What type of half dollar was minted with a 40% silver composition for circulation?
Queen Juliana’s portrait was shown on the coins of what country?
Small-sized notes were introduced in what year in the United States?
Federal Reserve Banks recently set up a special 6-week ordering process for unmixed Presidential $1 Coins only, according to the National Automatic Merchandising Association. Retail banks will be able to order these George Washington $1 Coins starting Feb. 1, 2007. Actual distribution to the public will begin Feb. 15. Federal Reserve Bank offices will provide retail banks with unmixed Presidential Coins in boxes containing $1,000 worth of wrapped $25 rolls or $2,000 bags of unmixed Washington Coins. Retail banks, or depository institutions as the Federal Reserve refers to them, can continue ordering and receiving unmixed quantities of the Washington Coins unless a Reserve Bank office’s supply runs out. After March 15 the Federal Reserve Banks will fill orders for $1 coins using its customary practice of providing loose, mixed $1 coins in $2,000 bags.
When the John Adams $1 Coin is released in May, this type of special ordering process will begin again.
The U.S. Mint is urging businesses such as vending, office coffee or foodservice operators to talk with their financial institutions about the new Presidential $1 Coins. The National Automatic Merchandising Association urges members to contact their bank in January to discuss plans for ordering this coin.
(via AM Online)
Here’s some information from ABC’s Wife Swap TV show asking for people to volunteer. If you make it on the show you get $20,000 and if you let them know how you found out about it, I get $1,000 so we both win. Here’s the information.
Are you and your kids passionate about coin collecting?
Do you feel that collecting coins is a great way to spend family time together?
Would you love an opportunity to show another family about this great hobby?
If so, ABC Television wants to hear from YOU!
We are currently casting for the third season of our hit reality show, “Wife Swap,” and we are seeking fun families who are all involved in interested hobbies together - including coin collecting! If your family consists of two parents, you have at least one child between the ages of 6-17, and you live in the continental USA, you might just be the family we are looking for!
Those chosen to participate in the show will receive $20,000, and if you refer a family that gets cast on the show, you will receive a $1,000 finder’s fee.
For more information, to obtain an application or refer a family, please contact Meghan McGinley at (212) 404 1473 or [email protected].
Question: I acquired a coin the other day that I’m having trouble finding any information on. It is a 1976 steel cent with the liberty bell imprinted on the left side of Lincoln’s head and the outline of the USA on the right side. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. - Melissa
Answer: Melissa,
It sounds like you have a novelty coin, or a cent that left the mint as a regular coin but was afterwards altered to add the liberty bell and map of the US. Similar novelty coins can be purchased for $0.35. Steel cents were only minted in 1943, so it’s most likely that either the coin was plated with silver or the outer copper layer was chemically removed.
Here’s a silver-plated cent for sale on eBay that’s going for a few dollars.
Here’s a blog entry discussing the use of rare coins to fight inflation. The example given is an investment of $1,000 in rare coins in 1970. On average, they would be worth over $57,000 today. That’s a 10.98% APY, and I thought I’d reach the same conclusion as when I was asked about setting aside coins to save for college, but this is a different result.
In this case you would have made out better with rare coins. If you had invested $1,000 in the stock market in 1970, which has averaged around 10%, you would have just shy of $40,000 today. Of course, when it comes time to sell your coins, you may be in for a rude awakening. Just because the coins are worth $57,000 doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll get for them. If you put them up for auction, you have to pay a commission, and if you sell them to a dealer you’re not going to get the retail price for them, but you’d still probably come out ahead of stocks. One benefit of stocks is that it’s easier to sell them, but in this case, coins win as the better investment.
Be forewarned though, as you hear with all investment advice, past performance is no indicator of future results.