Obama coins not real deal

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- U.S. Treasury officials say coins depicting Presidential-elect Barack Obama are nothing more than trinkets and are not sponsored by the federal government.

The "United States Inaugural Presidential Dollar" has been heavily advertised on television and on the Internet for $9.95 plus shipping and handling, USA Today reported Tuesday.

The coins, however, are nothing more than coins dipped in paint and sold by the New England Mint, a private company in Connecticut which is not affiliated with the U.S. Mint -- the only official purveyor of U.S. currency, said Scott Travers, author of The Coin Collector's Survival Manual.

It's not illegal to alter the coins so long as the company doesn't pass them off as legal currency, said Mint spokesman Michael White.

"Our concern here is that it's confusing to consumers," who may think the coins are made by the U.S. Mint, White said.