<< <i>I have a really nice coin. Several of them. Shall I describe them for you?
Well, they are round, most of them. Made from different kinds of metal.
Geez, this "no pics" thing is hard. >>
lordmarcovan,
Words can be powerful.
Here are some examples from Liz and Gail at J.J. Teaparty....two experts in the "coinage wordage" biz.
Perhaps this can be of help for you.
From Gail's email today, she makes it so easy............
Good Afternoon!
I hope you are having a wonderful day. These past two weeks have been more like early August rather than early September. The nice part about it is that it gets into the 80's during the day but down to the 40's and 50's at night. The leaves are just starting to change, I can look out into the woods and a glimpse of bright red will catch my eye. Living here sometime I just don't notice the change then all of a sudden everything is yellow, orange and red. It is pretty amazing.
Listed below is a nice group of coins that we purchased last week at the Dalton convention and a couple of local collections we purchased. If you see something of interest please give me a call toll free at 1-877-772-4245 or email me back.
Thank you for your time and have a wonderful weekend
Sincerely, Gail A. Watson 49 Bromfield St Boston, MA 02108 1-877-772-4245
Half Cents
1804 C-13 Pl 4 Stemless. Rich tan fields. Lots of luster throughout. Sharp motifs. VF-35 PCGS $349.00
1806 C-1 Sm 6 No Stems. Great strike, surface quality, color and eye appeal. Soft brown fields are free of spots or discoloration. VF-30 PCGS $289.00
1825 C-2. Glossy, chestnut brown fields are lustrous and a nice complement to sharp motifs. EF-40 PCGS $159.00
1828 C-3 13 Stars. Looks EF. Lustrous and sharp. Glossy brown surfaces. VF-25 PCGS $99.00
Indian Head Cents 1867 Terrific strike, luster and eye appeal. Warm brown fields. Better date. AU-50 PCGS $249.00 1870 Full rims. Soft brown color. VG-8 PCGS $129.00 1870 Superb. Chestnut brown fields are frosty and lustrous and surround boldly struck devices. Choice. AU-50 NGC $539.00 1872 Sharp strike. Pleasing, warm brown fields are mark-free. Semi-key issue in the series. F-12 PCGS $350.00 1877 Nice surfaces. Great color. Sharp details. G-6 PCGS $899.00 1877 PQ. Wow, nicer than the majority of pieces I see graded AU-50 or finer. Terrific, warm brown color. Keenly struck devices. Choice, well preserved fields. A prize for the quality-conscious collector. EF-45 PCGS $2895.00 1877 Flashy cartwheel luster is accented by fiery orange and red overtones. Sharp strike. Full headdress. Key date and a high-end example. AU-58 PCGS $3595.00 1909-S Glossy, warm brown fields complement boldly struck design details. Great eye appeal. EF-40 PCGS $729.00 1909-S Frosty surfaces are highly lustrous. Toned in soft tan fields. Very, very choice and high-end. No spots or stains. Lovely. Sure to please. MS-62BN PCGS $1129.00 1909-S RB. PQ. Wow, what a nice coin! Pretty woodgrain toning in rich golden hues is present over satiny smooth, frosty fields. Great strike. MS-63RB PCGS $1389.00
Liberty Head Nickels 1883 WC. PQ. Sharp strike. Lustrous. EF-40 PCGS $92.00 1890 Lustrous. Well defined motifs. EF-45 PCGS $99.00 1890 Pop of just 6 for the grade at PCGS. Frosty fields are graced by pale gold and steel gray overtones. Sharp details. EF-45 PCGS $99.00 1892 Pretty golden and ice blue toning graces cartwheel luster. Bold strike. Nice. MS-64 PCGS $489.00 1896 Better date. Choice for the grade. One of just 3 pieces graded VF at PCGS. Pearl gray surfaces. VF-30 PCGS $75.00 1899 Bold strike. Frosty luster. Lightly toned. AU-55 PCGS $70.00
Buffalo Nickels 1913-D T-I. PQ. Should have graded MS--we don't see the wear or rub! Frosty luster. Terrific strike. AU-55 PCGS $50.00 1913-D T-II. PQ. Dazzling cartwheel luster over satiny smooth surfaces. Well struck. AU-58 PCGS $259.00 1914 PQ. Superb strike. Flashy luster toned in pale golden orange hues. Pretty. MS-63 PCGS $95.00 1915-D PQ. Sharp strike. Pearl gray overtones. Frosty luster. VF-35 PCGS $109.00 1915-D Lustrous. Bold devices. Lightly toned. AU-50 PCGS $169.00 1917-D Nice strike, frosty luster. Pretty wisps of champagne gold toning. EF-40 PCGS $200.00 1917-D PQ. Looks AU. Very lustrous. Terrific strike. Lightly toned. EF-45 PCGS $239.00 1918-D Soft pearl gray toning over satiny fields. Sharp strike. Nice for the grade and issue. VF-35 PCGS $199.00 1920-D PQ. Looks Fine. VG-10 PCGS $35.00 1923-S Nice detail. Lustrous fields. EF-40 PCGS $275.00 1924-D Nice for the grade. VG-10 PCGS $40.00 1924-D Really choice for the grade. Strong definition throughout especially for the issue. F-12 PCGS $55.00 1924-S PQ. Should have graded Fine. Original surfaces. VG-8 PCGS $79.00 1924-S Soft gray fields. Sharp. VG-8 PCGS $59.00 1924-S Bold devices. Lightly toned. F-12 PCGS $129.00 1925-D Looks VF. Toned in pearl gray hues. Nice. F-12 PCGS $52.00 1925-D Sharp devices. Looks nicer than the assigned grade. Frosty fields. Choice. VF-20 PCGS $95.00 1925-S Bold design elements. Toned in rich gray and gold hues. VF-20 PCGS $119.00 1925-S Frosty luster is toned in soft gray hues and is present over keenly struck design elements. Very choice. VF-30 PCGS $159.00 1925-S PQ. Should have graded EF. Lustrous, well struck and lightly toned. VF-30 PCGS $159.00 1926-S Very choice and sharp. Lightly toned. F-12 PCGS $115.00 1926-S Close to VF. Nice quality. F-12 PCGS $115.00
Liberty Seated Half Dimes 1841-O V-1 Sm O. Rich golden and soft steel gray toning grace highly lustrous fields. Keenly struck design details. Nice. EF-45 PCGS $229.00 1850 Frosty luster. Bold strike. Flashy. AU-55 PCGS $139.00 1852-O Toned in gunmetal blue hues over lustrous fields. Great detail. Pop of just 5 for the grade and 41 total for all grades at PCGS. Scarce. EF-45 PCGS $389.00 1853 Arrows. PQ. Lustrous and well struck. Attractively toned. EF-45 PCGS $119.00 1858-O PQ. Original and choice. Lots of luster present in the fields as well as protected areas. VF-30 PCGS $82.00
Liberty Seated Dimes 1857 Original surfaces are toned in light gray and gunmetal blue hues with golden accents. Sharp strike. AU-50 PCGS $149.00 1861 Popular Civil War issue. Lovely black and white contrast. Deep mirrored fields are a lovely contrast to needle sharp, frosty, white devices. Lovely! One of just 1,000 Proofs coined this year. PR 65 NGC $2195.00
Barber Dimes 1907-S Flashy, frosty, lustrous and well struck. Wisps of pale orange toning add to the overall eye appeal. Pop of just 3 for the grade at PCGS. AU-55 PCGS $300.00
Mercury Dimes 1916-D Perfect, problem-free surfaces surround nicely preserved and defined motifs. Key date and a lovely example. Sure to please the fussiest collector. VG-10 PCGS $2695.00 1925-S Lustrous fields are toned in golden hues. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $79.00
Liberty Seated Quarters 1859 Highly lustrous over pearl gray fields. Sharp motifs. Nice quality for the grade. EF-40 PCGS $99.00 1877 Soft pearl gray toning graces satiny fields. Sharp motifs. AU-50 PCGS $159.00
Barber Quarters 1894-S Pop 1 for the grade. Sharp design details. Lightly toned. F-15 PCGS $75.00 1901-S Nice quality. Lovely, pearl gray fields are free of detracting marks or scratches. The series key and a lovely example. G-4 PCGS $5595.00 1913-S PQ. Arguably not only a G-6, but with claims to VG. Very sharp details. Bold rims. Lovely, rich gray overtones. G-4 PCGS $1995.00 1913-S Terrific design element definition. Liberty's face is nicely defined. Lovely, rich, pearl gray toning is even and eye appealing. A choice example of this popular, scarce date in the series. VG-8 NGC $2750.00
Standing Liberty Quarters 1924-D Full mint bloom and frost. Toned in golden hues. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $200.00
Flowing Hair Half Dollars 1795 O-110 R-4. Wow, very well struck, lustrous and eye appealing for the assigned grade. There is one light scratch in the field behind Liberty's head which is probably why PCGS didn't grade this piece VF-25 or 30. Lovely halo toning in electric blue hues. The central portions are toned steel gray with gold accents. Great type set addition. VF-20 PCGS $5795.00
Capped Bust Half Dollars 1815/2 O-101a. Lovely rose and pale golden orange toning graces soft gray fields. Well defined devices. Scarce in all grades. Honest wear and rub on the high points but remarkably free of bag marks or scratches. VF-30 NGC $4395.00 1817/3 O-101a. Very lustrous under deep mottled electric blue, fiery orange, gold and pearl gray hues. Sharp details. Scarce. AU-50 PCGS $2495.00 1819/8 O-101 Sm 9. Nice frosty fields are lightly toned. Better date. Choice quality. VF-20 PCGS $219.00 1825 O-101. Frosty accents grace boldly defined devices. Pleasing, lustrous, satiny smooth fields are original and toned in rich golden and steel gray hues. AU-50 PCGS $499.00 1830 O-113 Sm O. Subdued mint bloom and frost. Sharp strike. Toned in rich pearl gray and gold hues. EF-40 PCGS $269.00 1831 O-101. Smooth, satinlike fields. Lustrous. Toned. EF-40 PCGS $269.00 1831 O-108. PQ. Full mint bloom and frost. Richly toned with iridescent accents over pearl gray fields. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1832 O-118 SL. Satiny luster. Lightly toned. EF-40 PCGS $269.00 1832 O-104 R-3. Sharpness of an EF-45. Richly toned in mottled gunmetal blue, gold and steel gray hues. Satiny surfaces. EF-40 PCGS $295.00 1832 O-105 R-3 SL. Pretty electric blue and fiery golden orange toning grace steel gray fields. Well struck. Nice eye appeal. EF-45 PCGS $319.00 1832 O-118 SL. Frosty luster. Toned in pearl gray hues. Great strike. Totally original. AU-50 PCGS $499.00 1832 O-103 SL. Satiny, highly lustrous fields are accented by pretty dusty rose and gold toning. Sharp motifs. AU-53 PCGS $595.00 1832 O-111 SL. Outstanding strike, mint frost and luster. Toned in pretty fiery orange and golden wisps. Superb! AU-55 PCGS $669.00 1832 O-107 SL. Incredibly beautiful color in lilac, dusty rose and fiery orange hues. Superb strike. Highly lustrous. Terrific eye appeal. AU-55 PCGS $669.00 1833 O-106 R-2. Satiny mint bloom throughout. Lightly toned. EF-40 PCGS $269.00 1833 O-101. Pretty iridescent toning over highly lustrous fields. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $269.00 1833 O-102. Electric blue, gold and rich pearl gray toning accent boldly defined devices. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1833 O-106 R-2. Frosty luster. Toned in pretty sea green, blue and pearl gray hues. Sharp. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1833 O-108. Gorgeous toning over frosty fields. Satiny luster throughout. Great strike and eye appeal. AU-55 PCGS $669.00 1834 O-119 R-3 SD, SL. Satiny, cartwheel luster. Pretty iridescent overtones. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $295.00 1834 O-121 R-3 SD SL. Sharp devices. Lustrous fields are accented by sky blue, rose and gold hues. EF-40 PCGS $295.00 1834 O-101 LD, LL. Sea green, gold and pale orange toning grace steel gray surfaces which are lustrous. Well struck devices. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1834 O-101 LD, LL. Satiny mint luster is toned in beautiful, deep electric blue and violet toning. Well struck. Pretty. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1834 O-111 SD SL. Toned in dusty rose and golden hues over lustrous fields. Bold strike. AU-50 PCGS $499.00 1834 O-105 LD, SL. Outstanding detail. Lustrous. Toned gold and pearl gray. Pleasing. AU-53 PCGS $595.00 1834 O-119 R-3 SD SL. Toned in wisps of gold over frosty luster. Sharp strike. Really choice. AU-53 PCGS $625.00 1834 O-115a R-4 SD, SL. Full mint bloom and frost throughout. Well struck devices. Fiery orange toning highlights add to the overall eye appeal. Better variety. AU-55 PCGS $799.00 1835 O-106. Nice surfaces are frosty and exhibit full mint bloom. Lightly toned. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1835 O-106. Here's a beautiful coin for you color enthusiasts. Frosty fields are graced by intense electric blue, violet, rose and fiery orange hues. Well defined devices. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1835 O-103. Totally original and choice. Well struck. Subdued luster is toned in soft gray and gold hues. Nice. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1835 O-108 R-3. Intense rainbow toning accents frosty fields and motifs. Sharp. Gorgeous! EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1835 O-107. The detail of an AU coin but not enough luster. Satiny surfaces. Attractively toned. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1835 O-102. Intense electric blue, fiery orange and gold toning is present over very lustrous, silky smooth surfaces. Nice detail. Lovely color! AU-50 PCGS $499.00 1835 O-107. Soft rose toning accents light gray fields. Satiny luster is present throughout. Sharp devices. AU-53 PCGS $595.00 1836 O-106a R-4 Lettered Edge. Gorgeous rose and electric blue toning create a lovely halo effect. Sharp strike. Lustrous surfaces. Better variety. EF-40 PCGS $339.00 1836 O-123 R-3 Lettered Edge. Original, soft gray fields. Nice eye appeal and quality. EF-40 PCGS $269.00 1836 O-108 Lettered Edge. Mottled gold and pearl gray toning. Lustrous surfaces. Crisp design details. EF-45 PCGS $299.00 1836 O-103 R-4 Lettered Edge. Scarce variety. Toned in steel gray hues. Lustrous and sharp. EF-45 PCGS $359.00
Liberty Seated Half Dollars 1855 Arrows. Frosty fields surround bold devices. A halo of pale orange toning adds to the overall eye appeal. AU-50 PCGS $299.00 1876 Extremely well struck. Blazing luster and mint frost. Pretty. AU-58 NGC $379.00
Barber Half Dollars 1913 Nice quality. Scarce and popular issue. Pleasing, steel gray toning throughout. VG-8 PCGS $179.00 1915 Sharp devices. Full legend on the banner. Rich, pearl gray toning. Choice and problem-free. F-12 PCGS $375.00
A coin is usually a piece of hard material, usually metal or a metallic material, usually in the shape of a disc, and most often issued by a government. Coins are used as a form of money in transactions of various kinds, from the everyday circulation coins to the storage of vast numbers of bullion coins. In the present day, coins and banknotes make up the cash forms of all modern money systems. Coins made for circulation (general monetized use) are usually used for lower-valued units, and banknotes for the higher values; also, in most money systems, the highest value coin made for circulation is worth less than the lowest-value note. The face value of circulation coins is usually higher than the gross value of the metal used in making them, but this is not generally the case with historical circulation coins made of precious metals. For example, the historical Eagle contained .48375 troy ounce of gold and has a face value of only ten U.S. dollars, but the market value of the coin, due to its metal content, is now many times the face amount.
Exceptions to the rule of coin face-value being higher than content value, also occur for some non-monetized "bullion coins" made of silver or gold (and, rarely, other metals, such as platinum or palladium), intended for collectors or investors in precious metals. For examples of modern gold collector/investor coins, the United States mints the American Gold Eagle, Canada mints the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, and South Africa mints the Krugerrand. The American Gold Eagle has a face value of US$50, and the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins also have nominal (purely symbolic) face values (e.g., C$50 for 1 oz.); but the Krugerrand does not.
Historically, a great number of coinage metals (including alloys) and other materials have been used practically, impractically (i.e., rarely), artistically, and experimentally in the production of coins for circulation, collection, and metal investment, where bullion coins often serve as more convenient stores of assured metal quantity and purity than other bullion.[1]
The question of the world's first coin has long been and still is debated. Among numismatists, it is debated whether the world's first coins originated in Lydia, China, or India (where coins were known as karshapana).[3][4] One early coin from Caria, Asia Minor, includes a legend "I am the badge of Phanes," though most of the early Lydian pieces have no writing on them, just symbolic animals. Therefore the dating of these coins relies primarily on archeological evidence, with the most commonly cited evidence coming from excavations at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, also called the Ephesian Artemision (which would later evolve into one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world). The first Lydian coin was made of electrum, an alloy of silver and gold[5]. Many early Lydian coins were undoubtedly struck (manufactured) under the authority of private individuals and are thus more akin to tokens than true coins, though because of their numbers it's evident that some were official state issues, with King Alyattes of Lydia being the most frequently mentioned originator of coinage.
The first Indian coins were minted around the 6th century BC by the Mahajanapadas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The coins of this period were punch marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas or Pana. The Mahajanapadas that minted their own coins included Gandhara[6], Kuntala[7], Kuru[8], Panchala[9], Shakya[10], Surasena[11], and Surashtra[12]. Some argue that Indian coins were developed from Western prototypes, which the Indians came in contact with through Babylonian traders.[13]
The first European coin to use Arabic numerals to date the year minted was the Swiss 1424 St. Gallen silver Plappart.
Coins have long been linked to the concept of money, as reflected by the fact that in other languages the words "coin" and "currency" are synonymous. Fictional currencies may also bear the name coin (as such, an item may be said to be worth 123 coin or 123 coins).
In terms of its value as a collector's item, a coin is generally made more or less valuable by its condition, specific historical significance, rarity, quality/beauty of the design and general popularity with collectors. If a coin is greatly lacking in any of these, it is unlikely to be worth much. Bullion coins are also valued based on these factors, but are largely valued based on the value of the gold or silver in them. Sometimes non-monetized bullion coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf and the American Gold Eagle are minted with nominal face values less than the value of the metal in them, but as such coins are never intended for circulation, these value numbers are not market nor fiat values, and are never more than symbolic numbers.
