A significant Japanese proof coin collection will be put on the auction block Jan. 8-9 by Heritage Auctions. The sale will occur at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel during the New York International Numismatic Convention. Just a handful of proof coins were produced by the Japan Mint in 1880 for use only in presentation sets, the firm […]
Japanese Proof Set to be Auctioned by Heritage this Week! Read More »
Notes on Merovingian Tremissis This gold coin dates from between 580AD and 630AD. The Merovingian Dynasty was based in ancient Gaul (which is now France) and dates from the middle of the 5th century AD. One side of the coin has a central cross design but none of the letters can be read, which means it
Coin Grading Following in the footsteps of the coin grading scale, there is also a Universal Rarity Scale that was developed in 1992 by Q. David Bowers, a famous numismatist. This was to better assess the rarity of a coin quickly and accurately. 5 Components of Coin Grading 1Strike This refers to the process of
Parts of a Coin The coin shown below is a 1952 Franklin Half Dollar. Knowing the coin anatomy terms are the basics when talking with other collectors or dealers. Certain terms such as the motto, date, mint mark, designer’s initials, and denomination are located differently on different coins. Study and know the lingo well. Date
COMMON COIN TERMS As you get into the wonderful world of currency searching, it is important to understand some of the common coin terms used in the hobby. Below is a table of the common coin terms and definitions. We add things to this list as necessary, it is obviously not a hugely extensive list
Common Coin Terms for Collecting and Coin Searching Read More »