Precious Metal & Rare Coin Market News

As the presidential election starts to heat up, expect to hear more about taxes on the campaign trail this summer and fall. Why? There are potentially sweeping tax law changes on the horizon. Most Americans have paid lower income taxes since 2018, due to former President Donald Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Yet, many of these tax breaks are set to expire next year, unless Congress acts. The 2017 tax law temporarily ... >> Read More        

Following the Revolutionary war in colonial America, a lack of national coinage for everyday commerce began to pose problems. Fraud and counterfeiting began to run rampant. The Articles of Confederation, ratified in 1781, had authorized states to create their own coinage. So, the state of Connecticut took action and stepped in to help solve the problem locally, while the nation debated opening a national mint. The Connecticut legislature authorized a private firm to mint what ... >> Read More        

You may not be aware (many aren't) that the United States Mint operated a mint in the Philippine Islands. In fact, the Manila Mint is the only U.S. branch mint that was located outside the continental United States! Today we'll explore five of the most interesting coins from the historic and under the radar Manila Mint in the Philippine Islands. A Little History After the U.S. defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War in 1898, the ... >> Read More        

If you've been around coin collecting for a while, you may have heard of the legendary "EB" counter stamp that Ephraim Brasher marked on coins that he issued back in the late 1780's. For those who aren't familiar with Brasher, he was practically a celebrity in colonial America. Brasher was a patriot of the American Revolution, a successful businessman and neighbor of George Washington. A well-respected jeweler and coiner, Brasher was known for his integrity ... >> Read More        

If you ever saw an episode of the HBO TV drama: The Gilded Age, you understand how exciting this period in U.S. history truly was. Starting in the 1870's the U.S. economy was booming. Railroads were built coast to coast. The steel and coal mining industries were growing fast. Titans of industry like John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie built great fortunes. During this historic time one of the most fascinating ... >> Read More        

Offering a unique opportunity to diversify and enrich their numismatic collections, error coins are particularly appealing for collectors. Indeed, boasting intriguing backstories, they add depth and significance to any coin collection. This piece will explore rare coin errors and the history behind them, focusing on: Iconic US coin anomalies. Famous international error coins. Where to source unique error coins. Watch this informative video to learn more about different types of coin errors: Rare US error ... >> Read More        

For Americans living in the Atlantic basin, hurricane season starts soon. Yet, stormy weather appears to be descending on the U.S. economy and the stock market too. The Federal Reserve got several doses of bad economic news in recent weeks—an uncomfortable combination of slower economic growth and rising inflation. Financial markets took notice. Stocks plunged and gold hit a new all-time record high. For investors, we offer three portfolio moves to consider now to batten ... >> Read More        

Often referred to as the "King of America's coins," the Morgan Dollar is a widely cherished numismatic treasure, fascinating collectors for decades. Despite their ubiquity, however, the values of these iconic coins exhibit an exceptionally diverse range. This article will explore why that is and answer the question “What are the most valuable Morgan Silver Dollars?”, highlighting: The origins of these legendary coins. The elements that make Morgan Dollars valuable. The three most valuable Morgan ... >> Read More        

Still-Rising Inflation Forced Fed to Keep Interest Rates at 23-Year High The Federal Reserve failed to surprise anyone as it left interest rates unchanged at the end of its Wednesday meeting. Recent economic data has revealed inflation higher-than-expected for the past three months. What's more, inflation levels are once again rising—not falling. The Fed's long battle with inflation is far from over, and the road to get to a 2% inflation level could be a ... >> Read More        

Within numismatics, pattern coins are an intriguing and historically significant group of U.S. rare coins. Before striking new designs for circulation, the U.S. Mint produces a pattern coin to see how the proposed features work in three dimensions. Collectors are attracted to pattern coins as many boast unusual features that were never adopted for circulation. Let's take a look at five of the most unique U.S. pattern coins: 1792 Copper Birch Cent J-4 1792 Cent ... >> Read More