Most coins presently are made of a base metal, and their value comes from their status as fiat money. This means that the value of the coin is decreed by government fiat (law), and thus is determined by the free market only as national currencies are subjected to arbitrage in international trade. This causes such coins to be monetary tokens in the same sense that paper currency is, when the paper currency is not backed directly by metal, but rather by a government guarantee of international exchange of goods or services. Some have suggested that such coins not be considered to be "true coins" (see below). However, because fiat money is backed by government guarantee of a certain amount of goods and services, where the value of this is in turn determined by free market currency exchange rates, similar to the case for the international market exchange values which determines the value of metals which back commodity money, in practice there is very little economic difference between the two types of money (types of currencies).
Coins may be minted that have fiat values lower than the value of their component metals, but this is never done intentionally and initially for circulation coins, and happens only in due course later in the history of coin production due to inflation, as market values for the metal overtake the fiat declared face value of the coin. Examples of this phenomenon include the pre-1965 US dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar, US nickel, and pre-1982 US penny. As a result of the increase in the value of copper, the United States greatly reduced the amount of copper in each penny. Since mid-1982, United States pennies are made of 97.5% zinc coated with 2.5% copper. Extreme differences between fiat values and metal values of coins causes coins to be removed from circulation by illicit smelters interested in the value of their metal content. In fact, the United States Mint, in anticipation of this practice, implemented new interim rules on December 14, 2006, subject to public comment for 30 days, which criminalize the melting and export of pennies and nickels.[2] Violators can be punished with a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned for a maximum of five years.
To distinguish between these two types of coins, as well as from other forms of tokens which have been used as money, some monetary scholars have attempted to define three criteria that an object must meet to be a "true coin".[citation needed] These criteria are:
It must be made of a valuable material, and trade for close to the market value of that material. It must be of a standardized weight and purity. It must be marked to identify the authority that guarantees the content
Throughout history, governments have been known to create more coinage than their supply of precious metals would allow. By replacing some fraction of a coin's precious metal content with a base metal (often copper or nickel), the intrinsic value of each individual coin was reduced (thereby "debasing" their money), allowing the coining authority to produce more coins than would otherwise be possible. Debasement sometimes occurs in order to make the coin harder and therefore less likely to be worn down as quickly. Debasement of money almost always leads to price inflation unless price controls are also instituted by the governing authority, in which case a black market will often arise.
The United States is unusual in that it has only slightly modified its coinage system (except for the images and symbols on the coins, which have changed a number of times) to accommodate two centuries of inflation. The one-cent coin has changed little since 1856 (though its composition was changed in 1982 to remove virtually all copper from the coin) and still remains in circulation, despite a greatly reduced purchasing power. On the other end of the spectrum, the largest coin in common circulation is 25 cents, a low value for the largest denomination coin compared to other countries. Recent increases in the prices of copper, nickel, and zinc, mean that both the US one- and five-cent coins are now worth more for their raw metal content than their face (fiat) value. In particular, copper one-cent pieces (those dated prior to 1982 and some 1982-dated coins) now contain about two cents worth of copper. Some denominations of circulating coins that were formerly minted in the United States are no longer made. These include coins with a face value of half a cent, two cents, three cents, twenty cents, two dollars and fifty cents, three dollars, five dollars, ten dollars, and twenty dollars. In addition, cents were originally slightly larger than the modern quarter and weighed nearly half an ounce, while five cent coins were smaller than a dime and made of a silver alloy. Dollars were also much larger and weighed approximately an ounce. Half dollar and one dollar coins are still produced but rarely used. The U.S. also has bullion and commemorative coins with the following denominations: 50¢, $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100.
The milled, or reeded, edges still found on many coins (always those that were once made of gold or silver, even if not so now) were originally designed to show that none of the valuable metal had been shaved off the coin. Prior to the use of milled edges, circulating coins commonly suffered from "shaving", by which unscrupulous persons would shave a small amount of precious metal from the edge. Unmilled British sterling silver coins were known to be shaved to almost half of their minted weight. This form of debasement in Tudor England was commented on by Sir Thomas Gresham, whose name was later attached to Gresham's Law. The monarch would have to periodically recall circulating coins, paying only bullion value of the silver, and reminting them.
Traditionally, the side of a coin carrying a bust of a monarch or other authority, or a national emblem, is called the obverse, or colloquially, heads. The other side is called the reverse, or colloquially, tails. However, the rule is violated in some cases.[14] Another rule is that the side carrying the year of minting is the obverse, although some Chinese coins, most Canadian coins, the pre-2008 British 20p coin, and all Japanese coins, are an exception.
The orientation of the obverse with respect to the reverse differs between countries. Some coins have coin orientation, where the coin must be flipped vertically to see the other side; other coins, such as British coins, have medallic orientation, where the coin must be flipped horizontally to see the other side.
The exergue is the space on a coin beneath the main design, often used to show the coin's date, although it is sometimes left blank or containing a mint mark, privy mark, or some other decorative or informative design feature. Many coins do not have an exergue at all, especially those with few or no legends, such as the Victorian bun penny.
Coins that are not round (British 50 pence for example) usually have an odd number of sides, with the edges rounded off. This is so that the coin has a constant diameter, and will therefore be recognised by vending machines whichever way it is inserted. Alternatively some older designs still in circulation have a large number of sides which reduce the difference in width, such as the Australian 50 cent coin with twelve flat sides. The triangular coin (produced to commemorate the 2007/2008 Tutankhamun exhibition at the The O2 Arena) was commissioned by the Isle of Man, became legal tender on 6 December 2007[15] and has a value of 25p (a crown). The triangular coin issued to commemorate the return of Tutankhamun treasures to London was not the first coin with a triangular shape. Some triangular coins produced earlier include : Cabinda coin, Bermuda coin, 2 Dollar Cook Islands 1992 triangular coin, Uganda Millennium Coin and Polish Sterling-Silver 10-Zloty Coin. [16]
Coins are popularly used as a sort of two-sided die; in order to choose between two options with a random possibility, one choice will be labeled "heads" and the other "tails," and a coin will be flipped or "tossed" to see whether the heads or tails side comes up on top. See Bernoulli trial; a fair coin is defined to have the probability of heads (in the parlance of Bernoulli trials, a "success") of exactly 0.5. A widely publicized example of an asymmetrical coin which will not produce "fair" results in a flip is the Belgian one euro coin[17]. See also coin flipping. Coins are sometimes falsified to make one side weigh more, in order to simulate a fair type of coin which is actually not fair. Such a coin is said to be "weighted."
Some coins, called bracteates, are so thin they can only be struck on one side.
Bi-metallic coins are sometimes used for higher values and for commemorative purposes. In the 1990s, France used a tri-metallic coin. Common circulating examples include the €1, €2, British £2 and Canadian $2.
Guitar-shaped coins were once issued in Somalia, Poland once issued a fan-shaped 10 zùoty coin, but perhaps the oddest coin ever was the 2002 $10 coin from Nauru, a Europe-shaped coin.[18]
The Royal Canadian Mint is now able to produce holographic-effect gold and silver coinage.
For a list of many pure metallic elements and their alloys which have used in actual circulation coins and for trial experiments, see coinage metals
After more than 30 years of experience I believe the big mistake most people make with coins is they want a "bargain". The real bargains are the coins you pay up for that everyone wants. coltgus 1/ 23 / 07
The entertainment can never be overdressed....except in burlesque
<< <i>A coin is usually a piece of hard material, usually metal or a metallic material, usually in the shape of a disc, and most often issued by a government. Coins are used as a form of money in transactions of various kinds, from the everyday circulation coins to the storage of vast numbers of bullion coins. In the present day, coins and banknotes make up the cash forms of all modern money systems. Coins made for circulation (general monetized use) are usually used for lower-valued units, and banknotes for the higher values; also, in most money systems, the highest value coin made for circulation is worth less than the lowest-value note. The face value of circulation coins is usually higher than the gross value of the metal used in making them, but this is not generally the case with historical circulation coins made of precious metals. For example, the historical Eagle contained .48375 troy ounce of gold and has a face value of only ten U.S. dollars, but the market value of the coin, due to its metal content, is now many times the face amount.
Exceptions to the rule of coin face-value being higher than content value, also occur for some non-monetized "bullion coins" made of silver or gold (and, rarely, other metals, such as platinum or palladium), intended for collectors or investors in precious metals. For examples of modern gold collector/investor coins, the United States mints the American Gold Eagle, Canada mints the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, and South Africa mints the Krugerrand. The American Gold Eagle has a face value of US$50, and the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins also have nominal (purely symbolic) face values (e.g., C$50 for 1 oz.); but the Krugerrand does not.
Historically, a great number of coinage metals (including alloys) and other materials have been used practically, impractically (i.e., rarely), artistically, and experimentally in the production of coins for circulation, collection, and metal investment, where bullion coins often serve as more convenient stores of assured metal quantity and purity than other bullion.[1]
The question of the world's first coin has long been and still is debated. Among numismatists, it is debated whether the world's first coins originated in Lydia, China, or India (where coins were known as karshapana).[3][4] One early coin from Caria, Asia Minor, includes a legend "I am the badge of Phanes," though most of the early Lydian pieces have no writing on them, just symbolic animals. Therefore the dating of these coins relies primarily on archeological evidence, with the most commonly cited evidence coming from excavations at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, also called the Ephesian Artemision (which would later evolve into one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world). The first Lydian coin was made of electrum, an alloy of silver and gold[5]. Many early Lydian coins were undoubtedly struck (manufactured) under the authority of private individuals and are thus more akin to tokens than true coins, though because of their numbers it's evident that some were official state issues, with King Alyattes of Lydia being the most frequently mentioned originator of coinage.
