September 22nd, 2009 — Coin Collecting, Silver Bullion Coins
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, and they want to be prepared with the only kind of money that would likely be worth anything in that case. They know they could use gold and silver coins to barter for goods and services if paper money were repudiated. And some buy bullion coins because they’re coin collectors and they want to add these brilliant pieces to their collections.
If you want to buy silver bullion coins for investment purposes, then your true investment in the silver lies in not how many coins you buy necessarily, but how many ounces of silver you end up owning because of those coins. In this case, it doesn’t matter if the coins can be used as currency, so foreign coins which contain high amounts of silver are as good an investment as United States coins, or vice versa, depending on where you live. The age of the coins is irrelevant, too.
Silver bullion coins minted since 1965 contain stamps showing the purity of the silver within them and the silver coins pre-dating this do not, but that makes them no less valuable as an investment. Many people think the only silver bullion coins used in the US are dollars like the 1 ounce American Eagle, which is a popular collector’s coin. But before 1965, several types of coins contained 90% silver, like dimes, quarters and half-dollars. These and coins like the American Silver Eagle, which contains 1 ounce of pure silver, are a good investment and in a worst-case scenario where the value of paper money dropped substantially, these coins could be used as money.
Survivalists who invest in silver bullion coins typically purchas as many coins dating since 1965 as possible. They believe that it’s likely that one day our money system will collapse and the only real currency that one could survive on would be silver and gold bullion. Since the silver content is stamped on each coin produced since 1965 showing that it’s an ounce of pure silver, they believe that it will be easier to get people to accept those coins as payment in the event of a financial collapse. For these purposes, they’ll typically buy $1000 face value bags, or bags in smaller increments, rather than individual coins.
For collectors, the earlier coins are often considered junk coins, because they have little numismatic worth. Silver bullion coins for collectors are typically silver proofs or coins in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, only if they really want the coin and can’t acquire a mirror-like proof. If you’re looking on eBay for collector coins, a popular place to find them, you’ll need to do some research on the individual silver coins so you can tell the difference between BU and proofs, as often they look similar.
Originally posted 2008-10-27 14:00:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 21st, 2009 — Coin Collecting, Liberty Head Silver Dollars, Morgan Silver Dollar, US Coins
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 to as Cartwheels, and are today most commonly referred to as Morgan Dollars, after their creator, George T. Morgan.
Though when they first appeared in 1878 these coins weren’t popular at all, today Liberty Head silver dollars are one of the most collectible coins in the world, among silver and all other types of coins. When these coins were minted, the dollar coin had been discontinued for 5 years already, with Americans showing a clear preference for paper dollars. The coins were minted because of the large silver surplus created by the purchase of silver from the Comstock lode in Nevada, to keep Nevada’s economy above water. To use the silver, these coins were commissioned.
George Morgan was an Englishman who designed the Liberty Head silver dollars, and despite his post as US Chief Engraver after that, one he held for over 40 years, these coins were the only American ones he ever designed. Because these coins weren’t popular and few people used them, production stopped in 1904. Many of the coins were melted down in 1918 to help Great Britain’s war efforts. Then more were minted in 1921, but only for a brief time before the Peace Dollar was minted to commemorate the end of the war, and quickly became the most popular silver dollar in America.
The Liberty Head silver dollars continued to be melted town, and the public showed little interest in collecting them until about 1972, when a large collection of over 400 bags of the rare Carson City minted dollars was discovered. The collection ended up selling at auction for over $7 million dollars. While all these dollars are collectible, some are more valuable and sought out than others.
The most rare Liberty Head silver dollars are those minted in 1895. Called the “king” of these dollars, some have sold for over $100,000 at auction. What makes these coins particularly valuable is their rarity, and the mystery surrounding them. Twelve-thousand 1895 coins were struck, according to mint records, yet only about 80 have ever been accounted for, and all of those were proofs. None of the regular circulation coins have been recovered. Whether they were ever minted at all comes into question, but doesn’t lessen the mystique of the coin.
Liberty Head silver dollars, aside from the 1895 strike, aren’t particularly rare because millions of these coins were minted. They were larger than typical coins, and the original eagle design wasn’t popular, yet today they’re consider one of the most collectible US coins available. Online auctions are an inexpensive and ideal way to purchase these collectible coins, whether you want to purchase them to begin investing in silver, or to make the Liberty Head silver dollars an important part of your coin collection.
