Library
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November 12, 2015
Of all contributors to a coin’s value, rarity is one of the most important if not the primary factor. One common threat that unites the most expensive United States coins is that all are extremely rare. With that being said, there are still quite a few extremely scarce yet surprisingly affordable values in American numismatics. These coins are every bit as scarce as coins that sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars—yet can be bought for under $10,000. In this article we’ll cover some coins that are wildly rare but don’t carry a huge price tag.
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November 11, 2015
For much of the 18th and 19th centuries, United States coins depicted a figure of Liberty on its coinage. While specific people may have been used as models for the coins, the portraits were meant to be vague and emblematic. This trend changed in 1909 with the introduction of the Lincoln cent. For the first time, the United States Mint struck a circulating coin with a president on it. Along these same lines, the Washington Quarter was unveiled in 1932 and the Jefferson Nickel shortly thereafter in 1938.
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November 10, 2015
Following the success of the Lincoln Cent and the Washington Quarter, it was decided that the nickel would be redesigned with another revered president. A content was opened to 390 artists with a prize of $1000 for the winning design. Felix Schlag captured the award his motif picturing Thomas Jefferson on the obverse and a corner view of Jefferson’s home, Monticello, on the reverse. A few minor modifications were made to his entry; the profile of Monticello was changed to a front view and the obverse portrait was tweaked slightly too.
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November 09, 2015
If you covered the date of a $20 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle and showed it to an expert numismatist, he or she could probably guess the date with excellent accuracy. How is that possible? The $20 Saint design remained largely unchanged from 1908 through 1933, but the texture, color and luster of the coins vary quite a bit year to year (and from mint to mint). A 1908 Philadelphia issue, for instance, is likely to have satiny luster with a slightly hazy appearance. A 1915 San Francisco coin is apt to be grainy in texture. Meanwhile, 1927 Philadelphia “Saints” usually exhibit booming cartwheel luster. Why do these differences exist?
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November 06, 2015
One of the main reasons why coins are such popular collectibles: many attractive, historic and fascinating items can be had for relatively little. There are numerous American coins with intriguing backstories and rich history available at a modest price point. Below is a list of some exceptional numismatic values that make for superb conversation pieces and keepsakes—all for under $250 per coin.
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November 05, 2015
On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall stumbled upon gold at Sutter’s Mill in Colona, California. At first he didn’t realize the magnitude of the find. Mr. Marshall was a sawmill operator who viewed the shiny flakes in the ground as a mere curiosity. Amusingly, he told his employees to only search for gold if they had free time. While Marshall may have largely dismissed the discovery, his fellow Californians—and the nation—correctly saw it as a pivotal event. The ensuing California Gold Rush would have a profound and lasting impact on American history. In particular, it resulted in the (temporary) creation of numerous private minting operations—and the eventual establishment of a new mint.
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November 04, 2015
On December 2, 1924, Congress established the United States George Washington Bicentennial Commission. The 200th birthday of President Washington’s was considered a momentous occasion and Congress wanted to prepare for this major event well in advance. One of the proposed means of celebrating the 200th anniversary of Washington’s birth was a new commemorative coin.
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November 03, 2015
The California Gold Rush had a profound impact on American history—and American numismatics. Among its many effects on United States coinage was the creation of three new denominations: the gold dollar, three dollar gold piece and $20 double eagle. Unlike the $3 and $20 coins, which were brand new denominations, the United States Mint was already producing silver dollars. However, given the huge influx of freshly extracted gold, it was decided to strike a concurrent coin of the same denomination.
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November 02, 2015
When the first United States Mint was established in 1792, there were no plans to open any additional branch facilities. However, this was before the country experienced tremendous population growth—and precious metals were discovered far away from the Northeastern seaboard. By the 1830s, the federal government realized that two additional facilities were needed to handle gold and silver discovering in the South. This led to the opening of the Charlotte, North Carolina and Dahlonega, Georgia mints.
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October 30, 2015
In determining a coin’s rarity, numismatists often rely upon mintage figures. After all, logic dictates that the smaller the original quantity made, the smaller the pool of survivors today. However this tells just half the story. Over the past 150+ years, enormous quantities of American coins have been melted for various reasons. Whether it was because of wars, spiking bullion prices or coinage surpluses, vast amounts of coins were eventually destroyed. This article will describe why these mass melting took place and which coins were most affected by them.