The first Indian coins were minted around the 6th century BC by the Mahajanapadas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The coins of this period were punch marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas or Pana. The Mahajanapadas that minted their own coins included Gandhara[6], Kuntala[7], Kuru[8], Panchala[9], Shakya[10], Surasena[11], and Surashtra[12]. Some argue that Indian coins were developed from Western prototypes, which the Indians came in contact with through Babylonian traders.[13]
The first European coin to use Arabic numerals to date the year minted was the Swiss 1424 St. Gallen silver Plappart.
Coins have long been linked to the concept of money, as reflected by the fact that in other languages the words "coin" and "currency" are synonymous. Fictional currencies may also bear the name coin (as such, an item may be said to be worth 123 coin or 123 coins).
In terms of its value as a collector's item, a coin is generally made more or less valuable by its condition, specific historical significance, rarity, quality/beauty of the design and general popularity with collectors. If a coin is greatly lacking in any of these, it is unlikely to be worth much. Bullion coins are also valued based on these factors, but are largely valued based on the value of the gold or silver in them. Sometimes non-monetized bullion coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf and the American Gold Eagle are minted with nominal face values less than the value of the metal in them, but as such coins are never intended for circulation, these value numbers are not market nor fiat values, and are never more than symbolic numbers.
Most coins presently are made of a base metal, and their value comes from their status as fiat money. This means that the value of the coin is decreed by government fiat (law), and thus is determined by the free market only as national currencies are subjected to arbitrage in international trade. This causes such coins to be monetary tokens in the same sense that paper currency is, when the paper currency is not backed directly by metal, but rather by a government guarantee of international exchange of goods or services. Some have suggested that such coins not be considered to be "true coins" (see below). However, because fiat money is backed by government guarantee of a certain amount of goods and services, where the value of this is in turn determined by free market currency exchange rates, similar to the case for the international market exchange values which determines the value of metals which back commodity money, in practice there is very little economic difference between the two types of money (types of currencies).
Coins may be minted that have fiat values lower than the value of their component metals, but this is never done intentionally and initially for circulation coins, and happens only in due course later in the history of coin production due to inflation, as market values for the metal overtake the fiat declared face value of the coin. Examples of this phenomenon include the pre-1965 US dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar, US nickel, and pre-1982 US penny. As a result of the increase in the value of copper, the United States greatly reduced the amount of copper in each penny. Since mid-1982, United States pennies are made of 97.5% zinc coated with 2.5% copper. Extreme differences between fiat values and metal values of coins causes coins to be removed from circulation by illicit smelters interested in the value of their metal content. In fact, the United States Mint, in anticipation of this practice, implemented new interim rules on December 14, 2006, subject to public comment for 30 days, which criminalize the melting and export of pennies and nickels.[2] Violators can be punished with a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned for a maximum of five years.
To distinguish between these two types of coins, as well as from other forms of tokens which have been used as money, some monetary scholars have attempted to define three criteria that an object must meet to be a "true coin".[citation needed] These criteria are:
It must be made of a valuable material, and trade for close to the market value of that material. It must be of a standardized weight and purity. It must be marked to identify the authority that guarantees the content
Throughout history, governments have been known to create more coinage than their supply of precious metals would allow. By replacing some fraction of a coin's precious metal content with a base metal (often copper or nickel), the intrinsic value of each individual coin was reduced (thereby "debasing" their money), allowing the coining authority to produce more coins than would otherwise be possible. Debasement sometimes occurs in order to make the coin harder and therefore less likely to be worn down as quickly. Debasement of money almost always leads to price inflation unless price controls are also instituted by the governing authority, in which case a black market will often arise.
The United States is unusual in that it has only slightly modified its coinage system (except for the images and symbols on the coins, which have changed a number of times) to accommodate two centuries of inflation. The one-cent coin has changed little since 1856 (though its composition was changed in 1982 to remove virtually all copper from the coin) and still remains in circulation, despite a greatly reduced purchasing power. On the other end of the spectrum, the largest coin in common circulation is 25 cents, a low value for the largest denomination coin compared to other countries. Recent increases in the prices of copper, nickel, and zinc, mean that both the US one- and five-cent coins are now worth more for their raw metal content than their face (fiat) value. In particular, copper one-cent pieces (those dated prior to 1982 and some 1982-dated coins) now contain about two cents worth of copper. Some denominations of circulating coins that were formerly minted in the United States are no longer made. These include coins with a face value of half a cent, two cents, three cents, twenty cents, two dollars and fifty cents, three dollars, five dollars, ten dollars, and twenty dollars. In addition, cents were originally slightly larger than the modern quarter and weighed nearly half an ounce, while five cent coins were smaller than a dime and made of a silver alloy. Dollars were also much larger and weighed approximately an ounce. Half dollar and one dollar coins are still produced but rarely used. The U.S. also has bullion and commemorative coins with the following denominations: 50¢, $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100.
The milled, or reeded, edges still found on many coins (always those that were once made of gold or silver, even if not so now) were originally designed to show that none of the valuable metal had been shaved off the coin. Prior to the use of milled edges, circulating coins commonly suffered from "shaving", by which unscrupulous persons would shave a small amount of precious metal from the edge. Unmilled British sterling silver coins were known to be shaved to almost half of their minted weight. This form of debasement in Tudor England was commented on by Sir Thomas Gresham, whose name was later attached to Gresham's Law. The monarch would have to periodically recall circulating coins, paying only bullion value of the silver, and reminting them.
Traditionally, the side of a coin carrying a bust of a monarch or other authority, or a national emblem, is called the obverse, or colloquially, heads. The other side is called the reverse, or colloquially, tails. However, the rule is violated in some cases.[14] Another rule is that the side carrying the year of minting is the obverse, although some Chinese coins, most Canadian coins, the pre-2008 British 20p coin, and all Japanese coins, are an exception.
The orientation of the obverse with respect to the reverse differs between countries. Some coins have coin orientation, where the coin must be flipped vertically to see the other side; other coins, such as British coins, have medallic orientation, where the coin must be flipped horizontally to see the other side.
The exergue is the space on a coin beneath the main design, often used to show the coin's date, although it is sometimes left blank or containing a mint mark, privy mark, or some other decorative or informative design feature. Many coins do not have an exergue at all, especially those with few or no legends, such as the Victorian bun penny.
Coins that are not round (British 50 pence for example) usually have an odd number of sides, with the edges rounded off. This is so that the coin has a constant diameter, and will therefore be recognised by vending machines whichever way it is inserted. Alternatively some older designs still in circulation have a large number of sides which reduce the difference in width, such as the Australian 50 cent coin with twelve flat sides. The triangular coin (produced to commemorate the 2007/2008 Tutankhamun exhibition at the The O2 Arena) was commissioned by the Isle of Man, became legal tender on 6 December 2007[15] and has a value of 25p (a crown). The triangular coin issued to commemorate the return of Tutankhamun treasures to London was not the first coin with a triangular shape. Some triangular coins produced earlier include : Cabinda coin, Bermuda coin, 2 Dollar Cook Islands 1992 triangular coin, Uganda Millennium Coin and Polish Sterling-Silver 10-Zloty Coin. [16]
Coins are popularly used as a sort of two-sided die; in order to choose between two options with a random possibility, one choice will be labeled "heads" and the other "tails," and a coin will be flipped or "tossed" to see whether the heads or tails side comes up on top. See Bernoulli trial; a fair coin is defined to have the probability of heads (in the parlance of Bernoulli trials, a "success") of exactly 0.5. A widely publicized example of an asymmetrical coin which will not produce "fair" results in a flip is the Belgian one euro coin[17]. See also coin flipping. Coins are sometimes falsified to make one side weigh more, in order to simulate a fair type of coin which is actually not fair. Such a coin is said to be "weighted."
Some coins, called bracteates, are so thin they can only be struck on one side.
Bi-metallic coins are sometimes used for higher values and for commemorative purposes. In the 1990s, France used a tri-metallic coin. Common circulating examples include the €1, €2, British £2 and Canadian $2.
Guitar-shaped coins were once issued in Somalia, Poland once issued a fan-shaped 10 zùoty coin, but perhaps the oddest coin ever was the 2002 $10 coin from Nauru, a Europe-shaped coin.[18]
The Royal Canadian Mint is now able to produce holographic-effect gold and silver coinage.
For a list of many pure metallic elements and their alloys which have used in actual circulation coins and for trial experiments, see coinage metals >>
Goldbully
Posts: 16,976 ✭✭✭✭✭
Comments
Menomonee Falls Wisconsin USA
http://www.pcgs.com/SetRegistr...dset.aspx?s=68269&ac=1">Musky 1861 Mint Set
Thanks everyone!!!!!
I hope no one thinks I'm ripping off the "no words written" thread.
Geez, I just saw it for the first time....OK???
Well, they are round, most of them. Made from different kinds of metal.
Geez, this "no pics" thing is hard.
<< <i>I have a really nice coin. Several of them. Shall I describe them for you?
Well, they are round, most of them. Made from different kinds of metal.
Geez, this "no pics" thing is hard. >>
Stefanie
.
CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
.
Gallery Mint Museum, Ron Landis& Joe Rust, The beginnings of the Golden Dollar
.
More CoinsAreFun Pictorials NGC
<< <i>I have a really nice coin. Several of them. Shall I describe them for you?
