Innehållsförteckning för August 2019 från Coins

At the end of my last column, I mentioned that you might decide to specialize in one or more series of U.S. coins, and, if so, you would want to add relevant books to your numismatic library. The book I’ll review in this column would be appropriate if you choose Morgan dollars. It’s the new 6th edition of A Guide Book of Morgan Silver Dollars, by Q. David Bowers. Nowadays, the Morgan dollar is an extremely popular collectible. As Adam Crum puts it in the Foreword, “ . . . the Morgan silver dollar is likely the most widely collected coin in all numismatics.” It hasn’t always been this way, however. For many years, large numbers of silver dollars languished in Treasury vaults. Their release in relatively modern times positively…

The value of coins continues to be steady, but with little upside movement worth noting. This is good news if you are someone who is actively assembling a collection. It is not good news if you are a collector selling or if you are a potential investor. Most true investors continue to find equities more attractive than do they any collectibles, be it coins, stamps, antiques, or fine art. The recent Great American Coin Hunt is a step in the right direction, but it isn’t a silver bullet that will grab the attention of investors while ushering in a new generation of collectors. The market for collectible coins remains firm, but without investors and new collectors there simply isn’t sufficient demand as there is supply. Bullion dealers selling such things…

Careful consideration must be given to the condition of a coin before arriving at its value, since a minor difference in grading can mean a substantial difference in price. There are several factors to keep in mind when attributing varying grades of preservation. Determining the condition of a coin is both an exact science and a subjective judgment call. Complete agreement on the exact qualities that constitute a grade of condition does not always occur between two individuals. The following chart is a consensus based on the 10 most frequently encountered coins commanding premium values in circulated condition (illustrations not actual size). The descriptive grades can be applied to other issues. Qualities described are based on the standards developed and adopted by the American Numismatic Association. MS-65 (uncirculated)—MS stands for…

Recently I was lucky to have some luck at the Coinstar machine at the Acme. One trip yielded a 1946 Mercury Dime and a second trip a 1919 Lincoln, both in good condition. Not bad for a simple stroll to the Coinstar machine. Name and address withheld I found my very first 2019 one cent in AU condition (at least). The coin I found was in a “Take-a-Penny-Give-a Penny” dish at a Dunkin Donuts in Berlin, Vermont. My first! It’s a start. Rod Trower Barre, Vt. This is the second time I’ve done this! A few months ago, I stopped by my local bank and cashed my paycheck (I always ask if they have any customer rolled coins). The bank manager that day said he saved a roll of dimes…

THE UNITED States Mint has been playing on the world stage for decades now, when it comes to gold and silver bullion coins that is. We were not the first nation to unveil any sort of bullion coin, made specifically as a means for individuals to own a precious metal. Collectors and investors generally agree that such a title belongs to the South African gold Krugerrand. But in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, when several other nations’ mints started producing not only gold but silver bullion coins, well, that’s when the U.S. also decided to dive in the water. All those bullion coins have certainly changed the face of the world market when it comes to trading precious metals. But our Mint has gone farther than this. So, it…

FOR NEARLY two decades, U.S. Coin Digest has provided a complete, comprehensive and easy-to-use, full-color guide to U.S. coins, striving to take the guesswork out of the myriad of questions surrounding how to identify and value U.S. currency. The recently released 2020 U.S. Coins Digest (Krause Publications. $19.99), with its hard cover, lay-flat design, once again offers effortless searches, expert coverage and vetted values, all to assist beginning as well as established collectors. The new edition features 2,000 color images and real-market coin values for all U.S. coin issues, as well as Colonial and Early American Coins and Tokens, Early and Modern Commemoratives, Bullion Coins, Private Gold Coins, Mint and Proof Sets and so much more. Recently editor Tracy Schmidt spent some time with Richard Giedroyc, who as U.S. coin…