Index-
3 and 4 Dollars Bullion Coins Cent Colonial Coins Commemorative Coins Dimes and Twenty Cents Dollar gold $10 eagle Gold Half Eagle Gold Quarter Eagle Golg Double Eagle Golg Pioneer Coins Half Cents Half Dimes Half Dollar Miscellaneous Coins and Medals Pattern CoinsPrivate Tokens Quarter Dollars Two Cents and Three Cents
3 and 4 Dollars
THREE GOLD DOLLARS
(1854-1889)
Three Dollar Gold Pieces were issued every year from 1854 to 1889. This unusual denomination boasts an indirect tie-in with the stamp collecting community -- the price of a first class postage stamp was 3¢ during the years in which this denomination was minted. Thus, the $3.00 Gold Piece was perfect for purchasing a complete sheet of 100 stamps. Only a few dates in this series can be considered common (1854, 1874, 1878) and the majority of the dates in this series have mintages below 10,000 coins. Highlights of the series include the unique 1870-S Three-Dollar Gold Piece, the Proof-only 1875 and 1876, and the elusive 1854-D (the only Three-Dollar Gold Piece struck at the Dahlonega, Georgia Mint.
$4 GOLD STELLA
(1879 – 1880)
Beginning in the 1870s, several countries advocated the establishment of a universal coinage that would translate easily across international currencies. A few efforts were made in the United States early in the decade, leading to coins such as the 1874 Bickford $10 patterns, but the most serious attempts came in 1879. That year, the Honorable John A. Kasson (U.S. politician and ambassador, at that time envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Austria-Hungary) proposed a $4 gold coin with a metallic content stated in the metric system, making it easier for Europeans to use. Per Kasson's proposal, this new coin would approximate in value the Spanish 20-peseta, Dutch 8-florin, Austrian 8-florin, Italian 20-lire, and French 20-franc pieces, among other denominations. The purpose of the $4 gold coin was to facilitate international trade and travel for Americans-the same motivation behind the 1874 Bickford eagle and other gold patterns.
Congress had enough interest in Kasson's suggestion to order the Mint to produce a lim¬ited run of the $4 gold pieces so that congressmen could review the coins. Soon thereafter, Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber prepared an obverse design that depicted a portrait of Liberty facing left with long, flowing hair. Meanwhile, George Morgan created a motif featuring a portrait with the hair coiled up in a bun. Denominated as ONE STELLA (so named after the large star on the reverse), the $4 gold pieces were minted in both 1879 and 1880 in a variety of metals, including gold, copper, and aluminum.
Bullion Coins
UNITED STATES BULLION COINS
(1986-DATE)
Silver American Eagle Bullion Coins
One Troy Ounce (1986-Present)
Gold American Eagle Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
$10 Quarter Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
$25 Half Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
$50 One Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
Platinum American Eagle Bullion Coins
$10 Tenth Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
$25 Quarter Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
$50 Half Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
$100 One Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
Gold American Buffalo Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
$10 Quarter Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
$25 Half Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
$50 One Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
First Spouse Bullion Coins
$10 Half Ounce Gold (2007-2016)
In 1986, the United States began striking gold and silver bullion coins to compete with world bullion coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf, the South African Krugerrand, and others. The value of these coins was intended to be tied directly to their metal value, although in some cases (where mintages were low) a collector market has developed. The bullion value of these coins far outstrips their face value.
Known as "American Eagles" because of the family of eagles on the reverse, U.S. silver bullion coins are available in Uncirculated and Proof versions, as well as in a number of different sets. Proof coins may be ordered by the general public directly from the Mint. Uncirculated coins are distributed by selected representatives, who then make them available to the secondary market.
The obverse of the U.S. silver bullion coins follows the artistic design created by Adolphe A. Weinman for the Half Dollars issued from 1916-1947, inclusive. John Mercanti created the reverse design.
Each Silver Eagle has a face value of $1 and contains exactly one ounce of pure silver in an alloy of 99.93% silver and .07% copper.
A limited number of Mint State 2004 Silver Eagles were encapsulated by the Professional Coin Grading Service along with an insert signed by former NASA astronaut, Kathryn D. Sullivan. A portion of the proceeds was dedicated to a science museum located in Ohio.
In 1997, the United States began striking platinum coins to compete with other world bullion coins. U.S. platinum bullion coins are available in Uncirculated and Proof versions in four denominations: $10, $25, $50, and $100. The true value of these coins is tied directly to their intrinsic metal value, although in a few cases (where mintages are low) collectors will pay a significant premium over the bullion value. Generally, however, the bullion value of these coins far outstrips their face value.
Proof coins may be ordered by the general public directly from the Mint, either as single coins or as a complete set of the four different denominations. Uncirculated coins are distributed by selected representatives, who then make them available to the secondary market based on the prevailing bullion value of platinum.
John M. Mercanti designed the obverse of the U.S. platinum bullion coins using the head of the Statue of Liberty. In keeping with the Mint's "American Eagles" theme, new reverses are developed each year - always with an eagle incorporated into the design.
The metal content of each denomination consists of 99.95% pure platinum.
Mintmarks appear on the reverse, but positions vary from year to year. U.S. platinum bullion coins have been struck at the following mints:
Philadelphia
West Point
BEWARE - Counterfeit examples of the 2002 1/10 ounce platinum coins began being offered in 2003.
Silver American Eagle Bullion Coins
One Troy Ounce Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Adolph A Weinman Metal Composition: 99.93% Silver - 0.07% Copper
Diameter: 40.6 mm Mass: 31.101 grams
Gold American Eagle Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 16.5 mm Mass: 3.393 grams
$10 Quarter Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 22 mm Mass: 8.483 grams
$25 Half Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 27 mm Mass: 16.966 grams
$50 One Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 32.7 mm Mass: 33.931 grams
Platinum American Eagle Bullion Coins
$10 Tenth Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 16.5 mm Mass: 3.112 grams
$25 Quarter Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 22 mm Mass: 7.78 grams
$50 Half Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 27 mm Mass: 15.56 grams
$100 One Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 32.7 mm Mass: 31.12 grams
Gold American Buffalo Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Designer - Engraver: James Earle Fraser Metal Composition: 99.99% Fine Gold
Diameter: 16.5 mm Mass: 3.1104 grams
$10 Quarter Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Diameter: 22 mm Mass: 7.7759 grams
$25 Half Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Diameter: 27 mm Mass: 15.5518 grams
$50 One Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Diameter: 32.7 mm Mass: 31.1035 grams
First Spouse Bullion Coins
$10 Half Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (2007-2016)
Metal Composition: 99.99% Fine Gold
Diameter: 26.5 mm Mass: 15.554 grams
Colonial Coins
COLONIAL COINS
COLONIAL CONAGE
EARLY AMERICAN TOKENS
ROYAL PATENT COINAGE
REVOLUTIONARY COINAGE
STATE COINAGE
FRENCH NEW WORLD ISSUES
EARLY FEDERAL COINAGE
WASHINGTON PIECES
EARLY AMERICAN PATTERNS
FUGIO
ISSUES of 1792
A distinguishing characteristic of a sovereign nation is the right to issue its own coins. America began exercising that right in 1792 by issuing Pattern Coins, in 1793 by issuing copper coins, in 1794 by issuing silver coins, and in 1795 by issuing gold coins. Prior to 1792, everyday business was conducted using a motley accumulation of tokens, coins, medals and counterfeits issued by private individuals, private mints inside and outside of America, and official mints outside of America. These are known as Colonial Coins.
COLONIAL CONAGE
EARLY AMERICAN TOKENS
Colonial Coins - ROYAL PATENT COINAGE
Colonial Coins - REVOLUTIONARY COINAGE
Colonial Coins - STATE COINAGE
Colonial Coins - FRENCH NEW WORLD ISSUES
Colonial Coins - EARLY FEDERAL COINAGE
WASHINGTON PIECES
Colonial Coins - EARLY AMERICAN PATTERNS
Colonial Coins - FUGIO
ISSUES of 1792
Commemorative Coins
UNITED STATES COMMEMORATIVE COINS
QUARTER DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
HALF DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
GOLD DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
$2.50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$5 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$10 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
About Commemorative Coins.
What is a commemorative coin? There is no hard and fast rule that covers all instances, but, in general, a commemorative coin is one which was produced with the primary intention of creating a special souvenir to be sold at a premium above face value to commemorate an anniversary, special occasions, or other event. Such pieces differ in design from the regular circulating coinage of the same denominations of their respective eras.
There is a distinction between a commemorative coin and a commemorative medal. United States commemorative coins are those that have a designated face value and are legal tender, although they were primarily issued as commemoratives. Thus the 1918 Illinois Centennial half dollar is legal tender for 50 cents, and, if desired, a 1900 Lafayette silver dollar can be turned into a bank for face value, even though no one would want to do this. On the other hand, medals have no face value or legal tender status.
Beginning with new issues of commemorative coins in the 1980s, silver dollars were denominated $1. However, the silver content of these pieces made it impractical for such coins to circulate at that value, for they contained more than $1 worth of metal. Silver dollars for general circulation (not commemorative issues) had last been produced in 1935. Similarly, $5 and $10 commemorative gold coins of the 1980s were denominated as such although the gold contained therein was worth many times that. This legal fiction has as its primary purpose to target the market of coin collectors, a potential sales arena much larger than that of medal collectors. The “face value” of silver and gold commemoratives of the 1980s onward has no meaning, even though the coins are indeed legal tender for those amounts.
Early Commemoratives
An unadopted proposal made by Elias Boudinot and described in the Annals of Congress, January 1, 1793, would have, in a sense, made all subsequent United States coins commemoratives: “Mr. Boudinot, after remarking that the artists who had exhibited specimens of the figure of Liberty on the several samples of coins he had seen all differed in their conceptions on this occasion, for the sake, therefore of uniformity, he moved to add a clause to the present bill, providing that, in lieu of the figure of Liberty, the head of Columbus should be substituted. Mr. Boudinot supported his motion by some pertinent remarks on the character of Columbus and the obligations the citizens of the United States were under to honor his memory…On the question being put, the motion was negatived.” Thus Columbus commemorative coins were not to be – at least not for the moment.
A candidate advanced by some for the distinction of being the first commemorative coin is any of the series of regular issue United States coins, particularly one-cent pieces and half dollars, counterstamped in 1824 with medal dies, depicting on one side the portrait of Gen. Washington and on the other that of Lafayette. The occasion was the return to the United States in 1824 of Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution, when Congress welcomed him as “the nation’s guest.” It has been suggested that coins thus marked may have been strewn in the path of Lafayette’s carriage by grateful citizens during parades held in the Eastern states in that year and in 1825. However, it is virtually certain that the dies for the medal were produced outside of the Mint, possibly by Charles Cushing Wright, and that the counterstamping was done after the coins had been placed into general circulation (as evidenced by the fact that most known counterstamps of this type are on host coins dated prior to 1824). At best, the Washington-Lafayette issues can be described as private commemorative counterstamps applied to official U.S. (and other) coins. As such, they do not qualify as United States commemorative coins.
The honor for being the first official United States commemorative coin goes to an issued produced in 1848. The occasion was the receipt at the Philadelphia Mint of native gold from the California Gold Rush, that had been sent to the East for evaluation. Believing that citizens might like to have a souvenir related to an event which was continually making newspaper headlines, the Mint specially marked 1,389 examples of the smallest gold denomination then in use, the $2.50 piece, with the notation “CAL.” on the reverse.
After that time several decades passed, until in 1892 the first American silver commemorative coin was created, a half dollar to be issued in conjunction with the World’s Columbian Exposition. At the beginning this and other commemorative issues were officially designated as souvenirs. The commemorative nomenclature became popular later. The World’s Columbian Exposition inspired the production not only of half dollars dated 1892 and 1893, but of the first and only commemorative 25¢ piece, the Isabella quarter, which was made at the behest of society matron Mrs. Potter Palmer.
In 1900 the next silver commemorative coin appeared, the Lafayette silver dollar, the first of that denomination. The funds from the sale of these coins at $2 each were used to finance the erection in Paris of a statue of Lafayette by sculptor Paul Wayland Bartlett.
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis in 1904 saw the distribution of 1903-dated commemorative gold dollars of two varieties, one bearing the visage of Thomas Jefferson and the other the portrait of William McKinley. For the first time, distribution was placed in the hands of a single individual, Farran Zerbe, thus setting a precedent that would from the very beginning lead to abuses. A vast quantity, amounting to 250,000 gold dollars, was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, but eventually only about 35,000 coins were sold, and the rest were melted. This wasteful procedure was to be repeated with many commemorative issues in the future.
Next on the list of commemorative coins are the 1904 and 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition gold dollars, which are quite rare today. Then we encounter the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a grand world’s fair that numismatists remember today for a panorama of five different commemorative coins ranging from a silver half dollar to two varieties of $50 gold pieces.
Then came the McKinley Memorial gold dollars dated 1916 and 1917, which by all accounts were artistic and commercial failures, although Texas dealer B. Max Mehl, who sopped up the unsold remainders for close to face value, was able to turn a profit from later sales of them. Then followed the 1918 Illinois Centennial half dollar, a coin with a pleasing portrait of young Abe Lincoln, after which we find the 1920 Maine Centennial coin of the same denomination, a coin whose design was widely criticized for its simplicity.
QUARTER DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
HALF DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
GOLD DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
$2.50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$5 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$10 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
Dimes and Twenty Cents
UNITED STATES TEN CENTS OR DIME
(1796-DATE)
DRAPED BUST DIMES (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST TEN CENTS OR DIME (1809-1837)
SEATED LIBERTY DIMES (1837-1891)
BARBER DIMES (1892-1916)
MERCURY HEAD DIMES (1916-1945)
ROOSEVELT DIMES (1946-DATE)
The first United States Dimes appeared in 1796 but gave no indication as to their face value! The first type (Draped Bust) featured a buxom Miss Liberty with her long tresses neatly tied up in a bow. The back of the coin showed a somewhat scrawny eagle with wings outstretched standing on a bed of clouds, all surrounded by a wreath. In 1798, the reverse design changed and mimicked the Great Seal of the United States, thereafter showing an eagle with outstretched wings and a shield on its breast, clouds and stars above. This design lasted until 1807.