Well, they are round, most of them. Made from different kinds of metal.
Geez, this "no pics" thing is hard. >>
lordmarcovan,
Words can be powerful.
Here are some examples from Liz and Gail at J.J. Teaparty....two experts in the "coinage wordage" biz.
Perhaps this can be of help for you.
From Gail's email today, she makes it so easy............
Good Afternoon!
I hope you are having a wonderful day. These past two weeks have been more like early August rather than early September. The nice part about it is that it gets into the 80's during the day but down to the 40's and 50's at night. The leaves are just starting to change, I can look out into the woods and a glimpse of bright red will catch my eye. Living here sometime I just don't notice the change then all of a sudden everything is yellow, orange and red. It is pretty amazing.
Listed below is a nice group of coins that we purchased last week at the Dalton convention and a couple of local collections we purchased. If you see something of interest please give me a call toll free at 1-877-772-4245 or email me back.
Thank you for your time and have a wonderful weekend
Sincerely,
Gail A. Watson
49 Bromfield St
Boston, MA 02108
1-877-772-4245
Half Cents
1804 C-13 Pl 4 Stemless. Rich tan fields. Lots of luster throughout. Sharp motifs. VF-35 PCGS $349.00
1806 C-1 Sm 6 No Stems. Great strike, surface quality, color and eye appeal. Soft brown fields are free of spots or discoloration. VF-30 PCGS $289.00
1825 C-2. Glossy, chestnut brown fields are lustrous and a nice complement to sharp motifs. EF-40 PCGS $159.00
1828 C-3 13 Stars. Looks EF. Lustrous and sharp. Glossy brown surfaces. VF-25 PCGS $99.00
Flying Eagle Cents
1857 Tan surfaces. Sharp devices. VF-25 PCGS $69.00
Indian Head Cents
1867 Terrific strike, luster and eye appeal. Warm brown fields. Better date. AU-50 PCGS $249.00
1870 Full rims. Soft brown color. VG-8 PCGS $129.00
1870 Superb. Chestnut brown fields are frosty and lustrous and surround boldly struck devices. Choice. AU-50 NGC $539.00
1872 Sharp strike. Pleasing, warm brown fields are mark-free. Semi-key issue in the series. F-12 PCGS $350.00
1877 Nice surfaces. Great color. Sharp details. G-6 PCGS $899.00
1877 PQ. Wow, nicer than the majority of pieces I see graded AU-50 or finer. Terrific, warm brown color. Keenly struck devices. Choice, well preserved fields. A prize for the
quality-conscious collector. EF-45 PCGS $2895.00
1877 Flashy cartwheel luster is accented by fiery orange and red overtones. Sharp strike. Full headdress. Key date and a high-end example. AU-58 PCGS $3595.00
1909-S Glossy, warm brown fields complement boldly struck design details. Great eye appeal. EF-40 PCGS $729.00
1909-S Frosty surfaces are highly lustrous. Toned in soft tan fields. Very, very choice and high-end. No spots or stains. Lovely. Sure to please. MS-62BN PCGS $1129.00
1909-S RB. PQ. Wow, what a nice coin! Pretty woodgrain toning in rich golden hues is present over satiny smooth, frosty fields. Great strike. MS-63RB PCGS $1389.00
Liberty Head Nickels
1883 WC. PQ. Sharp strike. Lustrous. EF-40 PCGS $92.00
1890 Lustrous. Well defined motifs. EF-45 PCGS $99.00
1890 Pop of just 6 for the grade at PCGS. Frosty fields are graced by pale gold and steel gray overtones. Sharp details. EF-45 PCGS $99.00
1892 Pretty golden and ice blue toning graces cartwheel luster. Bold strike. Nice. MS-64 PCGS $489.00
1896 Better date. Choice for the grade. One of just 3 pieces graded VF at PCGS. Pearl gray surfaces. VF-30 PCGS $75.00
1899 Bold strike. Frosty luster. Lightly toned. AU-55 PCGS $70.00
Buffalo Nickels
1913-D T-I. PQ. Should have graded MS--we don't see the wear or rub! Frosty luster. Terrific strike. AU-55 PCGS $50.00
1913-D T-II. PQ. Dazzling cartwheel luster over satiny smooth surfaces. Well struck. AU-58 PCGS $259.00
1914 PQ. Superb strike. Flashy luster toned in pale golden orange hues. Pretty. MS-63 PCGS $95.00
1915-D PQ. Sharp strike. Pearl gray overtones. Frosty luster. VF-35 PCGS $109.00
1915-D Lustrous. Bold devices. Lightly toned. AU-50 PCGS $169.00
1917-D Nice strike, frosty luster. Pretty wisps of champagne gold toning. EF-40 PCGS $200.00
1917-D PQ. Looks AU. Very lustrous. Terrific strike. Lightly toned. EF-45 PCGS $239.00
1918-D Soft pearl gray toning over satiny fields. Sharp strike. Nice for the grade and issue. VF-35 PCGS $199.00
1920-D PQ. Looks Fine. VG-10 PCGS $35.00
1923-S Nice detail. Lustrous fields. EF-40 PCGS $275.00
1924-D Nice for the grade. VG-10 PCGS $40.00
1924-D Really choice for the grade. Strong definition throughout especially for the issue. F-12 PCGS $55.00
1924-S PQ. Should have graded Fine. Original surfaces. VG-8 PCGS $79.00
1924-S Soft gray fields. Sharp. VG-8 PCGS $59.00
1924-S Bold devices. Lightly toned. F-12 PCGS $129.00
1925-D Looks VF. Toned in pearl gray hues. Nice. F-12 PCGS $52.00
1925-D Sharp devices. Looks nicer than the assigned grade. Frosty fields. Choice. VF-20 PCGS $95.00
1925-S Bold design elements. Toned in rich gray and gold hues. VF-20 PCGS $119.00
1925-S Frosty luster is toned in soft gray hues and is present over keenly struck design elements. Very choice. VF-30 PCGS $159.00
1925-S PQ. Should have graded EF. Lustrous, well struck and lightly toned. VF-30 PCGS $159.00
1926-S Very choice and sharp. Lightly toned. F-12 PCGS $115.00
1926-S Close to VF. Nice quality. F-12 PCGS $115.00
Liberty Seated Half Dimes
1841-O V-1 Sm O. Rich golden and soft steel gray toning grace highly lustrous fields. Keenly struck design details. Nice. EF-45 PCGS $229.00
1850 Frosty luster. Bold strike. Flashy. AU-55 PCGS $139.00
1852-O Toned in gunmetal blue hues over lustrous fields. Great detail. Pop of just 5 for the grade and 41 total for all grades at PCGS. Scarce. EF-45 PCGS $389.00
1853 Arrows. PQ. Lustrous and well struck. Attractively toned. EF-45 PCGS $119.00
1858-O PQ. Original and choice. Lots of luster present in the fields as well as protected areas. VF-30 PCGS $82.00
Liberty Seated Dimes
1857 Original surfaces are toned in light gray and gunmetal blue hues with golden accents. Sharp strike. AU-50 PCGS $149.00
1861 Popular Civil War issue. Lovely black and white contrast. Deep mirrored fields are a lovely contrast to needle sharp, frosty, white devices. Lovely! One of just 1,000
Proofs coined this year. PR 65 NGC $2195.00
Barber Dimes
1907-S Flashy, frosty, lustrous and well struck. Wisps of pale orange toning add to the overall eye appeal. Pop of just 3 for the grade at PCGS. AU-55 PCGS $300.00
Mercury Dimes
1916-D Perfect, problem-free surfaces surround nicely preserved and defined motifs. Key date and a lovely example. Sure to please the fussiest collector. VG-10 PCGS $2695.00
1925-S Lustrous fields are toned in golden hues. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $79.00
Liberty Seated Quarters
1859 Highly lustrous over pearl gray fields. Sharp motifs. Nice quality for the grade. EF-40 PCGS $99.00
1877 Soft pearl gray toning graces satiny fields. Sharp motifs. AU-50 PCGS $159.00
Barber Quarters
1894-S Pop 1 for the grade. Sharp design details. Lightly toned. F-15 PCGS $75.00
1901-S Nice quality. Lovely, pearl gray fields are free of detracting marks or scratches. The series key and a lovely example. G-4 PCGS $5595.00
1913-S PQ. Arguably not only a G-6, but with claims to VG. Very sharp details. Bold rims. Lovely, rich gray overtones. G-4 PCGS $1995.00
1913-S Terrific design element definition. Liberty's face is nicely defined. Lovely, rich, pearl gray toning is even and eye appealing. A choice example of this popular, scarce
date in the series. VG-8 NGC $2750.00
Standing Liberty Quarters
1924-D Full mint bloom and frost. Toned in golden hues. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $200.00
Flowing Hair Half Dollars
1795 O-110 R-4. Wow, very well struck, lustrous and eye appealing for the assigned grade. There is one light scratch in the field behind Liberty's head which is probably why
PCGS didn't grade this piece VF-25 or 30. Lovely halo toning in electric blue hues. The central portions are toned steel gray with gold accents. Great type set addition. VF-20
PCGS $5795.00
Capped Bust Half Dollars
1815/2 O-101a. Lovely rose and pale golden orange toning graces soft gray fields. Well defined devices. Scarce in all grades. Honest wear and rub on the high points but
remarkably free of bag marks or scratches. VF-30 NGC $4395.00
1817/3 O-101a. Very lustrous under deep mottled electric blue, fiery orange, gold and pearl gray hues. Sharp details. Scarce. AU-50 PCGS $2495.00
1819/8 O-101 Sm 9. Nice frosty fields are lightly toned. Better date. Choice quality. VF-20 PCGS $219.00
1825 O-101. Frosty accents grace boldly defined devices. Pleasing, lustrous, satiny smooth fields are original and toned in rich golden and steel gray hues. AU-50 PCGS
$499.00
1830 O-113 Sm O. Subdued mint bloom and frost. Sharp strike. Toned in rich pearl gray and gold hues. EF-40 PCGS $269.00
