Special receptacle or package – For coin – Combined
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-07
2003-08-12
Luong, Shian (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For coin
Combined
C206S000840, C206S459500
Reexamination Certificate
active
06604626
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to racks, shelves, and the like, and more particularly to a modular display case or shelving for the display of a series of coins. One or more frames are provided atop a base, with each of the frames having a series of independently rotatable elements for the display of both sides of a coin held therein. The frames are horizontally disposed with vertical coin rotational axes for the display of commemorative coins, where the obverse and reverse faces have the same orientation. An alternative orientation is also provided, for monetary coins with relatively inverted obverse and reverse faces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coins, medals, and the like stamped from a flat piece of metal have been used in trade from the earliest times of recorded history. Generally, such coins are stamped on both sides (known as obverse and reverse sides) from relatively small discs of precious or other metal. More recently, various manufacturers have developed innumerable coins, medals, and the like to commemorate various events, associations, etc. These coins and medals are also generally stamped or minted from flat metal discs, with two opposed dies being used to form an image on both sides of the coin.
As interest has grown in the collection and display of such coins, various devices (stands, shelves, etc.) have been developed to provide for the display of various coins. Most such devices display the coins or medals resting upon a background of some sort, and thus display only a single side or face of the coin. While others have developed display devices which enable both sides of a coin to be viewed alternately, most such devices comprise a relatively large sheet or plate in which a series of coins are immovably affixed, with it being necessary to turn the entire sheet or plate to view the opposite sides of the coins. In other words, there is no way to turn a single coin independently of the others, to view the reverse face of only a single coin, and perhaps compare the reverse face to the obverse face of an adjacent identical coin.
As a result, there have been some limited efforts to provide coin display devices which enable each coin to be turned independently from one another. However, such devices generally comprise relatively large sheets or plates, and do not provide for modular addition to the display case as coins are added to the collection. Such displays commonly include large areas where no coins are installed, as it is impossible to remove portions of the display area for smaller collections.
Moreover, most such devices which provide for the rotation of coins within a display holder in order to view both sides of the coin alternately, are directed toward monetary coins. Monetary coins almost universally have their obverse and reverse sides stamped inverted relative to one another. Thus, the rotational axis for mounting the coin must be horizontal to position both the obverse and reverse sides of the coins upright for the viewer. Commemorative coins and medals, also known as military coins which commemorate certain military units or events, are almost universally minted with the obverse and reverse sides oriented in the same direction. In other words, turning a commemorative coin over about a horizontal axis, as is done with monetary coins, results in the inversion of both faces of the coin. Such a system is unsuitable for use in displaying commemorative coins.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a modular coin display case which provides for the selective display of both faces of commemorative coins, where the faces are oriented in the same direction. The present display case comprises one or more (preferably a series of) separable frames, with each of the frames being capable of holding a series of coins. Each of the coins in leach frame is separately mounted pivotally between opposite walls of the frame, thus allowing a person to inspect each side of a given coin independently of all other coins within a given frame and other coins and frames of the present display case. The base of the present display case provides for the display of non-circular and/or oddly shaped coins and medals, which do not fit the display frames. In another embodiment, the frames may be placed vertically atop the base so as to orient the pivotal axes for the coins horizontally, thus providing for the selective upright display of both faces of monetary coins, where those faces are inverted relative to one another.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,897 issued on Oct. 28, 1969 to Walter Rambow, titled “Display Device For Objects Such As Coins And The Like,” describes a display board having a series of sockets into which a series of plugs may be removably installed. Each of the plugs holds a circular coin display holder thereon. In other embodiments, a series of ribs are placed on the board, with the ribs having shoulders for gripping the edges of the coin holders. None of the embodiments disclosed by Rambow provide for any movement of the coins displayed therein, unlike the present invention with its pivotally mounted coin holders and coins.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,643 issued on Dec. 4, 1973 to Victor Titoff, titled “Device For Simultaneously Displaying The Front And Rear Of Coins,” describes a stand in which one or more coins are held by clips which hold their bottom edges. A mirror is provided in back of the coins, for viewing the reverse sides thereof. While the Titoff coin holder will work to a certain extent with commemorative coins, where their faces are oriented in the same direction, it cannot be made to work with monetary coins with relatively inverted obverse and reverse faces. In any event, the face viewed in the mirror of the Titoff holder is reversed, thus making it difficult to read any indicia, numbers, etc. thereon. The present display case enables each coin to be rotated independently of others so each face may be viewed directly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,475 issued on Sep. 24, 1974 to Gerrit M. Bolanz, titled “Storage Device For Coins And Similar Objects,” describes an adjustable rack for holding a single coin. The Bolanz device is adjustable to hold coins of different diameters, with the adjustable portion held in a sealed enclosure with transparent panels on each side thereof. Bolanz does not disclose any means for pivoting his coin holder or display device to allow a person to examine both sides of a coin alternately from one side of the device, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,410 issued on Oct. 29, 1974 to Luther N. Cook, titled “Mounting Of Coins In The Faces Of Coin Albums,” describes the pivotal mounting of coins in a relatively thin sheet of material, between a pair of horizontally opposed pivots. A selectively releasable lock is provided 90 degrees to the pivots, to hold the coins in the desired plane. While the Cook device enables the viewer to selectively pivot any given coin or coins from the plane of the holder sheet, the relatively thin nature of the sheets precludes the pivotal movement of any coins being held in closely adjacent sheets, i.e., when the album is closed or nearly closed. Each frame of the present coin display case might be considered analogous to one display sheet of the Cook album, with the frame edges of the present display case being aligned beside one another rather than being stacked in registry with one another, as are the pages of the Cook album. This enables any coin(s) in any frame(s) to be rotated without interference from any other frame(s), in the present display case.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,477 issued on Aug. 23, 1977 to Raymond E. Deese, titled “Coin Display,” describes a series of generally rectangular, interlocking frames, each of which may hold a single coin between two transparent sheets of material. The coins are held in place by inserts which hold each coin centered within its corresponding f
Litman Richard C.
Luong Shian
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