Coin Weblog

I’m fairly fascinated with US gold coins and their history, unfortunately for me it’s a fairly expensive hobby as well as being a fascinating one. I do persevere though as much as I can and try to get my hands on as many gold coins as my budget allows me to! Gold has been used in some form or other throughout the history of the world in many ways and in many forms. From simple gold nuggets to US gold coins to gold bars and even gold biscuits, gold has literally made the world go around.

At least that was the case for mass circulation up until very recently in the twentieth century. At which point I’m afraid that gold was taken out of the loop as a means of daily monies and replaced with other things such as copper, nickel and paper. And whereas with gold it was the intrinsic value that was taken into account when any trading was done, with paper money, it’s the promise of the value to be paid by the government that makes this particular world turn around.

It’s an interesting idea and one which bears further exploration, especially if you’re more into the numismatics side if things instead of solely into coin collecting. And yes, that was a mouthful of a word and I hope you’ll forgive me for throwing it around! However, it needed to be said, and if you don’t feel up to getting your mouth around it I suggest you leave it for now. Even now, after hearing the word spoken and having read and written about it, I still find it hard to get my tongue around it with any sort of dignity.

If I don’t give it due consideration before I speak – the word, not the actual practice of it – I find myself uttering a mouthful of utter gibberish and end up looking like a total dimwit. So take heart and don’t give up hope – if you do like the numismatic side then you have all the time in the world to learn to say it properly.

Unfortunately US gold coins were stopped being minted in 1933 during the depression era in an attempt to bring the US out of its slump. It was then made illegal for anyone to hold any gold bullion or US gold coins, and most gold coins were recalled and melted.

Luckily for the coin collector of today, there were a few hardy coins still surviving and most of these I have to say were probably lurking somewhere overseas. That leads us to where we are now with US gold coins – scarcity and rarity.

To better give you an example of what I’m talking about, a 1933 US Saint Gaudens Gold Eagle went for a whopping seven and a half million dollars. Don’t get your hopes up though, it doesn’t mean that your US gold coins will go for the same price or even a fraction of it.

What it does mean though is that some coins are still rarer than others and more in demand. US gold coins were minted until 1933 but even after the ban was lifted on gold bullion and gold coin ownership in the 1970′s no more US gold coins were minted that would go into circulation.

About the Author

Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years. For more information on US Gold Coins, visit his site at US Gold Coins

A very large and fun part of collecting coins is displaying them, and sharing this display with others to appropriately admire. The pleasure you get when you can proudly show off your collection to another person – be it another collector or not – is immense. There are many other reasons of course for displaying your coins properly, but I feel in this case at least observing the proper course of action need not be about the right thing to do of taking care of your coins.

For me at least, a very large part of collecting my coins is the ability to touch them and to see them proudly displayed. Unfortunately with the rarer and more expensive coins I can’t take them out to play and run them through my hands like water. But I can do that with some of my lesser sets and these I have to say I haven’t displayed as proudly as the others. Not for any other reason than because it’s easier to take them out of the tubes or the rolls than it is out the display albums or holders.

It’s also a great ego boost when other collectors will openly admire your work, and a properly displayed collection is the only way to get that little rush of pleasure. As with anything, you’ll find there are numerous variations on any one theme, and you can probably find just about anything to suit your tastes if you look hard enough. On my part these are the main ones that I use, and I hardly ever deviate to any of the newer varieties of display items available. Unless of course the verdicts are in and it’s found to be something that is simply amazing. And you don’t get too many of those!

The one thing that I want to mention here is to stay away from anything PVC. The catastrophes that could befall your collection are immense so stay away from anything PVC. I have to say that you should also stay away from papers that are going to react adversely with your coins. Some papers will produce an acidic compound that will eat right through to your coins and leave them in a very sorry state.

I will however reiterate that even after you have properly placed your coins for displaying, you should also look for a place to store your display cases. They shouldn’t be kept anywhere that’s going to become damp or humid, or where moisture can easily gather on the coins. You might want to think about investing in proper storage containers as well for your coins, but for my tastes that’s going further than I want to.

I put my coins in the display cases and then I place these in a place where I can be relatively certain they won’t gather any moisture, and which isn’t subject to humidity or dampness. For this timely storage place I found I owe my thanks to the advancement of technology. With the advent of the DVD into the world I was finally able to clear up some much needed space and lug my stash of videos to somewhere else.

And since I don’t need half as much space for my DVD collection as I did for my video collection, I can keep my storage boxes where I used to keep the videos! It’s all sorted out and in no time at all. Of course I wouldn’t recommend this course of action if you’ve got some really valuable coins in your collection. In which case, you might want to think about safety deposit boxes or something along those lines.

