As I stated above, start collecting today.
Collecting coins goes back to almost when they were first minted. At first, they were collected for their bullion value, but later for their design.
Brief US Coin History
Although there were colonial coins, the first official US coin was the Half Disme in 1792, the same year that the first US mint opened in Philadelphia. With the discovery of gold in the south, the US opened mints in Charlotte, NC, Dahlonega, GA and New Orleans between 1837 and 1838. All 3 would close when the Civil War began and only New Orleans would return after the Reconstruction Period. With gold discovered in California, the San Francisco mint opened in 1854. The Carson City mint opened in 1870 as a result of the silver from the Comstock Lode. By the beginning of the 20th Century, the only mints still open were Philadelphia, San Francisco and New Orleans(until 1909). Denver was opened in 1906 and West Point in 1988 (though West Point had minted Lincoln Cents without mint marks and commemoratives prior to 1988)
US coins have seen numerous circulating denominations ranging from the 1/2 cent to the dollar.
- Half Cent – 1793 – 1857
- Cent – 1793 – present (Large Cent 1793 – 1857)
- Two Cent – 1864 – 1873
- Three Cent – Silver (1851 – 1873) – Nickel (1865 – 1889)
- Half Dime – 1792 – 1873
- Nickel – 1866 – Present
- Dime – 1796 – Present
- Twenty Cent – 1875 – 1878
- Quarter – 1796 – Present
- Half Dollar – 1794 – Present
- Dollar – 1794 – Present
What Should You Collect?
The possibilities are endless. Here are some suggestions
- Popular set like Lincoln Cents and Morgan Dollars
- Easy set like Jefferson Nickels and Roosevelt Dimes
- Twenty Century Type Set
- Short set like Jefferson Wartime Nickels or Walking Liberty Half Dollars from 1941 – 1947
- Something you can think of…
Why Am I Doing This?
Simple…to make collecting coins more interesting. For some people, it’s a hobby. For others, it’s an investment. I want to show people that there is more than putting a penny into a folder or album. Some coin collectors are cherry pickers who search primarily for errors. Most collectors know of the 1955 and 1972 double die Lincoln cents but don’t realize there are others.
I hope this blog helps you with your collecting experience.