DANIEL WEBSTER | Coins New nickels due in March

The new nickels celebrating the bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase will appear in March, and the U.S. Mint has released the image of the reverse.
It shows clasped American and Indian hands under crossed peace pipe and ax, and the date 1803. Later in the year, a second reverse design will be struck, depicting a keelboat bearing the Lewis and Clark crew.
The obverse, meanwhile, will continue to bear a portrait of Thomas Jefferson.
The coins can be seen at www.usmint.gov on the Web.
Back to Baltimore
Baltimore has emerged as a capital of the coin market. Powerhouse sales have been held there in connection with national and regional conventions. It was there, last summer, that the long-lost 1913 nickel was first publicly displayed and an 1804 dollar was sold for more than $1 million.
Next month, another major sale will be held in conjunction with the March 12-14 Baltimore Coin and Currency convention. Bowers and Merena will sell parts of a major collection March 11-13, including that rare prize: an 1895 Morgan dollar in proof condition.
American Numismatic Rarities will take first honors with a sale March 9-10, offering many gold coins. The events are at the Baltimore Convention Center.
Marking history
Medals record historic events more succinctly and sometimes with more impact than most other media. Anyone seeing the "Washington Before Boston" silver medal can feel overwhelmed at the historic events of the Revolution evoked by that image. Disasters, triumphs, angers, personal achievements, hopes and deaths stand strongly cut on medals.
The Mars exploration is among the latest to be recorded in silver. Privately struck, the 5 oz. pure silver medals designed by Alex Shagin show the twin Rovers now inching their way across the surface of Mars. The obverse carries the NASA logo before an image of the sun. The medals are dated 2003 and bear the inscription: "Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit VI-10-Opportunity.VII-7."
The medals sell for $89, plus $5.50 for handling. Queries go to PandaAmerica, 3460 Torrance Blvd., Suite 100, Torrance, Calif.; or (800) 472-6327. E-mail orders go to infopandaamerica.com.
XDaniel Webster is a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer.