Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i COINage

One of my favorite coins has always been the Morgan silver dollar, minted by the U.S. from 1878 to 1904 – and then, after a hiatus, in 1921. It is a precious metal store of value, with each coin’s original content being nearly an ounce of silver (0.7734 oz. silver). The silver content alone makes the Morgan a sterling hold, but this coin is a double play: Not only is it made from precious metal, but it also contains valuable numismatic history. From Anna Willess Williams, who modeled for George Morgan’s portrait of Ms. Liberty, to the dissention between Morgan and fellow engraver Charles Barber, this grand coin is the quintessential collectible. Some years back, I learned firsthand what the drawbacks are for someone such as me who has an…

In the Olympics, winning a silver medal usually means coming in second behind the first-place gold medal winner. In the world of insurance, a silver plan probably covers the doctor and prescriptions you want but comes with a big, four-figure deductible to boot. But in the numismatic world, silver doesn’t play second fiddle to gold – or anything else. Silver coinage is among the most popular in virtually every segment of the marketplace, from collectors who seek budget-friendly modern coins to advanced specialists pursuing early American type coins. One of the most popular United States coins of all time is the Morgan dollar, the iconic 90% silver Liberty head coin designed by George T. Morgan and produced from 1878 through 1921. And the coin vaunted as one of America’s most…

There really isn’t a coin show “season.” No, coin shows run year-round, but many see January – during which the FUN Show and Long Beach Expo occur – as the kickoff to the numismatic year, as well as the calendar year. With coin show season under way, it’s a perfect time to offer a few tips that will make your experience even more enjoyable as you plan your show schedule for the year. 01 ESTABLISH A BUDGET. Unless you have unlimited funds, you may regret coming home from the coin show with a case full of coins you didn’t budget for. If this is your first coin show, you’ll learn just how easy it is to spend money. Set your budget 10 percent below what you can afford. If…

[SARASOTA, FLORIDA] Collectibles Authentication Guaranty (CAG) recently launched the CAG Artifact Registry, a searchable online gallery of CAG-certified collectibles. It can be viewed at CAGcertified.com/Registry . The first collection to be featured is the Armstrong Family Collection, consisting of thousands of artifacts saved by astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, and his immediate family. The Armstrong Family Collection was the first to be entirely certified by CAG. The first auction of nearly 1,000 items realized more than $5.2 million. Initially included in the launch of the CAG Artifact Registry are 956 items from the Armstrong Family Collection. More will be added in the coming months. The items are displayed with descriptions and high-resolution images. Special search options allow users to filter to items that were…

To my mother’s generation, “the good silver” meant the fancy knives and forks and spoons that she got as a wedding present in 1941 that we only got out at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, even if I knew that it was only silver plate that needed to be polished by us kids before each said dinner. To my father’s generation, “Silver” was the Lone Ranger’s horse on the radio broadcasts. In metallurgy, silver is a semi-precious metal prized for its luster and ductility. It made great jewelry but lousy tools, which is why we had an “Iron Age” and a “Bronze Age” but never a “Silver Age.” Nevertheless, its world-wide desirability eventually caused it to be melted and poured into lumps of approximately the same size and weight, stamped with…

When the first settlers from Britain came to what is now the United States, there was little in the way of coined money to use in the marketplace. Barter was the order of the day, and crops, such as tobacco in Virginia, were often used to pay taxes. By 1652, this lack of a circulating coinage had become serious enough that Massachusetts began minting its own silver coins, suitably debased from the legal English standard. This reduced weight kept the silver at home and provided a measure of relief for hard-pressed merchants. In 1684, however, the coinage was halted when the London government refused to tolerate it any longer. During the early 1700s, a continuing shortage of gold and silver forced Colonial governments to issue paper money in ever-increasing amounts,…