About the Author

Muna wa Wanjiru is a web administrator and has been researching and reporting on internet marketing for years. For more information on Coins, visit his site at Coins

The thrill of this way of diversified investing is that you are actually investing using one of the oldest ways in the world-gold and silver coins. The thing is that gold for certain is one of the stablest mediums in the world. Imagine that you and Croesus the king of Lydia who lived from 595 BC and died 546 BC actually share something, a desire to store wealth through acquiring gold coins. Actually I will be talking more about coins then bullion but it is equally as financially stable to collect but doesn’t have the numismatic value of coins. So what we are looking at is an investment in a product that you can hold in your hand, has stable value and can be a hedge against severe market or especially economic downturns. Cool huh? Can you imagine getting the same thrill from a beautiful and expensive gold piece and then hold a notice of the purchase of stock. Although ones value may at that moment be more valuable than the other-for sheer awe nothing beats the feel of a gold coin. Speaking of awe at the sight of a gold coin,, my wife and I visited Charlestown, SC last month and were privileged to visit the restoration of the CSS Hunley. For those who don’t know, the CSS Hunley was the first recorded combat submarine that actually sunk a wooden hulled ship off Charleston Harbor during the war between the states. One of the recovered artifacts was a gold $20.00 piece that the owner had had at the battle of Shiloh. He had been shot in the hip the bullet hitting the coin in his pocket. The coin saved his life but was bent. The owner had a jeweler write on the coin the date and circumstances of the battle that stated that the coin saved his life.. We saw this coin 143 years later just as shiny as new but with the marks from the bullet. What do you think that a coin like that was worth? Priceless? It certainly was then to its owner . Or could you even place a price on it?

Now for anyone to find the idea of gold coin collecting as a means of diversified investing , archaic and very old fashioned let me further relate events that occurred in the 1980s, not so long ago. During the four years of President Carter one of the favorite hedges to inflation and the general instability of the economy at that time was gold coins. The coins most easily available in large lots was the Krugerrand from South Africa. I am sure that you are aware that during the height of the inflation that occurred in the Carter years, the severe rationing of gas from OPEC during that time and the economic downturn, the choice of the Smart Money Crowd was Krugerrands. They were easily available of high quality (.917 purity) and the government permitted their purchase.All though the American Government did not allow private ownership of what was termed “bullion” but did allow ownership of foreign coins this soon became an all-time favorite of many professional men and women.. The Krugerrand was first minted in about 1967 and soon fulfilled the need for a stable and easily portable one ounce coin with a purity factor of .917. Its sort of amusing to me that Paul Kruger’s likeness was on a coin which was probably made from the gold discovered at Witwatersrand in South Africa and for which he once said that the discovery ” will cause our land to be soaked in blood.” How right he was. But gold has always had that reputation. A careful check of the spot market for gold on the day this article was written shows that the bid was $662.83 and the ask was $665.63. To give you some thoughts about the stability and usefulness as a hedge against economic fears-this comment came from a precious metal trader in Europe, “if we can get above the resistance to an increase in gold prices from 667.00 it should easily run up to the $700.00s in price.” And a comment from a bank in Europe suggested that recently precious metals fell somewhat due to the quarter-end squaring by funds (that invest heavily in metals) after the metals failed to break above the resistance levels. Further the situation surrounding the incident of the seizures of the British Navy personnel by Iran continued to fuel safe-haven interests and supply concerns for crude oil should the situation escalate.” For what it is worth most analysts are bullish on the near-term effects of the bid and ask prices of gold and take the longer view that gold remains the place for the safe-haven of money during troubled times. And I might add a worthy asset to your diversified investment portfolio.

Check back if you will to this website because I am going to continue to read and write about gold, silver, platinum and palladium as havens for safe money during troubled times. A final thought or two. Ask any family in Europe whose grandparents had to flee from invading armies what is the one thing that always has worth and I suspect they would say, gold. Paper money is easily de-valuated and debased by printing without pause but gold?

About the Author

Jim Cone is a retired RN and Hospital Administrator and has an interest in investing basics. You can visit him at http://www.diversified-investor.com

Whether you’re an experience coin collector or you are just starting you already know that there is nothing more exciting than finding an extremely valuable coin to add to your collection. Of course if you are just starting you may not be aware that there are different values to be found in coins. That’s why there are some guidelines to determine the value of a coin. Following these guidelines will help you evaluate the coin collecting value of your coins or collection.

