There was a time in the Western U.S. when silver dollars were everywhere. And it still seems like anyone with even a modest coin collection has a couple of Morgan silver dollars. But why are silver dollars so abundant? It comes down to the perfect combination of fear, skullduggery and mountains of silver. In 1859, Patrick… Read more »

“In God We Trust.” Regardless of your religious beliefs, this motto is in your home and quite possibly in your pocket right now. These four words have appeared on U.S. money since 1864, when the motto was first engraved on the two-cent coin. But how and why was the phrase added?   Origins of the… Read more »

With a slight breeze riffling the water, twelve ships set sail from Havana. Eleven were bound for Spain, loaded with gold and silver. Among them were the flagship Capitana and Urca de Lima. The twelfth ship was the Griffon, a French merchant vessel that had been detained in port. Afraid that word would leak of… Read more »

It’s impossible to overstate how important money is to people all around the world. It buys food, clothing, shelter, entertainment and much, much more. But for rare coin and currency aficionados, money is sometimes used to buy rare money! One of the world’s largest stages for coins and currency is the American Numismatic Association World’s… Read more »

Coin enthusiasts far and wide appreciate the groundbreaking design of the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle. This Beaux-Arts wonder was meant to bring U.S. currency into the twentieth century, and its beauty remains unmatched. The story of the man behind the gold coin is equally impressive, though not as well known. Augustus Saint-Gaudens was born in Dublin,… Read more »