F+W Media, Inc.

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board

Aug 13, 2013

No. 85223494 (T.T.A.B. Aug. 13, 2013)

THIS OPINION IS NOT A
PRECEDENT OF THE TTAB

Mailed:
August 13, 2013

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
_____

Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
_____

In re F+W Media, Inc.
_____

Serial No. 85223494
_____

Michael G. Frey of Wood, Herron & Evans, LLP for applicant.

Brian Pino, Trademark Examining Attorney, Law Office 114 (K. Margaret Le,
Managing Attorney).
_____

Before Seeherman, Wellington, and Hightower, Administrative Trademark Judges.

Opinion by Hightower, Administrative Trademark Judge:
On January 21, 2011, applicant F+W Media, Inc. applied to register on the
Principal Register the mark WORLD COIN NEWS (in standard character form) for
“magazines published periodically relating to collectible world coins” in
International Class 16.1
The examining attorney has refused registration on the grounds that the
mark is generic or, alternatively, merely descriptive of the identified goods pursuant

1 Application Serial No. 85223494, alleging first use and first use in commerce at least as
early as July 2008, under Section 1(a) of the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1051(a).
Serial No. 85223494
2

to Trademark Act Section 2(e)(1), 15 U.S.C. § 1052(e)(1), and without a sufficient
showing of acquired distinctiveness to allow registration under Section 2(f) of the
Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1052(f).
Applicant timely appealed. Both the applicant and the examining attorney
filed briefs, and applicant filed a reply brief.
Genericness
A mark is a generic name if it refers to the class or category of goods and/or
services on or in connection with which it is used. In re Dial-A-Mattress Operating
Corp., 240 F.3d 1341, 57 USPQ2d 1807, 1811 (Fed. Cir. 2001); In re Tennis Industry
Ass’n, 102 USPQ2d 1671, 1674 (TTAB 2012). The critical issue is to determine
whether the record shows that members of the relevant public primarily use or
understand the term sought to be registered to refer to the genus of goods in
question. H. Marvin Ginn Corp. v. Int’l Ass’n of Fire Chiefs, Inc., 782 F.2d 987, 228
USPQ 528, 530 (Fed. Cir. 1986) (“Marvin Ginn”); In re Women’s Publ’g Co., 23
USPQ2d 1876, 1877 (TTAB 1992).
When a proposed mark is refused registration as generic, the Patent and
Trademark Office bears the burden of proving genericness by “clear evidence.” In re
Hotels.com, L.P., 573 F.3d 1300, 91 USPQ2d 1532, 1533 (Fed. Cir. 2009); In re
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc., 828 F.2d 1567, 4 USPQ2d 1141, 1143
(Fed. Circ. 1987) (“Merrill Lynch”). Doubt on the issue of genericness is resolved in
favor of the applicant. In re DNI Holdings Ltd., 77 USPQ2d 1435, 1437
(TTAB 2005).
Serial No. 85223494
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The examining attorney argues that WORLD COIN NEWS is the apt name of
applicant’s goods. Aptness, however, is insufficient to prove genericness. The
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has drawn a clear distinction between an apt
name and a generic one, providing the following example by way of illustration:
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION is certainly an apt
name for a national association of lawyers; however, it is
not used as a generic name for national associations of
lawyers (see, e.g., NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
WOMEN LAWYERS; FEDERAL BAR ASSOCIATION;
AMERICAN HEALTH LAWYERS ASSOCIATION;
NATIONAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION).
In re American Fertility Soc’y, 188 F.3d 1341, 51 USPQ2d 1832, 1836 (Fed. Cir.
1999); see also In re Country Music Ass’n Inc., 100 USPQ2d 1824, 1828
(TTAB 2011).
Our primary reviewing court has set forth a two-step inquiry to determine
whether a mark, including a magazine title like the one at issue here, is generic:
“First, what is the class of publications or magazines at issue? Second, is the title
understood by the relevant public to refer primarily to that class of magazines?”
Marvin Ginn, 228 USPQ at 531-32 (holding FIRE CHIEF not generic for “a
magazine directed to the field of fire fighting”). Evidence of the public’s
understanding of a term may be obtained from any competent source, including
purchaser testimony, consumer surveys, listings in dictionaries, trade journals,
newspapers, and other publications. Merrill Lynch, 4 USPQ2d at 1143.
Our first task under Marvin Ginn is to determine, based on the evidence of
record, the genus of applicant’s goods. Although applicant suggests that its goods
Serial No. 85223494
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can be classified as “hobby magazines concerning coin collecting,”2 we find that the
class of magazines in this case is adequately defined by the goods identified in the
application: “magazines published periodically relating to collectible world coins.”
See In re Reed Elsevier Props. Inc., 482 F.3d 1376, 82 USPQ2d 1378, 1380 (Fed. Cir.
2007); In re Trek 2000 Int’l Ltd., 97 USPQ2d 1106, 1112 (TTAB 2010).
The second part of the Marvin Ginn test is whether the term sought to be
registered is understood by the relevant public primarily to refer to that class of
magazines. Although neither applicant nor the examining attorney directly
identified the relevant purchasing public for applicant’s goods, we conclude that it is
collectors of world coins. See Affidavit of James Ogle, applicant’s chief financial
officer (“Ogle Affidavit”), at 1 ¶ 7 (stating that applicant’s mark “is well-known
among currency collectors, particularly, coin collectors”).3
With this in mind, we must ascertain whether the relevant purchasing public
primarily understands the designation WORLD COIN NEWS to refer to a class of
magazines featuring collectible world coins. First, we find that the designation
WORLD COIN NEWS is a phrase that should be analyzed according to the test set
forth in In re American Fertility Soc’y, 51 USPQ2d at 1836, and further clarified in
In re Dial-A-Mattress Operating Corp., 57 USPQ2d at 1810: “[W]here the proposed
mark is a phrase (such as ‘Society for Reproductive Medicine’), the board ‘cannot
simply cite definitions and generic uses of the constituent terms of a mark’; it must
conduct an inquiry into ‘the meaning of the disputed phrase as a whole.’”

