Has the United States ever identified a moneyer on our coins?
The identity of the moneyer or mintmaster on a coin dates from the time of the ancient Greek city-states; however, the United States has never marked our coinage with some indication of who was responsible for the finished product.
Why would a coin be graded Proof-55? I thought proofs were graded between Proof-60 and Proof-70.
Any proof coin certified by a third-party service to be in less than Proof-60 “condition” has problems, likely from having been mishandled
Category Archives: richard giedroyc
End of World War Two Coin Sales
The current state of the collectible coins market can be summed up by the Nov. 5 U.S
2000 Cheerios Lincoln Cent
The Sacagawea dollar of 2000 has boldly detailed tail feathers inside the Cheerios box. Along with that came a 2000 Lincoln cent. Was there anything specially detailed about the Lincoln cent?
Most 2000 Cheerios Lincoln cents can only be differentiated from other 2000 cents by the special packaging in which the coin is first encountered
Aggressive Buyers Heat Up Coin Market
Coin shows and coin clubs may be struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic, but this isn’t so for the rare coin market. Auction and over-the-counter activity are about as hot as hot can be. Named collections such as those pedigreed to Bob Simpson or Larry H
Copper Composition 1943 Lincoln Cent
1943 copper cent, graded AU-50 by ANACS. (Image courtesy Heritage Auctions)
The headline reads: “If you still have this coin you are now rich!” Don’t you love it? This and the subsequent subheadline “The coins in your pocket could be worth thousands!” were posted to Yahoo.com on Oct
Collectible v. Commemorative Coins
How can I tell when a coin is collectible or if a coin is a commemorative?
Coins can be both commemorative and collectible. You may be looking to differentiate between what may be a circulating commemorative versus a typical business strike coin. Some commemorative coins are meant to circulate, yet mark an event during one or several years
Business Strike v. Commemorative Coins
How can I tell when a coin is collectible or if a coin is a commemorative?
Coins can be both commemorative and collectible. You may be looking to differentiate between what may be a circulating commemorative versus a typical business strike coin. Some commemorative coins are meant to circulate, yet mark an event during one or several years
Press Magnifies the Scarce to Rare Segment of Market
Et tu Brute? We have recently witnessed the sale of an 1804 silver dollar, seen a 1794 silver dollar be offered at an astronomical price but fail to sell, and one of three known gold aureii of Julius Caesar assassin Brutus surface. Now, add to those coins the announcement one of the famous 1943 copper Lincoln cents will be offered in a November auction.
Furthermore, consider that Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association has recently forecast that what they call the “alternative asset classes” of investments will grow globally between 18 and 24 percent by 2025
British Currency to Show Diversity
By Richard Giedroyc
In a push to show social diversity Great Britain will soon issue a coin on which India’s Mahatma Gandhi will be featured.
Mahatma Gandhi appearing on a British coin? Wasn’t Gandhi from India rather than from Britain? Wasn’t Gandhi a non-violent leader in a successful revolution to make India independent of British rule?
Is it true the British Royal Mint was recently asked by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to come up with designs for coins that might honor Jamaican-born military nurse Mary Seacole and Russian born spy Noor-un-Nissa Inayat Khan?
Queen Elizabeth II appears on the obverse of all coins of the United Kingdom. While Her Majesty appears on the front of bank notes the backs depict vignettes of Winston Churchill (£5), Jane Austin (£10), Adam Smith (£20), J
Scarce to Rare Coins Market Hot
Coins are selling, regardless of if they fit into the scarce to rare, available yet collectible, made for collectors only, or into the bullion-impacted categories. In an August auction in Las Vegas, the ESM Collection of U.S
Do I Have a 1901/O-S Half Eagle?
How can I tell if I have a 1901/O-S half eagle?
This overdate variety is known as Breen 6780. It can be identified via the remnant of the curve of a “0” near the upper right of the final “1” in the date.
The motto “In God We Trust” first appeared on our bank notes during the Eisenhower administration in the 1950s
How Do I Determine the Grade on a Coin Described as ‘Uncirculated Details?’
How can I tell if my Hobo nickel is an original or a modern machined example?
An extremely worn, dateless Buffalo nickel without a mint mark likely of low value is used as the host coin for most modern reproductions. Cut lines are sharp and clean, while lacking residue in those cuts. You should not be able to feel the engraving if you have an original
World Coin Clinic: What is a Boardwalk Flan?
By Richard Giedroyc
What percentage of ancient coins being sold are from older collections and how many of them are from recent discoveries?
There are no hard statistics on this, however, it appears that prior to 1975 it is likely about 70 percent of the available ancient coins were likely being resold from older collections. This changed around 1975 due to the use of metal detectors. From this point forward, about 30 percent were from existing collections, while about 70 percent were from fresh finds
Crime Doesn’t Pay
British Treasure Trove laws are some of the most reasonable anywhere. These laws protect the landowner where something is discovered, allow museums and researchers the opportunity to study and perhaps acquire important finds, and rewards the finder. Treasure found in the United Kingdom belongs to the crown and Treasure Valuation Committee
Iranian currency reform is at hand
It appears Iran is about to remove four zeroes from each of its bank notes in a proposed currency reform.
On April 16 the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran requested the economic committee of the cabinet (Iran has a vice president of economic affairs) put the previously proposed plan to eliminate four zeroes from the national rial currency while introducing a new currency.
The change from a system based on the rial to toman-denominate coins and bank notes was ratified by Iran’s Parliament in December 2016 by the Rouhani administration
Does an ANA membership have to be sponsored?
I hate to make it sound crass, but the only requirement for membership in the American Numismatic Association appears to be paying dues. Is it true that at one time your membership had to be sponsored?
I don’t know when it changed, but when I joined the ANA about 40 years ago you needed a member to sponsor you. A friend recently told me of his potential sponsor asking him some questions to ensure he was sufficiently knowledgeable prior to being sponsored
Japan plans new coins and banknotes
The current 500 yen is made of Copper-Nickel. Its obverse shows the number “500” surrounded by cherry blossoms. (Image courtesy of NGC
2020 U.S. Coin Digest interview with Richard Giedroyc
For nearly two decades, U.S. Coin Digest has provided a complete, comprehensive and easy-to-use, full-color guide to U