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 »
Most people don’t think twice about tossing their spare change into a donation jar. But every once in a while, a truly remarkable coin finds its way into the pool of hundreds of other coins donated. At the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, England, volunteer Becky Jennings was tasked with sorting through coins that had… Read more »
Every 4th of July we celebrate the day we declared our independence from England in 1776. But there was also a mysterious coin that was issued the same year. While most experts don’t know much about the coin’s production, one thing is certain: Benjamin Franklin designed it. Franklin’s design for the Continental Dollar was emblematic… Read more »
In the fall of 1860, disaster struck the S.S. Connaught on its second voyage. On the last leg of its route from Galway, Ireland, to Boston, Massachusetts, the ship started taking on water. The crew managed to stop the leak just as a fire broke out. As the fire raged, the crewmembers struggled to lower… Read more »
Centuries ago someone in what is now Poland amassed quite a collection of silver coins. For some unknown reason, the owner of this massive hoard of silver coins decided to hide them in two pots deep in the forest. Whoever hid the coins did an exceptional job, because no one found them — until now…. Read more »
In November of 1942, the SS City Cargo sailed from Bombay, India, for the United Kingdom. Aboard the ship were soldiers and supplies for the English war effort. Among the cargo was a chest full of silver coins worth $50 million today. But the ship never made it to its destination. A torpedo launched from… Read more »
Earth Day is coming and one fun way to bring awareness to environmental issues is by collecting the World Wildlife Fund’s silver medal set. Issued by the Royal Mint in honor of the WWF’s 50th anniversary in 2011, this set features six animals the organization protects. A famous quote from the WWF founder is broken… Read more »
Easter is a magical time of year, bringing to mind chicks, bunnies, and of course, Easter eggs. The Easter eggs that gold collectors drool over are the coveted Fabergé Eggs from Russia. For those of us who can’t get our hands on an authentic Fabergé Egg, there is a close second. Fabergé Egg coins depict… Read more »
Few hobbies are as exciting as spelunking, exploring sometimes-untouched caves, delving as deep as courage allows. And occasionally these explorers find more than adventure below the earth. For example, some spelunkers recently made the discovery of a lifetime. Reuven Zakai, his adult son Hen Zakai and their friend Lior Zhalony are experienced spelunkers. In fact,… Read more »
This time of year, everybody is Irish! But what’s that really mean? While many of us picture Ireland with quaint pubs, ornate chapels, and busy cobblestone streets, the most idyllic scenes in Ireland are found in the countryside. It’s there you’ll find Irish wolfhounds trotting alongside horse-drawn carriages, cows grazing in a field, birds flying,… Read more »