Of course each type of coins is different so it is only normal that they have different value. The first thing to do would be to have an expert evaluating your coin collecting value. I would even go further by having multiple expert conducting coin appraisals on your collection. The expert or coin dealers have the knowledge to help you find you coin collecting value. The value of your coin should be approximately what you expect to pay when you sell your collection.

Before seeing any expert you might want to gather information about the various coins that can be added to your collection. There are many places to gather such information, for starter there is always the internet which is very rich in information, just make sure you are reading from a reliable source. There is also the reference section in your local library that should contain quality information about coin collecting value and the coin grading process.

As I said the internet is probably the biggest library of all to gather quality information on the subject. You can even buy some eBooks that explain in detail the process of coin grading and coin collecting value. The most important part however is to fully assimilate this knowledge so that you can understand the technical information you will be given by most of the experts who will conduct coin appraisals on your collection. You may even get lucky and find an expert who is more than willing to share is knowledge with you to further you education on the various coin collecting value grades and prices.

Most of the exert are more than willing to share their knowledge and expertise just make sure you listen and don’t be afraid to ask as mush questions as you can. An important point you need to be aware of in the world of coin collecting is that the value of your coins is always changing. So the nest time you come across a book or an article that can help you understand further the process of coin grading and evaluating your coin collecting value don’t hesitate to read it and learn more.

At the end of the day learning everything you can about the coin collecting value of different coins will help you understand and most of all determine what is considered a valuable coin. There are many places like coin shops you can find to buy coins or just examine them to improve your coin grading skills. By mastering the art of coin grading you will soon enjoy this hobby even more.
About the Author

Frederic Madore is the owner of the Coin-collecting-tips.com website. If you liked our article about Coin Collecting Value, visit our website for more quality articles related to the passionate world of coin collecting.

Struck from 1916 to 1945, Mercury Dimes rank among America’s most beautiful coins. Created by Adolph A. Weinman, the design features Ms. Liberty wearing a winged cap. They are also highly coveted by collectors. For example, the 1916-D Mercury Dime in Very Good condition sells for over $1,250. Now you can acquire your own treasure trove of classic Mercury Dimes for as little as $2.50 apiece— the most affordable vintage U.S. silver coins of this era!
 
 
Long-Lost Silver Saved From Destruction 

Hundreds of millions of silver coins were officially melted down by the government decades ago. Today, our coins are struck not with silver, but with copper, nickel and zinc. Many people have never even seen a real 90% silver Mercury Dime, let alone hold one in their hands. That’s why these surviving American silver treasures from our nation’s past are becoming more sought-after with each passing day.
 
 
 
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When you get bit by the coin collecting bug you may find yourself spending many of your waking hours on your coin collection. You have a lot of time and money invested in this hobby of yours so you need to be as careful as you can with your collection. You need to make sure you do not hurt the value of your coins by mishandling them in any way. Make sure you do not expose your coins to the elements or store them improperly. Be careful when handling your coin collection and only clean your coins if you know what you are doing. This article will look at some of the things you can do to ensure your coins value does not go down.

The place you decide to keep your coin collection will have a major effect on their condition. The temperate and humidity need to be as close to normal as possible. Storing your coin collection in a cold garage or basement or a hot attic is not going to help keep your coins in good shape. Dry conditions should always be a priority. Wet coins may oxidize. Keep your coins in the proper atmosphere and keep them in the proper holders. Your coin collection should stay in good shape for years to come under these proper conditions.

Make sure your coins are stored in proper storage containers. Although the choices for storage are many chose something that will give your coin collection safe storage for the long haul. Choose something sturdy and strong as the place you store your coins. Keeping your coins safely tucked away in your coin storage choice helps with another problem faced by the coin collector, handling your coins.

Constantly getting your coin collection out of the storage device is hard on your coins. Your hands contain oil, and it is all too easy to accidentally scratch that prized coin with your fingernail. Excessive handling of your coin collection could cause the coins to discolor or show excess wear. You have worked hard to acquire all of those great finds so try your best to keep them in the same shape they were when you got them.

Do not try to clean your coin collection if you do not have the knowledge to do so. Many a coin has been ruined by improper cleaning methods. Always seek out an expert before you do any coin cleaning.

Keep your coin collection in good shape and it will reward you when the time comes to sell off your collection. It sometimes can be hard work to find that perfect coin so do your best to keep it in great shape.

About the Author

For more information on how to value coins using a coin value guide visit http://www.find-coins.com where will find useful tips, articles and resources to help you find old coins.