“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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
The time has come, and we could not be more excited. The American Numismatic Association’s National Money Show is here in Portland! Liberty Coin & Currency will be at the show as both a dealer and sponsor. Last week, we told you about all of the must-see items and events at the show. Now, we… Read more »
