Archive for the ‘Coin Population’ Category

Popular US Coins To Collect

Believe it or not, coin collecting is actually becoming a very popular hobby. It's definitely not as popular as sports like basketball and football, but coin collecting has actually managed to create a subculture of sorts among the American population and around the world. In fact, collectors prefer some coins to others, sometimes because of price, sometimes because of ease. The most popular US coins to collect tend to be the ones we see most often and last the longest. By far, US dollars are the most popular among collectors. The rarest US dollars also double as the world's most valuable coins. Morgan dollars, dated 1878 to 1921, are some of the most sought after coins that are still at a reasonable price range. The oldest US dollars collectors look for are called Early Dollars, and they are dated 1794 to 1804. Needless to say, these coins are some of the most expensive. They can cost over $100 without any problem. Some reach around $1000 with competition in the bidding process, and a select few rise up to over $50000. The most common US dollars we will see are Sacagawea dollars, which were first issued starting at the turn of the 21st century. US quarters happen to be a popular place to start among the younger coin collectors. It's easy to collect these quarters, because these collections start with the 50 states and then move into other quarters. US quarter collections also have a considerable amount of depth because they don't stop at just the 50 states. They can then move into categorizing by year and then by different errors and marks like regular coins. The US Mint released commemorative quarters for five states every year from 1999 to 2008. US territories received commemorative quarters in 2009. Surprisingly, nickels are also quite popular. Jefferson nickels, which were issued by the US Mint starting in 1938, are the most popular nickels to collect. Jefferson nickels last a very long time, unlike other coins, so they are also great ways to start for younger coin collectors. Currently, every single year's Jefferson nickel from 1938 to present day, with the exception of 1943 to 1945 (war nickels were issued during this time), can be found in regular circulation. You can begin collecting Jefferson nickels simply by checking circulated nickels that you come across every day. Collectors value uncirculated Jefferson nickels (usually found supplied from banks) rarely above or below face value. As you can see, collecting US coins is a great way to start before moving into international currency and other sorts of coins. The interesting history of the US Mint makes it captivating to learn about the various coins of the United States and its history during those times.

What You Should Know About Gold Coin Values

The four basic features in which gold coins and their values are set, consist on: grade, rarity, popularity, and quality. That's the main reason why you ought to know everything concerning the valuation of gold coin values so coin dealers will not embezzle a sum that far exceeds the coins' relative worth. To be conscious is to attain the correct knowledge so keep your eyes openned wide for a few particular characteristics.

Real rare coins customarily are on the top of the most valuable gold coins around. If you're a collector, an investor or simply a zealous researcher, you should only rely on reliably endorsed population totals issued once in a while by NGC (Numismatic Guarantee Corporation) and by the PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service). These two organizations are the most dependable services for validation of gold coins in the market.

The state and condition of the coin also plays a significant  role in its price determination, they name it the grade or quality of the piece. The closest it is to its flawless and original condition the higher rated it will be. And the popularity of a determined coin can also make your discovery, more or less luxurious simply for it might be an item everyone in the marketplace will like to put their hands on.

The price range will rely on what time period they come from. The gold coins from the 1800's to the early 1900's can fluctuate from $1280 to $16250. The price of the gold coins from after 1900 to the 1930's can vary from $1600 to $11450 according to the PCGS . And since the popularity of such coins are always changing, the market can be thinly capitalized and tremendously fickle, so be wary.

With a fast search online you'll come across gold coins grading services and the different ways they might be valued. You can also look for listings of U. S. gold and silver coins directories. Most of the genuine grading services (linked to PCGS and NGC) will involve you to have your coin evaluated, however the price they ask for is nothing when compared  to what your coin may be worth. If quality, rarity and popularity join together in complete harmony you'll find yourself with a collector's item in your hands, and it'll be worth every effort.

