{Category Archives} NumisMaster
European Coin Market Explodes - NumisMaster
Jul 22 at 10:10pm
After nearly 20 years of a very constant and steady coin market, we are finally experiencing a vast explosion in values for many classic issues. The driving forces of rising bullion prices and falling U.S. Dollar value have conspired to give us a burgeoning coin market for the best material available. As always, the higher the grade the more significant the increase.
Read entire article: European Coin Market Explodes - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, World Coins
Article Tags: NumisMaster.
Shifted-edge dollars worth search - Numismatic News
Jul 19 at 12:12am
Long after most folks have given up searching the 2007-dated George Washington Presidential dollars for the well-known smooth-edge “Godless dollars” a few die-hards are still at it obtaining what BU rolls can still be had from banks and still finding errors. One of those searchers is Mike Bozynski of Michigan.
Read entire article: Shifted-edge dollars worth search - Numismatic News
Filed in: Coin Errors, NumisMaster, Presidential Dollar Coins, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: Numismatic News, Presidential $1 Coins, Presidential Dollar Coins.
The Exalted 1802 Half Dime - NumisMaster
Jul 17 at 11:11pm
Government records indicate the Mint struck 3,060 silver half dimes in 1802. But the Mint director’s annual report covered the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1802. Most of the dimes listed as struck in fiscal 1802 were probably dated 1801.
Numismatists estimate that only 25-50 1802 half dimes have survived. Most of them show evidence of extensive circulation. No mint-state examples have come to light.
Read entire article: The Exalted 1802 Half Dime - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: Dimes, NumisMaster.
Mint Stats: Summer Not Slow for Plain Vanilla Proof Set - NumisMaster
Jul 17 at 11:11pm
It is gratifying to look at 2008 proof set sales this week. From a numismatic standpoint, they are so wholesome and ordinary.
It may seem odd to use the word “wholesome” in a numismatic context, but in my life of coin collecting, the proof set has been part of the bedrock. When we didn’t have them 1965-1967, collectors felt deprived.
Reader entire article: Mint Stats: Summer Not Slow for Plain Vanilla Proof Set - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, U.S. Coins, United States Mint
Article Tags: NumisMaster, United States Mint, United States Mint Stats.
Tools of the coin Counterfeiter - NumisMaster
Jul 16 at 8:08pm
The term “soft dies” seems almost to be an oxymoron, since dies have to be hard in order to shape or form the material that the dies are used on. Actually, the term is not used in the normal course of events producing a struck coin. A soft die is one of the common tools of the counterfeiter.
The average collector or dealer is not likely to run across the term, certainly less likely than two or three decades ago when the detection of fake and altered coins seemed to be still in its infancy.
Read entire article: Tools of the coin Counterfeiter - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, Uncategorized
Article Tags: NumisMaster.
Sporadic Coin Issues Due to Power Changing Hands - NumisMaster
Jul 16 at 8:08pm
In this series on Romania we have just had a pleasant sojourn in Transylvania, which is western Romania these days. This time we will dive back into the rest of Romania, which is to say Moldavia - the northeast, and Wallachia - the southeast. Let’s pick up with Moldavia at the time of the accession of Stefan III in 1457.
At that moment in time Moldavia had become an Ottoman tributary. The previous voivode (prince), Petru III, an uncle of Stefan, had killed Stefan’s father and had passed his entire reign fighting with a rival claimant.
Read entire article: Sporadic Coin Issues Due to Power Changing Hands - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, World Coins
Article Tags: NumisMaster, Romanian Coins.
Robinson, Mandela Coins Smart Investment Pieces - NumisMaster
Jul 16 at 8:08pm
The vigorous appreciation of two recently minted coins, one American and the other South African, provides the background for the following discussion of coins as investments. Does the purchase of coins that established or prospective numismatic worth make sense for those seeking a good return on their expenditures? That’s the question.
I’ve not made an arbitrary decision to focus on America’s 1997-W Jackie Robinson $5 commemorative and South Africa’s 2000 Nelson Mandela R5 (5 rand) regular issue.
Read entire article: Robinson, Mandela Coins Smart Investment Pieces - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: Mandela, NumisMaster, Robinson.
