September 18th, 2009 — Colonial Money, paper money
If you are interested in collecting paper money, Colonial money is one of the hottest tickets going right now. When the first US colonies were formed, the nation and its currency system were still in their infancy. It was decided that paper money would be used, and gradually, currency was printed and distributed for use. Today, colonial money is usually worth much more than its face value, provided that it is original and not a reproduction. Here are some tips on how to tell whether or not you have an authentic piece of colonial history.
1. Check the Signature
Colonial money was always designed to have at least one signature on the note. You may need to look carefully to determine whether or not a signature is present, but if you can’t find even one, chances are you may be dealing with a reproduction. The color of the signature should be in red ink.
2. Is it Numbered?
Colonial money was always numbered to help them keep track of how many bills were in circulation. Once again, if you are dealing with an authentic note the ink color will be red and the number will be very noticeable. Age made have faded the note slightly, but you should be able to tell that the ink was once a red color.
3. Look at the Writing
Typically, colonial money featured a handwritten signature, and some bills may have other handwriting on them as well. This is actually quite important, and is a big clue to the authenticity of the note. If the handwriting is the in the same color as the rest of the bill, there is a very high chance that you are in fact dealing with a reproduction.
4. Look for the Stamp
In most cases, reproductions that are intended merely for home use will carry a stamp that says “facsimile.” This is done to help people get a better idea of the colonial money that was used, but they are not intended to be collector items. While some reproductions may not have this stamp, the majority should.
5. Find the Watermark
Even in the height of the colonial period, when technology still was struggling, watermarks were added to bills to help determine whether or not they were authentic. You can use that same watermark to help you determine whether or not you have authentic colonial money on hand. Hold the bill up to a light source to see if you can spot the watermark. If you can’t chances are you have a reproduction.
6. Take it to an Expert
If you plan on investing in a colonial money note, it is best to have it examined by an expert to determine the authenticity of the note. They will be well versed in the different types of ink, the different plates that were used, as well as how real colonial money should look. There is no substitute for getting an expert’s opinion, especially if you will be investing in colonial money.
Originally posted 2008-09-11 14:00:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Rare Gold Coins money -> Coins-World -> Gold Gold is one of the most popular substances in the world, and rare gold coins are highly sought out by collectors, not just for the precious gold content, but because of the rarity of the coins and the designs themselves. How do you know...... -
Russian Ruble Coins-and-Paper-Money -> Coins-World -> Russia The Russian ruble collector is likely someone who doesn’t just love coins, but has an interest in Russia’s heritage as a country. One of the problems with purchasing rubles is that counterfeiting has always been a common thing with Russian coins. And not just...... -
Roman Coins Coins and Paper Money -> Coins: Ancient -> Roman: Republic When it comes to collecting coins or paper money, many prefer to go straight to roman coins. These are highly historic collectibles that may actually be worth a good deal of money and many are quite rare. When you consider...... -
Gold Coins Coins and Paper Money -> Coins: US -> Gold Before you decide to purchase gold coins, there are a few things that you need to know to avoid being taken advantage of. While most dealers are honest, it is vital to take these steps to ensure you are dealing with...... -
Gold Nuggets Coins and Paper Money -> Bullion -> Gold-> Nugget When it comes to finding a money collectible that immediately has a sense of value, it’s hard to come close to a gold nugget. For centuries, gold fever has been inspired by the talk of immense gold nuggets and to this......
Related Websites -
Weekend Links: Sailing Away Edition I'm heading out of the country on our honeymoon. I've got a number of articles lined up that I think you'll enjoy, so don't forget about me. There are more details to follow on Monday. In the meantime, here are some articles that I liked this week: Golbguru give us...... - Reader Email: Help Me, I've Been Evicted! Every now and again, I get e-mails from readers asking for advice. I always stress that I'm licensed to give individual financial advice. However, I often opine with what steps I would take if I found myself in a similar situation. This week's e-mail comes from Candi (as always names......