2 Applicant’s Brief at 7.
3 October 19, 2011 response to Office action at 2.
Serial No. 85223494
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A. Evidence of the Relevant Purchasing Public’s Understanding
We turn now to the evidence of record. Sources competent to show the
relevant purchasing public’s understanding of a contested term include purchaser
testimony, consumer surveys, dictionary definitions, trade journals, newspapers,
and other publications. In re Dial-A-Mattress Operating Corp., 57 USPQ2d at 1810;
In re Bed & Breakfast Registry, 791 F.2d 157, 229 USPQ 818, 819 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
The examining attorney made of record dictionary definitions of the term
“news,” which include “recent information: information about recent events or
developments.”4 Applicant’s own goods identification demonstrates the generic
significance of the phrase “world coins,” which we find to retain its generic meaning
in singular form (i.e., “world coin”). The record also contains clearly generic
references to “world coin” and “world coins,” including on applicant’s own website
and specimen.5
The record contains no third-party use of the phrase WORLD COIN NEWS in
association with magazines except in reference to applicant’s goods. (There are,
however, other descriptive uses of that phrase by third parties, which we will
discuss infra.) Moreover, record evidence indicates that applicant’s goods are the
only species in the universe of “magazines published periodically relating to
collectible world coins” that the relevant public calls by the name WORLD COIN
NEWS, although other periodicals do use similar names. Internet evidence
submitted by applicant includes the following:

4 April 22, 2011 Office action at 20 (from Encarta.MSN.com).
5 See, e.g., id. at 59-74 from applicant’s website Numismaster.com.
Serial No. 85223494
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• A printout from 2-Clicks-Coins.com titled “How to collect and maintain
your old coins.” The page lists five “popular numismatic magazines”:
Numismatic News, Coins Magazine, World Coin News, Coin
Connoisseur, and Error Trends Coin Magazine.6
• A page on “Coin Collecting Magazines” from BluePage.org listing Coins
Magazine, World Coin News, Coin Prices, Bank Note Reporter, and
Numismatic News. Applicant’s publication is described on this page as
“often known as the leading magazine of world coins. Published
weekly, it offers reports on new coin issues, values of coins worldwide
in varying markets. Featured articles are written by experts. The
information that you can get from this magazine is of the best that
there is to offer.” [sic]7
• Printouts of “Coin Collecting FAQ” from the site
MyCoinCollecting.com. Eleven periodicals are listed as numismatic
publications: The Celator (ancients), Coin World, Numismatic News,
World Coin News, Coins Magazine, Coin Prices, Bank Note Reporter,
The Numismatist, COINage, Canadian Coin News, and Coin News.8
• Printouts of “Recommended Reading” from Coin-Newbies.com listing
the following magazines: Bank Note Reporter, Coin Age, Coin Prices,
Coin World, Coins, Numismatic News, and World Coin News.9
• A printout from “Collectors Corner News Stand” (CollectorsCorner.org)
listing the following publications: Coins, Coin Prices, Numismatic
News, and World Coin News. The latter description states: “If you’re
into collecting rubles, lire, pesos, rupees and other foreign coins, you’ll
want to check out World Coin News. This magazine spotlights new
releases and trends, as well as other historical information and
developments of interest to the coin enthusiast.”10
• Printouts from the Boy Scouts of America website on coin collecting
referencing applicant’s magazine among the weekly and monthly
periodicals on its list of resources, which include Bank Note Reporter,

