Coin displaying book

A book that is capable of displaying one or more coins related to its theme, including a front cover and a back cover. At least one book cover defines one or more apertures that are capable of receiving coins. The book theme is displayed on at least one of the book covers. The book may optionally include one or more caps that may be inserted into and removed from the coin-receivable apertures. These caps will preferably display images that are related to the theme of the book. The invention provides a coin specific display that stores and displays one or more coins in an appealing manner, and that also conveys or provides additional information about the theme displayed on the coin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to displays for collecting coins. More specifically, the present invention is directed to books that are capable of displaying coins that are related to their themes.

Collecting and displaying coins is a very popular hobby. Government mints all over the world produce coins for circulation in their general populations. These coins often display images that portray political or historic figures or historic or other events that are somehow related to the issuing country. In the United States, for example, penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half-dollar and whole dollar coins that display presidents, political and other historic figures are readily available.

Most recently, the United States Mint has begun issuing representative quarters for each of the 50 United States. A state specific design is displayed on one side of each such quarter. For example, the quarter that represents Delaware depicts the historic horseback ride of Caesar Rodney, the Delaware delegate to the Continental Congress who cast the deciding vote in favor of independence from Great Britain. The quarter that represents Pennsylvania depicts the statue “Commonwealth” which sits atop dome of the state building, while the quarter that represents Massachusetts features a Minuteman of the American Revolution. A familiar image of former President George Washington is displayed on the second side of each coin.

The U.S. Mint is also producing a new gold color dollar coin that depicts Sacagawea, the Shoshone Indian woman who assisted the Lewis and Clark expedition. The U.S. Mint has issued numerous other similar coins. Examples include a bicentennial quarter, issued just prior to 1976, half-dollar that features John F. Kennedy and a previous dollar coin that featured Susan B. Anthony.

The United States is not the only country that issues such coins. For example, the Royal Canadian Mint is currently issuing coins with a new design each month. Themes of coins that have been issued are “The Airplane Opens the North,” “Ingenuity,” “Achievement,” and “Health.” The Royal Canadian Mint also issues coins that represent the various years of the Chinese lunar calendar, and had a program similar to that currently underway in the United States, where it issued representative coins for each of its provinces. Other countries issue coins that display political, historic and other figures and events as well.

Coins that are not used as currency are also available and are popular items for collectors. For example, tokens of all types are distributed by numerous sources. Transportation tokens may be used to gain access to public transportation services, or to cross bridges or pass through tunnels. Tokens and medallions are distributed by companies for the purpose of advertising their products. Such tokens and medallions are also available to memorialize or commemorate wars, holidays, political, social, athletic and numerous other events.

Collectors take great pride in collecting and displaying coins such as those described above. Available coin holders and displays typically include rigid sheets with coin-sized holes that are arranged in an organized pattern. The holes are sized such that the coin to be displayed can be pressed inside in a tight fit. Some coin holders are configured as folding books, with the coin-sized holes arranged on the inside of one or more of the folding surfaces. Others are simply configured as flat surfaces without covers. Coin holes are often arranged in a row and column or similar format.

While such coin holders are perfectly adequate for storing and displaying coins, theme-related displays are more appealing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,366 to Krull, et al., issued Nov. 23, 1999 discloses a map of the United States with coin-sized holes inside the borders of or next to each state. Collectors enjoy displaying coins that represent states in a map such as this.

While a map such as that described above may be useful for displaying coins that represent states or other geographic regions, it will typically not be used to display the coins from a single state or to display coins that do not relate to a geographic theme. Further, and more significantly, such a display generally does not allow for anything more than the display of coins in a manner that corresponds to their geographic location. While a limited amount of information may be provided ancillary to the display, for example, in the borders of the map, there is typically no way to provide a large amount information about the location, event or character that is displayed on the coins. There is also no way for the collector to record his or her own thoughts, observations or other information about the coins displayed. Thus, coin collectors will probably not want to use a map-type display to display coins that portray characters, historic or commemorative events or other non-geographically related themes, or to display coins when they would also like to convey or incorporate information that relates to the theme of the coin.

It is therefore desirable to provide a coin display that relates to a non-geographically related theme in an entertaining manner.

It is also desirable to provide a coin display that stores and displays a coin in an apparatus that is also capable of providing additional information about the theme displayed on the coin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a book that is capable of displaying one or more coins related to its theme, which includes a front cover and a back cover, wherein at least one of these book covers defines one or more coin receivable apertures, and wherein the book theme is displayed on at least one of the book covers.

In accordance another aspect of the present invention, such book themes may relate to geographic regions, such as cities, counties, states, countries, provinces, continents and other definable geographic regions. Other themes may include fictional and non-fictional characters, as well as commemorative, athletic and historic events.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the book may include one or more caps that may be inserted into and removed from the coin receivable apertures. These caps will preferably display images that are related to the theme of the book.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings where examples are provided for the purpose of illustration and not by way of limitation,FIG. 1includes a three-dimensional view of one embodiment of a book10that is capable of displaying one or more coins related to its theme. As shown, book10includes a front cover12and a back cover14. In the view ofFIG. 1, front cover12includes two coin receivable apertures18. These apertures18will preferably be sized such that a coin may be pressed inside in a tight fit. Apertures18will also preferably have a shield or some other support (either clear or opaque) on one side to prevent coins that are placed inside from falling through and, if opaque, to provide a surface for display of a theme-related image. Front12and back14covers will preferably, but not necessarily, be made from card stock or some other rigid material. While book10is shown here with apertures18located in front cover12, those skilled in the art will appreciate that they could also be located in rear cover14or in both covers. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that while book10is illustrated with two apertures18in first cover12, one aperture or three or more apertures could be provided instead. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that apertures18may have different diameters, and that they could therefore be used to hold coins that are different sizes.