-
How Do I Know If I Have A Low Credit Score? Many people know that having a low credit score may affect their lives in many negative ways but a lot of the people that have a low credit score are unaware that their credit rating is as bad as it is. A personal credit score is not one of the...... -
6 Money Skills & Habits to Teach Your Kids Before College College opens up a whole new world to most teens--a world of learning, experience, and financial responsibility. Suddenly credit card companies are setting up stands and offering you free t-shirts. You're thinking about or taking out loans to finance your education. You're paying for your own clothes & food--or you're...... -
Teach Your Kids about Money Management It is never too early to teach your children the basics when it comes to good money management. Teaching your children good habits is always wise, and money management is definitely a set of good habits that is better taught sooner instead of later. If you teach your children how......
Online Stores
September 17th, 2009 — Ancient Coins, Coin Collecting, Greek Coins, Morgan Silver Dollar, Rare Coins
There is something very special about rare coins. No matter where in the world they came from, they usually have a very rich history and collectors will search to the ends of the earth to find that special rare coin that will complete their collection. Many of these coins will go at a premium price at auction, worth far more than they ever were when they were in circulation. Let’s look at a few of the different types of rare coins.
First up, you have rare coins from ancient civilizations. Whether it was an early coin from Mesopotamia, a Grecian coin or a Roman coin, these are usually the most valuable. However, they are also the ones that may be copied. If you see a lot of coins and the seller claims that they are all authentic, but the price seems too low, you may want to rethink your purchase. Truly ancient rare coins are typically very expensive. It is all too easy nowadays to replicate these coins and mass produce them.
Next, look for coins that are oddly shaped or made from rare materials. This shows that they were handmade and are typically older in origin. These are not very easy to find, but Greek coins are the perfect example of this. These rare coins were handmade and will frequently be just a little off of perfect. Some may even include the maker’s signature or mark, and these are very valuable indeed.
Other rare coins that are fun to collect coincide with specific eras in history. For example, many collectors look for coins produced during the French Revolution. This was the time period when the first Marianne’s were made, and they are incredibly collectible. Other examples would include confederate coins, from the US civil war, or coins that were produced by governments that are now extinct.
Whenever you are shopping for rare coins, it also pays to look for any errors that may be present. These are usually incredibly valuable, and although they are hard to find, it is very special when you do come across one. Examples of error coins include coins that are missing something from a design, or ones that may have blatant errors. Examining coins for these flaws is always interesting.
The rare coins that are the most valuable are usually the ones where only a few are left. Using the Morgan Silver dollar as an example, there is one variety where only a handful are accounted for. This gives collectors a challenge and the ability to experience the thrill of the hunt as they try to uncover that incredibly rare coin.
If you have not yet begun collecting rare coins, it’s a good idea to start thinking about which era or type of coin you might be interested in. For example, many collectors start off by picking the year they were born, or the coin that commemorates an event that is special to them. Once you get started with rare coin collecting, you’ll see just how exciting this hobby can be.
Originally posted 2008-08-29 05:00:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts - Silver Bullion Coins Coins & Paper Money -> Bullion -> Silver People buy silver bullion coins for a few different reasons. Some buy them because of the precious metal content as an investment and buffer against inflation. Some people buy them because they fear that one day our popular currency will become worthless,......
-
Morgan Silver Dollar Coin Collecting -> US Coins -> Dollar Coins -> Morgan (1878-1921): 1878-1921, 1885-93, 1894-98, 1899-1904, 1921 The Morgan Silver Dollar is considered by many to be one of the most valuable US coins that you can collect. It’s history ranges from 1878 to 1904, and during its run, it was...... -
Silver Eagles Money -> Silver -> American-Eagle American Silver Eagles have been minted in the United States since 1986. These are the official silver bullion coins of the United States, guaranteed to contain one troy ounce of silver that’s 99.9% pure. A troy ounce is actually slightly heaver than a typical ounce...... - Federal Reserve Notes Coins and Paper Money -> Paper Money: US -> Large Size Notes -> Federal Reserve Notes One of the most interesting collectibles in the field of coins and paper money are federal reserve notes. However, there is quite a bit of confusion out there about what these notes really are.......
