Found an old numismatic-related movie on DVD this past week. "Criminal" featured actor John C. Reilly and was released by Warner Brothers in 2004. The storyline involves an elaborate scam involving a rare 19th century silver certificate note being offered to a millionaire currency collector for $750,000. The movie was pretty good and involved counterfeiting with a high resolution printer. Even the expert brought in to certify the note was in on it (Definitely not a NGC or PCGS guy). Always fun to point out the flaws too, such as not buying an uncertified piece of rare currency for $750,000 in a hotel room from strangers. It might be of interest to fellow members and worth sitting down with on a cold, quiet evening. I'm always on the look out for movies with a numismatic twist. Heck, it beats watching Rick Tomaska again.

I recently purchased a copy of a reference book of Queen Elizabeth banknote portraits by Peter Eu and Ben Chiew. The book is interesting in the fact that it is (so far) the definitive reference work of every banknote bearing the engraved image of Queen Elizabeth II. And when you think about it that's quite a feat. Elizabeth has reigned (or ruled) since 1952, so for the past 68 years countless banknotes from numerous UK Commonwealths have carried her image. This made me wonder if anyone has ever completed a complete set of QEII banknotes or coinage? Think about it. You'd have to have a complete set of everything Great Britain, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Belize, Bahamas, Australia, Hong Kong, Cook Island, East Caribbean States, and other commonwealth members have issued since then (somewhere around about 20 countries in all). To attempt such a set would be on the same Herculean scale that Louis Eliasberg did when he completed the only complete set of U.S. coinage back in the 1950's. Anyway, the book is very interesting and features color plates and is over 200 pages. Copies can be found for around $20, which is much cheaper than the deep pockets (not to mention years) a complete collection would cost you to assemble.