Numismatically Speaking
Articles and Opinions on Coins and Paper Money |
Truth in the Coin Shop As implausible as it may sound, all political truth can be found in a coin shop. |
A Coin Purchase The story of one of the most thrilling moments in noted collector Lelan Rogers’ life – in pursuit of his favorite acquisition. |
U. S. Mint Error Coins An explanation of how and why the U.S. Mint’s manufacturing mistakes occur. |
United States Pattern Coinage – A Short Chronology The story of the coins that might have been |
Observations On Proof Coinage What makes a coin a proof? A bit of history about the “Caviar of Coins.” |
The Story of Red Seal, United States Bank Notes The United States government got into the paper money business by necessity, a way of financing the Civil War through money creation known as fiat money. |
Coin Urban Legends Urban Legends are fictional stories that somehow become believed as fact by a segment of the population. Here are some fascinating stories that may or may not be true. |
The Heraldic Eagle: The Story Behind The Bird The history and symbolism of the eagle used on United States coins |
What Happened to All The Early United States Coins? How economics played a role in creating rarity |
Arrows Coinage and the U.S. Mint Act of 1853 A curious design device and how it came about |
Tokens – “The Peoples Money” When governments failed to supply enough small change for commerce, out of desperation, storekeepers would often make change from privately made coinage. |
Collecting Paper Money So you like the folding stuff. Tom Becker’s informative article gives you the real scoop! |
The Morgan Dollar Revisited How politics, bimetallism and silver miners played a part in bringing about America’s most popularly collected coin |
Fun with VAMS Over the course of the last few years there has seen an upsurge in interest in collecting die varieties. Coins such as the 1916/1916 Doubled Die Buffalo Nickel or the 1918/7-S Standing Liberty Quarter have far surpassed the interest, and hence the value, of mere rare date coins in the same series. |
Coin Market Observations: Artificiality vs. Originality The coin market is entering a new phase that is redefining the nature of how the general market views coins. What has occurred is that, over time, condition artificiality has been introduced as an acceptable practice to simulate a higher state of condition than in which the coin actually exists. |