ANA Coin Press Blog

To some, coins are merely a type of currency. But, to the collector, they are artistic masterpieces that can be held in the palm of one's hand. It is said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Of the thousands of coin designs to grace coins over the ages, here are five world coins that I consider particularly stunning.

Building a type set is a terrific way to explore numismatics. A type set includes single representative examples of many different coin designs, organized around a unifying theme. Comprehensive in scope but compact in size, type sets allow you to cover a lot of numismatic ground with an economy of effort. To illustrate this method of collecting and to.

My First Commemorative Coins

Collecting U.S. coins is a popular numismatic pursuit, but deciding exactly how to collect them is not necessarily an easy task. Our nation's rich history and the eclectic artistry of its coinage have inspired many different approaches to collecting, with each option having a distinctive appeal.

Hello! And welcome to the ANA’s new blog series, “Collecting Friends.” We decided to approach this much like a conversation between friends. One of us starts with a topic, then the other responds. Simple as that. Along those lines, we’ll keep the tone conversational as much as possible. We both write about coins professionally, and will keep our.

Join Doug Mudd and Mitch Sanders as they kick off Season 2 of the Two Bits Podcast with a discussion of the coin that started so many numismatists on their hobby journey: the Lincoln Cent. They explain the coin’s historical origins, the controversy and jealousy that accompanied its debut, and the coveted mistakes that are part of the series. Find out.

Dates on coinage are not always a reliable indication of age. Sometimes historical, political or religious context is needed.

The American monetary system has been evolving for more than two centuries, with some interesting twists and turns along the way. Did you know that in addition to the familiar cent and nickel, at one time or another five additional coins circulated with a value of five cents or less? Or that for a short time in the 19th century, Americans had the.

The best way to become a successful numismatist, as well as familiarize yourself with the culture surrounding the hobby, is to attend coin shows on a regular basis. This also is one of the best ways to purchase coins, tokens, medals and paper money. Some people prefer the anonymity of the Internet, but the prices can be higher there. Overall, you can’t.

There are plenty of collectibles out there to choose from, so why should you focus on coins?