Osaka, the City of Coin and Taste

Located at the mouth of the Yodo River where it empties in to Osaka Bay , the city of Osaka is an amazing city, full of culture and history. One of the oldest cities in the world, Osaka can trace its roots back to as far as 700BC, before the rise of Rome or other western centres of power. As the capitol of the Osaka Prefecture , nestled in the Kansai region of the main island of Honshu , Osaka has long enjoyed a position of privilege and power derived from its sheltered position in the bay at the mouth of a major trade river.

As capitol of the Japanese Empire several times during the various ages, including the Asuka, Nara , Heian and Edo periods, it has a cultural flavour that runs deeper than any other does. Historically the economic capitol of Japan , Osaka has the second largest population of any Japanese City , with seventeen million people in the area encompassing Osaka , Kyoto and Kobe . It is a unique distinction that Osaka has the highest amount of nighttime residents, that is, residents who work and live during the night rather than during the day, to Tokyo . Some 2. 6 million people live and work by the moon, resulting in a massive collection of stores, restaurants and other services that are open twenty-four hours a day.

"The 808 bridges of Osaka " is a common phrase used to express awe and wonder in Japan , a proverbial statement. 808 is a number that is used by the Japanese to symbolize the idea of 'too large to count'. Osaka is crossed by a massive number of waterways, from irrigation canals, to navigable rivers and access feeders. This necessitates an equally massive number of bridges and crossings, each bridge with a specific and unique name that often lends itself to the surrounding area. While some of the waterways, for example, the Nagahori canal, are now filled in, the bridges remain as part of this deep cultural history.

As one might expect, the city of Osaka , due to its commercial nature, day and night time culture and deep history, is considered to be the Japans national kitchen, the gourmet centre of the food-conscious Japanese. In Osaka , you can find any number of restaurants catering to cuisines both exotic and more mundane, from American burgers and fries to French fole gras to Indian curries and even Mexican mole's.

One of the more interesting restaurants is Osaka 's Dotonbori Street . This is a very popular buffet style restaurant where the customers cook the food for themselves. A large pot of boiling water is placed in the middle of a group's table and then two large trays delivered to the table, with one of meat and soy-tofu and the other of vegetables. The meats are thinly sliced, allowing them to cook fast without loosing flavour or juice. It is popular with families for both its low price and the fun of cooking with your chopsticks.

For more information on Osaka, visit http://www. blogosaka. com and http://www. osakamicroblog. com.

5 Tips When Buying Gold Coins

Gold coins have gone up a great deal in value in the last couple of years and since they are now so expensive, there are a few things you should watch for when making your purchases. With the advent of the internet, you are not limited to the local coin dealer anymore. This can give you the opportunity to get better prices on many coins, but also may introduce a few more things for you to think about when buying your gold coins.
1. Whether you are buying from a bricks and mortar dealer or buying online through a website or and auction site like EBay, check the reliability of the dealer first. For a store, at least check with the local Better Business Bureau. If the dealer is a member of the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), that is a big plus. For an EBay auction, check the seller's feedback rating. If it's very low, or there are many negatives, think twice (and a third time) before spending a large sum with them. Even if the feedback seems good, look closer, some people will buy or sell a number of very inexpensive items to build up their ratings, then jump in selling big ticket items. On large ticket items, ask if the seller will agree to use Escrow. com. They act as a middleman in the transaction and the money doesn't pass to the seller until the buyer is satisfied with the item. There is a charge, which the buyer would be expected to pay, but its well worth it when big money is changing hands.
2. One of the biggest problems buying collectible gold coins is grading. Your idea of an MS65 may be different than the dealer's. Many coins have a huge gap in value between grades. Avoid the issue by buying only coins that have been graded by one of the third party grading services. Make sure that you only accept the major services (ANACS, NCG, PCGS, NCS, ICG) grading, there are some lesser known grading services whose grading may be suspect. You should also want the grading to have been done in the recent past. Grading standards have changed over time and what was an MS65 five or ten years ago, might only be an MS63 or 64 today.
3. Make sure the seller has a return policy that will allow you a refund if you are not satisfied with the coin. This should apply to both on-line and off-line dealers. This is especially important if you are buying a non-certified coin. You want to have the option to return it if your grading service returns a lower grade than you bought it at.
4. Buy the scarcest coin in the best condition that you can afford. Many collectible gold coins sell near the melt price of gold because there are more than enough around to cover demand. This is especially true in the lower grades. When gold increases or decreases in value, these coins will follow by a like percentage. But the higher the grade, the lower the population and demand will push up the price rather than just following the price of gold.
5. Try to invest regularly. As with the stock market, it's very difficult to call the tops and bottoms of the coin market. Over the course of time, you will fare better by dollar cost averaging than investing a large amount at one time.

