Precious Metal & Rare Coin Market News

In the 1870's, several nations began advocating for the creation of a universal coin that could be used in international trade. The idea gained traction in 1879. That year, John A. Kasson, the U.S. envoy to Austria-Hungary proposed a U.S. $4 gold coin, which would state its metallic content in the metric system to make it simpler for Europeans to use. The proposed $4 coin would roughly equate to the value of the Spanish 20-peseta, ... >> Read More        

NEW ORLEANS, LA, April 6, 2022 – Blanchard and Company, the nation's leading tangible asset firm, made numismatic history again following this week's public auction of the Zito family collection. Included were two 1907 $10 Indian pieces that shattered previous auction records.  These coins, an NGC MS68 1907 $10 Indian Wire Edge and a CAC PCGS MS67 1907 Rolled Edge, both sold at nearly double their previous record highs. Over an eight-year period, Blanchard advised ... >> Read More        

After the panic of 1857, many Americans eyed the West as an opportunity to achieve financial security. In 1858, the Colorado Gold Rush began with over 100,000 people flocking to the Rocky Mountain region. "Pikes Peak or Bust" was a common refrain among the early prospectors, in reference to the imposing mountain in the Colorado Front Range. In the early days of the Colorado Gold Rush, money was scarce. The prospectors paid merchants for goods ... >> Read More        

The Seated Liberty images were one of the most enduring in the history of US coinage. This design appeared on the half dime, dime, quarter, and half dollar between 1836 and 1891. The Seated Liberty image also appeared on the silver dollar from 1836 to 1873. The design was the work of Mint engraver Christian Gobrecht. He served as the third Chief Engraver from 1840 to 1844. His engraving work started before he was employed ... >> Read More        

The silver Peace Dollar, minted between 1921 and 1935, represents one of the most celebrated and lasting designs in numismatics. Its simple beauty, its connection to the peace that followed World War I and its unique status as our country's last circulating silver dollar make it a highly sought-after coin series among collectors. While many are familiar with this coin, what is less widely known is how scarce Peace dollars are in high grades. Peace ... >> Read More        

While Bitcoin plunged 48% over the past four months, the numismatic market remains strong at the start of 2022 – extending its incredible run over the past two years. The start of the current boom in rare coin prices can be traced to the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, which triggered a renewed interest in tangible assets like rare coins. Both the number of sales of rare coins and the prices paid for rarities ... >> Read More        

The Franklin Half Dollar carries a sense of irony with it. The very person it depicts, Ben Franklin, would have likely objected to the idea of his profile on a piece of currency. He was accustomed to seeing living royalty on coins and he certainly did not see himself as a royal figure. Moreover, the small image of an eagle on the reverse would have angered him. He saw the eagle as a weak image ... >> Read More        

The chaos of the Civil War decimated U.S. currency. As a result, many people resorted to merchant tokens, encased stamps, and fractional currency. When the war ended, officials faced the daunting task of reissuing coinage. By 1864, Congress authorized the minting of a five-cent coin. It was not long after that things started to go wrong. It was decided that the coin would bear the image of “Clark.” By this officials meant the iconic explorer ... >> Read More        

George Washington led our nation through some of its most trying times. Born into a prosperous planting family in Virginia in 1732, Washington was named commander of the Virginia militia in 1752 and fought in the French and Indian war. As the British kept raising taxes on the American colonists, by the late 1760's, Washington believed it would be best to declare independence from England. In 1774, he served as delegate to the First Continental ... >> Read More        

The Flowing Hair Half Dime has the distinction of being one of the first coins issued by the US Mint. Designed by Robert Scot, this silver coin, valued at five cents, was part of the Coinage Act of 1792 which established the United States dollar as the standard unit of money in the country. The act also created a decimal system for US currency. In this early phase of the US currency system, officials decided ... >> Read More