DRAPED BUST DIMES (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST TEN CENTS OR DIME (1809-1837)
SEATED LIBERTY DIMES (1837-1891)
BARBER DIMES (1892-1916)
MERCURY HEAD DIMES (1916-1945)
ROOSEVELT DIMES (1946-DATE)
UNITED STATES TWENTY CENTS
(1875-1878)
The Twenty Cent Piece was an unusual denomination struck between 1875 and 1878. Because the size of the coin and the design elements were so similar to those on the Quarter Dollar, these coins caused a lot of confusion with the general public (similar to the situation that occurred over 100 years later with the Susan B. Anthony Dollar). For this reason, Twenty Cent Pieces were struck for circulation only in 1875 and 1876. In 1877 and 1878, they were available only as Proofs.
Dollar
ONE DOLLAR
(1794-DATE)
FLOWING HAIR DOLLARS (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST DOLLARS (1795-1804)
GOBRECHT TYPE DOLLARS (1836-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY DOLLARS (1840-1873)
TRADE DOLLARS (1873-1885)
MORGAN DOLLARS (1878-1921)
PEACE DOLLARS (1921-1964)
EISENHOWER DOLLARS (1971-1978)
SUSAN B. ANTHONY DOLLARS (1978-1999)
SACAGAWEA DOLLARS (2000-DATE)
PRESIDENTIAL DOLLARS (2007-2016)
ONE DOLLAR - GOLD (1849-1889)
LIBERTY HEAD GOLD DOLLARS (1849-1854)
INDIAN PRINCESS GOLD DOLLARS (1854-1889
THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SILVER DOLLAR
The silver dollar was a natural denomination to be adopted by the fledgling United States.
The tradition of the so-called “crown” size coin dates from the late 15th century when significant silver finds in Germany and central Europe were struck into talers. The word taler has been translated into many languages where the crown size silver coin has been used. Among these translations are daler, daalder and dollar. The word dollar is not unique to the United States, nor was it first used here. James VI of Scotland struck a 30-shilling coin between 1567 and 1571 generally called the Sword Dollar due to his depiction on the obverse holding a sword. The Double Merk of 1578 is called the Thistle Dollar. Charles II of England (1660-1685) struck a dollar denomination coin for Scotland. Fractional denominations were in half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth dollar denominations. Spain issued crown size silver coins in the denomination of 8 reales. Spanish colonial American Mints struck silver mined in Central and South America into 8 reales and smaller denominations, most of the coins shipped back to Spain. The 8-reales coins not exported to Spain were used in local commerce in the New World, some of them eventually arriving in the English colonies along the Atlantic coast.
In the 13 original colonies the 8-reales coin was popularly referred to as a milled dollar. Considering the Royal Mint did not provide the necessary coins needed for local commerce the American colonies used any foreign specie available. The Spanish milled dollar was typically what was available. It was so popular that the coin was
finally formally demonetized through an act of Congress in 1857. The tradition of the fractions of the dollar which was initiated during the reign of Charles II became popular. Although smaller or fractional denomination Spanish colonial American coins were sometimes available, many of the 8-reales coins were cut into pie
shaped halves, quarters, eighths and sixteenths to make change. These are the famous “pieces of eight” of romantic literature.
The United States settled on a decimal currency system rather than the cumbersome pound sterling system of Great Britain or the awkward denomination system based on the silver 8 reales and gold 8 escudos of Spain. Within the American colonies Maryland was the first to issue paper money in dollar denominations in 1766. In 1775 the Continental Congress printed paper money again in the dollar denomination.
The tradition of the U.S. dollar denomination coin was born with the pewter, brass and silver composition 1776 Continental dollar coin varieties. These coins are generally accepted to have been patterns rather than circulation coins, but they paved the way for the tradition of a dollar denomination coin.
Thomas Jefferson was among the proponents for a silver dollar coin as early as 1785. These were difficult economic times for the young country. The Spanish 8-reales coin filled the need in the absence of a U.S. Mint and federally issued currency.
When Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton presented Congress with a report on a Mint and a monetary system, a dollar coin with the approximate weight and purity of the Spanish milled dollar was taken into serious consideration. The very first
statute of the Mint Act of April 2, 1792, authorized striking of silver dollar denomination coins. Our federal coinage actually begins in 1792 with what could be argued to be patterns, regular production of some denominations commencing during 1793.
The first U.S. Silver Dollars were struck in 1794
The silver dollar denomination was delayed until 1794, in part due to a problem in requisitioning the necessary silver. Secretary of State Jefferson rather than Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton had initially been placed in charge of the Mint. Since this caused a personal problem between the two men, Hamilton did not cooperate in the necessary requisitions for bullion for striking these coins.
It isn’t known for certain, but it appears the dies for the Flowing Hair silver dollar of 1794 to 1795 may have been made as late as September 1794. Mint Engraver Robert Scot designed the initial U.S. silver coins, including the Flowing Hair silver dollar. No one knows for certain, but Scot may have used Engraver Joseph Wright’s eagle design from the 1792 pattern quarter dollar coin for the eagle on the reverse of the first silver dollar coin. The initial silver dollar coins are struck of 26.96 grams of .8924 fine silver alloyed with copper. The diameter is about 39 to 40 millimeters with a lettered edge reading HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT. The Spanish colonial American 8-reales coin beginning in 1772 has a weight of 27.07 grams of .903 fine silver. With this in mind and the fact Congress ruled the 8 reales was to circulate on par with the new dollar coin, the silver dollar coin would in reality circulate at a discount to the so-called Spanish milled dollar or would fail to be accepted in commerce at all.
The 1794 and 1795 Flowing Hair silver dollars are known for adjustment marks, usually found along the rim. Denticles are occasionally pushed up in places due to the edge lettering machine. The quality of the some of the planchets used was inferior. All of these qualities should be observed when considering a purchase or sale of this coin type. There was difficulty in striking these first silver dollars to a presentable quality. Look for a weakly struck obverse at about 6 o’clock with corresponding weakness on the reverse at the same point. The press used to produce these coins was actually meant for half dollar production. The dies were cut into shallow relief to accommodate striking, but this did not always succeed.
A new silver dollar press was constructed, but this wasn’t ready until 1795. Rejected silver dollar coins dated 1794 are known as the host planchets for 1795 strikes. The date is not established for certain, but it appears the Flowing Hair design was replaced with that of the Draped Bust with Small Eagle reverse around September 1795, ending this first silver dollar series as a two-year type coin.
Milford Henry Bolender’s book “The United States Early Silver Dollars from 1794 to 1803” should be referenced regarding the many varieties of these first two dates in the silver dollar field.
FLOWING HAIR DOLLARS (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST DOLLARS (1795-1804)
GOBRECHT TYPE DOLLARS (1836-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY DOLLARS (1840-1873)
TRADE DOLLARS (1873-1885)
MORGAN DOLLARS (1878-1921)
PEACE DOLLARS (1921-1964)
EISENHOWER DOLLARS (1971-1978)
SUSAN B. ANTHONY DOLLARS (1978-1999)
SACAGAWEA DOLLARS (2000-DATE)
PRESIDENTIAL DOLLARS (2007-2016)
ONE DOLLAR - GOLD (1849-1889)
LIBERTY HEAD DOLLARS (1849-1854)
INDIAN PRINCESS DOLLARS (1854-1889)
gold $10 eagle
TEN DOLLARS OR EAGLE
(1795-1933)
Turban Head (1795-1804)
Liberty Head Type, No Motto on Reverse (1838-1866)
Liberty Head Type, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1907)
Indian Head Type (1907-1933)
THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
$10 GOLD PIECE
By Richard Giedroyc.
The Act of April 2, 1792 authorized a U.S. Mint in Philadelphia and coin denominations through a gold $10 eagle with a weight of 270 grains of gold.
Copper and silver composition coins were produced beginning in 1793, however it wasn’t until 1795 that the first gold coins were produced. The problem wasn’t the supply of gold. The chief coiner and minter were each required to post a $10,000 bond prior to being allowed to produce gold coins. Special arrangements were finally arranged so the gold denominations could be introduced.
Virtually all the early gold coins struck through 1833 are scarce to rare. Mintage figures were low. The survival rate was also low. The purchasing power of the individual coins was tremendous, keeping most gold coins out of the hands of the average person. Coins of denominations as high as $10 were typically used for bank transfers rather than as pocket change or spending money.
As an example, in 1818 a farm laborer earned an average of $9.45 per month in the United States. An artisan working in Philadelphia earned an average of $11.16 for a six-day work week, while a laborer in the same city earned $6 for the same six-day work week.
By the time of the Civil War, in 1864, a carpenter working on the Erie Canal earned $13.50 for a six-day work week.
In 1900 a manufacturing worker was earning an average of $487 per year or about $9.37 per week. A coin of the eagle or $10 denomination wouldn’t be in the pocket of too many people, considering it represented the wages for a week at the time.
According to researcher Walter Breen, "During its entire history, 1795 to 1933, the eagle was coined in smaller quantities: just under 57.7 million pieces, compared to just under 79 million half eagles."
In view of these statistics it shouldn’t come as a great surprise to learn that the initial production of eagle denominated coins of Sept. 17, 1795 was a mere 400 pieces. The 1795 to 1797 issue was designed by Robert Scot with a Capped Bust Right on the obverse and the "Small" Eagle on the reverse.
The reverse design was changed to depict the Great Seal of the United States (known to collectors today as the Heraldic Eagle), but the gold content remained at 17.5 grams of .9167 fine gold. The Heraldic Eagle reverse design was introduced during 1797 and continued through 1804.
There are several arrangements of the stars on the obverse of these early coins. In 1797 Mint Director Boudinot made a decision to stop adding a new star to the designs of coins every time a new state entered the union. From that point forward only 13 stars are depicted on the eagle.
Coinage of the denomination ceased in 1804 at the order of President Thomas Jefferson. The coins contained more gold than their face value. The coins were being hoarded, melted, exported or speculated on, but they did not circulate.
In 1838 the weight of U.S. gold coins was legislated to be lighter, making the metal content of the coins agree with their legal tender face value. The danger of mass exports and speculation ended and the production of eagles was resumed.
The rather redundant Coronet portrait of Liberty facing left on the obverse by Christian Gobrecht was introduced that year. The design would be modified, but would continue primarily unchanged through 1907.
During the period of 1838 to 1907 there are varieties without a motto, with a motto, "first head," "second head," small or large letters, normal dates and more.
The motto "In God We Trust" was added in 1866 due to the lobbying of Rev. M.R. Watkinson during the Civil War. The Act of March 3, 1865 mandated the motto on all silver and gold coins of the United States.
Collectors may want to note that the New Orleans Mint mark first appears on the eagle coins in 1842, the San Francisco Mint mark appearing beginning in 1856.
The New Orleans Mint mark does not appear after 1860 as the Mint was located in the deep South and was captured by the Confederacy during the Civil War. New Orleans’ minted eagle coins resumed in 1892 and continued to be produced through 1906 when the Mint closed.
Eagles were struck at the Carson City Mint between 1870 and 1893, while Denver began minting Coronet eagle coins in 1906, one year before the design for the denomination was changed.
Mintage figures for the eagle denomination decreased after payment in specie was suspended during the Civil War, then increased following the Specie Resumption Act of 1878.
The early part of the 20th century was a time of change for our money. President Theodore Roosevelt encouraged new coin designs. The Saint-Gaudens’ Indian Head design for the eagle was introduced in 1908. The depiction of Liberty wearing a feathered war bonnet was based on a figure of Nike or Victory from his Gen. Sherman Monument, in turn borrowed from a depiction of Victory in the temple of Zeus Soter at the ruins at the ancient Greek city-state of Pergamon.
The eagle facing left on the reverse hints at the style of the imperial eagle on late Ptolemaic Egyptian and ancient Roman coins.
The 1907 issue was partially destroyed and recoined due to being artistically fine, but impractical for circulation due to the very high relief.
Lower relief Indian Head eagle coins were produced by the Mints at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco until the denomination ceased production by presidential executive order in 1933.
There is considerable confusion regarding the 1933 Indian Head Eagle. Some of the coins were legally released prior to the executive order stopping the release of all U.S. gold coins. Some collectors confuse these difficult to find coins with the 1933 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle coin which is illegal to own since none of them were legally released prior to the same executive order.
Turban Head Gold Eagle (1795-1804)
Liberty Head Gold Eagle Type, No Motto on Reverse (1838-1866)
Liberty Head Gold Eagle Type, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1907)
Indian Head Gold Eagle Type (1907-1933)
Gold Half Eagle
FIVE DOLLARS OR HALF EAGLE
(1795-1929)
Turban Head (1795-1807)
Capped Bust (1807-1834)
Classic Head (1834-1838)
Liberty Head, No Motto on Reverse (1839-1866)
Liberty Head, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1908)
Indian Head (1908-1929)
The Fascinating History Of The 1795 $5 Gold Half Eagle.
The Coinage Act Of April 2, 1792, established The New U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, which soon became known As Ye Old Mint. However, gold coinage was not introduced until 1795 when the Director Of The Mint, Henry William DeSaussure, delivered America's first two gold coins To America's first president, George Washington.
Designed by Chief Engraver Robert Scot, collectors today formally refer to the design of this Half Eagle as the Capped Bust to right obverse with small eagle reverse. The obverse features Miss Liberty facing right, wearing the traditional Phrygian cap worn By freed slaves in ancient Rome to signify their emancipated status.
During the 18th Century, The red Phrygian cap was held aloft on a pole during the Revolutionary War and the French Revolution and soon evolved into a symbol of liberty.
The small eagle on the reverse is said to have been taken from a 1st century B.C. Roman onyx cameo depicting an eagle perched on a palm branch, it's wings outstretched, holding a circular wreath in its beak. There is no mark or indication of value since, at the time, gold coins were valued in commerce by their weight and metallic content.
The History Of The 1849-D $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle Gold Coin
This variety (Variety 1) of the Liberty Head $5 Half Eagle was minted between 1839 and 1908. The coin, designed by Christian Gobrecht, weighed 8.359 grams, and had a composition of 90% gold and 10% copper. In 1866 the reverse of the coin was changed (Variety 2) to include the motto 'In God We Trust', above the eagle.
Turban Head Gold Half Eagle (1795-1807)
Capped Bust Gold Half Eagle (1807-1834)
Classic Head Gold Half Eagle (1834-1838)
Liberty Head Gold Half Eagle, No Motto on Reverse (1839-1866)
Liberty Head Gold Half Eagle, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1908)
Indian Head Gold Half Eagle (1908-1929)
Gold Quarter Eagle
$2-1/2 GOLD DOLLARS OR QUARTER EAGLE
(1796-1929)
TURBAN HEAD (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST (1808-1834)
CLASSIC HEAD (1834-1839)
LIBERTY HEAD (1840-1907)
INDIAN HEAD (1908-1929)
American Gold Eagle Coin - The most well known U.S. gold coin, the American Eagle! This has the standing liberty on the front, and the bald eagle on the back. This is a must have for any collection. One nice thing about the American Gold Eagle is that it is the only gold coin you can use this within your IRA. This allows you a great tax advantage! Contact your CPA for details. Gold eagles are 22k gold and the weight printed on the coin is the amount of pure gold in the coin.
The U.S. Quarter Eagle was authorized by the Act of April 2, 1792. However the initial Quarter Eagle was not struck Until 1796. The first Quarter Eagles featured the "Capped Bust" design displayed on the obverse with a plain field. The word "Liberty" was displayed above the Capped Bust and the date was displayed below. The reverse was embellished with the famous "Heraldic Eagle" design adopted from the Great Seal of The United States. Early issues are characterized by several minor modifications to the original design. Most of those changes were related to over-dates and the number of stars which later were added. Early issues are extremely rare.
The Quarter Eagle is a $2.50 gold coin that was produced by the U.S. Mint from 1796 to 1929.
Mintage numbers were fairly small when compared to some of the other denominations of gold US coins, therefore there are quite a few scarce and rare dates in this series.
TURBAN HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST QUARTER EAGLE (1808-1834)
CLASSIC HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1834-1839)
LIBERTY HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1840-1907)
INDIAN HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1908-1929)
Golg Double Eagle
TWENTY DOLLARS OR DOUBLE EAGLE
(1850-1933)
Regular issue double eagles come in two major types and six minor varieties as follows:
Liberty Head (Coronet) 1849–1907
-Liberty Head, no motto, value "Twenty D." 1849–1866
-Liberty Head, with motto, value "Twenty D." 1866–1876
-Liberty Head, with motto, value "Twenty Dollars" 1877–1907
Saint Gaudens 1907–1933
-Saint Gaudens, High Relief, Roman Numerals, no motto 1907
-Saint Gaudens, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, no motto 1907–1908
-Saint Gaudens, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, with motto 1908–1933
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A Double Eagle is a gold coin of the United States with a denomination of $20. (Its gold content of 0.9675 troy oz was worth $20 at the then official price of $20.67/oz). The coins are made from a 90% gold (0.900 fine = 21.6 kt) and 10% copper alloy.
Although the "eagle"-based nomenclature for gold U.S. coinage is often assumed to be a nickname, the "eagle," "half-eagle" and "quarter-eagle" were specifically given these names in the Act of Congress that originally authorized them ("An Act establishing a Mint, and regulating Coins of the United States", section 9, April 2, 1792). Likewise, the Double Eagle was specifically created as such by name ("An Act to authorize the Coinage of Gold Dollars and Double Eagles", title and section 1, March 3, 1849).
The first double eagle was minted in 1849, coinciding with the California Gold Rush. In that year, the mint produced two pieces in proof. The first resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. The second was presented to then Treasury Secretary William M. Meredith and was later sold as part of his estate - the present location of this coin remains unknown.
In 1850 regular production began and continued until 1933 (when the official price of gold was changed to $35/oz by the Gold Reserve Act). Prior to 1850, eagles with a denomination of $10 were the largest denomination of US coin. $10 eagles were produced beginning in 1795, just two years after the first U.S. mint opened. Since the $20 gold piece had twice the value of the eagle, these coins were designated "double eagles". In 1850, the double eagle would have been equivalent to the purchasing power of $521.28 today.
Liberty Head
Due to the less desirable artwork and therefore lower demand, Liberty Coronet $20 gold pieces are less often encountered, and the common subtype commands less, than the St. Gaudens' type. In 1866, the motto "In God We Trust" was added to the Liberty Coronet double eagle creating a second subtype. In 1877, the coin's denomination design on the reverse was changed from "Twenty D" to "Twenty Dollars" creating a third and final subtype for the series. An 1879 pattern coin was made for the quintuple stella using a design combining features of the Liberty head double eagle and stella pattern coin and using the same alloy as the stella (90 parts gold, 3 parts silver, and 7 parts copper). However this coin was suddenly stolen in July 2008 by two thieves. The robbery was planned a year after the coin was sold. The criminals have still not been caught and the locations of these men are unknown.
Saint Gaudens
Main article: St. Gaudens Double Eagle
The St. Gaudens double eagle is named for the designer, Augustus St. Gaudens, one of the premier sculptors in American history. Theodore Roosevelt imposed upon him in his last few years to redesign the nation's coinage at the beginning of the 20th century. St. Gaudens' work on the high-relief $20 gold piece is considered to be one of the most extraordinary pieces of art on any American coin. The mint eventually insisted on a low-relief version, as the high-relief coin took up to eleven strikes to bring up the details and didn't stack correctly for banking purposes. Only 12,367 of these coins were struck in 1907. These coins easily top the $10,000 price in circulated grades, but can reach nearly a half million dollars in the best states of preservation.
There were several changes in the early years of this design. The first coins issued in 1907 design featured a date in Roman numerals, but this was changed later that year to the more convenient Arabic numerals. The motto "In God We Trust" was omitted from the initial design, as Roosevelt felt that it was inappropriate to put the name of God on money. By act of Congress, the motto was added in mid-1908.
The design of the St. Gaudens coin was slightly changed once more when New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912, and the number of stars along the rim was accordingly increased from 46 to 48.
Double eagles were routinely minted through 1933, although few of the very last years' coinages were released before the gold recall legislation of that year. Accordingly, these issues bring very high prices.
The St. Gaudens obverse design was reused in the American Eagle gold bullion coins that were instituted in 1986. The early 1907 double eagles and the 1986-1991 gold American Eagles are the only instances of Roman numerals denoting the date on American coinage.
On January 22, 2009 the U.S. Mint released ultra high relief double eagles using the deep design that St. Gaudens envisioned. It is one ounce of .9999 fine gold. Because of their higher gold content, and greater striking pressure, the coins were 27 mm wide and 4 mm deep (the same diameter as a gold eagle), rather than the 34 by 2 usual for double eagles and bullion coins. The initial selling price was $1239. With the rising price of gold by June it had climbed to $1339, and by December to $1489. There was no limit on the coinage of these one time uncirculated issues, which bear the date "MMIX". In September the one coin per person ordering restriction was removed. The final mintage was 115,178.
Liberty Head (Coronet) 1849–1907
Liberty Head Double Eagle, no motto, value "Twenty D." 1849–1866
Liberty Head Double Eagle, with motto, value "Twenty D." 1866–1876
Liberty Head Double Eagle, with motto, value "Twenty Dollars" 1877–1907
Saint Gaudens 1907–1933
Saint Gaudens Double Eagle, High Relief, Roman Numerals, no motto 1907
Saint Gaudens Double Eagle, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, no motto 1907–1908
Saint Gaudens Double Eagle, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, with motto 1908–1933
1933 Double Eagle
In 1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped the coinage of gold and made it illegal to own the metal (although coin collectors could retain their pieces). With one exception, no 1933 double eagles were ever legally released, although some were stolen from the government, and over the years several were recovered.
In the summer of 2002, a 1933 Double Eagle was auctioned off for $7,590,020 US, which shattered the old record of $4,140,000 paid at a public auction for an 1804 silver dollar. This piece is unique as the only 1933 double eagle the U.S. government has deemed legal for its citizens to own. Even illegal instances of the 1933 double eagle would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it would be illegal for a U.S. coin dealer to broker a deal with one of these coins. There is no other date of St. Gauden's double eagle that is worth a significant fraction of this extraordinary coin. In fact a complete uncirculated set of all other St. Gaudens' double eagles could be put together for just over three million dollars (less than half the price paid for the 1933) including the extremely rare, ultra-high relief, proof pattern. Without the rare pattern, the set would be less than $750,000.
In August 2005, the United States Mint recovered ten unauthorized 1933 Double Eagle coins from a private collector who had contacted the United States Mint to facilitate their surrender. Joan S. Langbord has claimed that she inherited the coins from her father, a suspect in the original theft, but is now planning a federal suit to recover the coins after her hopes of receiving monetary compensation from the federal government were not realized. As of August 2005, the Mint has announced that it would consider saving the coins for display, though as of December 2007, no formal statement has since been made. In September 2009 a federal judge finally ruled that the government had until the end of the month to return the confiscated coins to the family or to prove that they had indeed been stolen.
Golg Pioneer Coins
PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
CALIFORNIA - Fractional and Small Size Gold Coinage Coins
CALIFORNIA GOLD COINS
COLORADO GOLD COINS
GEORGIA GOLD COINS
NORTH CAROLINA GOLD COINS
OREGON GOLD COINS
UTAH GOLD COINS
HAWAII GOLD COINS
PHILIPPINES GOLD COINS
PUERTO RICO GOLD COINS
UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION DECIMAL COINAGE - Commonwealth
CONFEDERATE COINS
Territorial gold pieces (also referred to as "Private" and "Pioneer" gold) are those struck outside the U.S. Mint and not recognized as official issues by the federal government. The pieces so identified are of various shapes, denominations, and degrees of intrinsic value, and were locally required be¬cause of the remoteness of the early gold fields from a federal mint and/or an insufficient quantity of official coinage in frontier areas.
The legality of these privately issued pieces derives from the fact that federal law prior to 1864 prohibited a state from coining money, but did not specifically deny that right to an individual, providing that the privately issued coins did not closely resemble those of the United States.
In addition to coin-like gold pieces, the private minters of the gold rush days also issued gold in ingot and bar form. Ingots were intended for circulation and were cast in regular values and generally in large denominations. Bars represent a miner's deposit after it had been assayed, refined, cast into convenient form (generally rectangular), and stamped with the appropriate weight, fineness, and value. Although occasionally cast in even values for the convenience of banks, bars were more often of odd denomination, and when circulated were rounded off to the nearest figure. Ingots and bars are omitted from this listing.
CALIFORNIA - Fractional and Small Size Gold Coinage Coins
CALIFORNIA - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
COLORADO - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
GEORGIA - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
NORTH CAROLINA - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
OREGON - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
UTAH - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
HAWAII - US TERRITORIAL COINS
PHILIPPINES - US TERRITORIAL COINS
PUERTO RICO - US TERRITORIAL COINS
UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION DECIMAL COINAGE - Commonwealth
CONFEDERATE COINS
Half Cents
UNITED STATES HALF CENTS (1793-1857)
Liberty Cap Half Cent Head Left (1793 only)
Liberty Cap Half Cent Head Right (1794 - 1797)
Draped Bust (1800 - 1808) Half Cents
Capped Bust Half Cents (809 - 1836)
Half Cent Token 1837
Half Cent Braided Hair (1840 - 1857)
The United States minted Half Cents intermittently between 1793 and 1857. While this unusual denomination might seem useless today, it was an important part of our monetary system back when working wages were $1 per 10-hour day.
The images show the five major design types that appeared on U.S. Half Cents, plus a Half Cent token issued privately in 1837.
The Liberty Cap Half Cent came in two different versions: the Head Left (issued in 1793 only)
and the Head Right (issued from 1794 to 1797). The 1793 Half Cent is a scarce date and was one of the very first coins issued by the U.S. Mint. The rarest date in the Liberty Cap series is the 1796.
No Half Cents were issued in 1799.
The Draped Bust design appeared from 1800 to 1808, but no Half Cents were struck in 1801. The rarest date of this design type is the 1802, all of which were struck on cut-down Large Cents.
The Capped Bust design appeared on Half Cents beginning in 1809 and ran through 1836. No Half Cents were issued between 1812 and 1824, mostly because demand for the denomination was low and the Mint had difficulty obtaining planchets. In 1825, Half Cent coinage resumed, with breaks in 1827 and 1829. Rare dates of this type include 1831 and 1836, both issued only as Proofs.
No Half Cents were issued by the U.S. government between 1837 and 1839, but a privately issued token appeared in 1837 to fill the void. This token claimed to be of the same weight and value as a U.S. Half Cent and used images and styles similar to those on actual U.S. coins of the period.
The final Half Cent design type, the Braided Hair, first appeared in 1840 and ran through 1857. Rare dates of this type include the Proof-only issues of 1840-1848 and 1852.
In 1857, the Half Cent denomination was discontinued forever.
The Half Cent series is full of interesting and rare die varieties. Highlights include:
1796 No Pole
1797 Lettered Edge
1797 Gripped Edge
1802 Reverse of 1800
1804 "Spiked Chin"
1804 Stemless Wrvveath
1805 Stemless Wreath
1806 Stemless Wreath
1808/7
1809/6
1828 12 Stars
Half Dimes
HALF DIMES OR FIVE CENTS
(1794-DATE)
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - SILVER (1794 - 1873)
FLOWING HAIR HALF DIMES (1794 - 1795)
DRAPED BUST HALF DIMES (1796 - 1805)
CAPPED BUST FIVE CENTS OR HALF DIME (1829 -1837)
SEATED LIBERTY HALF DIMES (1837-1873)
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - NICKEL (1866 - DATE)
SHIELD FIVE CENTS (1866 - 1883)
LIBERTY HEAD FIVE CENTS (1883 - 1913)
BUFFALO NICKEL FIVE CENTS (1913 - 1938)
JEFFERSON FIVE CENTS (1938 - DATE)
The United States coinage system commenced with a silver 5-cent coin rather than that of nickel composition in use today.
The half dime was one of the original denominations introduced almost as soon as the United States coinage system began. The half disme of 1792 was a pattern designed by Thomas Birch. Birch is also remembered for his experimental Birch Cent, a coin perhaps better identified with Birch because it bears his name.
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - SILVER (1794 - 1873)
FLOWING HAIR HALF DIMES (1794 - 1795)
DRAPED BUST HALF DIMES (1796 - 1805)
CAPPED BUST FIVE CENTS OR HALF DIME (1829 -1837)
SEATED LIBERTY HALF DIMES (1837-1873)
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - NICKEL (1866 - DATE)
SHIELD FIVE CENTS (1866 - 1883)
LIBERTY HEAD FIVE CENTS (1883 - 1913)
BUFFALO NICKEL FIVE CENTS (1913 - 1938)
JEFFERSON FIVE CENTS (1938 - DATE)
Half Dollar
UNITED STATES FIFTY CENTS OR HALF DOLLAR
(1794-DATE)
FLOWING HAIR (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST (1796-1807
CAPPED BUST (1807-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY (1839-1891)
BARBER (1892-1916)
WALKING LIBERTY (1916-1947)
FRANKLIN (1948-1963)
KENNEDY (1964-DATE)
Sources and/or recommended reading:
"Early Half Dollar Die Varieties, Third Edition" by Al C. Overton and Don Parsley
FLOWING HAIR HALF DOLLAR (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST HALF DOLLAR (1796-1807
CAPPED BUST HALF DOLLAR (1807-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR (1839-1891)
BARBER HALF DOLLAR (1892-1916)
WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR (1916-1947)
FRANKLIN HALF DOLLAR (1948-1963)
KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR (1964-DATE)
Miscellaneous Coins and Medals
MISCELLANEOUS COINS and MEDALS
Greatest US Coins
Coins minted in foreign mints
Political Medals
Miscellaneous Tokens and Medals
UNA Amero Pattern Coins
Prototypes and Parody coins
Pattern Coins
PATTERN COINS, DIE TRIALS & FANTASIES
From time to time, the United States Mint considers implementing new designs on the coins in circulation. Historically, the Mint developed new designs either internally or through outside competitions. As the selection process narrowed, actual sample coins were made of the various designs. These "Pattern" coins allowed Mint officials to see how the proposed designs would look in three-dimensional relief, to test for any problems in producing the coins, and to try out new metal alloys.
Pattern coins fall into a number of different categories:
1. Both sides were rejected for use on circulating coins.
2. One or both sides were modified slightly before they were used on circulating coins.
3. Either the obverse or the reverse was accepted for use on circulating coins.
4. Both sides were accepted for use on circulating coins, but the metal composition may be different from the one eventually used.
Die Trials were tests of dies in various stages of production. Back when dies were "cut" by hand, the engraver would periodically stamp the die into a piece of soft metal to see how the work was progressing (these are generally uniface stampings on oversized or irregularly shaped blanks). Die Trials also include "setup" pieces which were used to determine proper die alignments and striking pressures before regular production began.
Fantasy Coins include unexpected pairings of mis-matched dies made by Mint officials to create artificial rarities for personal gain or at the request of collectors. Fantasy Coins include the so-called "Restrikes" that were made outside the Mint from discarded dies, often combining dies of different types and vastly different dates.
Sometimes, the line between Patterns, Die Trials, and Fantasy Coins becomes blurred. In many cases, we simply lack the information as to when a coin was struck, why, and by whom. Often, we must turn to the coins themselves to look for such clues and, thankfully, the coins are willing to help.
Is it important that we classify these coins properly? Yes, because apart from our natural human tendency to categorize, pigeon-hole, and classify just about everything around us, most collectors are concerned about a thing called "intent". Rarities that were "made-to-order" or that were created deliberately hold less of an attraction than legitimate rarities, and justly so.
The United States Mint produced well over a thousand different patterns, as well as many die trial and experimental pieces. Despite the great rarity of many of these individual items, the great variety makes the series surprisingly collectible.
There are approximately 350 collectors specializing in United States pattern coinage. Most of these collectors target specific areas. For example, there are collectors who specialize in Indian Cent patterns, others collecting Morgan dollar patterns, and at least a few trying to assemble a complete collection of twenty cent patterns.
In addition to these specialists, there are thousands of collectors of regular issue United States coins that try to buy a few patterns to go along with their collections. Many of these historical coins have wide appeal and are surprisingly affordable. There are many, many collectors who, for example, would like to own an 1855 Flying Eagle large cent (J-167, about 500 pieces struck, value $800-4500) to go with their collection of large cents or with their collection of Flying Eagle small cents.
Private Tokens
Privately Issued Circulating Coins and Tokens
HARD TIMES TOKENS (1832-1844)
PATRIOTIC CIVIL WAR TOKENS
COMPANY STORES
MODERN STORE CARDS
Privately issued tokens predate the American Revolution, in most cases issued to fill the need for low denomination coins. This area is traditionally broken down into a number periods. The "hard times tokens" (HTT) and civil war tokens (CWT) are among the better studied and cataloged private issues. The tokens illustrated here represent a tiny fraction of this rich genre.
Early American Privately Issued Tokens & Coins (before 1834)
As with the Hard Times Tokens and Civil War Tokens, the Early American tokens included anonymous monetary issues, some with political implications, and tokens identified with specific merchants. The former group includes pieces which were minted abroad, such as the Rosa Americana & Hibernia coinage of 1722-1724, the 1760 Voce Populi, and the Nova Contstellatio coppers.
Hard Times Tokens 1834-1844
The "Hard Times", strictly speaking, referred to the "recession" of 1837-1838, when 90% of the factories and the United States closed following a banking crisis, which was credited to Andrew Jackson. At the heart of this period, these large cent sized tokens became necessary substitutes for the government issued coins, which were to a large extent hoarded.
This rich and varied series has achieved a substantial following, with some pieces commanding thousands of dollars. The series includes politically oriented tokens, commercial advertising tokens, and anonymous monetary tokens. A small sampling follows.
Perhaps the most enduring result of this series is emergence of the donkey as the symbol of the Democratic Party.
Merchant Tokens 1844-1860
The practice of merchants privately issuing tokens continued after the "Hard Times" and, as the minters of Merchant Tokens, especially S.D. Childs of Chicago, also minted CWT's, served as a bridge between the Hard Times Tokens and Civil War Tokens.
Unlike the Hard Times Tokens, the Merchant Tokens did not fill an urgent need for circulating coins. Rather, these pieces served predominantly to advertise the business of the issuer. A consequence of the absent demand for privately issued small change is the disappearance of the "political" token which could not be ascribed to a commercial establishment.
The Merchant Tokens, which outnumber the Hard Times Tokens in number and variety of designs, have not achieved the popularity with collectors as either the Hard Times Tokens or the Civil War Tokens.
The Civil War saw virtually complete hoarding of all government issued coins. These (small) cent sized tokens circulated in place of the government issued cents. The Red Book estimates over 50 million pieces issued, in 10,000 varieties.
The Civil War tokens (CWT) are divided into three groups, tradesman's tokens, the RARE Sutler tokens and anonymously issued pieces with political or patriotic themes.
All saw circulation as money.
Modern Store Cards.
Although these pieces did not circulate, I appreciate the gesture to tradition. THANX!!
HARD TIMES TOKENS (1832-1844)
PATRIOTIC CIVIL WAR TOKENS
COMPANY STORES TOKENS
MODERN STORE CARDS
Quarter Dollars
UNITED STATES TWENTY FIVE CENTS OR QUARTER DOLLAR
(1796-DATE)
DRAPED BUST (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST (1815-1838)
SEATED LIBERTY (1838-1891)
BARBER (1892-1916)
STANDING LIBERTY (1916-1930)
WASHINGTON (1932-DATE)
STATE QUARTERS (1999-DATE)
The first United States Quarter Dollars were struck in 1796, despite having been authorized in 1792. Demand for the denomination was low - in 1796, only 6,146 Quarter Dollars were struck, then no more were struck until 1804, when the mintage was again tiny. The Draped Bust design was used from 1796 to 1807, with a change in the reverse design beginning in 1804. No Quarter Dollars were struck from 1808-1814. Minting of the denomination resumed in 1815, with the introduction of the Capped Bust design. In 1831, the diameter of the Quarter Dollars was reduced and standardized through the use of a close collar (a collar that restricted the outward flow of metal when the blank planchets were struck).
The Seated Liberty design debuted in mid-1838 and lasted until 1891. From 1853 to 1855, arrowheads were placed on either side of the date to signify a reduction in the weight of the coin. In 1866, the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" was added to the reverse of the Quarter Dollar. From 1873 to 1874, arrowheads reappeared on the obverse, this time to signify the adoption of the metric system by Mint officials.
In 1892, Charles Barber created a new design using a head of Liberty wearing a freedman's cap. This became known as the Barber type, one of the few American types that took the name of the designer, rather than the name of the main design elements (other notable examples are the Gobrecht and Morgan Silver Dollars).
The Standing Liberty design appeared in 1916, featuring a classic figure in a long, flowing dress, carrying a shield in one hand and an olive branch in the other. In 1916 and 1917, Liberty appeared bare-breasted; from 1917 to 1930, she was given cover-up of chain mail.
A special Quarter Dollar appeared in 1932, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. The Washington type became so popular that it replaced the Standing Liberty design, even though the latter design had not been in place for the statutory 25 year minimum. In 1965, a "sandwich" alloy of copper-nickel layers around a pure copper core replaced the old 90% silver alloy. In 1976, a special "Drummer Boy" reverse was created for the bicentennial of American independence. In 1999, the Mint began an ambitious, ten year program intended to produce a unique design for each of the 50 States, with five new designs appearing each year. The 50 States Quarters program is credited with creating millions of new coin collectors.
DRAPED BUST QUARTER DOLLAR (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST QUARTER DOLLAR (1815-1838)
SEATED LIBERTY QUARTER DOLLAR (1838-1891)
BARBER QUARTER DOLLAR (1892-1916)
STANDING LIBERTY QUARTER DOLLAR (1916-1930)
WASHINGTON QUARTER DOLLAR (1932-DATE)
STATE QUARTERS QUARTER DOLLAR (1999-DATE)
Rarities in the Quarter Dollar denomination include:
1796
1804
1822 25 over 50
1827 Original
1827 Restrike
1842 Small Date
1866 No Motto
1871-CC
1873-CC No Arrows
1901-S
1916 Standing Liberty
Two Cents and Three Cents
Two Cents (1864 - 1873)
The United States Two Cents is an unusual denomination that first appeared in 1864, during a period of coin shortages caused by the Civil War. Attempts to introduce the Two Cents denomination occurred in 1806 and 1836, but both efforts failed due to technical considerations. In 1863, Mint officials revived the idea of a Two Cents Coin simultaneous with their plans to reduce the weight and metal content of the bulky, Copper-Nickel Indian Head Cent. Apparently, the Mint noticed the success of the privately issued Civil War tokens of One Cent size (on thinner, pure copper planchets) and realized that the public was now ready to accept what were essentially underweight coppers. In 1864, the Mint effectively destroyed the market for Civil War tokens by issuing almost forty million Indian Cents on copper planchets and nearly twenty million of the new Two Cents (at exactly double the weight of the One Cent coins).
Three Cents (1851 - 1889)
The United States Three Cents is an unusual denomination that first appeared in 1851, although pattern coins for the denomination were produced in 1849 and 1850. The original purpose of the Three Cents coins to provide an intermediate denomination between the Cent and Half Dime, making it easier to change some of the odd foreign coins that were legal tender in America at that time. In 1851, postal rates were dropped from five to three cents. While three Large Cents could have been used to purchase a postage stamp, the bulky copper coins were expensive to produce. Thus, a coin of three cents value had two purposes, enough to get the denomination started in 1851.
The images show the two major design types that appeared on U.S. Three Cents.
The first Three Cents were made of a low-grade silver. These tiny coins were known officially as "Trimes" and unofficially as "fish scales." They were the first circulating U.S. coin without a depiction of Miss Liberty in some form or other. In 1854, the percentage of silver in the coins was increased to 90%, to match that of the other silver coins in production at the time.
Three sub-types exist of the silver Three Cents. Type 1, issued from 1851 to 1853, shows the obverse star with a single outline. After 1853, the weight of the Three Cents coin was reduced. To indicate this change, two extra outlines were added to the star, resulting in the Type 2 version that lasted until 1858. In 1859, one of the extra outlines was dropped, creating the third and final sub-type, the Type 3 version.
