From the legions of mail order shopping catalogs arriving daily I'm tempted to confuse this spring with the month or so before Christmas. So many have piled up that our kitchen table is now officially a potential fire hazard.

The thing is, many are interesting to glance through. Packaging and presentation are part of sales, but I especially enjoy the descriptions. How the catalog writers are able to craft words so something average can potentially be of interest is a true art.

One that arrived recently was the spring gift catalog from the U.S. Mint. With silver and gold prices still high there's naturally lots of interest in the coins being produced and sold. By featuring the American Eagle coins and the new Bald Eagle coins minted in the precious metals, the Mint catalog doesn't disappoint. Also included are mirror-polished proof sets of the state quarters issued in 2008, struck in clad and silver — certainly immensely popular for tens of millions of collectors.

An interesting addition is an First Day of Issue envelope containing two recently released Oklahoma quarters — one minted in Philadelphia, the other in Denver — in uncirculated condition. The envelope has a nice decorative cancellation and printing recognizing the state.

The commemorative envelope is attractive and would make for a nice memento. The thing is the price. At $14.95 it's not inexpensive. Add shipping, and each is almost $20. That's for an envelope with 50 cents in coins attached.

Similar envelopes for the other states have been produced and are available for purchase at the same price. Add up all 50 states and the tab comes to $750, not including shipping. That's more than the $600 now being sent to taxpayers by the government to "stimulate the economy." Again, the envelopes look great, but what's their true worth? According to several coin dealers I surveyed they would currently pay between 50 cents and $2.

Could they be worth more in the future? Maybe. But they've got a long way to go to reach their present retail price.

As with any product in any catalog it pays to shop around. More importantly, when it comes to a collectible, if you like it, then buy it and enjoy it. But if you're looking for a quick return on your investment, check with those who may purchase the item. It could save a lot of frustration or disappointment down the road.

The Israeli 60th Anniversary Coins

Anniversaries are traditionally a time for celebration. And, to reach 60 years is a hefty milestone — especially when the relationship has been marked with disagreements, strife, battles and worse. I'm not referring to married couples but the situation in the Middle East.

The State of Israel has long been a lightening rod for unrest, but it is ignoring all that to recognize its official 60th year of existence this May with three new one-, two- and 10-shekel coins. Anniversary gifts celebrating 60 years are traditionally diamonds, but that might be a bit much for coins, so these are minted in silver and gold. Produced in limited numbers (1,800 for each of the silver and 444 for the gold) the design on the coins focuses on the aspiration for peace.

Showcased on each coin is a dove representing peace along with a pomegranate to symbolize prosperity. There's no guarantee as to the future value of the coins, but their limited number certainly makes them scarce.

For more information about the coins on the Internet log on to: www.coins.co.il.

Editor's Note: A JPEG visual of the three Israeli 60th anniversary coins is being sent for your use with this column.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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