Posts filed under 'Coin Blog'
The American Gold Eagle Coin was initially released back in 1986 by the US Mint and is its official gold bullion coin. Today if a person wishes to purchase such a coin they have a choice of a number of different weights (denominations) that it comes in and these are as follows:-
1. Tenth of an Ounce 2. Quarter of an Ounce 3. Half of an Ounce 4. One Ounce
Every single coin that is produced no matter which denomination it is is guaranteed to be made from pure gold and must by law come from sources within the USA. But as well as containing the gold the coins will also have an alloy of silver and copper which makes them more resistant to wear. At all times the Gold Eagle coins that are produced are not only backed by the United States Mint in relation to how much they weigh and what they contain, but original ones will need to have been authorized for production by Congress.
As for the actual market value of each coin that has been produced this will be dependent on the quantity of gold contained within them. In January of 2006 the value of the various different coins a person could purchase were as follows:-
Face Value Market Value $5.00 $75.00 $10.00 $150.00 $25.00 $300.00 $50.00 $600.00
But the price that these coins will actually sell at will generally depend on what the spot price of gold is at the time the person chooses to sell theirs. So in recent months you may find that the price you could be offered for your American Gold Eagle Coin is somewhat less than the figures we have mentioned above.
As for the coins design on the main (obverse) side of the coin you will find a full length rendition of the Lady Liberty including her flowing hair whilst holding a lit torch in one hand (right) and an olive branch in the other (left). Also to the left of the Lady Liberty you can see the Capital building in the background. Whilst on the other (reverse) side of the coin is a male eagle that is carrying an olive branch as he flies over the nest which contains a female with her young. The observe find of the coin was designed by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and the reverse side was designed by Miley Busiek.
However although the official American Gold Eagle Coin was introduced and released in 1986 a $10 one which dates back to 1804 and called the Eagle Coin was sold to a private collector for $5 million. This particular coin was actually made for the president of the USA at the time Andrew Jackson as a diplomatic gift, but can not really be classified as an American Gold Eagle Coin.
About the Author
P Abbey owns and operates http://www.goldcoinfacts.com/americangoldeaglecoin.html American Gold Eagle Coin
October 28th, 2007
Coin collecting is one hobby that is both fun and challenging. To help those who are looking for those rare coins, here is a list of hard to find ones that are worth moving “heaven and earth” for.
Gold coins are something of a rare commodity. They were circulated only until 1933, which makes them expensive when they are auctioned. The nice thing about gold is that its value probably will never go down – making it a good investment.
Another rare coin sought by collectors is the Liberty Seated Dollar. These were last produced some time in the 19th century and are considered to be a rare find.
From 1875 to 1878, twenty cent coins were minted. This coin looks very much like a quarter and since its value is very low today, it is a coin worth looking for.
The Barber half dollars are rare coins that were minted from 1892 until 1915 and are collected by people depending on date or type. One of the challenges that occurs when searching for this coin is finding one in good condition.
The 1917 type One Standing Liberty Quarter is another coin worth owning. It was only minted for 2 years and shows the exposed breast of Ms. Liberty. This design created such an uproar that it had to be replaced and was only circulated for a year.
Mercury dimes were produced periodically during the 20th century. The market value of them is $50 a piece.
The Walking Liberty Half Dollar is a beautiful coin for collectors. They were only circulated for 4 years and are considered to be one of the all time rare coins to ever exist.
The Texas Commemorative Half Dollar is another rare coin. Only 150,000 of these were minted over a 4 year period and just 60% to 80% of these are still available today making it one of the hardest coins to find today…
The most expensive coin is the $20 Saint Gaudens. This was sold in an auction for nearly $8 million. The design is truly superb and the value of it has never dropped even during the 1980-82 bear market.
Rare coins are truly a challenge for anyone who seeks to make this a mission in life. Not only are they hard to find but it they are expensive to acquire. Should a person have the funds available to purchase them then this adventure is truly something worth finishing.