Three Cents Silver Trimes (1851 - 1873)
Three Cents Nickel (1865 - 1889)
THREE GOLD DOLLARS
(1854-1889)
Three Dollar Gold Pieces were issued every year from 1854 to 1889. This unusual denomination boasts an indirect tie-in with the stamp collecting community -- the price of a first class postage stamp was 3¢ during the years in which this denomination was minted. Thus, the $3.00 Gold Piece was perfect for purchasing a complete sheet of 100 stamps. Only a few dates in this series can be considered common (1854, 1874, 1878) and the majority of the dates in this series have mintages below 10,000 coins. Highlights of the series include the unique 1870-S Three-Dollar Gold Piece, the Proof-only 1875 and 1876, and the elusive 1854-D (the only Three-Dollar Gold Piece struck at the Dahlonega, Georgia Mint.
$4 GOLD STELLA
(1879 – 1880)
Beginning in the 1870s, several countries advocated the establishment of a universal coinage that would translate easily across international currencies. A few efforts were made in the United States early in the decade, leading to coins such as the 1874 Bickford $10 patterns, but the most serious attempts came in 1879. That year, the Honorable John A. Kasson (U.S. politician and ambassador, at that time envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Austria-Hungary) proposed a $4 gold coin with a metallic content stated in the metric system, making it easier for Europeans to use. Per Kasson's proposal, this new coin would approximate in value the Spanish 20-peseta, Dutch 8-florin, Austrian 8-florin, Italian 20-lire, and French 20-franc pieces, among other denominations. The purpose of the $4 gold coin was to facilitate international trade and travel for Americans-the same motivation behind the 1874 Bickford eagle and other gold patterns.
Congress had enough interest in Kasson's suggestion to order the Mint to produce a lim¬ited run of the $4 gold pieces so that congressmen could review the coins. Soon thereafter, Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber prepared an obverse design that depicted a portrait of Liberty facing left with long, flowing hair. Meanwhile, George Morgan created a motif featuring a portrait with the hair coiled up in a bun. Denominated as ONE STELLA (so named after the large star on the reverse), the $4 gold pieces were minted in both 1879 and 1880 in a variety of metals, including gold, copper, and aluminum.
Bullion Coins
UNITED STATES BULLION COINS
(1986-DATE)
Silver American Eagle Bullion Coins
One Troy Ounce (1986-Present)
Gold American Eagle Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
$10 Quarter Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
$25 Half Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
$50 One Ounce Gold (1986-Present)
Platinum American Eagle Bullion Coins
$10 Tenth Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
$25 Quarter Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
$50 Half Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
$100 One Ounce Platinum (1997-Present)
Gold American Buffalo Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
$10 Quarter Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
$25 Half Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
$50 One Ounce 24 Karat Gold (2006-Present)
First Spouse Bullion Coins
$10 Half Ounce Gold (2007-2016)
In 1986, the United States began striking gold and silver bullion coins to compete with world bullion coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf, the South African Krugerrand, and others. The value of these coins was intended to be tied directly to their metal value, although in some cases (where mintages were low) a collector market has developed. The bullion value of these coins far outstrips their face value.
Known as "American Eagles" because of the family of eagles on the reverse, U.S. silver bullion coins are available in Uncirculated and Proof versions, as well as in a number of different sets. Proof coins may be ordered by the general public directly from the Mint. Uncirculated coins are distributed by selected representatives, who then make them available to the secondary market.
The obverse of the U.S. silver bullion coins follows the artistic design created by Adolphe A. Weinman for the Half Dollars issued from 1916-1947, inclusive. John Mercanti created the reverse design.
Each Silver Eagle has a face value of $1 and contains exactly one ounce of pure silver in an alloy of 99.93% silver and .07% copper.
A limited number of Mint State 2004 Silver Eagles were encapsulated by the Professional Coin Grading Service along with an insert signed by former NASA astronaut, Kathryn D. Sullivan. A portion of the proceeds was dedicated to a science museum located in Ohio.
In 1997, the United States began striking platinum coins to compete with other world bullion coins. U.S. platinum bullion coins are available in Uncirculated and Proof versions in four denominations: $10, $25, $50, and $100. The true value of these coins is tied directly to their intrinsic metal value, although in a few cases (where mintages are low) collectors will pay a significant premium over the bullion value. Generally, however, the bullion value of these coins far outstrips their face value.
Proof coins may be ordered by the general public directly from the Mint, either as single coins or as a complete set of the four different denominations. Uncirculated coins are distributed by selected representatives, who then make them available to the secondary market based on the prevailing bullion value of platinum.
John M. Mercanti designed the obverse of the U.S. platinum bullion coins using the head of the Statue of Liberty. In keeping with the Mint's "American Eagles" theme, new reverses are developed each year - always with an eagle incorporated into the design.
The metal content of each denomination consists of 99.95% pure platinum.
Mintmarks appear on the reverse, but positions vary from year to year. U.S. platinum bullion coins have been struck at the following mints:
Philadelphia
West Point
BEWARE - Counterfeit examples of the 2002 1/10 ounce platinum coins began being offered in 2003.
Silver American Eagle Bullion Coins
One Troy Ounce Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Adolph A Weinman Metal Composition: 99.93% Silver - 0.07% Copper
Diameter: 40.6 mm Mass: 31.101 grams
Gold American Eagle Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 16.5 mm Mass: 3.393 grams
$10 Quarter Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 22 mm Mass: 8.483 grams
$25 Half Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 27 mm Mass: 16.966 grams
$50 One Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (1986-Present)
Designer - Engraver: Augustus Saint-Gaudens Metal Composition: 91.67% Gold - 3% Silver - 5.33% Copper
Diameter: 32.7 mm Mass: 33.931 grams
Platinum American Eagle Bullion Coins
$10 Tenth Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 16.5 mm Mass: 3.112 grams
$25 Quarter Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 22 mm Mass: 7.78 grams
$50 Half Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 27 mm Mass: 15.56 grams
$100 One Ounce Platinum Bullion Coins (1997-Present)
Designer - Engraver: John M Mercanti Metal Composition: 99.95% Platinum
Diameter: 32.7 mm Mass: 31.12 grams
Gold American Buffalo Bullion Coins
$5 Tenth Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Designer - Engraver: James Earle Fraser Metal Composition: 99.99% Fine Gold
Diameter: 16.5 mm Mass: 3.1104 grams
$10 Quarter Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Diameter: 22 mm Mass: 7.7759 grams
$25 Half Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Diameter: 27 mm Mass: 15.5518 grams
$50 One Ounce 24 Karat Gold Bullion Coins (2006-Present)
Diameter: 32.7 mm Mass: 31.1035 grams
First Spouse Bullion Coins
$10 Half Ounce Gold Bullion Coins (2007-2016)
Metal Composition: 99.99% Fine Gold
Diameter: 26.5 mm Mass: 15.554 grams
Colonial Coins
COLONIAL COINS
COLONIAL CONAGE
EARLY AMERICAN TOKENS
ROYAL PATENT COINAGE
REVOLUTIONARY COINAGE
STATE COINAGE
FRENCH NEW WORLD ISSUES
EARLY FEDERAL COINAGE
WASHINGTON PIECES
EARLY AMERICAN PATTERNS
FUGIO
ISSUES of 1792
A distinguishing characteristic of a sovereign nation is the right to issue its own coins. America began exercising that right in 1792 by issuing Pattern Coins, in 1793 by issuing copper coins, in 1794 by issuing silver coins, and in 1795 by issuing gold coins. Prior to 1792, everyday business was conducted using a motley accumulation of tokens, coins, medals and counterfeits issued by private individuals, private mints inside and outside of America, and official mints outside of America. These are known as Colonial Coins.
COLONIAL CONAGE
EARLY AMERICAN TOKENS
Colonial Coins - ROYAL PATENT COINAGE
Colonial Coins - REVOLUTIONARY COINAGE
Colonial Coins - STATE COINAGE
Colonial Coins - FRENCH NEW WORLD ISSUES
Colonial Coins - EARLY FEDERAL COINAGE
WASHINGTON PIECES
Colonial Coins - EARLY AMERICAN PATTERNS
Colonial Coins - FUGIO
ISSUES of 1792
Commemorative Coins
UNITED STATES COMMEMORATIVE COINS
QUARTER DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
HALF DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
GOLD DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
$2.50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$5 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$10 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
About Commemorative Coins.
What is a commemorative coin? There is no hard and fast rule that covers all instances, but, in general, a commemorative coin is one which was produced with the primary intention of creating a special souvenir to be sold at a premium above face value to commemorate an anniversary, special occasions, or other event. Such pieces differ in design from the regular circulating coinage of the same denominations of their respective eras.
There is a distinction between a commemorative coin and a commemorative medal. United States commemorative coins are those that have a designated face value and are legal tender, although they were primarily issued as commemoratives. Thus the 1918 Illinois Centennial half dollar is legal tender for 50 cents, and, if desired, a 1900 Lafayette silver dollar can be turned into a bank for face value, even though no one would want to do this. On the other hand, medals have no face value or legal tender status.
Beginning with new issues of commemorative coins in the 1980s, silver dollars were denominated $1. However, the silver content of these pieces made it impractical for such coins to circulate at that value, for they contained more than $1 worth of metal. Silver dollars for general circulation (not commemorative issues) had last been produced in 1935. Similarly, $5 and $10 commemorative gold coins of the 1980s were denominated as such although the gold contained therein was worth many times that. This legal fiction has as its primary purpose to target the market of coin collectors, a potential sales arena much larger than that of medal collectors. The “face value” of silver and gold commemoratives of the 1980s onward has no meaning, even though the coins are indeed legal tender for those amounts.
Early Commemoratives
An unadopted proposal made by Elias Boudinot and described in the Annals of Congress, January 1, 1793, would have, in a sense, made all subsequent United States coins commemoratives: “Mr. Boudinot, after remarking that the artists who had exhibited specimens of the figure of Liberty on the several samples of coins he had seen all differed in their conceptions on this occasion, for the sake, therefore of uniformity, he moved to add a clause to the present bill, providing that, in lieu of the figure of Liberty, the head of Columbus should be substituted. Mr. Boudinot supported his motion by some pertinent remarks on the character of Columbus and the obligations the citizens of the United States were under to honor his memory…On the question being put, the motion was negatived.” Thus Columbus commemorative coins were not to be – at least not for the moment.
A candidate advanced by some for the distinction of being the first commemorative coin is any of the series of regular issue United States coins, particularly one-cent pieces and half dollars, counterstamped in 1824 with medal dies, depicting on one side the portrait of Gen. Washington and on the other that of Lafayette. The occasion was the return to the United States in 1824 of Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution, when Congress welcomed him as “the nation’s guest.” It has been suggested that coins thus marked may have been strewn in the path of Lafayette’s carriage by grateful citizens during parades held in the Eastern states in that year and in 1825. However, it is virtually certain that the dies for the medal were produced outside of the Mint, possibly by Charles Cushing Wright, and that the counterstamping was done after the coins had been placed into general circulation (as evidenced by the fact that most known counterstamps of this type are on host coins dated prior to 1824). At best, the Washington-Lafayette issues can be described as private commemorative counterstamps applied to official U.S. (and other) coins. As such, they do not qualify as United States commemorative coins.
The honor for being the first official United States commemorative coin goes to an issued produced in 1848. The occasion was the receipt at the Philadelphia Mint of native gold from the California Gold Rush, that had been sent to the East for evaluation. Believing that citizens might like to have a souvenir related to an event which was continually making newspaper headlines, the Mint specially marked 1,389 examples of the smallest gold denomination then in use, the $2.50 piece, with the notation “CAL.” on the reverse.
After that time several decades passed, until in 1892 the first American silver commemorative coin was created, a half dollar to be issued in conjunction with the World’s Columbian Exposition. At the beginning this and other commemorative issues were officially designated as souvenirs. The commemorative nomenclature became popular later. The World’s Columbian Exposition inspired the production not only of half dollars dated 1892 and 1893, but of the first and only commemorative 25¢ piece, the Isabella quarter, which was made at the behest of society matron Mrs. Potter Palmer.
In 1900 the next silver commemorative coin appeared, the Lafayette silver dollar, the first of that denomination. The funds from the sale of these coins at $2 each were used to finance the erection in Paris of a statue of Lafayette by sculptor Paul Wayland Bartlett.
The Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis in 1904 saw the distribution of 1903-dated commemorative gold dollars of two varieties, one bearing the visage of Thomas Jefferson and the other the portrait of William McKinley. For the first time, distribution was placed in the hands of a single individual, Farran Zerbe, thus setting a precedent that would from the very beginning lead to abuses. A vast quantity, amounting to 250,000 gold dollars, was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, but eventually only about 35,000 coins were sold, and the rest were melted. This wasteful procedure was to be repeated with many commemorative issues in the future.
Next on the list of commemorative coins are the 1904 and 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition gold dollars, which are quite rare today. Then we encounter the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a grand world’s fair that numismatists remember today for a panorama of five different commemorative coins ranging from a silver half dollar to two varieties of $50 gold pieces.
Then came the McKinley Memorial gold dollars dated 1916 and 1917, which by all accounts were artistic and commercial failures, although Texas dealer B. Max Mehl, who sopped up the unsold remainders for close to face value, was able to turn a profit from later sales of them. Then followed the 1918 Illinois Centennial half dollar, a coin with a pleasing portrait of young Abe Lincoln, after which we find the 1920 Maine Centennial coin of the same denomination, a coin whose design was widely criticized for its simplicity.
QUARTER DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
HALF DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
GOLD DOLLAR COMMEMORATIVES
$2.50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$5 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$10 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
$50 GOLD COMMEMORATIVES
Dimes and Twenty Cents
UNITED STATES TEN CENTS OR DIME
(1796-DATE)
DRAPED BUST DIMES (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST TEN CENTS OR DIME (1809-1837)
SEATED LIBERTY DIMES (1837-1891)
BARBER DIMES (1892-1916)
MERCURY HEAD DIMES (1916-1945)
ROOSEVELT DIMES (1946-DATE)
The first United States Dimes appeared in 1796 but gave no indication as to their face value! The first type (Draped Bust) featured a buxom Miss Liberty with her long tresses neatly tied up in a bow. The back of the coin showed a somewhat scrawny eagle with wings outstretched standing on a bed of clouds, all surrounded by a wreath. In 1798, the reverse design changed and mimicked the Great Seal of the United States, thereafter showing an eagle with outstretched wings and a shield on its breast, clouds and stars above. This design lasted until 1807.
