A four-dollar coin you say? Who ever heard of such a thing? Well coin-collectors certainly have, and it certainly exists. In 1865 France, Switzerland, Italy and Belgium got together to produce a standard coin for exchange between different currencies. It was based on the 20-franc gold coin of 6.45 grams of .9000 gold. Considering the […]
Most coin collectors take what they do seriously, building sets and focusing on the complexities of currency and metals. But there is always room for some fun, and Canada seems to be leading the way with novelties such as colored printing, and now glow-in-the-dark coins. Yes, money that you can find with the lights off. […]
Alongside the classic metals for coins, gold and silver, there is a third contender, platinum. There was a time when platinum was cheap, and since it alloys with gold, and has a similar specific weight, it was used by counterfeiters back in the day of the Spanish Empire. The UK was the first country to […]
The annual release of a new American Buffalo Gold Coin has become a small ritual each year since 2006, when the US Mint released the first one. The design of the coin is based on the famous ‘buffalo nickel’ from 1913, designed by James Earle Fraser. That coin was discontinued in 1938, but it was […]
Now that the Trump Presidency has passed its first one hundred days, this is a good time to reflect on the large number of inauguration medals and commemorative pieces that are on the market. This presidency seems to have provoked significantly more of these items that previous ones, and they are already being collected. Earlier […]
An idea that was in the spotlight a few years ago is back on the floor of Congress. Concern over costs and a desire to Buy American with real American money has brought the idea back. It’s a simple one – make low-denomination coins out of cheaper metals, not the more expensive alloys presently being […]
Coin collectors will go to considerable lengths to protect their collection, especially if it is bullion and precious metals. A recent story from Great Britain shows just how far one collector – identity unknown – went to protect his or hers. Sadly, whatever the intention, the outcome was almost certainly not what the collector had […]
The US Mint releases new coins regularly, and within a release there can be several different versions of the same coin, with names like ‘proof’, ‘uncirculated’ and other terms too. If you are a novice coin collector, for pleasure or profit, these terms can be confusing, and since they affect the appearance and value – […]
Recognition of the quality of Federal Mint designs continues to grow. The 46th annual World Money Fair was just held, from the 3rd to the 5th of February, 2017 at the Estrel Convention Center in Berlin, Germany. Officials from the United States Mint were there to accept two Coin of the Year Awards (COTY) given […]
For the 225th anniversary of the US Mint, something very special is happening. The mint has just announced that on April 6, 2017 a $100 gold coin will be released that is a first in the history of minted coins in America. This new coin will feature the head of Lady Liberty as an African-American. […]
Now that the Fort Moultrie quarter-dollar has been released, which it was on November 14, 2016, the series is well past half-way. In fact, since this is coin 35 out of a projected total of 56, it is now nearer the two-thirds mark. The last coin will be released in 2021, ending the series. In […]
Collecting coins for their value to collectors or for the intrinsic value of their metal contact – as bullion – is both an interesting hobby and a way to invest at a time when the strength of banks may be in doubt. To be sure that the coins and bullion you collect will retain its […]
When collecting precious metals, as coins and bullion, it is natural to first think of gold and silver. These are not, however, the only precious metals that can be collected, and one that is widely available and highly regarded is copper. For the beginning collector, copper is a low-cost way to collect bullion and coins, […]
As number thirty-five in the America the Beautiful series of silver bullion quarter dollars, the Silver 5oz. Fort Moultrie (Fort Sumter National Monument) mint coin is the latest addition to the series. It was released at noon on December 8, 2016, and it is the last coin of the series to be released in 2016. […]
Just released is the United States Mint’s new offering in their gold centennial series, the 2016 Gold Standing Liberty Quarter. The mintages have been released and the coin is now for sale. Only 100,000 units will be produced and breaking from past tradition, the United States Mint is only allowing 1 coin to be sold […]
Coin collectors always have one eye on the bullion value of their coins and may also directly collect bullion in the form of gold, silver and platinum coins and bars. The last few weeks have been turbulent times indeed for all kinds of investors. Cryptocurrencies collapsed, and now seem to be reviving, thanks in part […]
Gold & Silver Market 11-23-2015
The precious metals sector was confusing last week, with a mixed bag of performances and no clear pattern visible. The two big investment items, gold and silver, didn’t show a lot of movement. Neither did platinum, while palladium managed to rise. With the equities markets also rising quite strongly, propelled mostly by gains in defense […]
Gold & Silver Market 11-17-2015
Once again there were disappointing results right across the precious metals sector last week, although the scale of losses varied. Overall it was a worrying period, because metals managed to lose ground even though the equities markets fell heavily. Normally we’d have expected to see metals make a lot of ground in these market conditions, […]
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