Big Maple Leaf, it’s worth a lot

Mar 31, 2017 | Coin Collecting, Coins, Gold Coins

It’s Worth What? I am sure most of you have seen the story by now about the “Bit Maple Leaf” and how it was stolen from the Bode Museum in Berlin. If not summary = gold coin weighing 220+ lbs. stolen. Market value ~$4 Million. Shocking! However what I find the most...

Asking for help, and gaining knowledge

Mar 24, 2017 | ANA, Coins, US Coins

Knowledge ipsa scientia potestas est Know it all….In school when you were called that, it was not a good thing. I find it funny that later in life we sometimes feel we have to know the answers to all of the questions. No one knows all of the info all of the time for...

Hard Times & Civil War Tokens

Nov 14, 2016 | Exonumia

Hard Times & Civil War Tokens Hard Times During economic or political turmoil, coins sometimes are hoarded by the general population. Without circulating coinage, everyday commerce becomes difficult because there may be no money available for people to spend. When...

Coin Values

Nov 8, 2016 | Coin Collecting, Coins

Coin Values A lot of people ask me all the time what are coins worth, and if there is money in coins. I try not to giggle at the last one. But it is a reasonable question for those not in the field. Coins, you see, are money, we all know that, so they have a “worth”...

Exonumia: Its Not Just Stuff

Sep 20, 2016 | Exonumia

WHAT IS IT No, it’s not a wild new pet. Exonumia is numismatic items other than coins and paper money. It’s all the other “stuff,” tokens, medals, scrip (room to argue here), and the like.  They come from private businesses, governments, municipalities, and...

Guerrilla Currency

Aug 19, 2016 | Currency

Fun Fact: In the Philippines during WWII loyal civilian and military forces made emergency/guerilla currency. If the Japanese, who occupied the islands for a time, found you in possession of these notes, they most likely would torture or kill you. Background OK so...

Branch Mint Gold

Aug 9, 2016 | Coin Collecting, Coins, Gold Coins, Type Coins

Branch Mints Gold coins have been produced at many mints in the US (Carson City, Charlotte, Dahlonega, Denver, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and San Francisco), however, in the world of coin collection, the sites that have minted coins from local ore are just a few. Most...

Coin Expert?

Jul 26, 2016 | Coins

What makes you an expert? I get this question all the time; I also think about it a lot. I think a lot depends on who you are with, and what you are talking about. I can find a famous, well respected, US Coin guy who would not be an expert on ancient Chinese coins....

ANA & Copper Coins (2 of 2)

Jul 8, 2016 | ANA, Coin Collecting, Coins, US Coins

Early American Coppers (EAC), or copper coins, was another transition. More common than some of the pre-colonial, but ohh how hard they are to identify. With so many from ground finds, and being made of copper = challenge! We covered large cents and 1/2¢. Those half’s...

ANA & National Bank Notes (1 of 2)

Jul 8, 2016 | ANA, Currency, National Bank Notes

National Bank Notes So I am home and rested, or at least I am getting there. My second week out at ANA was a blast. I was going to write one post for my second week but have decided to split it into two. The second part will be about my class on coppers (link here)....