1831 O-101. Smooth, satinlike fields. Lustrous. Toned. EF-40 PCGS $269.00
1831 O-108. PQ. Full mint bloom and frost. Richly toned with iridescent accents over pearl gray fields. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1832 O-118 SL. Satiny luster. Lightly toned. EF-40 PCGS $269.00
1832 O-104 R-3. Sharpness of an EF-45. Richly toned in mottled gunmetal blue, gold and steel gray hues. Satiny surfaces. EF-40 PCGS $295.00
1832 O-105 R-3 SL. Pretty electric blue and fiery golden orange toning grace steel gray fields. Well struck. Nice eye appeal. EF-45 PCGS $319.00
1832 O-118 SL. Frosty luster. Toned in pearl gray hues. Great strike. Totally original. AU-50 PCGS $499.00
1832 O-103 SL. Satiny, highly lustrous fields are accented by pretty dusty rose and gold toning. Sharp motifs. AU-53 PCGS $595.00
1832 O-111 SL. Outstanding strike, mint frost and luster. Toned in pretty fiery orange and golden wisps. Superb! AU-55 PCGS $669.00
1832 O-107 SL. Incredibly beautiful color in lilac, dusty rose and fiery orange hues. Superb strike. Highly lustrous. Terrific eye appeal. AU-55 PCGS $669.00
1833 O-106 R-2. Satiny mint bloom throughout. Lightly toned. EF-40 PCGS $269.00
1833 O-101. Pretty iridescent toning over highly lustrous fields. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $269.00
1833 O-102. Electric blue, gold and rich pearl gray toning accent boldly defined devices. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1833 O-106 R-2. Frosty luster. Toned in pretty sea green, blue and pearl gray hues. Sharp. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1833 O-108. Gorgeous toning over frosty fields. Satiny luster throughout. Great strike and eye appeal. AU-55 PCGS $669.00
1834 O-119 R-3 SD, SL. Satiny, cartwheel luster. Pretty iridescent overtones. Sharp. EF-40 PCGS $295.00
1834 O-121 R-3 SD SL. Sharp devices. Lustrous fields are accented by sky blue, rose and gold hues. EF-40 PCGS $295.00
1834 O-101 LD, LL. Sea green, gold and pale orange toning grace steel gray surfaces which are lustrous. Well struck devices. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1834 O-101 LD, LL. Satiny mint luster is toned in beautiful, deep electric blue and violet toning. Well struck. Pretty. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1834 O-111 SD SL. Toned in dusty rose and golden hues over lustrous fields. Bold strike. AU-50 PCGS $499.00
1834 O-105 LD, SL. Outstanding detail. Lustrous. Toned gold and pearl gray. Pleasing. AU-53 PCGS $595.00
1834 O-119 R-3 SD SL. Toned in wisps of gold over frosty luster. Sharp strike. Really choice. AU-53 PCGS $625.00
1834 O-115a R-4 SD, SL. Full mint bloom and frost throughout. Well struck devices. Fiery orange toning highlights add to the overall eye appeal. Better variety. AU-55
PCGS $799.00
1835 O-106. Nice surfaces are frosty and exhibit full mint bloom. Lightly toned. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1835 O-106. Here's a beautiful coin for you color enthusiasts. Frosty fields are graced by intense electric blue, violet, rose and fiery orange hues. Well defined devices. EF-45
PCGS $299.00
1835 O-103. Totally original and choice. Well struck. Subdued luster is toned in soft gray and gold hues. Nice. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1835 O-108 R-3. Intense rainbow toning accents frosty fields and motifs. Sharp. Gorgeous! EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1835 O-107. The detail of an AU coin but not enough luster. Satiny surfaces. Attractively toned. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1835 O-102. Intense electric blue, fiery orange and gold toning is present over very lustrous, silky smooth surfaces. Nice detail. Lovely color! AU-50 PCGS $499.00
1835 O-107. Soft rose toning accents light gray fields. Satiny luster is present throughout. Sharp devices. AU-53 PCGS $595.00
1836 O-106a R-4 Lettered Edge. Gorgeous rose and electric blue toning create a lovely halo effect. Sharp strike. Lustrous surfaces. Better variety. EF-40 PCGS $339.00
1836 O-123 R-3 Lettered Edge. Original, soft gray fields. Nice eye appeal and quality. EF-40 PCGS $269.00
1836 O-108 Lettered Edge. Mottled gold and pearl gray toning. Lustrous surfaces. Crisp design details. EF-45 PCGS $299.00
1836 O-103 R-4 Lettered Edge. Scarce variety. Toned in steel gray hues. Lustrous and sharp. EF-45 PCGS $359.00
Liberty Seated Half Dollars
1855 Arrows. Frosty fields surround bold devices. A halo of pale orange toning adds to the overall eye appeal. AU-50 PCGS $299.00
1876 Extremely well struck. Blazing luster and mint frost. Pretty. AU-58 NGC $379.00
Barber Half Dollars
1913 Nice quality. Scarce and popular issue. Pleasing, steel gray toning throughout. VG-8 PCGS $179.00
1915 Sharp devices. Full legend on the banner. Rich, pearl gray toning. Choice and problem-free. F-12 PCGS $375.00
Walking Liberty Half Dollars
1916-D Looks Fine. Rich steel gray toning over nice surfaces and sharp design elements. VG-10 PCGS $85.00
1919-S Pleasing, soft silver gray toning over choice surfaces. Nice definition. F-15 PCGS $199.00
1923-S Bold strike. Original, soft silver gray toning. Frosty fields. Choice. VF-25 PCGS $225.00
Morgan Dollars
1894 Sharp design details. Attractive, even, pearl gray toning. Looks really choice for the grade. Sure to please. VG-10 PCGS $1325.00
Commemorative Silver
1920 Pilgrim Richly toned in gold and pearl gray hues. Bold devices. AU-58 PCGS $80.00
Quarter Eagles
1915 Gorgeous frosty luster. Really choice for an MS-62 grade. Bold devices. Better date. MS-62 PCGS $695.00
1928 Frosty luster. Terrific strike. Pretty. MS-62 NGC $599.00
Hope this helps with your coinspeak!!!
Ray
<< <i>I really want to post an image so bad that it's killing me!
Ray
Sorry Ray, find another thread to spew your image addiction!!
Ray
<< <i>Let me describe it to you GB...................
Ray >>
Exceptions to the rule of coin face-value being higher than content value, also occur for some non-monetized "bullion coins" made of silver or gold (and, rarely, other metals, such as platinum or palladium), intended for collectors or investors in precious metals. For examples of modern gold collector/investor coins, the United States mints the American Gold Eagle, Canada mints the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, and South Africa mints the Krugerrand. The American Gold Eagle has a face value of US$50, and the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins also have nominal (purely symbolic) face values (e.g., C$50 for 1 oz.); but the Krugerrand does not.
Historically, a great number of coinage metals (including alloys) and other materials have been used practically, impractically (i.e., rarely), artistically, and experimentally in the production of coins for circulation, collection, and metal investment, where bullion coins often serve as more convenient stores of assured metal quantity and purity than other bullion.[1]
The question of the world's first coin has long been and still is debated. Among numismatists, it is debated whether the world's first coins originated in Lydia, China, or India (where coins were known as karshapana).[3][4] One early coin from Caria, Asia Minor, includes a legend "I am the badge of Phanes," though most of the early Lydian pieces have no writing on them, just symbolic animals. Therefore the dating of these coins relies primarily on archeological evidence, with the most commonly cited evidence coming from excavations at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, also called the Ephesian Artemision (which would later evolve into one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world). The first Lydian coin was made of electrum, an alloy of silver and gold[5]. Many early Lydian coins were undoubtedly struck (manufactured) under the authority of private individuals and are thus more akin to tokens than true coins, though because of their numbers it's evident that some were official state issues, with King Alyattes of Lydia being the most frequently mentioned originator of coinage.
The first Indian coins were minted around the 6th century BC by the Mahajanapadas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The coins of this period were punch marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas or Pana. The Mahajanapadas that minted their own coins included Gandhara[6], Kuntala[7], Kuru[8], Panchala[9], Shakya[10], Surasena[11], and Surashtra[12]. Some argue that Indian coins were developed from Western prototypes, which the Indians came in contact with through Babylonian traders.[13]
The first European coin to use Arabic numerals to date the year minted was the Swiss 1424 St. Gallen silver Plappart.
Coins have long been linked to the concept of money, as reflected by the fact that in other languages the words "coin" and "currency" are synonymous. Fictional currencies may also bear the name coin (as such, an item may be said to be worth 123 coin or 123 coins).