- World Coins Money -> Coins: World Collecting world coins is a rewarding and fascinating hobby. The first official coins were struck around the 6th century BC in Lydia, though metals used as a type of currency far pre-dates that, to Mesopotamia somewhere between 1500 and 2000 BC. Ancient coinage is fascinating, with......
Related Websites - Antique Singer Sewing Machine Antiques -> Sewing -> Machines and Machine Parts If you love sewing collectibles and are trying to build up your collection, one of the best additions you can find is an antique Singer sewing machine. These machines can enhance any personal collection and may even be the focal point in......
- Football Memorabilia Sports Memorabilia -> Autographs: Original -> Football-NFL Collecting football memorabilia is a passion for thousands of people and whether you are a huge fan of the sport, or you admire certain athletes, there are many different items that are considered to be highly collectible. It’s easy to enhance your personal......
- Presidential $1 coins for this year Another year, another four Presidential $1 coins from the US Mint. I actually saw the first pictures of the new coins over at Consumerism Commentary. Flexo uses the coins about as much as I do; the first couple of them I was showing everyone like I'd minted them myself. The......
- Reader question: How do I sell my British coins? A reader e-mailed me with this question: I have just read your article on coin accumulation and I was hoping that you could help me. My father recently died and left me in total 3146 British coins and 83 varied coins. I want to know how best to sell them......
-
Be On The Lookout For Changes In The Credit Card World There are many changes happening in the world of credit cards and not all of them are in the best interest of the consumer. People who are on top of the game are most likely aware that due to changes implemented by the Federal Reserve and other financial institutions relief......
Online Stores
September 8th, 2009 — 1925 Coin Penny, Coin Collecting
The 1925 coin penny is the 3rd rarest copper coin from Australia. According to records from their Royal Mint, this coin was struck late in the year to make sure that Australian merchants had plenty of pennies during the Christmas season. When collectors take an interest in Australian coins, one of the first coins they usually try to acquire is a 1925 penny. While it’s rare, it’s not nearly as rare as the 1930 penny so it’s much easier to find to add to a collection.
Evidence shows that if you have a 1925 coin penny, it was one of the over 117,000 struck a the Melbourne Mint. After World War I ended with many more losses and more expense than Australia anticipated, gold was valuable internationally, but the told pulled from Australia’s mines was dropping. This spoke of trouble for Australia’s economy, so a great deal of gold was imported from London in 1925. This gold was chiefly used to make sovereigns in 1925 at the Melbourne Mint. The Commonwealth offered a bonus to citizens bringing in British silver coins in June of 1925. To replace these large numbers of British coins removed from circulation, they had to strike Australian silver coins to ensure good retail trade through the Christmas season, but they didn’t produce nearly as many as they had only the year before.
The 1925 coin penny is sought by collectors, not just for its rarity, but because there are minor die varieties found in the coin. Records at the Melbourne Mint show that they were experimenting that year with dies and the hardening of dies, and it’s believed that these experiments led to the die variations often found in this coin.
The 1925 coin penny is sometimes found today by searching through bulk quantities of pennies, though finding one of these coins in fantastic condition is rare. When they are found, they go far behind the capabilities of the average collector, as the price has often been record-setting at collector auctions.
If you’re looking for a 1925 coin penny to add to your collection, online coin dealers and auctions like eBay are a great place to look. While the great condition 1925 pennies are extremely rare and extremely valuable, it’s not that difficult to find one in worn condition or very used condition. While these don’t look as good, of course, they’re still quite an addition to a serious world coin collection, or a comprehensive Australian coin collection.
