The Fun Times Guide to Coins

Paper Or Plastic? Canada Will Issue Plastic Money In 2011

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:01:36 -0600

It seems everywhere we go today, plastic money is taking over the role of coins and paper currency. Well, in Canada, plastic money is literally replacing paper money!

Beginning in 2011, the Canadian government will begin issuing plastic currency to replace its currency, which has cotton in it.

So why the switch to plastic money? Here are some reasons the Canadian government says plastic money is better than the currency it uses now.

So-called polymer currency lasts 4 times longer than typical paper money and is therefore more environmentally friendly.
Plastic money is cleaner than the cotton-based money Canada uses.
Counterfeiters will have a harder time making fake plastic money.
Plastic money is also cheaper to make than the cotton-based currency Canada makes now.

Canada won't be the first nation to use polymer currency. Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Mexico use polymer currency. Is the United States next?

Kennedy Half Dollars: One Of The Most Popular Coins Of All Time

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:37:21 -0600

One of the most-popular coins to collect during the 20th century features one of the most-popular presidents of the 20th century.

Kennedy half dollars, which have been in circulation since 1964, honor John F. Kennedy – our nation’s 35th president, who served from 1961 until he was tragically assassinated in 1963.

The United States government swiftly approved the Kennedy half dollar mere weeks after Kennedy was killed, making for what was one of the most sudden changes in United States coinage history.

The Kennedy half dollar replaced the Franklin half dollar, which was struck from 1948 to 1963.

Let’s take a look at Kennedy half dollars and find out how much some of the scarce Kennedy half dollars are worth.

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Job Hunting? A Job Choosing Coin Designs May Be For You

Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:20:02 -0600

Job hunting? Look to the United States Mint. They're looking for a new member to join the Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC).

What's the job description? You represent the general public and help pick new designs and themes to go on our nation's coins.

The CCAC also helps select themes and designs for commemorative coins. Part of the process includes deciding on commemorative coin mintages (how many coins are made).

The CCAC includes 11 members, with each member serving 4 years. To apply or find out more about this job, be sure to check out the CCAC website.

Good luck!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Check Out These Famous Irish American People On Coins

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:44:31 -0600

It seems that on St. Patrick's Day, everybody's at least a little Irish!

But are there any Irish American people on coins? You bet!

In fact, some of the coins we use everyday feature some very great Irish Americans. One of the most famous coin sculptors also was Irish.

Check out some of these Irish Americans who are either on our coins or designed coins:

George Washington, our first president, has long been featured on the quarter since 1932.
President John F. Kennedy's profile has famously adorned the half dollar since 1964.
Andrew Jackson, our 7th president, is on the 2008 Presidential dollar coin and has been on the $20 paper money bill for generations.
...And famous sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the double eagle which popularly is referred to by his name (the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle gold coin), was born in Dublin and had an Irish mother.

Congressman Pushes For Ronald Reagan $50 Bill -- A Reagan Coin Is Still In The Future

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:21:05 -0600

While there likely won't be any Ronald Reagan coin until 2016, when the Presidential $1 Coin series is slated to honor the Gipper, there are calls in Congress for Reagan to appear on the $50 bill.

North Carolina Congressman Patrick McHenry has proposed the United States replace Ulysses S. Grant on the $50 bill with the image of Ronald Reagan, who was president from 1981 to 1989.

While it may be like moving mountains to replace the long-standing $50 bill portrait of Grant, it won't be an impossible task -- many have been calling for Reagan to appear on our money ever since he died in 2004.

However, Grant has his supporters, too. Grant was a great war general who helped the Union win the Civil War in 1865; he became president in 1869 and was in the White House until 1877.

Will we be seeing Reagan's face on the $50 bill anytime soon? Who knows, but be sure to stay tuned to what happens with the President Ronald Reagan $50 Bill Act.

Still Smokin': Coin Collectors Love The 2009 Territorial Quarters & 50 State Quarters

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 09:31:46 -0600

Though the U.S. Mint has already released the America the Beautiful Quarters, the 2009 Territorial Quarters and 50 State Quarters still attract the interest of seasoned and new coin collectors alike.

