This year, coin collectors are celebrating the release of the American Buffalo one-ounce gold reverse proof coin. Struck in 99.99% fine, 24-karat gold at the United States Mint at West Point, this beautiful coin has a style all its own. Instead of the traditional proof style — with a shiny background and frosted buffalo and…

Gold prices are climbing again, which is why it is a great time to sell the gold jewelry, collectable gold coins or gold bullion you’ve accumulated over the years. If you’ve decided to sell your gold and want to get the most for it, you need to understand how the gold evaluation process works. Get…

It’s the dream of every treasure hunter who’s ever scoured the local beach with a metal detector: the big score. And Odyssey Marine Exploration has pulled in its biggest haul yet — and reportedly the largest precious metal recovery in history — from the bottom of the North Atlantic. The Florida-based marine salvage company recovered…

Imagine this: you open up one of those old boxes sitting in your basement or attic and find a small leather bag. Inside the bag are some old coins, so you sit down and begin to sift through them. Most likely, you’ll have a handful of historical curiosities, which might be worth a few dollars….

According to a recent study published in USA Today, weddings are on the uptick again after years of decline. Is 2013 or 2014 the year you’ll be hearing wedding bells? If you’re planning to get married, you’ve probably been thinking about diamond engagement rings. A beautiful diamond engagement ring can take your loved one’s breath…

Thar’s gold in them thar hills! Well, sort of. While Washington has never had a Gold Rush like the one that started in California in 1848 or the Klondike strike of 1897, the Evergreen State has benefited from the rich history of gold mining in the Northwest. For a while, Walla Walla was the largest…

Back in the 1790s, the United States was quite a different place. George Washington gave the country’s first State of the Union address. Thomas Jefferson was in charge of the first U.S. Census, which asked a total of six questions. The largest urban area was New York City, with a population of just over 33,000…

The doors to the Bellevue store opened and in walked a family — mother, father and three children — absolutely covered in dirt. “Even their car was dusty,” says Adam Richey of West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins. “They walked in with these filthy paint buckets in their hands, all of them giddy and…

If you’re considering selling your gold, it’s not too late. The price of gold remains historically high. Back in 2001, gold was trading at just more than $250 an ounce. In September 2011, an ounce of the world’s favorite precious metal was fetching nearly $1,900. It’s been an incredible ride for gold investors over the…

Back in December 1904, three years after he took office, Theodore Roosevelt sent a famous letter to Treasury Secretary Leslie Shaw that ushered in a new age of American coinage. Here’s what he said:  I think our coinage is artistically of atrocious hideousness. Would it be possible, without asking permission of Congress, to employ a…

  There are some who believe the diamond we now call Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light) has been around for more than 5,000 years. Although there’s no proof of that, we can trace the enthralling history of this magnificent stone for certain from the 14th century. It was then that the first mention of its curse…

Were you left uninspired by the latest necklaces you saw at your local boutiques? Are you looking for something different, something with a bit more character? Well, West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins have an outstanding collection of heirloom and contemporary jewelry—handpicked from the items we’ve purchased locally or from jewelers across the country….

  Produced from one of the world’s largest gold mines in South Africa, the Krugerrand is the original and most recognized one-ounce gold bullion coin. First minted in 1967 from Rand Refinery, it was developed to internationally promote South African gold by making it easy for anybody to invest in gold. It’s been legal tender…

The word “bullion” may conjure up images of pirates pillaging treasure chests or the military patrolling the golden bunkers of Fort Knox — but bullion isn’t just for the criminal class and the government. In fact, buying bullion is a great way to diversify your portfolio and (often) realize a great rate of return. How…

A friend was recently cleaning out his family home’s basement when he came across a locked box that hadn’t been opened in perhaps decades. He dusted it off, turned the lock and was surprised to find it contained a cache of out-of-circulation coins: Liberty coins, Morgan silver dollars, Mercury dimes, Franklin half-dollars and more. Not…