The United States started striking large cent pennies in 1793. They were all produced in Philadelphia and were required by law to weigh exactly double that of the half cents, which made the weight come to 13.48 grams. The first coins minted were called a “Flowing Hair Chain Reverse” and saw very short production run…. Read more »
Portland, Oregon is well known to the rest of the country for its progressive, forward-thinking style. The city is rich in culture, abundant with examples of its pioneer history through old world architecture and the use of natural resources. Prior to the 1840’s, Portland was nothing more than a small portion of land along… Read more »
This blog will start a continuing series starting with the United States earliest coins in the smallest denominations available working up to todays’ modern coins. In 1793, a Half Cent was issued. To identify it modern coin collectors say it is a “Liberty Cap, Head Facing Left” half penny. It was only made for one… Read more »
Do you have a passion for history, art, politics and people? Then you might want to explore coin collecting. Numismatics has all this and more, but the first steps are sometimes intimidating to novice collectors. So here are some tips to jump-start your passion for coin collecting. Begin by choosing a series of modern coins… Read more »
Coins come in all shapes and sizes, but only a few break world records. Which coin is the biggest? Which is the most valuable? From the United States to Nepal, and from Australia to Uzbekistan, here is our list of world-record-breaking coins. Smallest Coin Some numismatists in India claim that the half vellichakram… Read more »
In 1926, Governor Charles Sale of the Hudson’s Bay Company purchased 1,000 recently issued Fort Vancouver half-dollar commemorative coins. The coins were later moved for safekeeping to the Provincial Archives Building in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In 1982, a janitor working there came down with a case of sticky fingers. But he had no idea how… Read more »
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 »
