Monthly Archives: September 2013

Why the Carson City Mint Was Abandoned

Carson City is only one of seven cities in the past 200 years to be home to a United States Mint. Compared to metropolises such as Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver, Carson City, located in northern Nevada, seemed both tiny and in the middle of nowhere. But it had something that the other cities didn’t… Read more »

Fast Facts for Buying Bullion

The word “bullion” may conjure up images of pirates pillaging treasure chests or the military patrolling the golden bunkers of Fort Knox — but bullion isn’t just for the criminal class and the government. In fact, buying bullion is a great way to diversify your portfolio and (often) realize a great rate of return. How… Read more »

Why Serious Coin Collectors Won’t Miss The Long Beach Expo

If you want to see the treasures of the famed Ship of Gold, you’ll need to book your ticket for Southern California later this month. The 2013 Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Sports Collectibles Expo features a display of more than $10 million worth of gold that was recovered from the ship as well as… Read more »

A Hobo (Nickel) Story

The chisel slipped, injuring one of his hands. And the work of Bo Hughes, one of the best-known hobo nickel carvers, was never the same. The Great Depression largely defined the hobo nickel phenomenon. With millions of people out of work and without prospects in their hometowns, many joined the drifter community, hoping to find… Read more »

How To Mint A Trillion-Dollar Platinum Coin

So we know the proposed $1 trillion coin made of platinum was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Treasury. And no, the proposed coin was not going to contain $1 trillion worth of platinum, but let’s consider for a moment, what it would look like if it did… Thanks to a quirky… Read more »

How People Are Finding Buried Treasure

Haven’t we all seen that guy on the beach or in the park — with his socks pulled high and headphones on, swinging a funny contraption over the ground — and thought to ourselves, “that guy won’t find anything! What a waste of time!” Well, maybe we’ve got it wrong. On January 16th of this… Read more »

Is It Time to Scrap the Penny?

The story of the U.S. penny begins back in 1787 when the first pure copper half-cent was designed by Benjamin Franklin and manufactured in a private mint. Back then, you could buy a nice plate of eggs and bacon with a few cents, but today a penny doesn’t get you much at all. If you’re… Read more »

How Gold Buyers Determine What Your Gold Is Worth

Gold is hot these days. Prices are reaching all-time highs, which is why it is a great time to sell the gold jewelry, collectable gold coins or gold bullion you’ve accumulated over the years. If you’ve decided to sell your gold and want to get the most for it, you need to understand how the… Read more »

How To Make A Bundle Buying Bullion

The word “bullion” may conjure up images of pirates pillaging treasure chests or the military patrolling the golden bunkers of Fort Knox — but bullion isn’t just for the criminal class and the government. In fact, buying bullion is a great way to diversify your portfolio and (often) realize a great rate of return. How… Read more »

Theodore Roosevelt and the Renaissance of American Coinage

Back in December 1904, three years after he took office, Theodore Roosevelt sent a famous letter to Treasury Secretary Leslie Shaw that ushered in a new age of American coinage. Here’s what he said:  I think our coinage is artistically of atrocious hideousness. Would it be possible, without asking permission of Congress, to employ a… Read more »