A coin dealer who was the central figure in a scandal that weakened the Ohio Republican Party illegally funneled money to state political campaigns, the Ohio Elections Commission ruled Thursday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Ohio Elections Commission has ruled that imprisoned coin dealer Tom Noe (NOH-ee) illegally funneled money through an assistant to state political campaigns.

Tom Noe’s legal problems continued to mount this morning as the Ohio Elections Commission referred for possible prosecution an allegation that Noe illegally funneled campaign contributions to state candidates through other people.

On Friday, a team of deep-sea treasure hunters announced the discovery of a shipwreck containing 17 tons of Colonial-era coins worth as much as $500 million. The team's sponsors haven't revealed where in the Atlantic they recovered the cache or what ship carried all of that loot. They did, however, note that the gold and silver coins were in pretty good condition. What factors affect the quality of shipwreck coins?

Where the ship goes down and what kind of metal the coins are made of. Coins that spend hundreds of years submerged can end up getting scratched, worn down, corroded, covered by sea life or lime deposits, or damaged by acid conditions. The warm waters of the Caribbean and the tropics are likely to cause the most damage, as warmer temperatures speed up oxidation and corrosion. These waters also contain coral and micro-organisms that can encrust the coins, depleting their value, usually permanently. Cooler northern seas -- like those off the coast of England, where some speculate this treasure was uncovered -- are more likely to help keep all kinds of coins looking good.

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The National Geographic chimes in on the debate, saying the fate of the treasure is a toss up.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is a potential franchise owner for the proposed United Football League, which would play in the fall on Friday nights starting in August 2008.

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CLEBURNE — A memorial service for Carolyn Burnett, 59, of Cleburne, Texas, will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 1, 2007, at the United Presbyterian Church of Cleburne. The Rev. Mike Thompson will officiate.

LOS ANGELES - A Marvel Comics hero is giving George Washington some company on the quarter, but the U.S. Mint doesn't think the stunt is so super.

To promote the upcoming film "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," 20th Century Fox and The Franklin Mint altered 40,000 U.S. quarters to feature the character.

The U.S. Mint said in a news release Friday that it learned of the promotional quarter this week and advised the studio and The Franklin Mint they were breaking the law. It is illegal to turn a coin into an advertising vehicle, and violators can face a fine.

"The promotion is in no way approved, authorized, endorsed, or sponsored by the United States Mint, nor is it in any way associated or affiliated with the United States Mint," according to the release. The federal mint did not say whether the studio or the private Franklin Mint would face a penalty.

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Here are a few more articles about Fox being in trouble, and another one claiming the coins are illegal.

Attorney General Marc Dann is reviving a months-old case against Thomas W. Noe, the coin dealer whose political misdeeds helped Dann rise to prominence.

SAN BERNARDINO - After spending the day in pursuit, investigators from Arizona arrived at a Days Inn off Interstate 215 as night fell Friday, believing they had found Jeff Bigham.