The 2009 Territorial Quarters may be giving some coin collectors trouble if they're trying to find these coins in pocket change, though.

Why? Because so many people want these coins and they're being pulled out of circulation very quickly.

Finding the 50 State Quarters is somewhat easier because so many billions were made over the 10-year course of the program.

While trying to complete a collection of 50 State Quarters and 2009 Territorial Quarters can have its occasional challenge when seeking them from pocket change, it's still quite possible to do with a little luck, a bit of searching, and a lot of determination!

Silver Dollar Values: How Much Are Your Silver Dollars Worth?

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:23:41 -0600

Do you have Morgan silver dollars and Peace silver dollars but aren't sure how much they're worth?

These aren't all the values for Morgan silver dollars and Peace silver dollars, but this will give you a good start in finding out how much money yours are worth:

Morgan Dollars

Most Morgan silver dollars are worth $15 to $30 in typical circulated grades.
The majority of common-date, uncirculated Morgan silver dollars are worth somewhere in the $30 to $50 range.
The most-valuable Morgan silver dollar is the 1893-S, worth around $3,000 and up.
A complete date-and-mintmark collection of Morgan silver dollars is valued at around $10,000 to $20,000 in typical circulated grades.

Peace Dollars

Most Peace silver dollars, including the common dates, are worth $15 to $25 in typical circulated grades.
Uncirculated Peace silver dollars are worth approximately $23 and up.
The most-valuable Peace silver dollar is the 1928, worth around $350 and up in typical circulated grades.

Graphic Photos Of Damaged Coins: These Are The Kinds Of Coins To Avoid Collecting!

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 09:16:58 -0600

Many people who ask about coin values often get the response ‘if the coin isn’t damaged, then a coin is worth…’

You’re probably asking yourself what damaged coins look like, though.

Does wear, by itself, cause damaged coins? In a word, no.

When coin collectors talk about damaged coins, they're referring to coins that have been cleaned, have holes, are bent, are corroded, and simply have been messed up in one way or another.

Let’s talk a bit about damaged coins, look at a picture of a problem-free coin, and take some glimpses of some damaged coins. These aren't all the different types of damage found on coins, but they're among the most common.

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10 Penny Fast Facts That'll Wow Your Friends & Family (And You, Too!)

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:39:33 -0600

Pennies have been with us for centuries. There are few coins as popular or as important throughout history as the penny.

Let's take a look at 10 amazing facts about pennies that you can astonish your friends and family with!

10: The first Lincoln penny was made in 1909.

9. The U.S. Mint strikes a whopping 30 million pennies on an average day.

8. Victor D. Brenner designed the Lincoln cent in 1909.

7. Frank Gasparro designed the Lincoln Memorial reverse seen on the Lincoln cent since 1959.

6. The Indian Head penny was made from 1859 to 1909.

5. The United States penny used to be a coin nearly the size of a modern-day half dollar.

4. The current U.S. penny weighs 2.5 grams.

3. In 1943, the U.S. Mint made zinc-coated steel pennies to conserve copper for the war effort.

2. Pennies are presently made from a metal combination of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.

1. The U.S. Mint has been making pennies since 1793.

The Lincoln Log Cabin Penny Is Still Popular With Coin Collectors

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:33:53 -0600

The Lincoln Log Cabin penny was put into circulation during the late winter of 2009 and represents the first of 4 special 2009 Lincoln cent designs honoring the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth.

The Lincoln Log Cabin penny is sought after by coin collectors and is especially treasured in uncirculated grades and proof condition.

The U.S. Mint struck the 2009 Lincoln Log Cabin penny (and the other 3 cent designs that year) in 2 different metal compositions:

The usual copper-coated zinc Lincoln cents were made for circulation in 2009.
2009 Lincoln cents made for mint sets and proof sets were made from a 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc composition -- the same metal combination originally used for Lincoln cents when they were first struck in 1909.

