August 21, 2007

Presidential Dollar Coin: In Honor Of Government’s Highest Position

The United States Government is about to release into circulation a set of coins known as the presidential dollar coin. These coins will be released depicting each of our presidents, in the order they served. For example, in 2007, they will issue the Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison, in that order. They will continue to release four presidential dollar coins per year until all the coins have been issued. The coins will have other unique features that set them apart from previous coins. They will have side inscriptions, including the year they were issued, and they will have reverse designs of the statue of liberty and more. The size, weight and color of the coins will be the same as the Sacagawea coin but the uniqueness of these coins sets them apart.

Bringing Coins Back

The hope is that by issuing the presidential dollar coin, it will reinvigorate the demand for the coin currency. The coins are supposed to be aesthetically pleasing to make people want to save them and spend them as they would paper currency. However, the coins have a lot of hype to live up to if they hope to take over paper currency, for people love their paper dollars that they can fold up in their pockets.

The presidential dollar coin is going to look similar to the Sacagawea coin in height, weight and color, but that’s where the differences end. The presidential dollar coin is going to have more elaborate artwork. It’s going to have side inscriptions with the dates they were issued, E. Pluribus Unum, and In God We Trust. The coins are going to look very attractive, which is what the designers are looking for. Hopefully, people will take to circulating the presidential dollar coin, rather than collecting them or doing away with them, as people did with the Sacagawea coin.

To get your hands on the newly issued presidential dollar coins, contact your financial institution. Banks, credit unions and other financial institutions are the main source of the circulated coins. You can also ask businesses to give you your change in the presidential dollar coin. You can also get collector books for your presidential dollar coins so that you can preserve them for years to come. The books are designed so that the coins are placed in the order they are released. You can find collector books online or by contacting the U.S. Mint.

The Presidential dollar coin is similar to the release of the fifty state quarters. These quarters are still in circulation today and that’s the hope for this new coin. Hopefully, if everything goes as planned, people will do away with their old one dollar bills and they’ll instead use the presidential dollar coin as their preferred currency.

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August 19, 2007

One Dollar Coin

Will The One Dollar Coin Ever Catch On?

When you think of a dollar, you probably think of a paper dollar. Just like all other paper currency, the dollar can be folded into your pocket with a bunch of other dollars and it’s not very cumbersome. What if we didn’t have paper currency, however? What if there was a one dollar coin instead of the paper dollar? Would people respond positively to the one dollar coin or would they reject it as they have in the past? The fact is, most people love their paper currency and would rather collect the one dollar coin rather than spend it as currency.

The Silver Dollar

The one dollar coin looks great, but that may be its only good quality. There have been various versions of the dollar coin in the past. There was the silver dollar, which has been around for a long time. You rarely see the silver dollar coin, however, as most of them are in the hands of collectors. When you do find a silver one dollar coin, it’s almost as if you’ve found a treasure. You can either save it as part of your collection or you can spend it, as it is worth the same as your one dollar paper notes.

The Sacagawea Dollar

More recently, they have released a gold colored one dollar coin. This coin is called the Sacagawea dollar, named after the famous Native American woman printed on it. This one dollar coin quickly fizzled out, just like the silver dollar, and today it’s very rare to see one in circulation. The Sacagawea, too, is most likely in the hands of collectors. The reason this coin didn’t catch on is likely the same reason the silver dollar didn’t catch on. It’s too bulky and it doesn’t fold as the paper currency does. So, will the one dollar coin ever catch on? Maybe, but the government may be going about it the wrong way.

Europeans Have It Right

In Europe, when they begin to circulate a coin, such as the one dollar coin, they will remove the paper currency so that people don’t have a choice. If the United States government wants people to use the one dollar coin, they are going to have to stop giving people a choice. People are going to want the less cumbersome, foldable version of the dollar, the paper dollar, leaving the one dollar coin to the collectors.

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August 17, 2007

The History Behind The Nickel Coin

The coin that is worth 5 cents in the United States is called a nickel coin. It was first designed in 1938 with a picture of President Thomas Jefferson on the back of it. From 1938 through 2003 Monticello’s picture was on the coin. Then in 2004 and 2005 there were various pictures on the back of the nickel coin commemorating the bicentennials of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition. These new designs were called the Westward Journey series. In 2006, Monticello’s picture was on the back of the coin again and Jefferson was on the front of the coin.

General History Surrounding The Nickel Coin

before the nickel coin was introduced, there were really small five-cent pieces that were called half dimes. However, there was soon a shortage of silver both during and after the American Civil War. As such, it was important to find a new type of metal to use to create the five-cent coins. This is when copper began to be used and it is still used to make the nickel coin today. Unfortunately, there were a lot of problems during the 20th century because of how hard nickel is. Today’s modern minting equipment does not have any problem with making a nickel coin though.

Until the early 1950s the nickel coin was able to be used to place a local phone call from a public phone booth in the United States. Many rural places in the United States still charged a nickel until the mid-1970s. It is also interesting to note that it only cost a nickel to ride on a public transit vehicle, such as a bus or a subway car, for the longest time. With this in mind, you will be able to see that a nickel would get you a lot of great things when it was first invented.

The Worth Of A Nickel Coin

The term nickel was applied to this coin before they were ever made out of nickel. In fact, the term “nickel” was originally applied to the Indian Head coin that existed from 1859 through 1864. These coins then came to be known as nickels during the Civil War. Finally, in 1866, the Shield nickel hit originated and was very popular. This nickel coin forever changed the way that Americans associated coins that are made from nickel and were worth a specific denomination. Now you know how we have come to have the coin that we call a nickel today.

 

 

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August 15, 2007

The Military Coin: Past And Present

A military coin is a small coin that has the military’s insignia or emblem on it. This is a coin that is carried by the members of the armed forces in order to be able to prove that they really are in the Army, Navy, Marines or Airforce whenever they are challenged to prove their membership.