In terms of its value as a collector's item, a coin is generally made more or less valuable by its condition, specific historical significance, rarity, quality/beauty of the design and general popularity with collectors. If a coin is greatly lacking in any of these, it is unlikely to be worth much. Bullion coins are also valued based on these factors, but are largely valued based on the value of the gold or silver in them. Sometimes non-monetized bullion coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf and the American Gold Eagle are minted with nominal face values less than the value of the metal in them, but as such coins are never intended for circulation, these value numbers are not market nor fiat values, and are never more than symbolic numbers.
Most coins presently are made of a base metal, and their value comes from their status as fiat money. This means that the value of the coin is decreed by government fiat (law), and thus is determined by the free market only as national currencies are subjected to arbitrage in international trade. This causes such coins to be monetary tokens in the same sense that paper currency is, when the paper currency is not backed directly by metal, but rather by a government guarantee of international exchange of goods or services. Some have suggested that such coins not be considered to be "true coins" (see below). However, because fiat money is backed by government guarantee of a certain amount of goods and services, where the value of this is in turn determined by free market currency exchange rates, similar to the case for the international market exchange values which determines the value of metals which back commodity money, in practice there is very little economic difference between the two types of money (types of currencies).
Coins may be minted that have fiat values lower than the value of their component metals, but this is never done intentionally and initially for circulation coins, and happens only in due course later in the history of coin production due to inflation, as market values for the metal overtake the fiat declared face value of the coin. Examples of this phenomenon include the pre-1965 US dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar, US nickel, and pre-1982 US penny. As a result of the increase in the value of copper, the United States greatly reduced the amount of copper in each penny. Since mid-1982, United States pennies are made of 97.5% zinc coated with 2.5% copper. Extreme differences between fiat values and metal values of coins causes coins to be removed from circulation by illicit smelters interested in the value of their metal content. In fact, the United States Mint, in anticipation of this practice, implemented new interim rules on December 14, 2006, subject to public comment for 30 days, which criminalize the melting and export of pennies and nickels.[2] Violators can be punished with a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned for a maximum of five years.
To distinguish between these two types of coins, as well as from other forms of tokens which have been used as money, some monetary scholars have attempted to define three criteria that an object must meet to be a "true coin".[citation needed] These criteria are:
It must be made of a valuable material, and trade for close to the market value of that material.
It must be of a standardized weight and purity.
It must be marked to identify the authority that guarantees the content
Throughout history, governments have been known to create more coinage than their supply of precious metals would allow. By replacing some fraction of a coin's precious metal content with a base metal (often copper or nickel), the intrinsic value of each individual coin was reduced (thereby "debasing" their money), allowing the coining authority to produce more coins than would otherwise be possible. Debasement sometimes occurs in order to make the coin harder and therefore less likely to be worn down as quickly. Debasement of money almost always leads to price inflation unless price controls are also instituted by the governing authority, in which case a black market will often arise.
The United States is unusual in that it has only slightly modified its coinage system (except for the images and symbols on the coins, which have changed a number of times) to accommodate two centuries of inflation. The one-cent coin has changed little since 1856 (though its composition was changed in 1982 to remove virtually all copper from the coin) and still remains in circulation, despite a greatly reduced purchasing power. On the other end of the spectrum, the largest coin in common circulation is 25 cents, a low value for the largest denomination coin compared to other countries. Recent increases in the prices of copper, nickel, and zinc, mean that both the US one- and five-cent coins are now worth more for their raw metal content than their face (fiat) value. In particular, copper one-cent pieces (those dated prior to 1982 and some 1982-dated coins) now contain about two cents worth of copper. Some denominations of circulating coins that were formerly minted in the United States are no longer made. These include coins with a face value of half a cent, two cents, three cents, twenty cents, two dollars and fifty cents, three dollars, five dollars, ten dollars, and twenty dollars. In addition, cents were originally slightly larger than the modern quarter and weighed nearly half an ounce, while five cent coins were smaller than a dime and made of a silver alloy. Dollars were also much larger and weighed approximately an ounce. Half dollar and one dollar coins are still produced but rarely used. The U.S. also has bullion and commemorative coins with the following denominations: 50¢, $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100.
The milled, or reeded, edges still found on many coins (always those that were once made of gold or silver, even if not so now) were originally designed to show that none of the valuable metal had been shaved off the coin. Prior to the use of milled edges, circulating coins commonly suffered from "shaving", by which unscrupulous persons would shave a small amount of precious metal from the edge. Unmilled British sterling silver coins were known to be shaved to almost half of their minted weight. This form of debasement in Tudor England was commented on by Sir Thomas Gresham, whose name was later attached to Gresham's Law. The monarch would have to periodically recall circulating coins, paying only bullion value of the silver, and reminting them.
Traditionally, the side of a coin carrying a bust of a monarch or other authority, or a national emblem, is called the obverse, or colloquially, heads. The other side is called the reverse, or colloquially, tails. However, the rule is violated in some cases.[14] Another rule is that the side carrying the year of minting is the obverse, although some Chinese coins, most Canadian coins, the pre-2008 British 20p coin, and all Japanese coins, are an exception.
The orientation of the obverse with respect to the reverse differs between countries. Some coins have coin orientation, where the coin must be flipped vertically to see the other side; other coins, such as British coins, have medallic orientation, where the coin must be flipped horizontally to see the other side.
The exergue is the space on a coin beneath the main design, often used to show the coin's date, although it is sometimes left blank or containing a mint mark, privy mark, or some other decorative or informative design feature. Many coins do not have an exergue at all, especially those with few or no legends, such as the Victorian bun penny.
Coins that are not round (British 50 pence for example) usually have an odd number of sides, with the edges rounded off. This is so that the coin has a constant diameter, and will therefore be recognised by vending machines whichever way it is inserted. Alternatively some older designs still in circulation have a large number of sides which reduce the difference in width, such as the Australian 50 cent coin with twelve flat sides. The triangular coin (produced to commemorate the 2007/2008 Tutankhamun exhibition at the The O2 Arena) was commissioned by the Isle of Man, became legal tender on 6 December 2007[15] and has a value of 25p (a crown). The triangular coin issued to commemorate the return of Tutankhamun treasures to London was not the first coin with a triangular shape. Some triangular coins produced earlier include : Cabinda coin, Bermuda coin, 2 Dollar Cook Islands 1992 triangular coin, Uganda Millennium Coin and Polish Sterling-Silver 10-Zloty Coin. [16]
Coins are popularly used as a sort of two-sided die; in order to choose between two options with a random possibility, one choice will be labeled "heads" and the other "tails," and a coin will be flipped or "tossed" to see whether the heads or tails side comes up on top. See Bernoulli trial; a fair coin is defined to have the probability of heads (in the parlance of Bernoulli trials, a "success") of exactly 0.5. A widely publicized example of an asymmetrical coin which will not produce "fair" results in a flip is the Belgian one euro coin[17]. See also coin flipping. Coins are sometimes falsified to make one side weigh more, in order to simulate a fair type of coin which is actually not fair. Such a coin is said to be "weighted."
Some coins, called bracteates, are so thin they can only be struck on one side.
Bi-metallic coins are sometimes used for higher values and for commemorative purposes. In the 1990s, France used a tri-metallic coin. Common circulating examples include the €1, €2, British £2 and Canadian $2.
Guitar-shaped coins were once issued in Somalia, Poland once issued a fan-shaped 10 zùoty coin, but perhaps the oddest coin ever was the 2002 $10 coin from Nauru, a Europe-shaped coin.[18]
The Royal Canadian Mint is now able to produce holographic-effect gold and silver coinage.
For a list of many pure metallic elements and their alloys which have used in actual circulation coins and for trial experiments, see coinage metals
After more than 30 years of experience I believe the big mistake most people make with coins is they want a "bargain". The real bargains are the coins you pay up for that everyone wants. coltgus 1/ 23 / 07
The entertainment can never be overdressed....except in burlesque
<< <i>A coin is usually a piece of hard material, usually metal or a metallic material, usually in the shape of a disc, and most often issued by a government. Coins are used as a form of money in transactions of various kinds, from the everyday circulation coins to the storage of vast numbers of bullion coins. In the present day, coins and banknotes make up the cash forms of all modern money systems. Coins made for circulation (general monetized use) are usually used for lower-valued units, and banknotes for the higher values; also, in most money systems, the highest value coin made for circulation is worth less than the lowest-value note. The face value of circulation coins is usually higher than the gross value of the metal used in making them, but this is not generally the case with historical circulation coins made of precious metals. For example, the historical Eagle contained .48375 troy ounce of gold and has a face value of only ten U.S. dollars, but the market value of the coin, due to its metal content, is now many times the face amount.
Exceptions to the rule of coin face-value being higher than content value, also occur for some non-monetized "bullion coins" made of silver or gold (and, rarely, other metals, such as platinum or palladium), intended for collectors or investors in precious metals. For examples of modern gold collector/investor coins, the United States mints the American Gold Eagle, Canada mints the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, and South Africa mints the Krugerrand. The American Gold Eagle has a face value of US$50, and the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins also have nominal (purely symbolic) face values (e.g., C$50 for 1 oz.); but the Krugerrand does not.
