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…

Gold is hot these days. Prices are reaching all-time highs, 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…

  The story of the U.S. penny begins back in 1787 when the first pure copper half-cent was designed by Benjamin Franklin and manufactured in a private mint. Back then, you could buy a nice plate of eggs and bacon with a few cents, but today a penny doesn’t get you much at all. If…

You can’t go anywhere these days without hearing about what a great time it is to sell your gold. With the economy still struggling, more and more people are selling their gold for cash. And it’s true that at around $1,700 an ounce, gold prices are near record highs. But you need to be careful…

Recently, it was widely reported that a very rare 1796 U.S. half cent fetched a whopping $357,000 at a European auction held by Wooley and Wallis of Salisbury, England. Also known as the Liberty Cap Half Cent, this coin was certainly a prime offering as there were only 1,390 ever minted by the U.S. Mint…

Gold is a hot topic these days. You’ve heard about it on the news. Or seen the men waving signs that say, “NOW IS THE TIME TO SELL YOUR GOLD!” Prices are near all-time highs — and that’s why it can be a great time to sell your gold. But first you have to figure…

Haven’t we all seen that guy on the beach or in the park — with his socks pulled high and headphones on, swinging a funny contraption over the ground — and thought to ourselves, “that guy won’t find anything! What a waste of time!” Well, maybe we’ve got it wrong. On January 16th of this…

It’s true that gold gets all the glory, but its precious metal cousin silver also deserves your love. Silver’s a fascinating metal with a long history of use in royal artifacts, religious rites and wealthy homes. And right now, the silver market is hot, with prices rising to some of their highest levels since the…

So we know the proposed $1 trillion coin made of platinum was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Treasury. And no, the proposed coin was not going to contain $1 trillion worth of platinum, but let’s consider for a moment, what it would look like if it did… Thanks to a quirky…

A beautiful diamond can take your breath away, transport you on a flight of fancy, and turn the most grizzled old bachelor into a romantic poet. But when you’re buying a diamond, it’s essential to keep your head if you want to get the most diamond for your money. Knowledge is power, after all, and…

The chisel slipped, injuring one of his hands. And the work of Bo Hughes, one of the best-known hobo nickel carvers, was never the same. The Great Depression largely defined the hobo nickel phenomenon. With millions of people out of work and without prospects in their hometowns, many joined the drifter community, hoping to find…

Interested in starting a coin collection but not sure where to start or what you should know? Here are some tips from the experienced staff at West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins to help you start collecting. First, choose a series of coins you would like to collect. Start small, with modern coins, before…

You’ve probably heard about it on the news. At around $1,700 an ounce, prices for gold are near record highs. Gold buyers are looking for anything that has gold in it — there’s never been a better time to trade your old jewelry, dinnerware or coins for some cold, hard cash. The only question is:…

In October, a man with a metal detector stumbled upon a “nationally significant” haul of rare coins. This amazing find consists of 159 pure gold Roman solidus coins from the fourth century. The amateur treasure hunter — whose identity has not been revealed in order to protect his privacy — was sweeping a private field…