The History Of Coin Collecting

Origin of Coins and Numismatists
The hobby of coin collecting has presently taken an extraordinarily unique shape. Every day hundreds of new collectors are joining the numismatic community. The total numismatist population worldwide has quickly surpassed a few million. The experts are professional collectors, but it can be said with guarantee that a great section of the newcomers are entering the world merely as casual collectors of coins.
This article discusses interesting facts about coins and numismatology. The hobby of coin collection started with the minting of the first set of coins in Asia Minor nearly 650 BC, prior to which there were gold and silver ingots for legitimate use for the tenders. During those historical periods, businesses were based on a typical barter system, where in each transaction the goods were exchanged with the carefully weighed precious metal - especially gold or silver, since coins were not yet in use.
Unscrupulous dealers tried to steal things by passing out a lower quantity of metals. Therefore there was a desperate need to bring about certain alterations in the socio-economic conditions, which consequently lead to form stronger governments with more effective statutory regulations. Coins then came into existence and were printed on the basis of the standardized weights of the precious gold. Within the next century the idea of coins became the principle medium of business.
Vivid History of Numismatics
The coins of a nation are perhaps the most appropriate items available to provide the best perspective of a nation - being the most admired treasure of the nation's historical, social, and economic information. This is one of the most popular reasons why people get started in collecting both domestic and world coins.
In the modern day, the activity of numismatics is considered the collection of a wide range of artistic works of the past, and simultaneously the act of collecting the valuable legal tenders. Researchers have worked long and hard to conclude that the act of collecting coins was started by the father of the Renaissance - Francesco Petrarca, who has also written certain facts about his collections.
The popes during the Renaissance period were very interested in this hobby, gradually turned into a passion, and they collected coins for the art and value. However, evidence has also been unearthed regarding the fact that the Roman emperors used to pay prices higher than the face value for the coins that were not in circulation. Numismatology is actually the "hobby of kings" - a title given by those enthusiastic renaissance kings.
To summarize, the hobby of coin collecting has presently taken a very interesting direction. This article discusses interesting ideas and information about coin collecting and numismatics. Coin collecting as a hobby started with the minting of the first set of coins in Asia around 650 BC, prior to which there were gold and silver ingots commonly used for trading among vendors and customers. Within the next century the coins replaced other forms of barter and became the principle medium of transacting business. Popes during the Renaissance period were very interested in collecting coins as a hobby, which gradually turned into a passion. Eventually, they collected coins for the art and the value of the investment.

Vatican’s Coin

For a long time, until 1870, the Vatican issued its own coins. These coins are now very rare and highly sought after. The strike was halted between 1870 and 1929 due to a conflict between the Vatican and the new Italian state, which has commandeered many territories of the Vatican. This conflict was settled in 1929 with the Lateran Agreements.

The Vatican is, since the Lateran Treaty, the smallest country in the world. So it is a sovereign state, despite an area of 0. 44 km ² and a population of approximately 800-900 people, and has the right to strike its own currency, as well as issue its own stamps.

Since the Treaty, the Vatican therefore issue each year a new set of coins that had - except for gold coins - legal tender in Italy from 1929 to 1979, with a nominal value in lire, and in the European Union when the Vatican struck Euros coins in 2001. There was an interruption in the minting of coins from 1979 to 2000.