Good To Know: Buying Franklin Mint Coins

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:02:44 -0600

You've probably seen the ads on TV, the internet, and in magazines for Franklin Mint coins. The Franklin Mint is highly respected and sells a variety of collectibles, including:

Painted coins
Coin sets and coin collections
Coin jewelry
Graded and slabbed United States coins
Old, authentic legal tender coins and banknotes
Gift sets

While many Franklin Mint coins and products are beautiful offerings that can be pretty hard for some to resist buying, here are a few things you should consider before buying Franklin Mint coins and novelty coins in general:

The Franklin Mint does not strike official, legal tender coins.
While the Franklin Mint does sell many, many authentic, unaltered, legal tender coins, it also sells many novelty coins.
Novelty coins include those which are not legal tender, have been painted, or may have otherwise been altered.
Don't buy novelty coins with the expectation of them being significant investments.
Coin inset into jewelry or otherwise altered lose most if not all their value as numismatic collectibles and investments.

The 10 Coin Collecting Merit Badge Requirements

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:48:22 -0600

Boy Scouts have been earning coin collecting merit badges for decades.

The Merit Badge requirements for coin collecting ensure that any Boy Scout vying for a coin collecting merit badge completes certain objectives and goals which teach young scouts

The value of money
The history of coinage
The many important basics of coin collecting and numismatics

The coin collecting merit badge requirements are not particularly difficult to meet, but they do require careful consideration so that each of the goals is successfully achieved.

Perhaps the most important thing the Boy Scout hoping to earn his coin collecting merit badge should remember is that, upon completing the coin collecting merit badge requirements, he will probably know more about basic numismatics than most others just starting out the hobby of coin collecting!

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Find U.S. Gold Coins That Fit Your Budget

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:56:28 -0600

Gold coins have been the lure of many coin collectors and coin investors for decades and decades.

U.S. gold coins, which currently range in value from a little more than $100 each to over $10,000, represent many great opportunities for coin collectors. You just have to know a little more about U.S. gold coins before diving into this exciting area of coin collecting.

U.S. gold coins come in many forms, including:

American Gold Eagles
Rare U.S. Gold Coins
Commemorative Gold Coins
Common, Pre-1934 Gold Coins

There are U.S. gold coins to suit practically any budget.

Perhaps the best gold coins for a coin collector or coin investor on a strict budget are American gold eagles and common pre-1934 U.S. gold coins. These can be had for as little as $100 to $200 each in some cases.

Rare U.S. gold coins cost several thousand dollars but, being rare, bring the owner some potential profit when selling (note the word potential; there are no guarantees in coin investing!)

Commemorative gold coins can be had for under $200 right now; commemorative gold coins are legal tender but not intended for circulation. These coins honor special people, places, and events.

Wooden Nickels 101: All About Wooden Nickels And Round Tuit Tokens

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:42:10 -0600

Wooden nickels… a lot of us have heard of them, and there are some people we wouldn’t trust giving wooden nickels to.

We’ve also been told never to take any wooden nickels.

But what is a wooden nickel?

Is it a coin we can spend?

Let’s find out more about wooden nickels.

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5 Rare Coins For You To Find In The Lincoln Memorial Penny Series

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:26:29 -0600

For 50 years we used the Lincoln Memorial penny. However, in 2009, the Lincoln cent underwent a major redesign that permanently removed the Lincoln Memorial design from our pennies.

While most Lincoln Memorial pennies are worth only face value if worn and only 5 to 25 cents if uncirculated, there are a few special Lincoln Memorial cents that are worth hundreds -- even thousands -- of dollars.

Here are the values of a few Lincoln Memorial pennies you should be keeping an eye out for:

1969-S Doubled Die cent: $50,000 or more in uncirculated grades
1970-S Small Date cent: $50 in Mint State 63
1984 Doubled Die cent: $75 and up in uncirculated grades
1990 Proof No-S cent: $3,000 and up
1995 Doubled Die cent: $10 to $25 in uncirculated grades