Coin-Related and Coin-Adjacent Travel Destinations... where should collectors visit?
airplanenut
Posts: 22,095 ✭✭✭✭✭
This question is inspired by a combination of my total inability to plan trips, my desire to take a trip (I missed summer, but now it's off-season!), and a few recent trips that I really enjoyed as a coin collector. I'm interested in your ideas of places to visit that would appeal to collectors because they directly involve coins, or because they have some tie relating them to coins.
The first category might be obvious: a tour of the Mint or the Smithsonian, for example. The second is broader, so I'll give a few examples:
Independence Hall: I took the tour a few years ago, and it was a nice shot in the arm to remind me of my love for early US history. Shortly after, I sought and and picked up the first piece of paper currency in my collection, a note signed by John Hart, who also signed the Declaration of Independence.
Independence Mine State Historical Park: I visited Alaska in 2020, and stopped by this mine, which operated into the mid 1900s and is now a park, located about an hour north of Anchorage. It's not directly tied to coins (as far as I know), but what remains hearkens back to a time gone by, and surely mines that produced precious metals going into coins were at least similar. The terrain and indirect routing even on paved roads in the summer gave me an appreciation for what it would have been like to get there before cars were ubiquitous, perhaps in an Alaska winter.
Salem, MA: A few weeks ago, I had a free day in Boston so I drove to Salem and simply enjoyed the colonial-era buildings, including a tour of the House of Seven Gables. I ended up having a long conversation about colonial money with the tour guide, but it was a lovely place to step back in time.
So now I'm curious where you've been that you would recommend. I love preserved/recreated historical sites that let you take a walk in the past (Colonial Williamsburg, or some wild west town back in the day of cowboys slinging Morgan dollars), as well as museums and remains, but that doesn't need to limit your ideas. The goal, in my mind, is to find places that are interesting in their own right, but where being a coin collector adds an extra level of enjoyment and appreciation.
Comments
The old Carson City mint is now the site of the Nevada State Museum. There are still many displays & references of & to the CC mint. The old press is still operational & pretty impressive!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Chopmarked Trade Dollar Registry Set --- US & World Gold Showcase --- World Chopmark Showcase
It has been to many years ago but when I visited the CC mint I also visited several other related areas. Don't recall them specifically except for old building and stuff and mines, but just looking at a map and a quick wiki here are some. I do recall some were more touristy than others (of course). I am sure if one spent more time researching better information could be had (appears there is a train trip?). This would have been before I got my digital snap-o'matic so no digital pic's.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mound_House,_Nevada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_City,_Nevada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Hill,_Nevada
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_City,_Nevada
My big
souvenir.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2YNufnS_kf4 - Mama I'm coming home ...................................................................................................................................................................... RLJ 1958 - 2023
If you like to ski Tahoe or Mammoth are great destinations. Tahoe is a 1-2 hour drive to Carson City and Mammoth is a three hour drive to Carson City and a one hour drive to Bodie State Park which is a ghost town.
Mexico City.
Besides the fantastic Mexico Numismatic Museum, there is so much to do. Museums, architecture, anthropology, great food.
If you fly into the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport, there is an aviation museum on the premises. (Though that airport is a bit far from downtown and few USA flights currently use it.)
The Boston MFA has some nice dekadrachms and other ancient coins.
You don't have to travel there to see the photos.
https://collections.mfa.org/search/objects/*/dekadrachm
But if you are already in the area, why not drop by.
While it’s been mentioned by the OP to visit Philly to take the wonderful self-guided tour of the U.S. Mint, and to see Independence Hall (which has appeared on our coinage), just a few feet away one can see the Liberty Bell, which appears on our Franklin Half Dollars. Separately, Washington D.C. is such a phenomenal place to see many iconic numismatic sites, including the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Treasury Building, the Capitol, etc., as well as the previously mentioned U.S. Coin Collection in one of the Smithsonian buildings. Finally, let’s not forget to visit Colorado Springs to see the phenomenal ANA Money Museum, which also displays so many iconic super rare coins!
On the lighter side, both @airplanenut and @yosclimber mentioned going to Boston. Perhaps either then knows how many beans are in a can of Boston Baked Beans? For those that don’t know, I’ll tell you! There are EXACTLY 239. Do you know why? Scroll down:
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If there was just one more, it would be “too farty”
Steve
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
Another very interesting place in DC is the National Postal Museum.
While I haven’t collected stamps in decades, that museum is so interesting (and free) that it’s worth a stop. When I was there, Queen Elizabeth’s stamp collection (or a portion thereof) was there on loan.