About the Author
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October 22nd, 2007
America’s popular Buffalo Nickel has stood the test of time since it was first released in 1913. Renowned for its “Wild West” artistry and bold designs, the Buffalo Nickel captures America’s spirit of adventure. That’s why this classic coin — last minted nearly 70 years ago — has been a favorite for generations.
You can order them at this online store.
September 25th, 2007
Coin collecting has been the hobby of many people for many years. If you refer to history, the first coin collectors were kings and emperors of different kingdoms all over the world. Some of the first known coin collectors are the Roman Emperors and King Farouk of Egypt.
Nowadays, instead of simply collecting coins, modern coin collectors collect coins according to a theme. Some of these themes are:
1) Country Collection 2) Year Collection 3) Error Collection 4) Subject Collection 5) Type Collection 6) Composition Collection 7) Period Collection
Country Collection
Country collection is one of the favorite coin collecting themes. Coin collectors who collect coins from different countries do their best to get their hands on current or past coins from as many countries as possible. This type of coin collecting would most likely be never ending since many countries keep on changing their currencies.
Year Collection
Year collections focus more on a specific coin and denomination. Under year collection theme, a coin collector will collect his coins by year. For example, an enthusiastic collector of the Lincoln cent may collect all Lincoln coins from the date it was first created in 1909 up to the present.
The challenge in year collection is to complete the collection in terms of year. Once a collector has completed the set of Lincoln cents, he will move on to another type of coin and start over again. Many enthusiastic coin collectors who collect coins by year will be able to complete several sets of coins during their lifetime.
Error Collection
Error collections are coin collections that are more focused on coins with mistakes on them. The mistakes on these coins may be either be very obvious or not at all. Older coins will usually have more mistakes because coins were minted by hand before the 19th century.
Common errors are found on coins are double dies, overdates, double strikes, repunched mint marks, off metal coins, displace coins and clipped coins.
Another very interesting error is mule. These coins are very interesting because each side of the coin has a different denomination. Coin collectors usually desire coins with errors because they are very unusual. These kind of coins can seldom be found them nowadays as minting has become fully automated.
Subject Collection
Subject collections are the collections where collectors collect coins which have a specific subject like a ship or animals marked on the coin. To expand the subject collection, the collector would have to do a lot of research to find out which countries have coins with the subject of his collection.
Type Collection
Sometimes coin collectors collect coins which are designed in a particular way. For instance, a coin collector may collect certain coins which have a hole in the center. There are some countries which create coins with a hole in the center. This collector will collect coins from different countries but with holes in the center.
Composition Collection
Even the coin composition can be a coin collection theme. Some coins are created with a combination of 2 or more metals. There are international coins which are composed of different kinds of metals. Some countries make their coins bimetal and some may use more than two combinations of metal for their coins.
Period Collection
Period collections are collections based on the period from which the coins were created. Some collections consist of coins from the Victorian era. Other collectors may go as far down history as the Byzantine or Greek period for their collections. There are several periods which can be the bases for period collection.
Initially, coin collectors might have started collecting coins because of having extra coins after a holiday trip overseas or because they like the design of a certain coin. As the collectors’ interest increase, so will his appetite for more variety or more specific coins.
Although there are different kinds of coin collecting themes, most coin collectors are generalists and they simply prefer to have a little bit of everything.
In reality, coin collecting preference is all up to the collector and does not have to depend on a certain theme. Whatever a collector fancies in a coin can be the basis for the collection.
Many collectors strive to surpass each other by procuring the most sought after coins available. Coin collecting has now become a sort of competition for the collectors. Most collectors wish to outwit and outshine others with their collection of coins. However, there are also coin collectors who are just proud of having a unique set of coins not found in any other collector’s collection.
About the Author
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. Visit rare coin values to learn more about famous coin collections such as disney coin.
