Precious Metal & Rare Coin Market News

Look at the coin below. Do you see the mistake? This 1797 $10 Draped Bust Large Eagle was a bit of a controversy at the time. It’s in the olive branches and arrows that the eagle clutches in his talons. You’ll notice that the olive branches are in his left (sinister) claw and the arrows in his right (dexter) claw. “Dexter” signifies more honorable and “sinister” less honorable, so the heraldic meaning is essentially that ... >> Read More        

It was 1904 and the United States of America was finding its 20th century identity. President Roosevelt felt that part of this emerging identity must acknowledge native Americans. It was then that he realized that the Liberty Head gold coin series had remained unchanged for more than 25 years. That length of time was important because it meant that he could alter the design without an act of Congress. It was then that he had ... >> Read More        

The 1921 Peace Dollar has origins dating back to 1878 when Congress passed the Bland-Allison Act. This measure required the Treasury to make a monthly purchase of $2 million in silver for the sole purpose of converting the metal into silver dollars. These pieces carried the name Morgan Dollar because their design came from engraver George T. Morgan. However, by 1918 World War I had wreaked havoc. In an attempt to destabilize the British, Germany ... >> Read More        

The man was a national hero in not one country, but two. Born in 1757, Gilbert Lafayette came from an ancient noble family in France. By his teen years, Lafayette was orphaned and inherited an immense fortune. He joined the court of King Louis XVI, but yearned for something more meaningful and exciting. Lafayette wanted to become a soldier and support the colonists in the American Revolution.   At his own expense, Lafayette traveled to ... >> Read More        

In 1783 the monetary system in the United States was something of a mess. There was inconsistency among the coinage used throughout the thirteen states governed by the Articles of Confederation. Some people used coins from other countries and others used money that was unique to their region. The value of goods fluctuated from state to state and the accepted currency also differed. As a result, transactions were burdensome. Customers had to frequently exchange currencies ... >> Read More        

When the United States government began minting its first official coins – the 1792 silver half dismes, there were no known coin collectors actively seeking them out. At the time, American coin collectors pursued ancient Greek and Roman money and European coins. By the 1850's that had changed. Philadelphian Joseph Mickley, born in 1799, started collecting coins as a teenager. By the 1850's, he was the most well-known collector in Philadelphia. His musical instrument repair ... >> Read More        

It's big, beautiful and very rare. It's also controversial and was only minted for one year, which increases the rarity value of any survivors today. The 1793 Chain Cent is one of the first coins American collectors began acquiring in the 1800’s. Today, the 1793 Chain cent remains a highly sought after piece of history. The auction record? A cool $1.5 million. The large Chain copper cent is about the size of a quarter, much ... >> Read More        

American coinage often follows a strange path. Each piece minted has a unique, twisting history. This characteristic is especially true of the 1858 three-cent silver piece. The coin has origins in the most unlikely place: the post office. In early 1851 congress began discussing reducing the cost of postage from five cents to three cents. Not long after officials proposed a formal bill to support the minting of a silver, three-cent piece. While the decision ... >> Read More        

For centuries people buried and hoarded coins for many reasons. In ancient times, many coin hoards were buried during times of war. Other coin hoards began in the wake of the Great Depression by those who distrusted banks and paper money and preferred to store their life savings at home. People who buried the coins typically planned to come back and retrieve the treasure, yet that wasn't always possible. Even today, there are ancient coin ... >> Read More        

If you look at a US coin you expect to find a phrase like “E Pluribus Unum.” However, if you’re lucky you might find a coin in your collection with a more ordinary phrase like “I take the responsibility.” Who would put a depressing message like this on a coin? The answer has something to do with former President Andrew Jackson, The Panic of 1837, and copper shortages. These unusual coins are called Hard Times ... >> Read More