February 12th, 2012 — Bullion, Coin Collecting, Silver Bullion Coins, US Coins
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 of weight, because it’s not measured by weight but rather by grains. A grain is a unit of measure used where absolute precision is crucial, as in archery to weigh arrow heads, and in ballistics to weigh powder and bullets. An ounce is between 28 and 29 grains, and is a very specific number that goes out to 9 decimal places. A troy ounce is over 31 grains, in a number that goes out to 7 decimal places. A troy ounce is the measurement always used for black powder, precious metals and gemstones.
Silver Eagles have their one troy ounce weight and silver content certified by the United States Mint, and are authorized by the US Congress. A proof version of these coins is produced specifically for collectors. These coins have been produced by three mints. Coins marked with a P were minted in Philadelphia, with earlier coins bearing an S for San Francisco and the most recent silver coins marked with a W on the reverse side, which stands for West Point.
The front or obverse of Silver Eagles is based on the “Walking Liberty” design that appeared originally on half-dollars minted between 1916 and 1947. Designed the Adolph Weinman, it became a favorite and one of the best-loved coin designs in American history, so it was chosen for the Silver Eagles. The back or reverse of the coins feature a heraldic eagle.
The face value of Silver Eagles is $1, but the silver content causes the value of these coins to vary with the markets. Because of the different minting, it’s best to look into reference books to find the value of any coins you’re interested in purchasing. Because these coins have been struck in such huge numbers, the value is often not as high as one might expect, even for proofs. Most can be purchased for $25, with that number fluctuating along with the silver market prices. Some years with lower minting can go for over $100, and the boxed anniversary set issued in 2006 that went for $100 each now commands over three times that, because only 250,000 were created. Some rare dates can cost thousands of dollars, but without an up to date reference book it’s difficult to know which are more valuable.
When looking at Silver Eagles do your research and become familiar with the more rare coins, and those which can be found almost anywhere. As with most things, eBay is an excellent source for Silver Eagles of the more rare varieties. One good strategy for investors is to buy the current year’s Silver Eagles and work your way backwards through the years. This can make the collecting more fun and interesting, and give you time to investigate the more valuable minting and dates.
Originally posted 2008-12-14 14:00:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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January 21st, 2012 — Euro Coins, world coins
Euro coins were first put into circulation in 2002 by the European Union. There are 8 coins: 1, 2 5, 10 and 20 cent coins, as well a the 100 and 200 cent coins, which equal 1 and 2 Euros, respectively. Because these aren’t just coins used as legal tender within one country but rather all of Europe, they have a common side that shows a map of Europe, and the other side of each Euro bears a design that represents the country of its origin.
Though Euro coins weren’t circulated until 2002, some were minted as early as 1999. Earlier versions of the 10, 20 and 50 cent pieces bore a map of Europe that made it appear all the countries were islands, as the borders between them were shown as actual breaks in the landmass. The 1 and 2 Euro coins showed Europe as a cohesive nation while still depicting borders between the countries. Each nation chooses its own reverse design, while the common side with its stars, bars and map of Europe remains the same throughout.
Euros coins are interesting for collectors because of this diversity. Some countries choose their national side to be the same on each coin like Belgium has, or each coin can bear a different design, like Italy’s. Belgian Euros actually draw a great deal on the nation’s previous coin designs while some countries like France use monuments and symbols with very stylized designs on their coins.
Additionally, there are certain rules the national designs must follow. The design must contain 12 stars, the year of issue and the engraver’s initials. The national side also can’t show the denomination of the coin because that’s on the common side, nor can it repeat the word Euro unless it’s written in another alphabet, like it is on the Greek coins.
The national side on Euro coins is also locked in until the end of 2008, with no changes allowed unless a monarch depicted on the coins dies or abdicates the throne. The Vatican coins were allows to change their national side when Pope John Paul II died in 1995. They issued a different coin while the throne was empty, then in 2006 they issued coins featuring the effigy of the new Pope, Pop Benedict XVI.
Commemorative coins are released regularly. In 2007 all countries that produce the Euro created a Treaty of Rome commemorative coin that was almost identical to that of every other country. Euro coins have also been designed to make it easy for blind or sight-impaired individuals to be able to distinguish between the coins. Each has a unique edge design that can be felt to identify the amount of currency, and the sizes go up with the value of the coin.
For coin collectors, Euro coins can be a fascinating part of their hobby with so many different coins featuring so many different designs. Online auctions like eBay are a popular place to acquire the coins, which are graded similarly to any collectible coins.
Photo Credits: Ivan Walsh
Originally posted 2008-10-23 14:00:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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