When shopping for a 1925 coin penny, you might find a $1 auction and think you’ve stumbled onto a great deal for the coin you’ve been looking for, but read the fine print carefully. Because of the rarity and value of a fine condition coin, some sellers sell 1925 penny replicas for very little money. If you’d like to have a great condition replica, this is an option. But you can probably find a used 1925 penny for a reasonable price, so you might want to hold out for a genuine coin.
Originally posted 2008-10-28 05:00:09. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Liberty Head Silver Dollars money -> Coins-US -> Dollars Liberty Head silver dollars have been referred to in many different ways over the years. First they were called Buzzard Dollars, because no one really liked the original design of the rather scrawny eagle on the back. The large, heavy coins were also referred...... - Russian Ruble Coins-and-Paper-Money -> Coins-World -> Russia The Russian ruble collector is likely someone who doesn’t just love coins, but has an interest in Russia’s heritage as a country. One of the problems with purchasing rubles is that counterfeiting has always been a common thing with Russian coins. And not just......
-
The Art of Ancient Coin Collecting Coins have been treated as a method of currency for as many as thousands of years now. Collecting these little pieces of ancient history has become an extremely popular past time among many people. For many people, the idea of ancient coin collecting has become a true passion as well...... - Gold Eagle Coins Coins & Paper Money -> Gold -> American Eagle Gold Eagle coins are American currency, first released in 1986, that contains the stated amount of actual gold weight claimed in troy ounces, with a silver and copper alloy added to make the coins less soft and more wear resistant. The......
-
Half Dime Money -> Coins-US -> Dimes You might think a half dime is simply a modern nickel. But half dimes were actually silver coins worth 5 cents that were minted before the coins that eventually became our modern nickels. They were authorized in 1792, much smaller than the dimes of the......
Related Websites -
How To Invest In Gold The first question you're probably asking is whether gold is a good investment to begin with. Take a look at the performance of gold prices over the past 5 years versus the stock market. As you can see, gold is up over 100% while the Dow Jones Industrial Index is...... - Spain Stamps Stamps -> Europe -> Spain & Colonies When looking for old Spain stamps, online auctions like eBay are a great place to search. Often, auctions are in lots so you get several stamps to add to your collection, often from many different countries and time periods. Some stamps can also......
-
Collecting Walt Disney Collectibles One of the types of Walt Disney Collectibles that is available to you is Walt Disney Classics Collection or WDCC, which was originally introduced in the year 1992 at a collectibles show known as South Bend Collectible Show. Three years of work went into the creation of this collection of...... - All that glistens is gold...rarely have you heard that told I was looking for some gold coins the other day, to protect myself from the gathering maelstrom. I think the price of gold is going to do really well as the Central banks continue to debase the currencies through massive currency expansion programs. So I called a bullion dealer...no luck.......
-
Knocking Out the Beliefs That Hold You Back This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. A college professor once told my journalism class that freelance writing is something you should do on the side. It’s not anything you could make a living at full-time. I graduated and worked at an office job until I decided I......
Online Stores
July 31st, 2009 — Coin Collecting, Proof Coins, Uncirculated Coins
The unique thing about coin collections is that there is a myriad of different ways to start a coin collection, and you can collect a wide variety of different coins or a small variety of very special coins depending on your interest. One of the options for coin collecting that you may want to consider if you enjoy unique coins is the art of collecting proof coins and uncirculated coins, which are coins that are not or have never been in actual use as currency in this country or any other country in the world for that matter. If the idea of proof coins and uncirculated coins seems worthwhile to you, the following information will prove useful.
There are a number of coins out there that never ended up being placed in circulation to be used for the purpose of commerce. This coin grade never had any wear or any defects meaning that these coins can be close to mint in condition. If you store these coins improperly, however, they can be worn and will no longer be in perfect condition any longer. Even if the wear is quite minor in nature, it will not allow the coin to have an “uncirculated” grade any longer.