Still referring toFIG. 1, the theme16of book10is preferably displayed on front cover12. Again, theme16could be displayed on back cover14or on both covers. For that matter, theme16does not have to be displayed on either cover if such an identification is not desired. Georgia, one of the fifty United States, is the theme16of book10illustrated inFIG. 1. However, book10could relate to any theme, and the invention is not limited to states or to any particular state. Other embodiments of the invention include themes16that relate to other geographical regions such as provinces (e.g. Ontario, Quebec or other Canadian provinces), countries (e.g. the United States and Canada), continents (e.g. Africa or Asia), and other definable geographic regions (e.g. the European Economic Community, the West Indies, West Africa and other groups of countries). When displayed, theme16may be in pictorial, textual or any other practical format.

Turning now toFIG. 2, an image22that is related to theme16will preferably be displayed in aperture(s)18. For example, when theme16relates to a state, image22may depict a state bird, state flag, state flower, state capitol or some other image that is associated with that state. As is also shown inFIG. 2, a cap20may optionally be provided with book10. Cap20will preferably be removable from and insertable into apertures18. In fact, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the diameter of cap20will have substantially the same size as a coin, which will allow it to form a tight fit inside apertures18. When an image22is present in aperture18, it will preferably be clearly displayed when cap20is removed.

Still referring toFIG. 2, cap20may also display an image24that is related to theme16. Image24may be the same as or different from image22in a corresponding aperture18. Referring toFIG. 3, when theme16relates to a state, image24may depict a state bird20A, flag20B, capitol20D, flower20E or some other state related item. In one embodiment of the invention, cap20displays a replica20C of a government-minted coin, such as those described earlier, that is associated with the state described in book10. In another embodiment of the invention, cap20displays a replica of a government-minted coin associated with a Canadian province described in book10. As indicated earlier, replicas of coins (regardless of whether they are minted by a government entity) that are associated with continents, countries, counties, cities, regions of countries (i.e. the Midwest, the East Coast) and other definable geographic regions can also be included.

As indicated earlier, themes16are not limited to geographic locations. In one embodiment of the invention, theme16of book10relates to a fictional or non-fictional character. Thus, book10may include information about a political or historic figure, a popular movie star, an athlete or some other celebrity. Book10may also include a story or other information about a fictional character. Other examples of themes16include commemorative and historic events. Each of these embodiments may include caps20with images24that are associated with the relevant theme16, as well as images22in apertures18that are associated with theme16.

Themes that relate to non-fictional characters may include persons that are portrayed on government-minted coins. For example, a book10about United States presidents may include aperture(s)18sized to hold a John F. Kennedy half-dollar, a George Washington quarter, a Franklin Roosevelt dime, a Thomas Jefferson nickel and/or an Abraham Lincoln penny. In this embodiment of the invention, aperture(s)18would obviously have different sizes. If aperture(s) for all five coins are provided, five caps20would preferably also be included, with each cap displaying an image24that shows a replica of one of the above mentioned coins or another image24related to the respective President. Images22that show replicas of one or more of the above mentioned coins or something else related to the respective President would also preferably be displayed in aperture(s)18.

Still another way to practice the invention is with a book10with a generalized theme such as, e.g. “The Olympics.” In this embodiment, coins that commemorate any or all of the various Olympiads can be stored and displayed in aperture(s)18. Images22or caps20that include replicas of these coins, or other images24that relate to the relevant Olympiads, may also be provided. Similarly, books10with generalized themes that relate, e.g. to “The World Series” or to any of the numerous other professional, college or other amateur sports championships or other events may be used to display caps20or coins that relate to those themes. Books10about animals, cars, monuments, movies, Broadway shows or other plays and various other events could also be provided to display collected related coins or to display caps20that relate to those themes16.

Referring now toFIG. 4, aperture(s)18may be provided on the exterior of book10(as illustrated inFIG. 1) or on the interior cover32of either front cover12or back cover14. Information other than that which identifies the theme may also be provided on these covers. Thus, a paragraph that contains information about the theme or a picture related to the theme may be provided on either side of either cover.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, book10will include one or more sheets36of paper. One or more of sheets36may be blank, or all sheets36may contain text and/or pictures that describe or otherwise relate to theme16. The coin collector may, for example, use blank sheets36to provide information about his or her personal experiences with the item or person related to theme16. Thus, blank sheets36in a book10with a geographically related theme may be used to record information about one's own observations, thoughts or experiences while visiting or studying the location. Another example of a use of the invention is to use blank sheets36in a book10that relates to living persons to obtain autographs or to record information or notes about the person, while sheets in a book that relates to an historic figure may be used to write a report about that figure. Sheets36may also include preprinted information that relates to theme16. In either case, one or more pages may also include aperture(s)38that are aligned with aperture(s)18in cover12and/or cover14to allow for continuous viewing of the coin(s) or cap(s) while the book is being read.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention includes the collection, storage and display of coins, those skilled in the art will recognize that it can be used to collect, store and display caps20, as well as medallions, medals or any other objects that may be collected, stored and displayed in the manner described.

It is, therefore, apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the present invention, a book that is capable of displaying coins that are related to its theme that fully satisfies the aims and advantages hereinbefore set forth. While this invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.