Recent Coins Articles

In the early 1960s, the U.S. faced a dwindling supply of silver that threatened to elevate the demand of coins such as the dime and quarter—coins that at the time contained actual silver—beyond their face value. The Coinage Act of 1965 aimed to address this shortage. This silver shortage spurred people to hoard significant amounts…

You can say that National Coin Week 2019 is out of this world. That’s because this year’s National Coin Week theme is “Discover the Past, Envision the Future.” And space exploration is especially relevant, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. If this is your first National Coin Week,…

You can find many beautiful coins, but only a select few take your breath away. The Ultra High Relief Double Eagle Gold Coin is one of them, but what makes this coin so special? Learn the history behind high relief coins and find out how they can benefit your portfolio. Defining High Relief & Ultra…

Gold is gold is gold. Or is it? The potential of your precious metals portfolio could be significantly impacted by the purity of the gold coins within it—and yes, gold purity can vary. Learn the key differences between 18k, 22k, and 24k gold coins so you can choose the best product for your needs. Karat…

Everyone loves a compelling match-up. Coke vs. Pepsi. McDonald’s vs. Burger King. Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor. The list goes on. That phenomenon extends to gold coins. Numismatists and novice precious metal buyers want to know, for example, how the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf stacks up against the South African Krugerrand. We’ll find out…

Maybe it's time we expand the traditional holiday colors of red and green… to gold and silver! Here’s why: unlike many holiday gifts being exchanged this year, giving gold and silver coins as gifts will leave a lifelong impression upon the recipient. For the art and history buff: A Gold American Buffalo Coin America’s frontier…

How can two 1 oz. gold coins have two different prices? It's a curious thing! Both coins are just 1 oz. of gold, right? There's more to it than that. Many factors go into the price of a gold coin. Even though gold coins may look relatively the same, appearances aren't everything. Follow along as…

PCGS stands for Professional Coin Grading Service, one of the most respected names in third-party coin certification. Such a distinction means that a PCGS coin label is more than a piece of paper. It's a guarantee of authenticity, quality, condition, and even satisfaction. If you're not sure why or how PCGS coins could benefit your…

What's the difference between the terms mint state and proof? A big one! One term refers to a coin's graded condition and the other most often refers to a coin's method of manufacture. When comparing prices for mint vs. proof coins, you want to make sure you fully understand what you're buying. Each coin is…

Leonardo da Vinci. Rembrandt. Picasso. Adolph A. Weinman? Early twentieth-century sculptor Adolph A. Weinman may not be a household name in America, but he should be. His creations can be seen across the country, from New York City to Detroit, and his legacy lives on with every Silver Eagle Coin that's minted. Meet the man…

Ever wonder where your gold and silver coins begin their lives? How about your pocket change? America has official, coin-producing minting facilities from east to west, north to south. These facilities are some of the most popular and trusted coin minting facilities in the world. In order of date established, the mints are located in…

Burnished. Is it a coin type? Classification? Grade? To "burnish" something means to make it shiny or lustrous, especially by rubbing. In the world of numismatics—the study of coins and currency—a burnished coin is more than a polished piece of gold or silver. The basics: What is a burnished coin? The burnishing process was first…