Historically, a great number of coinage metals (including alloys) and other materials have been used practically, impractically (i.e., rarely), artistically, and experimentally in the production of coins for circulation, collection, and metal investment, where bullion coins often serve as more convenient stores of assured metal quantity and purity than other bullion.[1]
The question of the world's first coin has long been and still is debated. Among numismatists, it is debated whether the world's first coins originated in Lydia, China, or India (where coins were known as karshapana).[3][4] One early coin from Caria, Asia Minor, includes a legend "I am the badge of Phanes," though most of the early Lydian pieces have no writing on them, just symbolic animals. Therefore the dating of these coins relies primarily on archeological evidence, with the most commonly cited evidence coming from excavations at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, also called the Ephesian Artemision (which would later evolve into one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world). The first Lydian coin was made of electrum, an alloy of silver and gold[5]. Many early Lydian coins were undoubtedly struck (manufactured) under the authority of private individuals and are thus more akin to tokens than true coins, though because of their numbers it's evident that some were official state issues, with King Alyattes of Lydia being the most frequently mentioned originator of coinage.
The first Indian coins were minted around the 6th century BC by the Mahajanapadas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The coins of this period were punch marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas or Pana. The Mahajanapadas that minted their own coins included Gandhara[6], Kuntala[7], Kuru[8], Panchala[9], Shakya[10], Surasena[11], and Surashtra[12]. Some argue that Indian coins were developed from Western prototypes, which the Indians came in contact with through Babylonian traders.[13]
The first European coin to use Arabic numerals to date the year minted was the Swiss 1424 St. Gallen silver Plappart.
Coins have long been linked to the concept of money, as reflected by the fact that in other languages the words "coin" and "currency" are synonymous. Fictional currencies may also bear the name coin (as such, an item may be said to be worth 123 coin or 123 coins).
In terms of its value as a collector's item, a coin is generally made more or less valuable by its condition, specific historical significance, rarity, quality/beauty of the design and general popularity with collectors. If a coin is greatly lacking in any of these, it is unlikely to be worth much. Bullion coins are also valued based on these factors, but are largely valued based on the value of the gold or silver in them. Sometimes non-monetized bullion coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf and the American Gold Eagle are minted with nominal face values less than the value of the metal in them, but as such coins are never intended for circulation, these value numbers are not market nor fiat values, and are never more than symbolic numbers.
Most coins presently are made of a base metal, and their value comes from their status as fiat money. This means that the value of the coin is decreed by government fiat (law), and thus is determined by the free market only as national currencies are subjected to arbitrage in international trade. This causes such coins to be monetary tokens in the same sense that paper currency is, when the paper currency is not backed directly by metal, but rather by a government guarantee of international exchange of goods or services. Some have suggested that such coins not be considered to be "true coins" (see below). However, because fiat money is backed by government guarantee of a certain amount of goods and services, where the value of this is in turn determined by free market currency exchange rates, similar to the case for the international market exchange values which determines the value of metals which back commodity money, in practice there is very little economic difference between the two types of money (types of currencies).
Coins may be minted that have fiat values lower than the value of their component metals, but this is never done intentionally and initially for circulation coins, and happens only in due course later in the history of coin production due to inflation, as market values for the metal overtake the fiat declared face value of the coin. Examples of this phenomenon include the pre-1965 US dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar, US nickel, and pre-1982 US penny. As a result of the increase in the value of copper, the United States greatly reduced the amount of copper in each penny. Since mid-1982, United States pennies are made of 97.5% zinc coated with 2.5% copper. Extreme differences between fiat values and metal values of coins causes coins to be removed from circulation by illicit smelters interested in the value of their metal content. In fact, the United States Mint, in anticipation of this practice, implemented new interim rules on December 14, 2006, subject to public comment for 30 days, which criminalize the melting and export of pennies and nickels.[2] Violators can be punished with a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned for a maximum of five years.
To distinguish between these two types of coins, as well as from other forms of tokens which have been used as money, some monetary scholars have attempted to define three criteria that an object must meet to be a "true coin".[citation needed] These criteria are:
It must be made of a valuable material, and trade for close to the market value of that material.
It must be of a standardized weight and purity.
It must be marked to identify the authority that guarantees the content
Throughout history, governments have been known to create more coinage than their supply of precious metals would allow. By replacing some fraction of a coin's precious metal content with a base metal (often copper or nickel), the intrinsic value of each individual coin was reduced (thereby "debasing" their money), allowing the coining authority to produce more coins than would otherwise be possible. Debasement sometimes occurs in order to make the coin harder and therefore less likely to be worn down as quickly. Debasement of money almost always leads to price inflation unless price controls are also instituted by the governing authority, in which case a black market will often arise.
The United States is unusual in that it has only slightly modified its coinage system (except for the images and symbols on the coins, which have changed a number of times) to accommodate two centuries of inflation. The one-cent coin has changed little since 1856 (though its composition was changed in 1982 to remove virtually all copper from the coin) and still remains in circulation, despite a greatly reduced purchasing power. On the other end of the spectrum, the largest coin in common circulation is 25 cents, a low value for the largest denomination coin compared to other countries. Recent increases in the prices of copper, nickel, and zinc, mean that both the US one- and five-cent coins are now worth more for their raw metal content than their face (fiat) value. In particular, copper one-cent pieces (those dated prior to 1982 and some 1982-dated coins) now contain about two cents worth of copper. Some denominations of circulating coins that were formerly minted in the United States are no longer made. These include coins with a face value of half a cent, two cents, three cents, twenty cents, two dollars and fifty cents, three dollars, five dollars, ten dollars, and twenty dollars. In addition, cents were originally slightly larger than the modern quarter and weighed nearly half an ounce, while five cent coins were smaller than a dime and made of a silver alloy. Dollars were also much larger and weighed approximately an ounce. Half dollar and one dollar coins are still produced but rarely used. The U.S. also has bullion and commemorative coins with the following denominations: 50¢, $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100.
The milled, or reeded, edges still found on many coins (always those that were once made of gold or silver, even if not so now) were originally designed to show that none of the valuable metal had been shaved off the coin. Prior to the use of milled edges, circulating coins commonly suffered from "shaving", by which unscrupulous persons would shave a small amount of precious metal from the edge. Unmilled British sterling silver coins were known to be shaved to almost half of their minted weight. This form of debasement in Tudor England was commented on by Sir Thomas Gresham, whose name was later attached to Gresham's Law. The monarch would have to periodically recall circulating coins, paying only bullion value of the silver, and reminting them.
Traditionally, the side of a coin carrying a bust of a monarch or other authority, or a national emblem, is called the obverse, or colloquially, heads. The other side is called the reverse, or colloquially, tails. However, the rule is violated in some cases.[14] Another rule is that the side carrying the year of minting is the obverse, although some Chinese coins, most Canadian coins, the pre-2008 British 20p coin, and all Japanese coins, are an exception.
The orientation of the obverse with respect to the reverse differs between countries. Some coins have coin orientation, where the coin must be flipped vertically to see the other side; other coins, such as British coins, have medallic orientation, where the coin must be flipped horizontally to see the other side.
The exergue is the space on a coin beneath the main design, often used to show the coin's date, although it is sometimes left blank or containing a mint mark, privy mark, or some other decorative or informative design feature. Many coins do not have an exergue at all, especially those with few or no legends, such as the Victorian bun penny.
Coins that are not round (British 50 pence for example) usually have an odd number of sides, with the edges rounded off. This is so that the coin has a constant diameter, and will therefore be recognised by vending machines whichever way it is inserted. Alternatively some older designs still in circulation have a large number of sides which reduce the difference in width, such as the Australian 50 cent coin with twelve flat sides. The triangular coin (produced to commemorate the 2007/2008 Tutankhamun exhibition at the The O2 Arena) was commissioned by the Isle of Man, became legal tender on 6 December 2007[15] and has a value of 25p (a crown). The triangular coin issued to commemorate the return of Tutankhamun treasures to London was not the first coin with a triangular shape. Some triangular coins produced earlier include : Cabinda coin, Bermuda coin, 2 Dollar Cook Islands 1992 triangular coin, Uganda Millennium Coin and Polish Sterling-Silver 10-Zloty Coin. [16]
Coins are popularly used as a sort of two-sided die; in order to choose between two options with a random possibility, one choice will be labeled "heads" and the other "tails," and a coin will be flipped or "tossed" to see whether the heads or tails side comes up on top. See Bernoulli trial; a fair coin is defined to have the probability of heads (in the parlance of Bernoulli trials, a "success") of exactly 0.5. A widely publicized example of an asymmetrical coin which will not produce "fair" results in a flip is the Belgian one euro coin[17]. See also coin flipping. Coins are sometimes falsified to make one side weigh more, in order to simulate a fair type of coin which is actually not fair. Such a coin is said to be "weighted."
Some coins, called bracteates, are so thin they can only be struck on one side.
Bi-metallic coins are sometimes used for higher values and for commemorative purposes. In the 1990s, France used a tri-metallic coin. Common circulating examples include the €1, €2, British £2 and Canadian $2.
Guitar-shaped coins were once issued in Somalia, Poland once issued a fan-shaped 10 zùoty coin, but perhaps the oddest coin ever was the 2002 $10 coin from Nauru, a Europe-shaped coin.[18]
The Royal Canadian Mint is now able to produce holographic-effect gold and silver coinage.
For a list of many pure metallic elements and their alloys which have used in actual circulation coins and for trial experiments, see coinage metals >>
rqCoinGuy is now a numismatic writer????????
Very interesting read I must say!!!
No, Wiki is though! Guess I should have credited it!
<< <i>This is indeed an interesting thread... much like they were when the forum began... Cheers, RickO >>
Only a Sagacious Maven could make a cogent comment about the forum's history!!!!
Hoard the keys.