Despite their legal tender which mean that they can be used in the Euro zone, these coins are usually sold in a box for well above their face value. These boxes are made for collectors and contain coins of the highest quality, ranging from "Beautiful Uncirculated" to "Proof", and are produced in limited quantities. Proof Boxes are usually accompanied by a commemorative silver coin. Their current price at the shop of the Vatican is about € 30 for the package " Beautiful Uncirculated " and about € 140 for the package " Proof ", for a nominal value of € 3. 88.

Special commemorative are ranging from a rate of € 14 (2 euro coin to commemorate) to 980 € (gold coin with a nominal value of € 100, without legal tender produced in less than 1 000 copies).

The high price of the Vatican's coins and their extreme quality make they are purchased most only by collectors, who safely guard them in their case. They would almost never let someone take them in hand, as the risk of damage them and make them lose their value is high. So it is unlikely that you will find one in your wallet! Moreover, the value of Vatican's coins generally increase with time, particularly when the pope whose effigy is on the current coins dies.

Indeed, the currencies of the Vatican always represent the pope at the time of their issuance. At the death, collectors know that no other piece representing this pope in particular will be issued. Demand increases, and so prices rise, sometimes very significantly. Collecting Vatican's coin can be considered a good investment.

When a vacancy takes place between two popes, the Vatican makes coins representing no Pope, a very rare event whose collectors are taking advantage. These parts usually have the arms of the cardinal who is temporarily in charge. In 2005, it was the arms of the Cardinal Chamberlain which were hit.

Where to find them?

The shop of the Vatican sell the new coins annually, but stocks are being depleted faster in general because of the limited amount of coins. It remains to numismatist eager to complete his collection the usual sources: conventions, Ebay, numismatic associations, companies, advertisements, etc. .

As these coins achieve quickly high prices, it is recommended that novice collectors start by reserving the set of parts of the next year at the shop of the Vatican.

United States Coin Collection is the Backbone of Coin Collectors World Over

Coin collectors abound in the world in the thousands. This might seem like a large enough figure, but when you compare a world population of over six billion and climbing, it’s a small figure indeed. But when you compare the number of United States coin collectors to that of the rest of the world you will get a far larger figure, relatively speaking of course.

Up until very recently in fact although there were quite a few coin collectors spread out over the world the majority of them seemed to be concentrated in the United States. Naturally of course this meant that most of the coin collections that came to light as the decades passed were of United States coin collections.

I’m not talking about the more expensive and rare collections of course, those collections would be and are, held by a diverse number of people from many different parts of the world. No, what I’m talking about are the supposedly not-so-noteworthy collections of the normal person.

These collections although overlooked in the grand scheme of things for far too long, are really the backbone of coin collections and coin collectors the world over. And what makes the United States coin collectors and their coin collections even more valuable is their ongoing contribution to the world of coin collecting.

Many of these people will look for good coins that have an interesting history behind them. These coins that they select will have to be in a good condition. The condition that coin dealers and coin experts agree as being worthy of being in a collection is where the amount of wear and tear on a coin is not too much for lots of damage to have occurred.

As there are some very interesting United States coin collections that we can see, you might want to start your collection with one particular type of coin. Challenge coins are a good place to start your United States coin collection. These coins are distinctly American in nature and origin as they are specifically made for the United States military services.

Of course no United States coin collection would be complete without Lady Liberty herself. You can find these coins in the American Eagle set of coins. These interesting coins are made from gold, silver and platinum and they feature two designs of Lady Liberty.

As these and many other coin collections are part of the United States coin world you can always expect to see the owners of these coins proudly keeping their coins in a safe place so that future generations can marvel at history, just like we do now when we collect these coins.

Feudal French’s Coins

The feudal coins were made during the Middle Age, but were not issued during the entire time of the area. It is considered that the Middle Age run from the fall of Roman Empire in the V century to the discovery of America by Christophe Colomb in 1492. The Feudal period is considered beginning in the XI century and ending in the XV. The feudal coins were made during this period.