Originally posted 2008-11-11 14:00:28. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 19th, 2009 — 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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September 11th, 2009 — 1902 Barber Dime, Coin Collecting, Rare Coins, US Coins
The value of a 1902 Barber dime varies, depending mostly on the condition of the dime. While the face value may be only 10 cents, they’re often worth several dollars—sometimes hundreds of dollars. The best way to determine the value of your Barber dime is to consult an up to date coin value guide. The best way to find the most current information is by looking on numismatic websites and auction sites where these dimes are available to see the most recent pricing on them.
The history of the dime in general goes back to 1796, with the front of the coin bearing a Liberty head and the reverse featuring an eagle. The dime is the smallest US coin, and its appearance has changed many times over the years. A 1902 Barber dime is so named because it was a coin designed by Charles E. Barber. While the earliest dimes changed many times, our current dime has been the same since 1946. Our current design is smaller than the original dime, and the materials used today are different, as well.
The first coins representing a tenth of a dollar or ten cents were actually called dismes, minted in 1792, but weren’t circulated. The first actual dimes appeared in 1796 and are referred to by numismatics today as the Draped Bust dime. These coins bore no value on them anywhere, unlike today’s dimes which clearly say they’re worth 10 cents. In 1809 the design was changed to what’s now known as the Capped Bust dime, which bore the marking 10C on the reverse. Neither of these early dimes was minted each year they were available, but a dime has been minted almost every year without fail since 1827. The Barber dime appeared in 1892, with the 1902 Barber dime representing only one year of the design’s 24-year history, ending in 1916. The previous design, though, was minted far longer. The Seated Liberty design debuted in 1837 and was minted for 54 years, until the Barber dime took its place. The only dime that has been minted longer is the Roosevelt dime that has now been minted for 62 years.
The 1902 Barber dime isn’t the most valuable dime available of its design. The 1894-S has been known to go for more than one million dollars at auction—the highest amount ever drawn for a single dime—because only 24 of these particular coins were struck, and of those, only 9 still exist as far as collectors and the US Treasury are aware.
Still, the 1902 Barber dime carries much more than the value of 10 cents. The coins have silver content, so even a coin worn practically smooth carries scrap silver value. A common method in determining the value of this coin is how clear the inscription of “Liberty” is on Lady Liberty’s headband on the front of the coin. The less worn and more distinct the inscription, the more valuable the coin. Proofs and circulated coins alike are easily found on eBay.
Originally posted 2008-12-06 05:00:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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September 10th, 2009 — Ancient Coins, Coin Collecting, Roman Coins
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 the fact that the coin had to survive for thousands of years, it’s easy to see why they are so popular, and why many can fetch such a high price at auction.
Roman coins were originally made in either silver, bronze or gold. Golden coins are considered to be the most rare, and are very hard to find today. However, a few collectors have managed to create quite a private collection of these rare coins. Silver was the most commonly used metal for coins in the period and during 200 B.C., the majority of coins produced were made of this material.
Interestingly enough, many Roman coins are actually made in the Greek style. This has been attributed to the fact that many Romans were doing business with Greeks, especially in certain parts of Italy, and they needed to have coins that would be acceptable to those that they were doing business with. Whatever the real reason might have been, it is obvious when you look at Roman coins that Greek designs did have a big influence on the finished products.
There are many different denominations of Roman coins, but drachmae are the most common. These were used by even the every day people in the city and for many workers, this was their daily wage. Many thousands of these coins were produced, and if you do find a Roman coin today, it will most likely be a drachmae since they were the ones that were the most mass produced. They were usually made of silver.
Bronze Roman coins are quite popular among collectors and while they are rarer than silver coins, they are not worth quite as much as their golden counterparts. Bronze coins were typically used for smaller denominations and were very common during the height of the Roman empire.
If you are looking to collect Roman coins, it is important to make sure that you are dealing with authentic pieces. The coins should not be perfect, in fact, they will have some oddities with their shape. This is due to the fact that the coins were all made by hand during this time period and it was natural that they would not be perfectly round. Most Roman coins will have the relief of an emperor, and this is a great way to tell just how old the coin may be.
Once again, the relief will not be perfect, and you should be able to tell that the coin was handmade. Roman coins that have survived throughout the years may be a bit dull in appearance, which is a good indicator of their authenticity. If you come across a coin that is simply too shiny, you may be dealing with a counterfeit.
To protect yourself when collecting Roman coins, it is always best to get an appraisal before you buy to ensure that they are authentic.
Originally posted 2008-09-05 05:00:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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