Key dates are low mintage years. Key dates in the Lincoln cent series are the 1909-S V.D.B., 1909-S, 1914-D, 1922-D No D, 1924-D, and 1931-S. These dates are highly sought after by collectors and command a premium price even in lower grades. These are also the years that are most counterfeited. Key Date Mintage Figures …
Having trouble putting a value on your gems, gold or other precious metals? Check out this video (or read below) on how to value your rare gems and mineral specimens! Remember the Four C’s of Valuing Gems and Minerals: Clarity Color Carat (size) Condition With these you will have no problem putting a higher or …
How Much is It Worth? Valuing Gems and Precious Metals Read More »
Lathe Rings Definition: These concentric rings are produced by a lathe which shapes the cone-shaped face of the unfinished working die. The cone is supposed to be polished smooth before hubbing. If polishing is omitted or inadequate, the surface will remain covered by concentric lathe marks which will not be erased by subsequent hubbing. Concentric rings can be seen …
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Definition: Tiny raised circles, semicircles, and occasionally spirals that are most often found in or near the center of the design. The imperfections can be found on either face. First recognized in 2004 cents, these die imperfections have now been found as far back as a 1965 cent and as recently as a 2015 nickel. Other examples …
If you are having your coins appraised, you are requesting a determination of the value of the coins in the collection. If there is valuable die varieties or coins worth a premium because of their state, condition, or something else that would cause them to have a great value, the appraiser should inform you of …
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Bullion Coins 2016 30th Anniversary American Silver Eagle The popular American Silver Eagle program that launched in 1986 was celebrated in 2016 with the issuance of a special-edition, edge-lettered silver eagle marking the 30th anniversary of the series. The 2016-W proof American Silver Eagle was the first issue to feature an edge inscription with the phrase “30th ANNIVERSARY” on …
In 2013, David McCarthy spotted a rare coin in an auction catalog and immediately had a hunch it was the first coin minted by the fledgling United States of America in 1783. Not the first run of coins, mind you, but the very first one. McCarthy, an experienced numismatist (coin collector) bought the silver coin for $1.18 …
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Time Lapse of Ants Eating Wasp We were out in the supply shed getting geared up to go gold mining and saw a wasp enter a box. Inside was a HUGE ant colony! Watch as the wasp instantly goes into paralysis and we video taped the pure precision of the ants! Eating brains! Not our …
Time Lapse of Ants – What We See While Out Gold Mining Read More »
Gold Price and Silver Price Gold and silver prices settled higher on Wednesday for the first time in five sessions but then turned down in electronic trade after the FOMC announced an interest rates increase. Gold for August delivery gained $7.30, or 0.6%, to settle at$1,275.90 an ounce on the Comex division of the New …
CHANGES IN US MINT Two new pieces of legislation have been introduced (in one instance, reintroduced) to Congress that seek to alter the landscape of our nation’s circulating coinage. COINS Act of 2017 Republican Senators John McCain (AZ) and Michael Enzi (WY) introduced the Currency Optimization, Innovation, and National Savings (COINS) Act of 2017 (S. …