Canadian small cents are great coins to collect because they represent a relatively affordable series yet still offer many challenges for even the most seasoned of coin hobbyists. While Canada introduced its one-cent coin in 1858, the denomination was originally struck as a so-called "large" cent, similar to the half-dollar-size U.S. large cents an...
Eisenhower dollar sets are popular among coin collectors who prize the last of the regularly circulating large-size dollar coins. Minted from 1971 through 1978, Eisenhower dollars measure 38.1 millimeters in diameter and are as wide as Morgan or Peace silver dollars. Relatively large, heavy coins, Eisenhower dollars didn't circulate well at a time ...
Silver Wartime nickels are popular coins among collectors who appreciate history and enjoy 20th-century United States coinage. The 35 percent silver five-cent coins are colloquially referred to as "Wartime nickels," though they contain no nickel at all. Nickel, which was temporarily removed from the five-cent coin during the period 1942 through 194...
Many coin hobbyists are collecting quarters, and it's no surprise – the quarter dollar is truly the workhorse of circulation. The first United States quarters were made in 1796 and have been struck ever since with very few interruptions in production. While coins like the one-cent piece, nickel, and dime play relatively smaller roles in day-to-day ...
Canadian Maple Leaf bullion coins have been popular on the international metals market since 1979, when the first Canadian gold bullion coins were released for sale. At that time, the only other major gold bullion coin on the market was the South Africa Krugerrand, though it was not widely available as many nations boycotted goods from the African...
Rare coin investing: no three words in numismatics make me shudder more than these when they are laced together. Countless people enter the world of coin collecting not because they enjoy the art and history behind coins, but because they want to earn a fast buck. It's not entirely the fault of these would-be investors that they believe earning mon...
Sales of 2015 American Silver Eagles, one of the world's most popular bullion coins, topped an all-time record. By the end of production for 2015, the United States Mint recorded a total of 47 million American Silver Eagles struck during the course of the year; the last 2015-dated American Silver Eagles were sold on December 15, 2015. In fact, the ...
Junk silver coins are what many coin collectors and bullion investors buy when silver prices start getting jumpy. This has been happening as of late with silver bullion values fluctuating between $13.85 and $15.50 per ounce, though historically this has occurred many times, during which coin buyers hoard pre-1965 90 percent silver coins when metals...
Gold and silver world bullion coins offer investors a multitude of options for investing in precious metals. While the beautiful silver and gold American Eagles are popular investment coins for bullion traders, it seems more and more people these days are looking beyond the tried-and-true United States bullion coins and are also indulging in coins ...
I've always been a fan of old Lincoln wheat pennies. These classic coins were struck at the United States Mint from 1909 through 1958 and are one of the most widely collected coins of all time. One of the first coins I ever placed into my collection was a 1941 Lincoln wheat cent that I found in pocket change back in 1992, and wheat pennies continu...
Have you heard the latest news from the United States Mint? The Department of the Treasury is temporarily halting its popular damaged coin buyback program after it received millions of dollars in fake coins from China. The federal coin exchange program, which has been in place since 1911, allows individuals to turn in bent, cracked, and partial coi...
If you're looking for silver coins in pocket change, you best keep your eyes peeled for wartime nickels. That's right – silver coins can still be found in circulation. It may seem curious to some who are reading this that the five-cent coin, widely referred to as a "nickel," provides the most lucrative opportunities for silver bugs. Let me explain...
Mexican Libertad bullion coins are at the top of many coin collectors' and investors' wish lists, and not just because these pieces are affordable additions to silver and gold portfolios, but also because they offer beautiful designs. Mexico's Libertad coin series began in 1981 as a 1-ounce 0.999 fine gold coin. In 1982, Mexico began issuing 1-oun...
It may be hard for some to believe, but Bicentennial coins – the special U.S. quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars made in 1975 and 1976 to honor the nation's 200th birthday – are turning 40 years old. Surely, the mid 1970s seem like a distant past in many ways, having gone the way of disco, leisure suits, and shag carpet. But for more season...
The U.S. Mint's 2015 holiday coin shopping catalog has arrived, just as the leaves start changing and pumpkins arrive on front porches. I always enjoy the yearly United States Mint holiday catalogs, and this year's offering is no different. The full-color, 28-page 2015 catalog is filled with some incredible offerings, including the annual mint and ...
I've been collecting Canadian silver dollars pretty much since I began my pursuits in coin collecting in the early 1990s. When I analyze why I enjoy collecting Canadian silver dollars, I usually come up with the same answer: they're large silver coins with a beautiful array of designs, most of them featuring scenes from the great outdoors. As a co...
Coin collectors who love classic American numismatic designs are excited for the new 2016 commemorative coins that will celebrate the 100th anniversaries of the Liberty Head (or "Mercury") dime, Standing Liberty quarter, and Walking Liberty half dollar. The three coins, which were first minted in 1916, were made for decades and are still among the ...
Barely halfway into October, it's safe to say that the United States Mint looks well on its way to smashing last year's record production of American silver eagles. In 2014, the U.S. Mint struck 44,006,000 American silver eagles; already, into just the first full week of October, the Mint has issued 37,129,500 silver eagles. If the distribution fig...
Coin shows provide a great venue for buying and selling coins, meeting other numismatists and coin professionals, and learning more about the pastime you love. Coin shows are usually held by coin clubs that range in size from a few dozen members to organizations as large as the American Numismatic Association, which presently boasts some 30,000 members.
Walking Liberty half dollars are widely considered one of the most beautiful silver coins the United States has ever produced. Designed by Adolph A. Weinman, they were struck from 1916 through 1947 and saw circulation for several years after the last was issue was made.