6 October 19, 2011 response to Office action, Exhibit C at 14.
7 Id., Exhibit D at 16.
8 Id. at 18. According to the printout, Coin News is published in the United Kingdom. The
same list appears on ACSB.com, “Coin Collecting Publications & Resources – Coin
Collector’s University.” Id. at 36.
9 Id. at 29-30.
10 Id. at 41-42.
Serial No. 85223494
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COINAge, Coin Prices, Coins Magazine, Coin World, Numismatic
News, The Numismatist, and World Coin News.11
B. Third-Party Registrations
Applicant and the examining attorney made of record, cumulatively,
numerous third-party registrations for marks incorporating NEWS and similar
terms for magazines in Class 16. The examining attorney provided copies of more
than a dozen such registrations on the Supplemental Register with NEWS
disclaimed, indicating the generic nature of that term. These include titles such as
CALIFORNIA HEALTHCARE NEWS,12 AMERICAN PSYCHIATRY NEWS,13
DIRECT SELLING NEWS,14 and JUNIOR GOLF NEWS.15
Applicant offers examples of marks with the “______ NEWS” structure for
Class 16 periodical publications, all of which are registered on the Principal
Register on the basis of acquired distinctiveness under Trademark Act Section 2(f)
with “news” disclaimed. These include AUTOMOTIVE NEWS,16 CLINICAL
ONCOLOGY NEWS,17 GARAGE DOOR NEWS,18 METAL CONSTRUCTION

11 Id. at 45-46; see also id. at 53 (similar list on the American Numismatic Association site
Money.org, “Hints to Help Earn the Boy Scout Coin Collecting Badge”).
12 Registration No. 3776547.
13 Registration No. 3424821.
14 Registration No. 3545488.
15 Registration No. 3674700.
16 Registration No. 2457178.
17 Registration No. 4135582.
18 Registration No. 2791074.
Serial No. 85223494
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NEWS,19 ENDOCRINE NEWS,20 USED CAR NEWS,21 FRAME BUILDING
NEWS,22 SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION NEWS,23 AMERICAN LAUNDRY
NEWS,24 and APPAREL NEWS.25 Although these registrations, too, show the
generic nature of the word NEWS, applicant relies on them to show that the marks
in their entireties are registrable, and to support its argument that its mark as a
whole is not generic. Applicant also submitted printouts of marks on both registers
for otherwise similar formatives with REPORTER, MAGAZINE, or JOURNAL in
place of NEWS.26 Acknowledging that these registrations do not mandate
registration of its own mark, applicant contends that they are probative to the
extent they show how similar marks have been treated by the Trademark Office.
Applicant is correct that we are not bound by these registrations, but they
may be viewed as persuasive evidence that the Office has often treated marks
analogous to WORLD COIN NEWS as capable of acquiring trademark significance
rather than as generic. See, e.g., In re Waverly Inc., 27 USPQ2d 1620 (TTAB 1993)
(finding MEDICINE not generic, but a highly descriptive term that had acquired
distinctiveness, for medical journals); In re Women’s Publ’g Co., 23 USPQ2d at 1877