DRAPED BUST DIMES (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST TEN CENTS OR DIME (1809-1837)
SEATED LIBERTY DIMES (1837-1891)
BARBER DIMES (1892-1916)
MERCURY HEAD DIMES (1916-1945)
ROOSEVELT DIMES (1946-DATE)
UNITED STATES TWENTY CENTS
(1875-1878)
The Twenty Cent Piece was an unusual denomination struck between 1875 and 1878. Because the size of the coin and the design elements were so similar to those on the Quarter Dollar, these coins caused a lot of confusion with the general public (similar to the situation that occurred over 100 years later with the Susan B. Anthony Dollar). For this reason, Twenty Cent Pieces were struck for circulation only in 1875 and 1876. In 1877 and 1878, they were available only as Proofs.
Dollar
ONE DOLLAR
(1794-DATE)
FLOWING HAIR DOLLARS (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST DOLLARS (1795-1804)
GOBRECHT TYPE DOLLARS (1836-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY DOLLARS (1840-1873)
TRADE DOLLARS (1873-1885)
MORGAN DOLLARS (1878-1921)
PEACE DOLLARS (1921-1964)
EISENHOWER DOLLARS (1971-1978)
SUSAN B. ANTHONY DOLLARS (1978-1999)
SACAGAWEA DOLLARS (2000-DATE)
PRESIDENTIAL DOLLARS (2007-2016)
ONE DOLLAR - GOLD (1849-1889)
LIBERTY HEAD GOLD DOLLARS (1849-1854)
INDIAN PRINCESS GOLD DOLLARS (1854-1889
THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SILVER DOLLAR
The silver dollar was a natural denomination to be adopted by the fledgling United States.
The tradition of the so-called “crown” size coin dates from the late 15th century when significant silver finds in Germany and central Europe were struck into talers. The word taler has been translated into many languages where the crown size silver coin has been used. Among these translations are daler, daalder and dollar. The word dollar is not unique to the United States, nor was it first used here. James VI of Scotland struck a 30-shilling coin between 1567 and 1571 generally called the Sword Dollar due to his depiction on the obverse holding a sword. The Double Merk of 1578 is called the Thistle Dollar. Charles II of England (1660-1685) struck a dollar denomination coin for Scotland. Fractional denominations were in half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth dollar denominations. Spain issued crown size silver coins in the denomination of 8 reales. Spanish colonial American Mints struck silver mined in Central and South America into 8 reales and smaller denominations, most of the coins shipped back to Spain. The 8-reales coins not exported to Spain were used in local commerce in the New World, some of them eventually arriving in the English colonies along the Atlantic coast.
In the 13 original colonies the 8-reales coin was popularly referred to as a milled dollar. Considering the Royal Mint did not provide the necessary coins needed for local commerce the American colonies used any foreign specie available. The Spanish milled dollar was typically what was available. It was so popular that the coin was
finally formally demonetized through an act of Congress in 1857. The tradition of the fractions of the dollar which was initiated during the reign of Charles II became popular. Although smaller or fractional denomination Spanish colonial American coins were sometimes available, many of the 8-reales coins were cut into pie
shaped halves, quarters, eighths and sixteenths to make change. These are the famous “pieces of eight” of romantic literature.
The United States settled on a decimal currency system rather than the cumbersome pound sterling system of Great Britain or the awkward denomination system based on the silver 8 reales and gold 8 escudos of Spain. Within the American colonies Maryland was the first to issue paper money in dollar denominations in 1766. In 1775 the Continental Congress printed paper money again in the dollar denomination.
The tradition of the U.S. dollar denomination coin was born with the pewter, brass and silver composition 1776 Continental dollar coin varieties. These coins are generally accepted to have been patterns rather than circulation coins, but they paved the way for the tradition of a dollar denomination coin.
Thomas Jefferson was among the proponents for a silver dollar coin as early as 1785. These were difficult economic times for the young country. The Spanish 8-reales coin filled the need in the absence of a U.S. Mint and federally issued currency.
When Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton presented Congress with a report on a Mint and a monetary system, a dollar coin with the approximate weight and purity of the Spanish milled dollar was taken into serious consideration. The very first
statute of the Mint Act of April 2, 1792, authorized striking of silver dollar denomination coins. Our federal coinage actually begins in 1792 with what could be argued to be patterns, regular production of some denominations commencing during 1793.
The first U.S. Silver Dollars were struck in 1794
The silver dollar denomination was delayed until 1794, in part due to a problem in requisitioning the necessary silver. Secretary of State Jefferson rather than Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton had initially been placed in charge of the Mint. Since this caused a personal problem between the two men, Hamilton did not cooperate in the necessary requisitions for bullion for striking these coins.
It isn’t known for certain, but it appears the dies for the Flowing Hair silver dollar of 1794 to 1795 may have been made as late as September 1794. Mint Engraver Robert Scot designed the initial U.S. silver coins, including the Flowing Hair silver dollar. No one knows for certain, but Scot may have used Engraver Joseph Wright’s eagle design from the 1792 pattern quarter dollar coin for the eagle on the reverse of the first silver dollar coin. The initial silver dollar coins are struck of 26.96 grams of .8924 fine silver alloyed with copper. The diameter is about 39 to 40 millimeters with a lettered edge reading HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT. The Spanish colonial American 8-reales coin beginning in 1772 has a weight of 27.07 grams of .903 fine silver. With this in mind and the fact Congress ruled the 8 reales was to circulate on par with the new dollar coin, the silver dollar coin would in reality circulate at a discount to the so-called Spanish milled dollar or would fail to be accepted in commerce at all.
The 1794 and 1795 Flowing Hair silver dollars are known for adjustment marks, usually found along the rim. Denticles are occasionally pushed up in places due to the edge lettering machine. The quality of the some of the planchets used was inferior. All of these qualities should be observed when considering a purchase or sale of this coin type. There was difficulty in striking these first silver dollars to a presentable quality. Look for a weakly struck obverse at about 6 o’clock with corresponding weakness on the reverse at the same point. The press used to produce these coins was actually meant for half dollar production. The dies were cut into shallow relief to accommodate striking, but this did not always succeed.
A new silver dollar press was constructed, but this wasn’t ready until 1795. Rejected silver dollar coins dated 1794 are known as the host planchets for 1795 strikes. The date is not established for certain, but it appears the Flowing Hair design was replaced with that of the Draped Bust with Small Eagle reverse around September 1795, ending this first silver dollar series as a two-year type coin.
Milford Henry Bolender’s book “The United States Early Silver Dollars from 1794 to 1803” should be referenced regarding the many varieties of these first two dates in the silver dollar field.
FLOWING HAIR DOLLARS (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST DOLLARS (1795-1804)
GOBRECHT TYPE DOLLARS (1836-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY DOLLARS (1840-1873)
TRADE DOLLARS (1873-1885)
MORGAN DOLLARS (1878-1921)
PEACE DOLLARS (1921-1964)
EISENHOWER DOLLARS (1971-1978)
SUSAN B. ANTHONY DOLLARS (1978-1999)
SACAGAWEA DOLLARS (2000-DATE)
PRESIDENTIAL DOLLARS (2007-2016)
ONE DOLLAR - GOLD (1849-1889)
LIBERTY HEAD DOLLARS (1849-1854)
INDIAN PRINCESS DOLLARS (1854-1889)
gold $10 eagle
TEN DOLLARS OR EAGLE
(1795-1933)
Turban Head (1795-1804)
Liberty Head Type, No Motto on Reverse (1838-1866)
Liberty Head Type, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1907)
Indian Head Type (1907-1933)
THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
$10 GOLD PIECE
By Richard Giedroyc.
The Act of April 2, 1792 authorized a U.S. Mint in Philadelphia and coin denominations through a gold $10 eagle with a weight of 270 grains of gold.
Copper and silver composition coins were produced beginning in 1793, however it wasn’t until 1795 that the first gold coins were produced. The problem wasn’t the supply of gold. The chief coiner and minter were each required to post a $10,000 bond prior to being allowed to produce gold coins. Special arrangements were finally arranged so the gold denominations could be introduced.
Virtually all the early gold coins struck through 1833 are scarce to rare. Mintage figures were low. The survival rate was also low. The purchasing power of the individual coins was tremendous, keeping most gold coins out of the hands of the average person. Coins of denominations as high as $10 were typically used for bank transfers rather than as pocket change or spending money.
As an example, in 1818 a farm laborer earned an average of $9.45 per month in the United States. An artisan working in Philadelphia earned an average of $11.16 for a six-day work week, while a laborer in the same city earned $6 for the same six-day work week.
By the time of the Civil War, in 1864, a carpenter working on the Erie Canal earned $13.50 for a six-day work week.
In 1900 a manufacturing worker was earning an average of $487 per year or about $9.37 per week. A coin of the eagle or $10 denomination wouldn’t be in the pocket of too many people, considering it represented the wages for a week at the time.
According to researcher Walter Breen, "During its entire history, 1795 to 1933, the eagle was coined in smaller quantities: just under 57.7 million pieces, compared to just under 79 million half eagles."
In view of these statistics it shouldn’t come as a great surprise to learn that the initial production of eagle denominated coins of Sept. 17, 1795 was a mere 400 pieces. The 1795 to 1797 issue was designed by Robert Scot with a Capped Bust Right on the obverse and the "Small" Eagle on the reverse.
The reverse design was changed to depict the Great Seal of the United States (known to collectors today as the Heraldic Eagle), but the gold content remained at 17.5 grams of .9167 fine gold. The Heraldic Eagle reverse design was introduced during 1797 and continued through 1804.
There are several arrangements of the stars on the obverse of these early coins. In 1797 Mint Director Boudinot made a decision to stop adding a new star to the designs of coins every time a new state entered the union. From that point forward only 13 stars are depicted on the eagle.
Coinage of the denomination ceased in 1804 at the order of President Thomas Jefferson. The coins contained more gold than their face value. The coins were being hoarded, melted, exported or speculated on, but they did not circulate.
In 1838 the weight of U.S. gold coins was legislated to be lighter, making the metal content of the coins agree with their legal tender face value. The danger of mass exports and speculation ended and the production of eagles was resumed.
The rather redundant Coronet portrait of Liberty facing left on the obverse by Christian Gobrecht was introduced that year. The design would be modified, but would continue primarily unchanged through 1907.
During the period of 1838 to 1907 there are varieties without a motto, with a motto, "first head," "second head," small or large letters, normal dates and more.
The motto "In God We Trust" was added in 1866 due to the lobbying of Rev. M.R. Watkinson during the Civil War. The Act of March 3, 1865 mandated the motto on all silver and gold coins of the United States.
Collectors may want to note that the New Orleans Mint mark first appears on the eagle coins in 1842, the San Francisco Mint mark appearing beginning in 1856.
The New Orleans Mint mark does not appear after 1860 as the Mint was located in the deep South and was captured by the Confederacy during the Civil War. New Orleans’ minted eagle coins resumed in 1892 and continued to be produced through 1906 when the Mint closed.
Eagles were struck at the Carson City Mint between 1870 and 1893, while Denver began minting Coronet eagle coins in 1906, one year before the design for the denomination was changed.
Mintage figures for the eagle denomination decreased after payment in specie was suspended during the Civil War, then increased following the Specie Resumption Act of 1878.
The early part of the 20th century was a time of change for our money. President Theodore Roosevelt encouraged new coin designs. The Saint-Gaudens’ Indian Head design for the eagle was introduced in 1908. The depiction of Liberty wearing a feathered war bonnet was based on a figure of Nike or Victory from his Gen. Sherman Monument, in turn borrowed from a depiction of Victory in the temple of Zeus Soter at the ruins at the ancient Greek city-state of Pergamon.
The eagle facing left on the reverse hints at the style of the imperial eagle on late Ptolemaic Egyptian and ancient Roman coins.
The 1907 issue was partially destroyed and recoined due to being artistically fine, but impractical for circulation due to the very high relief.
Lower relief Indian Head eagle coins were produced by the Mints at Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco until the denomination ceased production by presidential executive order in 1933.
There is considerable confusion regarding the 1933 Indian Head Eagle. Some of the coins were legally released prior to the executive order stopping the release of all U.S. gold coins. Some collectors confuse these difficult to find coins with the 1933 Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle coin which is illegal to own since none of them were legally released prior to the same executive order.
Turban Head Gold Eagle (1795-1804)
Liberty Head Gold Eagle Type, No Motto on Reverse (1838-1866)
Liberty Head Gold Eagle Type, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1907)
Indian Head Gold Eagle Type (1907-1933)
Gold Half Eagle
FIVE DOLLARS OR HALF EAGLE
(1795-1929)
Turban Head (1795-1807)
Capped Bust (1807-1834)
Classic Head (1834-1838)
Liberty Head, No Motto on Reverse (1839-1866)
Liberty Head, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1908)
Indian Head (1908-1929)
The Fascinating History Of The 1795 $5 Gold Half Eagle.
The Coinage Act Of April 2, 1792, established The New U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, which soon became known As Ye Old Mint. However, gold coinage was not introduced until 1795 when the Director Of The Mint, Henry William DeSaussure, delivered America's first two gold coins To America's first president, George Washington.
Designed by Chief Engraver Robert Scot, collectors today formally refer to the design of this Half Eagle as the Capped Bust to right obverse with small eagle reverse. The obverse features Miss Liberty facing right, wearing the traditional Phrygian cap worn By freed slaves in ancient Rome to signify their emancipated status.
During the 18th Century, The red Phrygian cap was held aloft on a pole during the Revolutionary War and the French Revolution and soon evolved into a symbol of liberty.