Shipwreck Gold to be Auctioned at ANA Baltimore - NumisMaster
Jul 15 at 12:12pm
Treasure coins brought up from the wreck of the S.S. New York in the Gulf of Mexico will highlight at pre-American Numismatic Association convention auction to be held July 27-28 by Stack’s in Baltimore.
Gold and silver from Southern Mints will be among the highlights.
Read entire article: Shipwreck Gold to be Auctioned at ANA Baltimore - NumisMaster
Filed in: American Numismatic Association, Coin Collector Shows, Coin Treasures, NumisMaster
Article Tags: American Numismatic Association, ANA, Gold Coins, NumisMaster.
Mozambique Coins Circulate, but With Success? - NumisMaster
Jul 14 at 10:10pm
Great news! Bank of Mozambique Governor Ernesto Gove announced June 19 to the Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Information Agency of Mozambique) that this African nation has turned the corner, with coins successfully circulating in place of small denomination paper bank notes.
Gove said, “We are pleased with the use of metallic coins. We have noted with great satisfaction that coins are being heavily used in markets, to pay road tolls or bus fares.”
Read entire article: Mozambique Coins Circulate, but With Success? - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, World Coins
Article Tags: Africa, NumisMaster, South African Coins.
1928 Peace Dollar a Close Second in MS-60 - NumisMaster
Jul 14 at 10:10pm
The most surprising Peace dollar date would have to be the 1928. In almost every respect the 1928 is not what one would expect, making it a very interesting date to study and an even better date to own.
It is natural to expect that the Philadelphia Peace dollar mintages would be high since it came from the main facility. That was usually the case.
Read entire article: 1928 Peace Dollar a Close Second in MS-60 - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: NumisMaster, Peace Dollars, Silver Coins, Silver Dollars.
Branch-Mint Saints Hit by Heavy Melting - NumisMaster
Jul 11 at 5:05pm
The Saint-Gaudens double eagle is one of the coins everyone would like to collect. Unfortunately, few are able to attempt a collection because of the high price of gold.
Assembling examples of Saint-Gaudens double eagles from the branch mints is one option. It is unlikely to be a complete collection, but the branch mint examples are a great way to study a great coin while having fun assembling at least a few examples of what might well be America’s most beautiful and difficult coin to collect.
Read entire article: Branch-Mint Saints Hit by Heavy Melting - NumisMaster
Filed in: Gold Coins, NumisMaster, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: Gold Coins, NumisMaster, Saint-Gaudens Coins.
Errors Found in Search - NumisMaster
Jul 11 at 5:05pm
While many cherry-pickers of modern coins often restrict their search to brilliant uncirculated rolls of current coins, looking for doubled dies and other varieties, Brian Higgins of Naples, Fla., is one of those folks who doesn’t hesitate to sit down and search good old-fashioned circulated coins.
He has a penchant for Jefferson nickels and his luck is pretty good as we can see by some of the Jefferson nickel errors that he sent in. Probably his neatest coin is a 1996-D Jefferson nickel that was double struck.
Read entire article: Errors Found in Search - Numismaster
Filed in: Coin Errors, NumisMaster
Article Tags: Coin Errors, NumisMaster.
Mint Stats: Uncirculated Platinum Eagle Numbers Arrive - NumisMaster
Jul 10 at 9:09pm
The 2008-W platinum uncirculated coins make their debut in the box directly below this column. As can be seen from the early sales, expensive coins sell in small numbers.
But then again, it might just be summer, as evidenced by the sales of bags of the Presidential dollars. Their numbers hardly budged. The current issue, the John Quincy Adams bags, sold in the largest quantity. The combined total for the 25-coin roll rose by 1,682.
Read entire article: Mint Stats: Uncirculated Platinum Eagle Numbers Arrive - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, U.S. Coins, United States Mint
Article Tags: NumisMaster, United States Mint, United States Mint Stats.
1855 Coronet Cent - NumisMaster
Jul 9 at 6:06pm
Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the 1855 Coronet large cent had a mintage of more than 1.5 million. The output would have been even greater if the Mint hadn’t suspended coinage for several months while repairs and improvements were being made to the building.