19 Registration No. 4030845.
20 Registration No. 4022870.
21 Registration No. 3675773.
22 Registration No. 3229797.
23 Registration No. 3222348.
24 Registration No. 2966625.
25 Registration No. 2775764.
26 In these registrations, the “NEWS” formative word has been disclaimed.
Serial No. 85223494
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(finding DECORATING DIGEST not generic for magazines but descriptive with
secondary meaning).27 As we have said:
“A certain degree of flexibility and an
understanding of the commercial realities of both the
publishing business and of the business or industry to
which a particular publication is directed are very helpful
in making the necessarily subjective decision whether a
particular title qualifies as a valid trademark. From the
publisher’s point of view, it is important to select a title,
especially for a trade or technical journal, that conveys
some idea of the subject matter of the contents; without at
least a suggestive title, it would be hard for the publisher
to reach and interest the relatively small (as compared to
the general population) number of potential subscribers.
From the point of view of competitors of the publisher, it
is important not to grant, by way of a trademark
registration, rights so broad and encompassing as to
render unavailable, at least without the threat or
possibility of litigation, the most apt or the only
appropriate words to describe a journal’s contents.
“From the viewpoint of subscribers, we must
recognize that there is a need to locate publications of
potential professional interest (which tends toward
tolerating greater suggestiveness in titles) while, at the
same time, permitting competition among publications
(which tends toward forbidding proprietary acquisition of
titles that would foreclose effective competition by the
preemption of the most, or only, effective names) and
enabling subscribers to differentiate among publications
in the same field (which tends toward protecting names
by their registration as marks whenever this is
appropriate).”
Waverly, 27 USPQ2d at 1623 (quoting In re Distribution Codes, Inc., 199 USPQ 508,
511 (TTAB 1978)).

27 But see In re Kalmbach Publ’g Co., 14 USPQ2d 1490 (TTAB 1989) (finding RADIO
CONTROL BUYERS GUIDE generic for magazines).
Serial No. 85223494
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Genericness is a fact-intensive determination and the Board’s conclusion
must be governed by the record which is presented to it. In re Country Music Ass’n,
Inc., 100 USPQ2d at 1832. As noted above, the evidentiary burden of establishing
that a term is generic rests with the Office and the showing must be based on clear
evidence. Merrill Lynch, 4 USPQ2d at 1143. Based on this record, we find that the
Office has not met its difficult burden of establishing by clear evidence that the
designation WORLD COIN NEWS, as a whole, is used by the public to refer to the
class of magazines published periodically relating to collectible world coins, and
therefore is generic. We resolve any doubt, as we must, in applicant’s favor.
Descriptiveness and Acquired Distinctiveness
Because we find that WORD COIN NEWS in its entirety is not generic for
applicant’s goods, we next address the refusal based on descriptiveness and whether
applicant has submitted sufficient evidence to demonstrate that its mark has
become distinctive of its goods in commerce under Section 2(f) of the Trademark
Act. In this case, applicant amended its application to include a claim of acquired
distinctiveness after registration was initially refused on the ground of mere
descriptiveness under Section 2(e)(1) of the Act.28 When an applicant responds to a
refusal based on mere descriptiveness of a mark by claiming acquired
distinctiveness, such amendment to seek registration under Section 2(f) of the
Trademark Act is considered an admission that the proposed mark is not inherently
distinctive and, thus, not registrable on the Principal Register absent proof of

28 October 19, 2011 response to Office action.
Serial No. 85223494
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acquired distinctiveness. See Yamaha Int’l Corp. v. Hoshino Gakki Co., 840 F.2d
1572, 6 USPQ2d 1001, 1005 (Fed. Cir. 1988). In addition, applicant characterizes
its mark as descriptive in its briefing.29 We therefore find WORLD COIN NEWS to
be merely descriptive of applicant’s goods.
The applicant has the burden to establish secondary meaning by a
preponderance of the evidence. Yamaha Int’l Corp., 6 USPQ2d at 1008. The
amount and character of evidence required to establish acquired distinctiveness
depends on the facts of each case and particularly on the nature of the mark sought
to be registered. In re Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp., 774 F.2d 1116, 227 USPQ
417, 422 (Fed. Cir. 1985); Roux Labs., Inc. v. Clairol Inc., 427 F.2d 823, 166 USPQ
34, 39 (CCPA 1970); In re Gammon Reel, Inc., 227 USPQ 729, 730 (TTAB 1985).
Typically, more evidence is required where a mark is so highly descriptive that
purchasers seeing the matter in relation to the named goods or services would be
less likely to believe that it indicates source in any one party. See, e.g., In re
Seaman & Assocs. Inc., 1 USPQ2d 1657, 1659 (TTAB 1986); In re Packaging
Specialists, Inc., 221 USPQ 917, 919 (TTAB 1984). The applicant may present any
competent evidence to establish that a mark has acquired distinctiveness.
In addition to the evidence discussed supra, applicant submitted the
following evidence relevant to our secondary meaning analysis:

