What Are Off-Metal Coins, and Why Do They Exist?

While most coins in circulation appear uniform and free from errors and blemishes, some occasionally emerge from the mint with misspellings, off-center strikes, unintentional indentions, and other mistakes. Collectors call coins struck using a different metal alloy than the initially intended off-metal coins. Here’s a look at how off-metal coins get made and why coin […]
California Currency: Coinage During the Gold Rush

During the California Gold Rush, private mints met the needs of the thousands of settlers coming into the state. Learn more about these historic rare coins.
Animal Symbolism in Ancient Coins

Countries have used artistic depictions of animals as representative symbols and icons on various items for centuries. Since the very beginning of coinage, empires and countries have utilized significant animals based on their different meanings and how they ultimately relate to the country’s beliefs, morals, and views. Keep reading to learn about the use of […]
7 Factors That Can Affect the Value of Your Certified Coins

7 Significant Factors That Can Affect the Value of Your Certified Coins Some might say, “Not all certified coins are created equal.” In fact, we’ve written a few articles over the years addressing certified coins, including when to submit your coins for certification and which third-party grading services (TPGS) are best. However, we’ve yet to […]
6 Peace Silver Dollars That Can Be Both Common & Key Date Coins

6 Peace Silver Dollars That Can Be Both Common & Key Date Coins For regular readers of our blog, you may have come across our article on “11 Morgan silver dollars that can be both common and key date coins.” We’ve received a good bit of positive feedback since publishing the article and thought that […]
What Is a Troy Ounce?

There is a lengthy history of coins, precious metals, and monetary systems. Consequently, there have been numerous ways to weigh and measure coins. One of the oldest units of measurement is the troy ounce. And, it is still in use in some circles today. What Is a Troy Ounce? It is a medieval unit of […]