This whole period was characterized, until the advent of the mechanization of the knocks on the Renaissance, by a strike craft: each piece is stamped by hand and is therefore unique. A very characteristic of this time is the care of the population about the metal value of coins - linked to the precious metal which they were made - rather than their facial value only.

Feudality

One cannot study feudal currencies without studying the historical context of the time, including feudalism itself. Feudalism is primarily characterized by a weak central political authority. Political power, linked to land ownership, is fragmented into many units nested in each other. Typically, these principalities - roughly similar to our existing regions - are fragmented into many fiefdoms, possession of land granted by a suzerain to his vassal, which owes back support and tribute. There may be a lot of relationships within the principality, with some reciprocal relationships - nobles are both lords and vassals of one another. Thus, from the king to the vavasseurs - vassals of vassals - there may be five hierarchical degrees :

* King* The Duke* The Barons* The Lords* The Vavasseur

This extreme fragmentation was set up in response to pressure from Vikings and Saracens raids, lootings raids playing on mobility and made unnecessary a powerful centralized royal army. Therefore, the defense was done locally and thus the warriors able to protect the surrounding population, helped by theirs castles, gained a lot of political and financial power, and they were a lot more concretes than a distant and helpless king.

Emergence of the Bourgeoisie

From the thirteenth century, the development of cities leads to the emergence of a new class, in addition to the three medieval orders - warriors, priests and peasants, the bourgeoisie, focusing on crafts and trade. The Capetian not having enough administration, and wishing to restrict the power of feudal fiefs, granted many rights and privileges to cities that were becoming real sources of political and financial power, and can print money.

Impact of feudality on coins

* Apogee of feudalism

This highly fragmented political power has led to fragmentation of the right to print money. From the Xth to the XIIth century, a lot lords are sharing it, as well as some church authorities - including abbeys - and cities.

During this area, the principal currency is the denarius, which contain a quantity of silver - quantity which vary a lot depending on location - itself divided into oboles often poor in precious metals. On the one place to another, these funds have different weights, ranging generally from 1 to 1. 5 grams, and their value is not the same.

The currencies of the feudal period are therefore characterized by extreme diversity and variable quality, depending on the workshop where they are designed. Some lords also allowed themselves the right to fly the currency, adding more and more confusion. But curiously the coins were more or less stable over time, because the lords would not make changes that would be too visible from the "standard" coins.

Generally, almost each city, principality and many fiefs made their own currency, with roughly the sale models but with different values and weight. This era was the golden age of changers.

* Decline of feudalism

From the thirteenth century and the arrival of Philippe Auguste to the throne, the royal power gradually strengthened its authority, extending its territory and controlling more precisely the seigniorial currencies. From the advent of Philippe Auguste (1180) to the end of the reign of Philippe le Bel (1314), the use of currencies seigniorial decreases significantly, while the currencies royales replace them, aided by laws enacted in this way, and while the royal domain widens further. Most seigniorial, church or bourgeois currencies extinguished at that time. The last local coins cease to be made in the first half of the XIV century.

In addition, the centralization of money around the denarius stops from 1263, when St. Louis brought the gros tournoi on his return from crusade.

These coins were made of silver, weighed about 4 grams and worth 12 denarius. Philippe le Bel develops a complex monetary system, using a lot of different coins made of gold, silver or billion, that will be used throughout almost the entire fourteenth century.

The Hundred Years War weakened the royal power, which sometimes had to devalue its currency, but this does not permit the local currency to regain their old force. At the end of the war, the royal power is greatly enhanced by the expulsion of English from France, and King Louis XI has a near monopoly on the minting of money, despite some notable exceptions. The era of feudal coins is ended.

$10 gold spouse coin

Here are the new release mintage of the First Spouse $10 gold spouse coin, these numbers will change over time and I will publish new numbers. As you can see the coins are not selling as well as the mint thought. That should be a buying opportunity for collectors as the value of these coins with lower population numbers should go up faster.

First Spouse                                      UNC.                               Proof