The small eagle on the reverse is said to have been taken from a 1st century B.C. Roman onyx cameo depicting an eagle perched on a palm branch, it's wings outstretched, holding a circular wreath in its beak. There is no mark or indication of value since, at the time, gold coins were valued in commerce by their weight and metallic content.
The History Of The 1849-D $5 Liberty Head Half Eagle Gold Coin
This variety (Variety 1) of the Liberty Head $5 Half Eagle was minted between 1839 and 1908. The coin, designed by Christian Gobrecht, weighed 8.359 grams, and had a composition of 90% gold and 10% copper. In 1866 the reverse of the coin was changed (Variety 2) to include the motto 'In God We Trust', above the eagle.
Turban Head Gold Half Eagle (1795-1807)
Capped Bust Gold Half Eagle (1807-1834)
Classic Head Gold Half Eagle (1834-1838)
Liberty Head Gold Half Eagle, No Motto on Reverse (1839-1866)
Liberty Head Gold Half Eagle, With Motto on Reverse (1866-1908)
Indian Head Gold Half Eagle (1908-1929)
Gold Quarter Eagle
$2-1/2 GOLD DOLLARS OR QUARTER EAGLE
(1796-1929)
TURBAN HEAD (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST (1808-1834)
CLASSIC HEAD (1834-1839)
LIBERTY HEAD (1840-1907)
INDIAN HEAD (1908-1929)
American Gold Eagle Coin - The most well known U.S. gold coin, the American Eagle! This has the standing liberty on the front, and the bald eagle on the back. This is a must have for any collection. One nice thing about the American Gold Eagle is that it is the only gold coin you can use this within your IRA. This allows you a great tax advantage! Contact your CPA for details. Gold eagles are 22k gold and the weight printed on the coin is the amount of pure gold in the coin.
The U.S. Quarter Eagle was authorized by the Act of April 2, 1792. However the initial Quarter Eagle was not struck Until 1796. The first Quarter Eagles featured the "Capped Bust" design displayed on the obverse with a plain field. The word "Liberty" was displayed above the Capped Bust and the date was displayed below. The reverse was embellished with the famous "Heraldic Eagle" design adopted from the Great Seal of The United States. Early issues are characterized by several minor modifications to the original design. Most of those changes were related to over-dates and the number of stars which later were added. Early issues are extremely rare.
The Quarter Eagle is a $2.50 gold coin that was produced by the U.S. Mint from 1796 to 1929.
Mintage numbers were fairly small when compared to some of the other denominations of gold US coins, therefore there are quite a few scarce and rare dates in this series.
TURBAN HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST QUARTER EAGLE (1808-1834)
CLASSIC HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1834-1839)
LIBERTY HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1840-1907)
INDIAN HEAD QUARTER EAGLE (1908-1929)
Golg Double Eagle
TWENTY DOLLARS OR DOUBLE EAGLE
(1850-1933)
Regular issue double eagles come in two major types and six minor varieties as follows:
Liberty Head (Coronet) 1849–1907
-Liberty Head, no motto, value "Twenty D." 1849–1866
-Liberty Head, with motto, value "Twenty D." 1866–1876
-Liberty Head, with motto, value "Twenty Dollars" 1877–1907
Saint Gaudens 1907–1933
-Saint Gaudens, High Relief, Roman Numerals, no motto 1907
-Saint Gaudens, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, no motto 1907–1908
-Saint Gaudens, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, with motto 1908–1933
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
A Double Eagle is a gold coin of the United States with a denomination of $20. (Its gold content of 0.9675 troy oz was worth $20 at the then official price of $20.67/oz). The coins are made from a 90% gold (0.900 fine = 21.6 kt) and 10% copper alloy.
Although the "eagle"-based nomenclature for gold U.S. coinage is often assumed to be a nickname, the "eagle," "half-eagle" and "quarter-eagle" were specifically given these names in the Act of Congress that originally authorized them ("An Act establishing a Mint, and regulating Coins of the United States", section 9, April 2, 1792). Likewise, the Double Eagle was specifically created as such by name ("An Act to authorize the Coinage of Gold Dollars and Double Eagles", title and section 1, March 3, 1849).
The first double eagle was minted in 1849, coinciding with the California Gold Rush. In that year, the mint produced two pieces in proof. The first resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. The second was presented to then Treasury Secretary William M. Meredith and was later sold as part of his estate - the present location of this coin remains unknown.
In 1850 regular production began and continued until 1933 (when the official price of gold was changed to $35/oz by the Gold Reserve Act). Prior to 1850, eagles with a denomination of $10 were the largest denomination of US coin. $10 eagles were produced beginning in 1795, just two years after the first U.S. mint opened. Since the $20 gold piece had twice the value of the eagle, these coins were designated "double eagles". In 1850, the double eagle would have been equivalent to the purchasing power of $521.28 today.
Liberty Head
Due to the less desirable artwork and therefore lower demand, Liberty Coronet $20 gold pieces are less often encountered, and the common subtype commands less, than the St. Gaudens' type. In 1866, the motto "In God We Trust" was added to the Liberty Coronet double eagle creating a second subtype. In 1877, the coin's denomination design on the reverse was changed from "Twenty D" to "Twenty Dollars" creating a third and final subtype for the series. An 1879 pattern coin was made for the quintuple stella using a design combining features of the Liberty head double eagle and stella pattern coin and using the same alloy as the stella (90 parts gold, 3 parts silver, and 7 parts copper). However this coin was suddenly stolen in July 2008 by two thieves. The robbery was planned a year after the coin was sold. The criminals have still not been caught and the locations of these men are unknown.
Saint Gaudens
Main article: St. Gaudens Double Eagle
The St. Gaudens double eagle is named for the designer, Augustus St. Gaudens, one of the premier sculptors in American history. Theodore Roosevelt imposed upon him in his last few years to redesign the nation's coinage at the beginning of the 20th century. St. Gaudens' work on the high-relief $20 gold piece is considered to be one of the most extraordinary pieces of art on any American coin. The mint eventually insisted on a low-relief version, as the high-relief coin took up to eleven strikes to bring up the details and didn't stack correctly for banking purposes. Only 12,367 of these coins were struck in 1907. These coins easily top the $10,000 price in circulated grades, but can reach nearly a half million dollars in the best states of preservation.
There were several changes in the early years of this design. The first coins issued in 1907 design featured a date in Roman numerals, but this was changed later that year to the more convenient Arabic numerals. The motto "In God We Trust" was omitted from the initial design, as Roosevelt felt that it was inappropriate to put the name of God on money. By act of Congress, the motto was added in mid-1908.
The design of the St. Gaudens coin was slightly changed once more when New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912, and the number of stars along the rim was accordingly increased from 46 to 48.
Double eagles were routinely minted through 1933, although few of the very last years' coinages were released before the gold recall legislation of that year. Accordingly, these issues bring very high prices.
The St. Gaudens obverse design was reused in the American Eagle gold bullion coins that were instituted in 1986. The early 1907 double eagles and the 1986-1991 gold American Eagles are the only instances of Roman numerals denoting the date on American coinage.
On January 22, 2009 the U.S. Mint released ultra high relief double eagles using the deep design that St. Gaudens envisioned. It is one ounce of .9999 fine gold. Because of their higher gold content, and greater striking pressure, the coins were 27 mm wide and 4 mm deep (the same diameter as a gold eagle), rather than the 34 by 2 usual for double eagles and bullion coins. The initial selling price was $1239. With the rising price of gold by June it had climbed to $1339, and by December to $1489. There was no limit on the coinage of these one time uncirculated issues, which bear the date "MMIX". In September the one coin per person ordering restriction was removed. The final mintage was 115,178.
Liberty Head (Coronet) 1849–1907
Liberty Head Double Eagle, no motto, value "Twenty D." 1849–1866
Liberty Head Double Eagle, with motto, value "Twenty D." 1866–1876
Liberty Head Double Eagle, with motto, value "Twenty Dollars" 1877–1907
Saint Gaudens 1907–1933
Saint Gaudens Double Eagle, High Relief, Roman Numerals, no motto 1907
Saint Gaudens Double Eagle, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, no motto 1907–1908
Saint Gaudens Double Eagle, Low Relief, Arabic Numerals, with motto 1908–1933
1933 Double Eagle
In 1933 President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped the coinage of gold and made it illegal to own the metal (although coin collectors could retain their pieces). With one exception, no 1933 double eagles were ever legally released, although some were stolen from the government, and over the years several were recovered.
In the summer of 2002, a 1933 Double Eagle was auctioned off for $7,590,020 US, which shattered the old record of $4,140,000 paid at a public auction for an 1804 silver dollar. This piece is unique as the only 1933 double eagle the U.S. government has deemed legal for its citizens to own. Even illegal instances of the 1933 double eagle would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it would be illegal for a U.S. coin dealer to broker a deal with one of these coins. There is no other date of St. Gauden's double eagle that is worth a significant fraction of this extraordinary coin. In fact a complete uncirculated set of all other St. Gaudens' double eagles could be put together for just over three million dollars (less than half the price paid for the 1933) including the extremely rare, ultra-high relief, proof pattern. Without the rare pattern, the set would be less than $750,000.
In August 2005, the United States Mint recovered ten unauthorized 1933 Double Eagle coins from a private collector who had contacted the United States Mint to facilitate their surrender. Joan S. Langbord has claimed that she inherited the coins from her father, a suspect in the original theft, but is now planning a federal suit to recover the coins after her hopes of receiving monetary compensation from the federal government were not realized. As of August 2005, the Mint has announced that it would consider saving the coins for display, though as of December 2007, no formal statement has since been made. In September 2009 a federal judge finally ruled that the government had until the end of the month to return the confiscated coins to the family or to prove that they had indeed been stolen.
Golg Pioneer Coins
PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
CALIFORNIA - Fractional and Small Size Gold Coinage Coins
CALIFORNIA GOLD COINS
COLORADO GOLD COINS
GEORGIA GOLD COINS
NORTH CAROLINA GOLD COINS
OREGON GOLD COINS
UTAH GOLD COINS
HAWAII GOLD COINS
PHILIPPINES GOLD COINS
PUERTO RICO GOLD COINS
UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION DECIMAL COINAGE - Commonwealth
CONFEDERATE COINS
Territorial gold pieces (also referred to as "Private" and "Pioneer" gold) are those struck outside the U.S. Mint and not recognized as official issues by the federal government. The pieces so identified are of various shapes, denominations, and degrees of intrinsic value, and were locally required be¬cause of the remoteness of the early gold fields from a federal mint and/or an insufficient quantity of official coinage in frontier areas.
The legality of these privately issued pieces derives from the fact that federal law prior to 1864 prohibited a state from coining money, but did not specifically deny that right to an individual, providing that the privately issued coins did not closely resemble those of the United States.
In addition to coin-like gold pieces, the private minters of the gold rush days also issued gold in ingot and bar form. Ingots were intended for circulation and were cast in regular values and generally in large denominations. Bars represent a miner's deposit after it had been assayed, refined, cast into convenient form (generally rectangular), and stamped with the appropriate weight, fineness, and value. Although occasionally cast in even values for the convenience of banks, bars were more often of odd denomination, and when circulated were rounded off to the nearest figure. Ingots and bars are omitted from this listing.
CALIFORNIA - Fractional and Small Size Gold Coinage Coins
CALIFORNIA - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
COLORADO - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
GEORGIA - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
NORTH CAROLINA - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
OREGON - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
UTAH - PIONEER GOLD COINS & US TERRITORIAL GOLD COINS
HAWAII - US TERRITORIAL COINS
PHILIPPINES - US TERRITORIAL COINS
PUERTO RICO - US TERRITORIAL COINS
UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION DECIMAL COINAGE - Commonwealth
CONFEDERATE COINS
Half Cents
UNITED STATES HALF CENTS (1793-1857)
Liberty Cap Half Cent Head Left (1793 only)
Liberty Cap Half Cent Head Right (1794 - 1797)
Draped Bust (1800 - 1808) Half Cents
Capped Bust Half Cents (809 - 1836)
Half Cent Token 1837
Half Cent Braided Hair (1840 - 1857)
The United States minted Half Cents intermittently between 1793 and 1857. While this unusual denomination might seem useless today, it was an important part of our monetary system back when working wages were $1 per 10-hour day.
The images show the five major design types that appeared on U.S. Half Cents, plus a Half Cent token issued privately in 1837.
The Liberty Cap Half Cent came in two different versions: the Head Left (issued in 1793 only)
and the Head Right (issued from 1794 to 1797). The 1793 Half Cent is a scarce date and was one of the very first coins issued by the U.S. Mint. The rarest date in the Liberty Cap series is the 1796.
No Half Cents were issued in 1799.
The Draped Bust design appeared from 1800 to 1808, but no Half Cents were struck in 1801. The rarest date of this design type is the 1802, all of which were struck on cut-down Large Cents.
The Capped Bust design appeared on Half Cents beginning in 1809 and ran through 1836. No Half Cents were issued between 1812 and 1824, mostly because demand for the denomination was low and the Mint had difficulty obtaining planchets. In 1825, Half Cent coinage resumed, with breaks in 1827 and 1829. Rare dates of this type include 1831 and 1836, both issued only as Proofs.
No Half Cents were issued by the U.S. government between 1837 and 1839, but a privately issued token appeared in 1837 to fill the void. This token claimed to be of the same weight and value as a U.S. Half Cent and used images and styles similar to those on actual U.S. coins of the period.
The final Half Cent design type, the Braided Hair, first appeared in 1840 and ran through 1857. Rare dates of this type include the Proof-only issues of 1840-1848 and 1852.
In 1857, the Half Cent denomination was discontinued forever.