“The operations of the mint, except the receiving of deposits and melting, assaying, and paying the same, were suspended on the 19th of July last,” the Mint director wrote in March 1856 in his annual report, “at which time the repairs authorized by an appropriation made by the last Congress to the mint building were commenced.
Entire article: 1855 Coronet Cent - NumisMaster
Filed in: Large Cents, NumisMaster, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: 1855 Coronet Cent, Large Cents, NumisMaster.
Searching for Sleepers - NumisMaster
Jul 8 at 9:09pm
When it comes to coin collecting as a hobby, almost all collectors are on the look out for sleepers - coins that are severely undervalued. It seems to be part of the allure of the whole thing.
Sure, many of us will say that isn’t so. But deep down inside they still want that bargain. And because of this desire, all of us are at risk of buying some great coins that definitely qualify as sleepers but that will probably never wake up.
Entire article: Searching for Sleepers - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, Uncategorized
Article Tags: NumisMaster.
Bennett, Million Dollar Coin to Make Appearances at CNA Convention - NumisMaster
Jul 8 at 9:09pm
Special guests and new attractions will highlight the Canadian Numismatic Association’s 2008 convention, set to take place July 17-20 at Ottawa’s Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Royal Canadian Mint Director Ian Bennett will help kick off the event. He will participate in the opening at 10 a.m. on July 18 and remain at the mint’s booth to sign autographs, said Serge Pelletier, director of communications for the convention.
Entire article: Bennett, Million Dollar Coin to Make Appearances at CNA Convention - NumisMaster
Filed in: Coin Collector Shows, NumisMaster
Article Tags: Canada, Canadian Numismatic Association, NumisMaster.
1938 Commem Wrong Coin at Wrong Time - NumisMaster
Jul 7 at 10:10pm
Exploring the story of the New Rochelle, N.Y. 250th anniversary half dollar helps to shed light on the problems with commemoratives of the period.
Let’s begin with the basic fact that we are talking about a half dollar for New Rochelle, N.Y. If you happen to believe that commemoratives should mark some event of national significance, the New Rochelle half dollar is suspect from the start. A 250th anniversary is a milestone, but New Rochelle is not Boston or Philadelphia.
Entire article: 1938 Commem Wrong Coin at Wrong Time - NumisMaster
Filed in: Commemorative Coins, NumisMaster, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: Commemorative Coins, NumisMaster.
Early Philadelphia Roosevelts Gain Value - NumisMaster
Jul 3 at 4:04pm
It’s probably natural that for most of the more than 60 years that the Roosevelt dime has been in production the Roosevelt dimes of Philadelphia have received very little attention. You could perhaps make a case that Roosevelt dimes in general have received very little attention, but coming from the main facility in Philadelphia at least for much of the six decades of Roosevelt dimes the general assumption has been that there is nothing special about the coins produced at Philadelphia.
Entire article: Early Philadelphia Roosevelts Gain Value - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: NumisMaster, Roosevelt Dimes.
Cent Set Traces Problem With Die - NumisMaster
Jul 3 at 4:04pm
Most collectors ignore the proliferation of typical die cracks, die chips and small die breaks found on modern coins because they rarely carry any numismatic value. However, searching them out and assembling them into what collectors call “Progression Sets” can be fun and educational.
Entire article: Cent Set Traces Problem With Die - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, Uncategorized
Article Tags: NumisMaster.
Mint Stats: State Quarter Box Comes Back for a Week - NumisMaster
Jul 3 at 3:03pm
Reader Halbert Carmichael e-mailed me to ask whether it wasn’t time to bring the state quarter box back. He missed seeing what the latest totals are. So, for a one-week engagement, I have moved the box back into position and the numbers are brought up to date. You might notice that the Oklahoma quarter from Denver now has the honor of holding the lowest mintage, which at 194,600,000 does not make it rare by any stretch of the imagination.
Entire article: Mint Stats: State Quarter Box Comes Back for a Week - NumisMaster
Filed in: NumisMaster, U.S. Coins, United States Mint
Article Tags: NumisMaster, United States Mint, United States Mint Stats.