When coins are first produced at the mint, they are placed into large canvas bags so that they can be transported. During the handling and transport phase, they can receive some small nicks and marks from rubbing and bumping along one another in the bags, and these marks are specifically known as bag marks. Bag marks tend to appear much more noticeable when the coin is larger in sized, such as a dollar or a half dollar coin. Typical bag marks will not prevent a coin from keeping the uncirculated grade. Light bag marks will not keep a coin from being considered to be uncirculated, but they may change the value that the coin receives if they are more noticeable bag marks.
Uncirculated coins are also capable of showing spotting, tarnish and discoloration while still maintaining the uncirculated grade when it comes to coin conditions. You should never clean a coin that has become tarnished as many methods of cleaning are actually capable of causing further wear on a coin, and this wear will upset the “uncirculated” grade of the coin.
There are also coins known as proof coins that were minted with the use of highly polished dies and never saw the light of day in terms of circulation. Just like with uncirculated coins, these proof coins are capable of experiencing darkening or tarnishing. Because labor and production costs went into producing proof coins beyond average coins, the mints that produce them quite often will sell them at a higher premium price, and often in much more limited numbers as well.
Photo Credits: Adamcha
Related Posts - Gold Eagle Coins Coins & Paper Money -> Gold -> American Eagle Gold Eagle coins are American currency, first released in 1986, that contains the stated amount of actual gold weight claimed in troy ounces, with a silver and copper alloy added to make the coins less soft and more wear resistant. The......
-
Coin Collecting 101 Coin collecting is an industry that has grown to encompass billions of dollars in sales. The earliest hobby of coin collecting is capable of being traced as far back as 1300 AD, which is when an Italian scholar known by the name of Fracesco Petrarca began to save coins and...... - Liberty Head Silver Dollars money -> Coins-US -> Dollars Liberty Head silver dollars have been referred to in many different ways over the years. First they were called Buzzard Dollars, because no one really liked the original design of the rather scrawny eagle on the back. The large, heavy coins were also referred......
-
Collection Coins Collecting antique gold coins is an excellent buy, and if you are trying to combine a hobby with an investment, then collection coins are a much needed asset for any portfolio. If you are unfamiliar with what buying an antique gold coin can do for you, then you are going...... - Morgan Silver Dollar Coin Collecting -> US Coins -> Dollar Coins -> Morgan (1878-1921): 1878-1921, 1885-93, 1894-98, 1899-1904, 1921 The Morgan Silver Dollar is considered by many to be one of the most valuable US coins that you can collect. It’s history ranges from 1878 to 1904, and during its run, it was......
Related Websites -
The Mints of the United States If you’ve ever looked at a coin, chances are you’ve been interested in what was on it. There’s the year it was stamped, various Latin sayings, some images of buildings or famous individuals from US history, and there usually is a random letter. You probably know that the letter corresponds...... - How to make an accumulation a collection FMF recently asked about collecting and it reminded me of an article I read in one my coin magazines. Like FMF and many of the other commenters on his post, I have some coins. Having coins -- even a lot of coins -- doesn't by itself make someone a coin......
- Picked Up A George W. Dollar Coin I stopped by the bank and picked up half a dozen new presidential $1 coins. Don't know why some people are selling them on ebay for more than they're worth but I guess someone's stupid enough to pay that. They're not all that impressive, except the "In God We Trust"......
- Eat Right For Your Type This book is considered to be one of the most controversial diet books on the market and it certainly raises a lot of interesting issues that are normally avoided in the diet industry. Although a lot of people believe that metabolism and genetic predisposition can lead to weight problems, the......
- Musician Profile For Mark O'Connor Mark O' Connor was born and brought up in Seattle, Washington. There, while he was growing up and progressing through his teenage years, he entered into and won several national championships on a number of instruments, including but not limited to the fiddle. From 1983, O'Connor moved to Nashville, having......
Online Stores
