ANA Coin Press Blog

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?

Coins are mass-produced, everyday objects, and they wouldn’t exist without their economic function. But coins are also miniature works of art. And, like all works of art, they arise from the vision of their creators and are implemented by the technology of their times.

Numismatics. It's a world in which collectors will pay millions of dollars for a single nickel or silver dollar. It may not always make much sense to those "outside our world," but hobbyists understand that these small pieces of metal are actually pieces of history that we can hold in our hands. And who knows the identities of those that held them.

The Christmas Truce As Christmas 1914 approached, it was becoming clear to many soldiers that the war was not going to end soon. Front line troops were increasingly disillusioned with the horror and pointlessness of the fighting and were homesick — they had been promised a short war. American newspapers, taking a neutral stance, suggested that the.

Coin collecting is popular for many reasons: they are fascinating pieces of history that can be held in one's hand; real-life treasures to be sought after and found; tokens of memories and good times past; potential financial investments and more. Unfortunately, there are occasional pitfalls, simple mistakes and scams collectors might fall prey to. To.