And the National Portrait Gallery has some fantastic Indian Peace Medals as well as being in a very cool building (the former US Patent Office Building).
New Orleans mint. Hey, New Orleans! Jamestown and Williamsburg. Of course the Denver and San Fransisco mints. Pikes Peak. Virginia city was cool at a time, but has been invaded by tourist shops. Still may be some interesting sites related to silver mining in the CC area. Research may turn up some spots in gold country. Used to be gold mining stuff all over the place when I was a kid.
Dahlonega is a decent spot to visit, you can plan on going in April or July in conjunction with the GNA or BRNA shows in Dalton (decent drive though 1.5hr). There’s some great hiking nearby if you’re interested in that, I recommend Blood Mtn on the Appalachian trail. There’s some nice wineries nearby as well, and an easy drive to Helen to spend an afternoon. Maybe home base it in Alpharetta (either downtown or Avalon) and just day trip it in the car, this way you can also hit a few civil war museums in Atlanta, Roswell, Kennesaw. A couple good hikes near Atlanta include Stone Mtn and Kennesaw Mtn. Plenty of civil war attractions if you’re into that sort of thing.
@winesteven: GROAN! Badoomboomboom……
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
It was closed the one time I was in Carson City, but back in 2012 I did fly myself from Reno to Tahoe, so I got a photo of the Mint building. If you start in the lower right corner and follow the diagonal, it's about 1/3 of the way up--the dark pointy roof with a white building directly behind it.
I suggest a trip to Jerome Arizona, a historic copper mining town in central Arizona. Once a bustling mining town in the late 1800's early 1900's, when the mines shut down in the 1950's the town became a ghost town with a low of less than 100 residents. It has seen a resurgence as a popular tourist, and arts/crafts destination today, but the mining history is on full display with several unique and interesting buildings including the Douglas mansion, the ghost hotel (originally the first hospital where the Duesenberg given to the town doctor can be seen) and the famous sliding jail.
The mining in Jerome was not done in the typical open pit style that is often seen today but rather operated like a hard rock mine with a labyrinth of tunnels under the town. Given the active geological plate activity in the area that produced the two main ore veins, the tunneling into the hillside the town sits on resulted in many collapses and slides. There was a fire in the mine itself which burned for years.
While not a truly numismatic destination the copper and small amounts of silver and gold may have found their way into US coinage. And as with many mining towns there was an active prostitution trade and I have no doubt that bust and seated coins were used to acquire some of those services as well.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
In Greece, especially Athens, there are great museums featuring all sorts of antiquities including some VERY OLD coins.
Casual collector, mostly Morgans & Peace Dollars.
The Carson City Mint should be at the top of your list.
The Old San Francisco Mint (aka "Granite Lady") has not been open to the public for several years now.
You can rent it for a private event if you have $$$, though.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60713-d143852-Reviews-Old_United_States_Mint-San_Francisco_California.html
Allaire State Park in New Jersey. It is a restored 1830s mining town that was one of the first self sufficient in our state if not the whole country. James P. Allaire had everyone working. There was a blacksmith, a carpenter, a bakery, post office, stage coach, and bustling row houses where workers lived to work the ground and feed the furnace to make their iron products.
And they had a three story general store, which was the envy of Monmouth County. Hard Times tokens were good for merchandise there, along with the scrip Mr. Allaire issued.
It's a working museum like Williamsburg. People dress up and show you what life was like. It is one of my favorite places on Earth.
Dead Cat Waltz Exonumia
"Coin collecting for outcasts..."
If in the area, the site of Machin’s Mill is marked. There may be other remnants in the area. Imagination required.
Sounds like that joke's from St. Louis.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
The Saint-Gaudens NHP in Cornish, NH, is well worth the trip.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
You’re right. They used to offer tours; I recall attending a coin show there once. Very cool to tour the “Granite Lady” with the show happening right there. I think maybe 15 years or so ago…
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Can the private event be using the old equipment to make money to pay for the event? Asking for a friend.
One other thing about visiting the Carson City Mint. Northern Nevada Coin is right across the street.
Life member of ANA
Athens, Greece…..just up the same street that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is honored you will find the most amazing coin museum.
I have only one trip on my bucket list and that is to visit the old mint in New Orleans. i don't know if that will ever happen but i am shocked to learn from @yosclimber the San Fran mint is not open for visitors. It would have been my second choice. James
If you're in the Mohawk NY area, visit the grave of Francis Spinner, by far the most famous signature on US currency.