News — Coin History
The History Of Peace Silver Dollars
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
After WWI many numismatists lobbied the US mint to memorialize the peace following the war in the form of a coin. Even though they failed to get congress to pass a bill that would fulfill their goals, they were able to get the approval of Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon in late 1921, and thus, the Peace Dollar was authorized. The Peace Dollar was minted between 1921 and 1928, with only around one million bearing the 1921 mintmark. The obverse bears the profile of lady liberty, beautifully rendered by competition-winning designer Anthony de Francisci. The reverse carries a simple yet elegant illustration of a perched bald eagle with an olive branch in its grasp, with “Peace” emblazoned below. The Peace Dollar was also briefly struck between 1934 and 1935, and again in 1965 bearing a 1964 mint mark, however, most experts agree that the approximately 300,000 coins produced carrying that 1964 mint mark were never officially issued and were all melted down for their silver content.
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- Tags: Coin Collecting, Coin History, Silver
The History Of The $10 Indian Head Gold Eagle
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
The Ten-Dollar Indian Head Gold Eagle is yet another beautiful coin that adds great substance to the history of American coinage. This stunning gold coin was designed by artistic mastermind Augustus Saint-Gaudens, after President Roosevelt commissioned its making. The obverse of the coin features Lady Liberty adorned by a full Indian war bonnet, as well as thirteen stars to represent the original American colonies. The reverse of this coin depicts a majestic American eagle perched upon a cache of arrows. Along with the eagle, the reverse of this coin also features “United States of America” arched at the top of the coin, as well as “E Pluribus Unum” above and to the right of the eagle.
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What Is The Carson City Mint?
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
One of the lesser-known US mints is the Carson City mint, located in Carson City, Nevada. It remains one of the lesser-known mints for the simple reason that it was not in operation for a very large number of years, about 19 overall. The mint was established in 1863 to facilitate the mintage of silver coins, and silver bars from the nearby Comstock Lode, the first major discovery of silver ore in the United States. Despite being created in 1863, the mint didn’t actually open its doors for operations for about seven years, in 1870.
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- Tags: Coin Collecting, Coin History, Gold, Silver
What Is The Charlotte Mint?
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
Like its sister mint in Dahlonega, Georgia, the Charlotte Mint of North Carolina was established by the Mint Act of 1835. It also operated in the years leading up to the American Civil War. Between the years of 1838 and 1861 the Charlotte Mint produced gold coins of denominations of $5, $2.50, and for a time, $1. These coins carried the “C” mintmark. In 1861, when North Carolina seceded from the Union, the Confederacy took control of the mint, and briefly kept mintage operations going until realizing that it was a futile effort.
What Is The Dahlonega Mint?
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
“D” was the marking used for the Dahlonega Mint in the antebellum period: the years leading up to the Civil War. The Mint Act of 1835 established the the creation of a mint at or near Dahlonega, Georgia for the mintage of gold coins. It was placed in Georgia to help assay, refine, and convert the gold found in the Georgia Gold Rush that started in 1828. The mint officially opened in early 1838, and operated until it was seized by the Confederacy in the opening year of the American Civil War in 1861.