Can you imagine finding an ancient treasure map? One where “X marks the spot,” leading you to riches beyond belief? Well, one man lucked upon such a map, except he didn’t find it at an antique map shop, or even a flea market. He just Googled it. Howard Jones used Google Maps to discover an…

Imagine you’re out walking your dog, and you see something glittering out of the corner of your eye. You initially assume it’s something mundane, but, curious, you investigate. It’s not mundane. Not at all. It’s looks like an ancient ring. You have it evaluated and discover the ring’s history—it’s changed hands from queens to noblewomen,…

It’s 1950, the Andrews Sisters are on the radio and you’re cruising down the road in your Chevy. As you stop to fill up your tank, you exclaim, “Twenty-two cents a gallon! That’s highway robbery!” You head to the station down the street offering gas for nineteen-cents a gallon. Times were a lot simpler back…

Have you ever wondered about the world’s biggest coin? What about the most valuable coin? Well, wonder no more. Here’s a list of the world’s record-breaking coins, from small to large, and everything in between. Smallest Coin The matter of the world’s smallest coin is hotly disputed. Some numismatic experts in India claim that the…

When it comes to bullion coins, silver and gold get all the attention. Platinum coins have become increasingly popular in recent years as well. While palladium coins, are still somewhat of a rarity, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some shining examples. Constellations, ballerinas, pandas, and more can be found on palladium coins. Here are the…

This is the third installment in our series about United States mints. In the mid-nineteenth century in San Francisco, one thing was on everybody’s mind: gold! But the nearest mint to the California Gold Rush was all the way in New Orleans. A mint was badly needed to turn the huge supplies of raw gold…

  Legends of gold in South Africa predate the country’s existence, and the ancient gold artifacts from the region have long proven them to be true. Early settlers to Africa were always eager to find this legendary gold, though few had any success. After a few minor gold discoveries, settlers in the 1800s began to…