A funny thing happens to gold and silver most Decembers. Prices tend to go down and this December may be the best time buy gold and silver since last summer. Prices for both metals have been on a slight downward trend, from a high of $1549 on September 3 for gold to $1460 as this article is being wr...
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US Mint coins and sets are great gifts that will be remembered long after the holidays. Plus, they grow in value and may even start the recipient on a life-long hobby with plenty of rewards.
Proof Sets
Each year the US Mint makes special proof coins of that year’s is...
The earliest coins were made by pouring molten metal into molds, a process known as casting. But as demand for coins increased and manufacturing techniques improved, most coin making switched to stamping premade coin blanks between two dies, a process known as coining.
The first die-made ...
If a coin collector is on your holiday gift list, these auctions offer a wide choice of places to shop. They range from budget-busting rarities to affordable choices for entry-level collectors.
As with any auction, knowledge is power, so do your research and don’t get caught up in a biddi...
By the late 1880s calls to replace the Seated Liberty coin design, in production for sixty years, prompted Mint Director Edward O. Leech to open a competition for a new design in 1891. But with a cash prize offered only for the winning design, prominent artists and engravers weren’t interested.
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Gold is great, but silver offers a beautiful way to show your affection without busting your budget. And at current silver prices, it’s a bargain, too.
Here are some ways to make this holiday season memorable with a gift of silver.
Old Silver Coins
The US ...
By the end of the Civil War, the United States was flooded with counterfeit money, much of it made by the Confederacy to finance their war needs. Facing severe economic dislocation—as much as 50% of bills in circulation were fake—the Lincoln administration formed a special investigative branch of th...
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Some of us are old enough to remember how special it was to receive a shiny new silver dollar on our birthday or at holiday time. If we were lucky, we saved it, because it’s worth a lot more than a dollar today. And the memories it brings back are priceless.
This year you can create speci...
Why settle for a few dollars’ cash when you can give away millions this holiday season?
Genuine, although discontinued, banknotes from countries like Zimbabwe are available in huge denominations from times when their national economies were crushed by hyperinflation, resulting in notes wi...