Origins Of The Military Coin

The origins of the military coin is surrounded by a great deal of debate. There are many organizations and services that claim to be where this coin has originated from.

One legend suggests that an Ivy Leaguer who was also a wealthy lieutenant ordered a small, solid-bronze medallions be made. He then gave these military coins to the other pilots in his squadron. This military coin proved to be quite valuable. One of these pilots wore this military coin in a leather pouch around his neck. When he was captured by the Germans upon the damage of his plane, all of his belongings were confiscated. However, they did not see his military coin. Whenever the British bombarded the area in which he was being held, he was able to escape during this confusion. While he was able to wear civilian attire to escape recapture by the Germans, he still had his military coin to be able to prove that he was indeed a Frenchman.

The Military Coin Today

Today the tradition surrounding this soldier’s life have been told to many other people who have also served in the military. For this reason, it has now become a tradition amongst flying squadrons, as well as with other military units in the various branches of the armed services, are now using military coins as well. In fact, these coins are also sometimes used within organizations that are in no way related to the military. For instance, these military coins are now given to members who join specific organizations, as awards that are used to improve morale, they are oftentimes also sold to commemorate special occasions and they are even used as fundraisers at times.

Most recently, President Bill Clinton displayed several racks of his military coins. He received these coins from U.S. Service members. This meaningful event took place on the credenza behind his Oval Office desk. Whenever pictures were taken of him in his office these coins can be seen in the background of his official portrait. This portrait can now be seen hanging in the White House next to the pictures of the other Presidents.

 

 

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August 13, 2007

Types Of Foreign Coin Identification Assistance Available

Many coin collectors have at least one foreign coin in their collection. Some collectors create their entire coin collections from foreign coins. But the one area that trips up many collectors is foreign coin identification. Coins from a country other than your own can be hard to identify and even more difficult to assign a value to. Some foreign coins come from civilizations present thousands of years ago, making it even harder to determine the type and value of the coin. Although there are many coin dealers that specialize in foreign coin identification, it is always best to have some prior knowledge before asking an expert to avoid being taken advantage of.

Foreign Coin Identification Books

There are many books available that deal with foreign coin identification. They can be found at your neighborhood book store or local coin shop. Many online retailers can ship you a specific foreign coin identification book that is found on their site in less than a week. New books are being created every year and many of them are specialized, dealing with the coins of one specific country or region. Some foreign coin identification books go so far as to be about several types of coins created in the same country in the same era.

These books are one of the best ways to determine the value of your foreign coins in addition to assisting you in foreign coin identification. The values will not be exact, but you will be able to get a rough idea of what the coins are worth. With this prior knowledge, you will have a better chance of avoiding scam artists and getting ripped off. These books can also provide a starting point for negotiations dealing with expensive rare foreign coins.

Experts Dealing In Foreign Coin Identification

There are also a large number of people claiming to be experts in foreign coin identification. Some are con artists, but some of them really do know their craft. These identification experts can be found in coin shops, auctions, and expos. If you want to know the specific type and value of a coin, these are the guys to go to. Knowledgeable experts in foreign coin identification have years of experience identifying coins and will be able to provide you with specific information about the coin you are inquiring about, including age, country of origin, rarity, and value.

Foreign coin identification can be a tricky business because there are so many types of foreign coins available. With research and a well written book, you should be able to determine the general type and value of most foreign coins. And if you cannot find the answer yourself, find an expert to assist you. They will be more than happy to help.

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August 9, 2007

The Making Of the Dollar Coin

Coin collecting does not simply mean that you hold some pieces of valuable coins in your hands. According to experts, coin collecting is like collecting pieces of history and tradition. Every dollar coin that is minted in the United States represents a piece of history. In the United States, the origin or the place where the dollar coin was minted plays a vital role in the functions that that certain dollar coin will play in the history of the country. Note that there are six US facilities that mint the dollar coin namely Forth Know, Washington DC, San Francisco, West Point, Denver and Philadelphia. Each of these minting facilities has different roles when it comes to the production of the dollar coin.

The Philadelphia US Mint Facility  More on The Making Of the Dollar Coin

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August 7, 2007

The History Of The Coin Penny

A coin penny is a currency unit used in many English speaking countries. A coin penny is usually the lowest value coin in the currency of the country, but is also the most circulated currency of the country. In the United States, the penny is equal to 1/100 of a dollar and was the first currency officially recognized by the US government.

The History Of The Coin Penny  More on The History Of The Coin Penny

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August 5, 2007

The Various Coin Holders Available Today

Coin holders are all different in that each of them has their own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Regardless of the type of holder you choose, you will want to make it easy to view the coin so that you can enjoy your collection. There are several different types of coin holders that you can choose from.

2×2 Coin Holders  More on The Various Coin Holders Available Today

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August 1, 2007

Dealing With Coin Dealers

Coin collecting is a beautiful hobby from which one can learn a lot about history and also about the different cultures around the world. As with others collections, sometimes, one needs the services of coin dealers to procure or locate a certain coin.

Procuring Coins  More on Dealing With Coin Dealers

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July 30, 2007

The Advantages of Buying A Coin Counter

Manually counting coins everyday can be quite tedious and boring not to mention a great waste of valuable time. If you happen to own a laundry or a car wash business which accepts coins as payment, manually counting your daily sales will probably take up most of your time. When your business starts picking up, you will definitely be swamped to many coins in one day that it would be difficult for you to keep on counting your coins manually. To save time and effort in counting all those coins, you should buy a coin counter. A coin counter will help you save a lot of time and effort in counting your money at the end of the day.

Choosing The Right Coin Counter  More on The Advantages of Buying A Coin Counter

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