September 12th, 2007
China’s Booming Economy Adds To The Scarcity of These Sets
Sales of these Series I sets in China exceeded all expectations due to the explosion of middle class consumers and the ever growing Chinese economy. Recent changes, which lifted 50 years of Chinese law forbidding citizens from owning gold coins, helped to fuel sales of the Series I Sets. By September 2006, the entire allocation for China was sold out. Due to this unforeseen demand, the United States allocation had to be cut by a hefty 30%!
The Keys to the Series
With just 1,750 Gold and Silver sets available at the start, there is every likelihood that anyone waiting until the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games to order their set will be left in the dust. By the time the games begin, it may be all but impossible to buy the Series I set at the original issue price. And, this is an incredible commemorative coin set!
Each complete set consists of two Gold Proof coins and four Silver Proofs, six in total. The two Gold coins are minted in pure .9999 Fine Gold, each with a flawless Gem Proof finish. Their stunning designs are captured in frosted, cameo relief against shimmering mirror fields. The four pure .999 Fine Silver Proofs have the added distinction of being highlighted with dramatic accents of color. Elegantly presented in a sleek blonde hardwood Presentation Case embossed with the official seal of the Beijing Olympics, each set will be accompanied by the government Certificate of Authenticity.
You can buy it on this site.
August 15th, 2007
Gold coin collecting can be an exciting hobby to take up. After all, who doesn’t enjoy the lure of a shiny gold coin? Maybe you’ve watched movies where villains hunted down valuable Krugerrands, you could have a part of that too, only in your case, buying and selling old rare coins isn’t an illegal activity! Still, it is a hobby with a unique and thrilling flare.
Some of the old rare coins are the most valuable, but most legitimate rare coin dealers warn openly that dealing in the gold collection is more of a neutral investment for your money.
Don’t expect to land huge bargains or get great return on your Sovereigns or Brittanias. Dealers note that the market for gold has stabilized and won’t provide rich profits, but they also point out that gold remains a reliable commodity.
Gold coin collecting can be made even more exciting when the words “unken treasure” appear. Common tales of pirate gold and sunken ships stir up all sorts of thoughts of riches and instant wealth for people, and some people know very well that sunken treasure and gold coin collecting can be an attractive lure.
It’s quite true that sunken treasure does exist, and rare coin dealers or collectors are always excited when treasure coins are dragged upwards from ocean depths. That doesn’t mean that every dealer claiming to have coins procured from sunken treasure has something you should invest in.
Banks are a great place to get additions for your gold collection hobby. For old rare coins, however, rare coin dealers are possibly your best option. Be careful, though. Some of the dealers also specialize in scamming customers.
While the overwhelming majority of them are honest and reputable, a handful of the dealers will give the entire industry a bad name. Be sure to do a good amount of research on the dealer you plan to use before purchasing any old rare coins.
Always look for dealers that subscribe to the Professional Numismatists Guild (commonly known as PNG) for your gold coin collecting. There are thousands of dealers all over the internet (and especially auction sites such as eBay), but these dealers do not always maintain the recognized code of ethics of the PNG.
The PNG requires many specific things for dealers to be members, making guild members a good choice to do business with. For buyers’ convenience, the PNG has a dealer directory to ensure honest business.
There is a wealth of information on the internet for gold coin collecting, sunken treasures, the commodity of gold, and rare coin dealers. If you’re planning to delve into the hobby of the gold collection, be sure to do your homework and research to know what you’re getting into.
Start small, don’t get too excited, and always be careful in what you’re investing your money into. Deal with reputable dealers or individuals that subscribe to the PNG, and avoid bargain offers that seem too good to be true or ones hyped up with tempting tales of pirate ship gold.
About the Author
Mike Selvon has a passion for coin collecting, and his portal has the best information on gold coin collecting. Visit his portal for your free gift and leave a comment at his coin collecting blog.
August 2nd, 2007
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