29 See Applicant’s Brief at 16 (“For the foregoing reasons, Applicant submits that its mark
. . . is not generic, but is instead a descriptive mark which has acquired distinctiveness.”);
Reply Brief at 5 (“Descriptive designations, like Applicant’s mark, describe something about
the goods – a characteristic, quality or feature, for example.”).
Serial No. 85223494
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• Ogle Affidavit. The affidavit from applicant’s chief financial officer,
dated October 14, 2011, states in part that:
¶ 2. “The mark was first used in 1973, and has been in continuous use
by Applicant and its predecessors-in-interest since then as a
trademark identifying the source of a magazine whose subject
matter relates to collectible world coins.”
¶ 3. “The magazine is presently published in both print and electronic
formats. Circulation figures have varied over the years.
Presently, the magazine’s print circulation is approximately
3800.”
¶ 5. “Applicant also promotes its WORLD COIN NEWS mark by
sponsoring the Chicago International Coin Fair, an annual
event which has been held thirty-six times through 2011. The
WORLD COIN NEWS mark is displayed prominently at the
expo.”
¶ 6. “Applicant’s WORLD COIN NEWS magazine and mark also
garner recognition through Applicant’s bestowal of the Coin of
the Year Awards and People’s Choice Coin of the Year Award
given annually at the International World Money Fair.”30
• Third-party recognition of the “Coin of the Year” award sponsored by
applicant’s publication, including:
o A September 2000 statement of U.S. Mint Director Jay W.
Johnson before the U.S. Senate Banking Committee Symposium
on U.S. Coin Designs noting that: “The World Coin News ‘Coin
of the Year’ program, launched in 1983, has honored many of
our commemorative coins,” and naming several such coins.31
o A January 16, 2010 story titled “Latvia Wins 2010 Coin of the
Year Award, Hungary Takes People’s Choice” by David C.
Harper of Numismatic News, on CoinNews.net.32
o A January 6, 2010 announcement of awards to 2008-dated coins
titled “World Coin News Names Coin of the Year Winners” on
CollectOs.com.33

30 October 19, 2011 response to Office action at 2-3.
31 Id., Exhibit E at 59.
32 Id. at 63-73. The site’s copyright notice references CoinNews Media Group LLC.
Serial No. 85223494
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o A December 19, 2007 article titled “Vote for Coin of the Year
(COTY Award)” on Coins.About.com, which begins: “The Coin of
the Year (COTY) awards are one of the most prestigious
accolades a coin designer or national mint can be honored with.
Sponsored by Krause Publications and World Coin News, the
COTY awards in 2008 will be celebrating 25 years of recognizing
the finest coins in the world issued every year.”34
o What appears to be a press release about the 2007 Coin of the
Year award on News-Antique.com.35
Each of the articles references applicant’s publication. The examining attorney
questions whether the exhibits submitted by applicant are from sites that are truly
independent or paid by the applicant,36 but the references are not from applicant’s
own website and applicant states that the sites are not compensated by applicant
for their mention of its publication.37 Also, a party’s own promotional activities can
be used as evidence of acquired distinctiveness, so the evidence would still have
probative value even if applicant were involved in the mentions of its mark.
Applicant submitted no evidence regarding its sales, advertising, or market
share, nor any direct evidence of secondary meaning (e.g., consumer surveys or
declarations). Applicant did make of record a printout from the website of the
American Numismatic Association stating that it has nearly 33,000 members.38 In
comparison, applicant’s monthly circulation of 3800 is not large, particularly since
applicant did not indicate how many of its subscribers are in the United States.

33 Id. at 60.
34 Id. at 62.
35 Id. at 74-75.
36 Examiner’s Brief at unnumbered page 13.
37 Reply Brief at 12.
38 October 19, 2011 response to Office action, Exhibit B at 11 (printout from Money.org).
Serial No. 85223494
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We find that the Ogle Affidavit is sufficient to support applicant’s claim of
nearly 40 years of continuous use. The examining attorney questions this claim,
arguing that it “is not accurate as the dates of use [ ] in the application show use
since July 2008.”39 It is not clear to us why applicant used the 2008 date in its
current application, but applicant may rely on the affidavit of its chief financial
officer to prove use by it and its predecessors-in-interest dating to 1973. The
testimony in that affidavit clearly shows such a first use date. See, e.g.,
Threshold.TV, Inc. v. Metronome Enters., Inc., 96 USPQ2d 1031, 1036 (TTAB 2010);
Ohio State Univ. v. Ohio Univ., 51 USPQ2d 1289, 1294 (TTAB 1999). We also note
applicant’s expired registration for the following composite mark:

