ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/20...89520-19680426/ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/20...89520-19649477/ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/topstories/20...89520-19631725/ I`d very much like to hear your views on this.... Gordon.

Lance Cpl. Jared P. Hubbard 22, of Clovis, Calif.; assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died Nov. 4 of injuries sustained due to enemy action in Anbar province, Iraq. http://www.militarycity.com/valor/491976.html

Saving Private Hubbard: soldier sent home after his brothers die Spc. Nathan Hubbard, 21, right, was among 14 killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed in northern Iraq in August of 2007. He is pictured here with his brother Jason Hubbard. A Central California soldier was among 14 killed when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed in northern Iraq - the second tragedy for his family, who lost another son to the war three years ago, family friends said. The family of Spc. Nathan Hubbard, 21, was taking his death on Wednesday "very, very hard," said Clovis police spokeswoman Janet Stoll-Lee, who spoke on behalf of the Hubbards. The soldier's father, Jeff Hubbard, is a retired 30-year veteran of the police department. Hubbard’s UH-60 helicopter went down during a nighttime mission in the Tamim province that surrounds Kirkuk, an oil-rich city 180 miles north of Baghdad, said Lt. Col. Michael Donnelly, a military spokesman in northern Iraq. He said facts gathered indicated it was almost certainly due to a mechanical problem and not hostile fire, although the final cause remained under investigation. The military did not immediately release the soldiers' identities pending notification of relatives. Nathan Hubbard was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii, where officials said 10 of the soldiers killed in the crash were based. The Hubbards lost Nathan's older brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Hubbard, to a roadside bomb in downtown Ramadi in 2004.

Hi Guys, Was surfing Ebay, when I cam across this thought I`d share it with you... "This yellow topped coca cola bottle was purchased at the Bagdad Cafe in Iraq last year Possibly from the last batch to leave the ill fated factory now outside the green zone A must for all serious collectors it's in perfect condition and unopened it's the only one I have and the only one i've seen in Europe" So what happened to the factory, does anyone know, I could find anything on the net?

A nice coin, but I don`t think it`ll take the world by storm, in the same way as the Krugerrand has. A nice collectors piece none the less! I think I`m right in saying that there hasn`t been one issued since 2003, not sure how that will effect the market. Whether collectors will want it because there more unique, or put them off, as you can`t really put date sets together, in the same way as you can with the Sovereign. Time will tell I suppose.....

The total number of UK troops killed while on operations in Afghanistan since 2001 has risen to 73 after the deaths of three soldiers in Helmand province on 24 August 2007. Three British soldiers are killed in a suspected "friendly fire" incident involving US military aircraft while on operations in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan on 24 August.

Gordon of Khartoum General Wolseley`s relief army….. Wolseley wrote - Our gold sovereigns command no respect here, whereas great course Austrian silver dollars, are looked upon as real money. A man could bring here one hundred thousand in silver would make a good thing of it now in buying up all our sovereigns at a reduced price. The sovereign is at a great discount & few Arabs here will take it. Years after our expedition to Abyssinia, men of that country sold handfuls of sovereigns for a few silver dollars.

Many thanks for taking the time to photograph this for us, Charlie. What a smashing example. I`ll have to keep my eye out for ones made into jewellery. Just out of interest where did you pick this one up? I wouldn`t be to put off by it being a relatively modern one, its still really nice, and who knows where its been & what its bought in the last 40 odd years? Might have been used during the Dhofar War to buy AK47 ammo for example. The imagination could run riot Gordon.

Eric, cracking webiste that that isn`t it!!!!!! Re buying one, I fully recommend them, and whats more they won`t break the budget!!!! Theres no shortage of them on the old Ebay. At first I thought if you`ve got one then you`ve got them all, but there seems to be many different types all on the same theme as it were. I also like the ones that have been made into something else (jewellery, power horns, decorations for rifles, etc). Theres some cracking pictures in Clara Semple`s book, its well worth a read, and a wealth of information on the coins themselves. Gordon.

Coastie, can we have a close up of the one on the chain please? Cheers, Gordon.

Very much so, thanks Paul. Just out of interest have you any idea how much the silver ones are worth, as I`ve seen them sell on Ebay from ?100 to less than ?20. I assume that the condition has something to do with it, but the ones I saw all looked very similar, I could account for the differnce in price, any ideas? Gordon.

Paul, Look forward to that!! Post it on here if you can. My Dad has some that the Sultan of Oman, threw into the air for some guests, during a party he had on board the Royal Yacht, in the early 80`s. I remember him saying that they were finding them all over the place for ages afterwards. Now I bet these had done the rounds, not to mention having an interesting story all of there own!!!! Gordon.

Heres what I think is an interesting little coin. Made from captured Spanish silver...

Coastie, an impressive collection, there!!! I like the one on the chain. I`ve just picked up my second Maria for (what I think was a bargain ?4.40), its a restrike, but its a bit tarnished so it looks like it might have done the rounds....

Coastie, Very impressive, if only it could talk!!!!! Gordon.