15 Jul 2021

Diverse Denominations

In the modern era, Americans have become accustomed to a monetary system with only four circulating coins. But the familiar penny, nickel, dime, and quarter actually represent a historic low in denominational diversity.

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23 Jun 2021

American Classics: The 1804 Dollar & 1913 Liberty Head Nickel

1804 Dollar: The King of U.S. Coins The 1804 dollar is among the most coveted of all U.S. rare coins, with only 15 known examples. Strangely enough, no dollars dated 1804 were actually struck in that year. The United States Mint only struck dollars dated 1803 in 1804; there was a silver shortage and the expense of creating a new die was saved (regular.

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17 Mar 2021

North American Numismatics

More than just geographic neighbors, the three major nations of North America have shared numerous historical and contemporary experiences – including in the realm of numismatics.

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28 Feb 2021

Mintmarks on United States Coins

Originally published in The Numismatist, November 2003

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29 Jan 2021

Pros and Cons of Collecting US Coins

When you’re first getting into coins, figuring out what you want to collect can be a daunting prospect. Most of us have a starter set that got us interested, commonly wheat pennies or buffalo nickels. But the question is, where do you go next?

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30 Oct 2020

The Myth of the Continental Dollar: Part Two

Originally published in The Numismatist, July 2018

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16 Oct 2020

The Myth of the Continental Dollar: Part One

Originally published in The Numismatist, January 2018

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14 Jul 2020

A More Accurate History of the 1792 Half Disme

A tale of three sources, two strikes and one president.

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03 Jul 2020

American Icons

It happened so gradually that it may not be immediately noticeable, but today’s American coin designs are symbolically quite different from their predecessors. It used to be a good bet that a circulating coin would have a portrayal of Liberty on the obverse, and a rendering of an eagle on the reverse. But these days, allegories of Liberty and images of.

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08 Jun 2020

On the Verge of Change: 1848-55

Originally published in The Numismatist, April 2013

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