for “magazines published periodically relating to collectible world coins, with
emphasis [sic] non-U.S. issues” in International Class 16, which claimed first use
and first use in commerce as of September 22, 1973.40
Although long use of a mark in commerce is one relevant factor in assessing
whether a mark has acquired distinctiveness, such use is not in itself conclusive.
See, e.g., In re Noon Hour Food Prods., Inc., 88 USPQ2d 1172, 1181 (TTAB 2008)

39 Examiner’s Brief at unnumbered page 10.
40 October 19, 2011 response to Office action, Exhibit A at 8-9, Registration No. 2420911
(with “FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF” disclaimed), registered on the Principal Register
pursuant to Trademark Act Section 2(f) on January 16, 2001, cancelled August 17, 2011.
The March 2, 2010 assignment from registrant Krause Publications, Inc. to applicant F+W
Media, Inc. is recorded in the Office records at Reel/Frame Numbers 4158/0667.
Serial No. 85223494
15

(finding that applicant failed to make a prima facie showing of acquired
distinctiveness despite nearly 100 years of use in commerce of highly descriptive
designation).
The record establishes that applicant’s mark is highly descriptive.
Competing periodicals use titles similar to applicant’s WORLD COIN NEWS mark,
including at least Coin World and Coins Magazine. Other related publications with
similar titles include WORLD OF COINS AND COIN COLLECTING,41 STANDARD
CATALOGUE OF WORLD COINS,42 and THE COIN WORLD ENCYCLOPEDIA.43 Further, the
examining attorney submitted evidence of descriptive use of the phrase “world coin
news” by third parties providing news about world coins, including the following:
• A blog titled “World Coin News” offering “Daily information of new
world coin types and varieties.” Although the screenshots of record
indicate that the author is David Rivera of Bilbao, Spain, the blog is in
English and appears accessible to U.S. collectors on the website
WorldCoinNews.Blogspot.com.44
• A link to a news feed titled “World Coin News” on the Support Services
page of the CoinLink website (CoinLink.com).45
• A subheading for “World Coin News,” above what appear to be links to
three stories, on the “Coin News” page of the Black Mountain Coins
website (BlackMountainCoins.com).46

41 E.g., October 19, 2011 response to Office action, Exhibit D at 32 (list of recommended
reading from the Coin-Newbies.com site).
42 Id.
43 Id. at 36 (“Coin Collector’s University” on the site ACSB.com).
44 June 5, 2012 final Office action at 4; see also id. at 12, linking to the “World Coin News”
blog as the featured web page of the week on E-Sylum, an electronic publication of the
Numismatic Bibliomania Society (CoinBooks.org).
45 Id. at 22.
46 Id. at 9.
Serial No. 85223494
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• A link titled “World Coin News” on the Monaco Rare Coins website
(MonacoRareCoins.com).47
In light of the highly descriptive nature of the mark WORLD COIN NEWS,
use of that mark for 40 years and circumstantial evidence of some recognition by
third parties are insufficient to meet applicant’s heavy burden. As noted supra,
applicant did not provide U.S. subscription information, but its total monthly
circulation appears small in context of the relevant market. Nor did applicant
submit any evidence regarding its sales, advertising, or market share. Most
important, there is no direct evidence that relevant consumers view WORLD COIN
NEWS as a distinctive source indicator for applicant’s goods. Cf. Target Brands Inc.
v. Hughes, 85 USPQ2d 1676, 1681-82 (TTAB 2007); In re Packaging Specialists,
Inc., 221 USPQ at 920 & n.4; and evidence of secondary meaning in the cases
discussed therein. We are not persuaded that applicant has established by a
preponderance of the evidence that its mark has acquired distinctiveness as a
source-identifier under Lanham Act § 1052(f).
Decision: The refusal under Section 2(e)(1) of the Trademark Act on the
ground that the proposed mark is generic for the goods identified in the application
is reversed. The refusal under Section 2(f) of the Trademark Act on the ground that
the proposed mark is merely descriptive and has not acquired distinctiveness is
affirmed.

47 Id. at 3.