If you’re a coin collector, you’re probably very familiar with doing these three things:
-Buying coins online
-Buying from a coin shop
-Attending coin shows
All of that is fantastic. You should always buy and sell different coins to keep your collection fresh.
But there’s something else I maintain every true coin collector should do. What is that, you ask? Visit a place that’s literally dedicated to coins. Seriously — it’ll open your eyes to this fascinating hobby even more. Today I’ll share with you my five places I believe every coin lover should visit.
U.S. Mint
You’ve got two options if you want to tour the U.S. Mint. The Philadelphia location, or the Denver location.
If you’re going to Philadelphia, you’ll do a self-guided tour complete with video and audio stations. You’ll see coining operations, the Mint Deed signed by President Andrew Jackson, and the first coining press. But in all honesty, one of the coolest things is meeting Peter the Mint Eagle. That’s a real bald eagle, folks. Mint artists to this day study Peter to create new eagle designs.
If you’re going to Denver, you’ll see a lot of similarities. However, this tour is about 45 minutes and guided. A free guided tour is something you don’t want to miss.
Find U.S. Mint tour info here.
American Numismatic Association Money Museum
This small but mighty stop is an absolute must for any summer or winter tourist venturing to Colorado. Here you’ll find many coins from the civil war era, as well as coins and paper currency that are, frankly, a once-in-a-lifetime sight. They have a coin-minting machine, too. Find visiting information here.
Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint buildings are arguably the most visited tourist destinations for coin lovers; you get to see money being made! We talked about them in a recent blog. Visit the Ottawa and Winnipeg locations 12 months a year, and don’t forget about the newest retail location in Vancouver. Find visiting information here.
The Perth Mint
If you decide to visit the Perth Mint, you’re in for
a serious day of entertainment. Here’s a glimpse of what they offer:
Guided Heritage Talk: hourly guided talks with stories.
Gold Exhibition: experience the journey of gold discovery and watch molten gold being poured.
Record Breaking Coin: see the largest and most valuable coin in the world!
Gold weight scale: a special scale that determines what your weight is worth in gold.
Miner’s Campsite: a representation of the harsh conditions that early prospectors faced as they searched for gold.
And one more thing. They received a 2014 Certificate of Excellence from tripadvisor.com.
Are you intrigued? Check it all out here.
Gold and Silver Pawn Shop
Looks familiar doesn’t it…
This place is the filming location for the show “Pawn Stars”. It gets poor reviews for the same reasons time and time again. Why? It’s crowded and you won’t get to meet the cast of the show.
BUT, it also gets good reviews from those who know that going in. It’s interesting to stand in a place you get to see on TV, and it’s definitely interesting to look at what they have in stock. Sure, their gold, silver, and coins may be overpriced, so you’ll probably want to look elsewhere if you’re looking to make serious purchases.
Summary: If you’re already in Las Vegas, don’t miss out on this place. Check out their site for more info.
Know of any cool spots I missed? Let me know in the comments.
Gary Dyner is the owner of Great American Coin Company. Connect with him on Google+.