Fascinating Coin Fact

By Editor | Published: January 2, 2012

$2.50 gold quarter eaglesThe Executive Order of 1933 banned gold ownership except for $100 in face value that could be held in a collection. The government announced on December 28 that collectors could keep all numismatic gold except quarter eagles, but collectors protested so loudly that the order was rescinded on January 12, 1934. The $2.50 gold thus was illegal to own for a period of 16 days. No explanation was ever given as to why the quarter eagle was singled out for special treatment.

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Posted in January 2012 | Leave a comment

1878 Carson City Mint Morgan Silver Dollar

By Editor | Published: December 26, 2011

1878 Carson City Silver Morgan DollarThe Carson City Mint opened in 1870 and operated for a mere 23 years before closing in 1893. Its location was selected to take advantage of Nevada’s famed Comstock Load of silver ore. Once the Comstock Load was depleted, the facility was closed. As such, Carson City Mint Morgan Silver Dollars are the rarest and most sought after Morgans, especially coins from the first year of issue (1878) as these coins are. While Uncirculated specimens are very rare and quite expensive, these hand selected EF (Extra Fine) Carson City Morgans are an affordable way to add these unique coins to your collection.

The Morgan Silver Dollar is named after its designer George T. Morgan who was an engraver with the United States Mint in Philadelphia. The obverse portrays Lady Liberty wearing a slave’s cap (an ancient symbol of freedom) with the word Liberty inscribed on a ribbon. The reverse features an American eagle holding both the olive branch of peace and arrows of war.

This is the largest US silver coin ever made for circulation: it is almost 1-1/2 inches in diameter and it contains over 3/4 ounce of .900 pure silver. Due to their high silver content, more than 50% of all Morgan Silver Dollars were melted by the U.S. Government to help cover the costs of World War I. Millions more were melted for World War II. And even more were privately melted in the 1980s when silver reached $50 an ounce. As a result just a fraction remain today, with even fewer available from the Carson City mint.

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Posted in January 2012 | 5 Comments

Remembering Coin Dates Is Important When Some Are Better Than Others

By Ken Bresett | Published: December 26, 2011

Coin dates are similar to those social dates of high school days. No two were exactly the same and some definitely better than others. When it comes to coins the precise date and mint mark are of paramount importance in determining if a given coin is scarce, valuable or worthless. It does not matter if one coin is older than another. That is not what determines the rarity. What is important is the exact date.

Someone called me recently to ask what an old silver dollar was worth. The caller was pretty sure it was dated 1918. I was positive that none were made that year. Then it turned out “the date might have been something else, but it was very old regardless of what it was.” A description like that is just not good enough to determine the value of any coin. And it probably is not a good idea to rely on memory when investigating the qualities of such an item.

1938 Lincoln CentAt a coin show I overheard someone attempting to sell a 1938 Lincoln cent for one million dollars. The proud owner had just learned that they were that much and somehow managed to locate two of them in a jar of loose change. It didn’t seem strange that two of them would turn up that easily, and the owner did not remember where the information came from or the exact date or mint mark that was involved. Needless to say no one at the coin show was interested in the coins that were worth no more than two cents each, and the owner went home brokenhearted.

When discussing old coins it is important to have an exact description, and to refer to a coin book for information as to rarity, value, and whether or not such things exist.

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Posted in January 2012 | 2 Comments

Montana and Glacier National Park

By Editor | Published: December 19, 2011

Glacier National Park QuarterThe United States Mint has released a second coin in the 2011 America the Beautiful Five Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coin Series. This coin features featuring an image of one of Montana’s great natural beauty’s- Glacier National Park. The series of coins uses a 1932 portrait of George Washington by John Flanagan on the obverse. The reverse of this particular coin is a view of the northeast slope of Mount Reynolds, a “horn” type mountain located in the Park. A mountain goat ambles over the majestic high country.

Montana itself is a magnificent giant. The fourth largest state (Alaska, Texas, California) proudly calls itself “Big Sky Country”, and rightly so. Mountains abound and the lowest elevation in the state is 1,804 feet near the Idaho border. The state is slightly larger than Japan yet has a population of only 989,415.

The Continental Divide cuts across the state splitting into clear east and west entities. Beautiful mountains and valleys abound. Glacier National Park stands out among the splendor.

Glacier National Park MountainsGlacier National is a hikers paradise. Over 700 miles of trails traverse its boundary. Views of forests, lakes and mountains keep the first time visitor and the veteran of many stops enthralled. The major road in the Park is Going-to –the-Sun road. In 1985 it was designated as a National Historic Civil Engineering landmark.

The Park is not the state’s only attraction. Lewis and Clark Caverns, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and Little Bighorn National Monument also command attention. Three of the five entrances into Yellowstone are also within Montana’s borders.

Montana is home to 7 Indian Reservations; Flathead Indian Reservation, Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Crow Indian Reservation, Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation and Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

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Posted in January 2012 | 3 Comments

Liberty Head Nickels

By Editor | Published: December 12, 2011

1913 Liberty Head NickelWhat This Country Needs Is A Good 5-Cent Cigar.
If that is so it will not be a Liberty Head nickel dated 1913. One of those sold at an auction in March,2001, for the new record shattering sum of 1.84 million dollars. The extraordinary coin was one of only five known specimens and is high on the want list of all those who can afford one. The previous sale of a similar coin was in 1996 when one went at an auction for $1.485 million.

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Posted in December 2011 | Leave a comment