The Half Cent series is full of interesting and rare die varieties. Highlights include:
1796 No Pole
1797 Lettered Edge
1797 Gripped Edge
1802 Reverse of 1800
1804 "Spiked Chin"
1804 Stemless Wrvveath
1805 Stemless Wreath
1806 Stemless Wreath
1808/7
1809/6
1828 12 Stars
Half Dimes
HALF DIMES OR FIVE CENTS
(1794-DATE)
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - SILVER (1794 - 1873)
FLOWING HAIR HALF DIMES (1794 - 1795)
DRAPED BUST HALF DIMES (1796 - 1805)
CAPPED BUST FIVE CENTS OR HALF DIME (1829 -1837)
SEATED LIBERTY HALF DIMES (1837-1873)
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - NICKEL (1866 - DATE)
SHIELD FIVE CENTS (1866 - 1883)
LIBERTY HEAD FIVE CENTS (1883 - 1913)
BUFFALO NICKEL FIVE CENTS (1913 - 1938)
JEFFERSON FIVE CENTS (1938 - DATE)
The United States coinage system commenced with a silver 5-cent coin rather than that of nickel composition in use today.
The half dime was one of the original denominations introduced almost as soon as the United States coinage system began. The half disme of 1792 was a pattern designed by Thomas Birch. Birch is also remembered for his experimental Birch Cent, a coin perhaps better identified with Birch because it bears his name.
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - SILVER (1794 - 1873)
FLOWING HAIR HALF DIMES (1794 - 1795)
DRAPED BUST HALF DIMES (1796 - 1805)
CAPPED BUST FIVE CENTS OR HALF DIME (1829 -1837)
SEATED LIBERTY HALF DIMES (1837-1873)
UNITED STATES HALF DIMES (FIVE CENTS) - NICKEL (1866 - DATE)
SHIELD FIVE CENTS (1866 - 1883)
LIBERTY HEAD FIVE CENTS (1883 - 1913)
BUFFALO NICKEL FIVE CENTS (1913 - 1938)
JEFFERSON FIVE CENTS (1938 - DATE)
Half Dollar
UNITED STATES FIFTY CENTS OR HALF DOLLAR
(1794-DATE)
FLOWING HAIR (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST (1796-1807
CAPPED BUST (1807-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY (1839-1891)
BARBER (1892-1916)
WALKING LIBERTY (1916-1947)
FRANKLIN (1948-1963)
KENNEDY (1964-DATE)
Sources and/or recommended reading:
"Early Half Dollar Die Varieties, Third Edition" by Al C. Overton and Don Parsley
FLOWING HAIR HALF DOLLAR (1794-1795)
DRAPED BUST HALF DOLLAR (1796-1807
CAPPED BUST HALF DOLLAR (1807-1839)
SEATED LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR (1839-1891)
BARBER HALF DOLLAR (1892-1916)
WALKING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR (1916-1947)
FRANKLIN HALF DOLLAR (1948-1963)
KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR (1964-DATE)
Miscellaneous Coins and Medals
MISCELLANEOUS COINS and MEDALS
Greatest US Coins
Coins minted in foreign mints
Political Medals
Miscellaneous Tokens and Medals
UNA Amero Pattern Coins
Prototypes and Parody coins
Pattern Coins
PATTERN COINS, DIE TRIALS & FANTASIES
From time to time, the United States Mint considers implementing new designs on the coins in circulation. Historically, the Mint developed new designs either internally or through outside competitions. As the selection process narrowed, actual sample coins were made of the various designs. These "Pattern" coins allowed Mint officials to see how the proposed designs would look in three-dimensional relief, to test for any problems in producing the coins, and to try out new metal alloys.
Pattern coins fall into a number of different categories:
1. Both sides were rejected for use on circulating coins.
2. One or both sides were modified slightly before they were used on circulating coins.
3. Either the obverse or the reverse was accepted for use on circulating coins.
4. Both sides were accepted for use on circulating coins, but the metal composition may be different from the one eventually used.
Die Trials were tests of dies in various stages of production. Back when dies were "cut" by hand, the engraver would periodically stamp the die into a piece of soft metal to see how the work was progressing (these are generally uniface stampings on oversized or irregularly shaped blanks). Die Trials also include "setup" pieces which were used to determine proper die alignments and striking pressures before regular production began.
Fantasy Coins include unexpected pairings of mis-matched dies made by Mint officials to create artificial rarities for personal gain or at the request of collectors. Fantasy Coins include the so-called "Restrikes" that were made outside the Mint from discarded dies, often combining dies of different types and vastly different dates.
Sometimes, the line between Patterns, Die Trials, and Fantasy Coins becomes blurred. In many cases, we simply lack the information as to when a coin was struck, why, and by whom. Often, we must turn to the coins themselves to look for such clues and, thankfully, the coins are willing to help.
Is it important that we classify these coins properly? Yes, because apart from our natural human tendency to categorize, pigeon-hole, and classify just about everything around us, most collectors are concerned about a thing called "intent". Rarities that were "made-to-order" or that were created deliberately hold less of an attraction than legitimate rarities, and justly so.
The United States Mint produced well over a thousand different patterns, as well as many die trial and experimental pieces. Despite the great rarity of many of these individual items, the great variety makes the series surprisingly collectible.
There are approximately 350 collectors specializing in United States pattern coinage. Most of these collectors target specific areas. For example, there are collectors who specialize in Indian Cent patterns, others collecting Morgan dollar patterns, and at least a few trying to assemble a complete collection of twenty cent patterns.
In addition to these specialists, there are thousands of collectors of regular issue United States coins that try to buy a few patterns to go along with their collections. Many of these historical coins have wide appeal and are surprisingly affordable. There are many, many collectors who, for example, would like to own an 1855 Flying Eagle large cent (J-167, about 500 pieces struck, value $800-4500) to go with their collection of large cents or with their collection of Flying Eagle small cents.
Private Tokens
Privately Issued Circulating Coins and Tokens
HARD TIMES TOKENS (1832-1844)
PATRIOTIC CIVIL WAR TOKENS
COMPANY STORES
MODERN STORE CARDS
Privately issued tokens predate the American Revolution, in most cases issued to fill the need for low denomination coins. This area is traditionally broken down into a number periods. The "hard times tokens" (HTT) and civil war tokens (CWT) are among the better studied and cataloged private issues. The tokens illustrated here represent a tiny fraction of this rich genre.
Early American Privately Issued Tokens & Coins (before 1834)
As with the Hard Times Tokens and Civil War Tokens, the Early American tokens included anonymous monetary issues, some with political implications, and tokens identified with specific merchants. The former group includes pieces which were minted abroad, such as the Rosa Americana & Hibernia coinage of 1722-1724, the 1760 Voce Populi, and the Nova Contstellatio coppers.
Hard Times Tokens 1834-1844
The "Hard Times", strictly speaking, referred to the "recession" of 1837-1838, when 90% of the factories and the United States closed following a banking crisis, which was credited to Andrew Jackson. At the heart of this period, these large cent sized tokens became necessary substitutes for the government issued coins, which were to a large extent hoarded.
This rich and varied series has achieved a substantial following, with some pieces commanding thousands of dollars. The series includes politically oriented tokens, commercial advertising tokens, and anonymous monetary tokens. A small sampling follows.
Perhaps the most enduring result of this series is emergence of the donkey as the symbol of the Democratic Party.
Merchant Tokens 1844-1860
The practice of merchants privately issuing tokens continued after the "Hard Times" and, as the minters of Merchant Tokens, especially S.D. Childs of Chicago, also minted CWT's, served as a bridge between the Hard Times Tokens and Civil War Tokens.
Unlike the Hard Times Tokens, the Merchant Tokens did not fill an urgent need for circulating coins. Rather, these pieces served predominantly to advertise the business of the issuer. A consequence of the absent demand for privately issued small change is the disappearance of the "political" token which could not be ascribed to a commercial establishment.
The Merchant Tokens, which outnumber the Hard Times Tokens in number and variety of designs, have not achieved the popularity with collectors as either the Hard Times Tokens or the Civil War Tokens.
The Civil War saw virtually complete hoarding of all government issued coins. These (small) cent sized tokens circulated in place of the government issued cents. The Red Book estimates over 50 million pieces issued, in 10,000 varieties.
The Civil War tokens (CWT) are divided into three groups, tradesman's tokens, the RARE Sutler tokens and anonymously issued pieces with political or patriotic themes.
All saw circulation as money.
Modern Store Cards.
Although these pieces did not circulate, I appreciate the gesture to tradition. THANX!!
HARD TIMES TOKENS (1832-1844)
PATRIOTIC CIVIL WAR TOKENS
COMPANY STORES TOKENS
MODERN STORE CARDS
Quarter Dollars
UNITED STATES TWENTY FIVE CENTS OR QUARTER DOLLAR
(1796-DATE)
DRAPED BUST (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST (1815-1838)
SEATED LIBERTY (1838-1891)
BARBER (1892-1916)
STANDING LIBERTY (1916-1930)
WASHINGTON (1932-DATE)
STATE QUARTERS (1999-DATE)
The first United States Quarter Dollars were struck in 1796, despite having been authorized in 1792. Demand for the denomination was low - in 1796, only 6,146 Quarter Dollars were struck, then no more were struck until 1804, when the mintage was again tiny. The Draped Bust design was used from 1796 to 1807, with a change in the reverse design beginning in 1804. No Quarter Dollars were struck from 1808-1814. Minting of the denomination resumed in 1815, with the introduction of the Capped Bust design. In 1831, the diameter of the Quarter Dollars was reduced and standardized through the use of a close collar (a collar that restricted the outward flow of metal when the blank planchets were struck).
The Seated Liberty design debuted in mid-1838 and lasted until 1891. From 1853 to 1855, arrowheads were placed on either side of the date to signify a reduction in the weight of the coin. In 1866, the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" was added to the reverse of the Quarter Dollar. From 1873 to 1874, arrowheads reappeared on the obverse, this time to signify the adoption of the metric system by Mint officials.
In 1892, Charles Barber created a new design using a head of Liberty wearing a freedman's cap. This became known as the Barber type, one of the few American types that took the name of the designer, rather than the name of the main design elements (other notable examples are the Gobrecht and Morgan Silver Dollars).
The Standing Liberty design appeared in 1916, featuring a classic figure in a long, flowing dress, carrying a shield in one hand and an olive branch in the other. In 1916 and 1917, Liberty appeared bare-breasted; from 1917 to 1930, she was given cover-up of chain mail.
A special Quarter Dollar appeared in 1932, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. The Washington type became so popular that it replaced the Standing Liberty design, even though the latter design had not been in place for the statutory 25 year minimum. In 1965, a "sandwich" alloy of copper-nickel layers around a pure copper core replaced the old 90% silver alloy. In 1976, a special "Drummer Boy" reverse was created for the bicentennial of American independence. In 1999, the Mint began an ambitious, ten year program intended to produce a unique design for each of the 50 States, with five new designs appearing each year. The 50 States Quarters program is credited with creating millions of new coin collectors.
DRAPED BUST QUARTER DOLLAR (1796-1807)
CAPPED BUST QUARTER DOLLAR (1815-1838)
SEATED LIBERTY QUARTER DOLLAR (1838-1891)
BARBER QUARTER DOLLAR (1892-1916)
STANDING LIBERTY QUARTER DOLLAR (1916-1930)
WASHINGTON QUARTER DOLLAR (1932-DATE)
STATE QUARTERS QUARTER DOLLAR (1999-DATE)
Rarities in the Quarter Dollar denomination include:
1796
1804
1822 25 over 50
1827 Original
1827 Restrike
1842 Small Date
1866 No Motto
1871-CC
1873-CC No Arrows
1901-S
1916 Standing Liberty
Two Cents and Three Cents
Two Cents (1864 - 1873)
The United States Two Cents is an unusual denomination that first appeared in 1864, during a period of coin shortages caused by the Civil War. Attempts to introduce the Two Cents denomination occurred in 1806 and 1836, but both efforts failed due to technical considerations. In 1863, Mint officials revived the idea of a Two Cents Coin simultaneous with their plans to reduce the weight and metal content of the bulky, Copper-Nickel Indian Head Cent. Apparently, the Mint noticed the success of the privately issued Civil War tokens of One Cent size (on thinner, pure copper planchets) and realized that the public was now ready to accept what were essentially underweight coppers. In 1864, the Mint effectively destroyed the market for Civil War tokens by issuing almost forty million Indian Cents on copper planchets and nearly twenty million of the new Two Cents (at exactly double the weight of the One Cent coins).
Three Cents (1851 - 1889)
The United States Three Cents is an unusual denomination that first appeared in 1851, although pattern coins for the denomination were produced in 1849 and 1850. The original purpose of the Three Cents coins to provide an intermediate denomination between the Cent and Half Dime, making it easier to change some of the odd foreign coins that were legal tender in America at that time. In 1851, postal rates were dropped from five to three cents. While three Large Cents could have been used to purchase a postage stamp, the bulky copper coins were expensive to produce. Thus, a coin of three cents value had two purposes, enough to get the denomination started in 1851.
The images show the two major design types that appeared on U.S. Three Cents.
The first Three Cents were made of a low-grade silver. These tiny coins were known officially as "Trimes" and unofficially as "fish scales." They were the first circulating U.S. coin without a depiction of Miss Liberty in some form or other. In 1854, the percentage of silver in the coins was increased to 90%, to match that of the other silver coins in production at the time.
Three sub-types exist of the silver Three Cents. Type 1, issued from 1851 to 1853, shows the obverse star with a single outline. After 1853, the weight of the Three Cents coin was reduced. To indicate this change, two extra outlines were added to the star, resulting in the Type 2 version that lasted until 1858. In 1859, one of the extra outlines was dropped, creating the third and final sub-type, the Type 3 version.
Three Cents Silver Trimes (1851 - 1873)
Three Cents Nickel (1865 - 1889)
