Coin Collecting & Precious Metals Information

Kennedy Half Dollar

1964 – Current

Three months after the assasination of President Kennedy the US Mint changed the design of the silver half dollar to honor JFK. In 1964, when the coin was first minted, it contained the usual 90% silver content (11.25 g) that Americans were familiar with.

A year later the silver content was reduced and the coin was lightened. From 1965 up through 1970 Kennedy Half Dollars contain only 40% silver, which comes out to 4.60 g per coin. When 1971 rolled around Americans were presented with half dollars which contained nothing more than copper and nickel.

In 1965 the composition of US dimes and quarters were also changed to remove the silver. And finally in 1970, with the removal of silver…

Collecting U.S. State Quarters

Since the release of the individual state quarters, coin collecting has become a more popular hobby.

The U.S. State Quarter program began in 1999 and each state was released in the order in which it joined the union. The U.S. Mint estimates that around 147 million people have been collecting the state quarters since their release.

The program is also credited for drawing in new collectors and increasing the general public’s interest in coin collecting overall. Due to its popularity, more coin programs are currently in the works for the next several years.

The process in which each design was selected took cooperation from congress, the U.S. Mint, and each individual state. Once the governor is contacted, the state provided three to five narrative descriptions…

Collecting British Coins

Collecting British Coins can be quite a fun hobby, but it can also be a pretty expensive Hobby. Although you can pick up some bronze roman coins for about $2 a piece. But at the other end of the scale you have something like the 1933 penny which is worth about $50,000.

Firstly you need to decide where to start your collection. You can choose to collect a particular denomination from a particular date, or you could choose to collect a type set from a particular sovereign. There are quite a number of avid British coin collectors in Britain and United States. A good way to get information and learn more is to join forums where you can talk to likeminded people who share your…

Early Commemorative Coins of The United States

During the past 120 years, the United States has released hundreds of commemorative coins. Commemorative coins are always minted for a specific reason such as to honor a person, institution, place or some historic event that has shaped America.

The U.S. first began to mint commemorative coins in the late 1800′s and stopped producing them for awhile back in 1954. It wasn’t until 1982 that the United States began minting commemorative coins again and any coins minted after this date are referred to as Modern Commemorative Coins.

Legislation instated in 1996 limited the number of commemorative coins that Congress could require the mint to produce to only two different coins annually. It also put a limit on the number of commemorative coins that could be…

Early U.S. Gold Coins Are The Most Prized Rare Coins

Gold coins have been one of the most popular forms of legal tender since ancient times. The Egyptians first introduced gold coins around 2,700 BC, although these coins were primarily used as gifts.

While the first United States gold coins aren’t quite that old, they’ve became one of the most sought after, highly treasured coins for rare coin collectors. 

In fact, gold coins make up the largest percentage of the rare coin market. And, for good reason, gold coins offer everything that a serious coin collector looks for! Gold coins offer eye appeal, historical significance, rarity and are great investments!