The New Year is the time of year that many of us make resolutions to better ourselves. A lot of those resolutions have to do with money, mainly regarding how to get — and keep — more money. So perhaps it’s no surprise that cultures around the globe ring in the New Year with coins….

This is the fourth installment in a series of articles about the United States mints. In the 1850s in the United States, when many people thought of the Wild West, they thought of gold. Tales of people from showing up broke as beggars and leaving as rich as sultans were told all over America. By…

  Imagine gold prices are soaring. Or falling. But you don’t hear about it until later. It’s the moment you’d been waiting for and you missed it. Because you have a life. You were at your daughter’s swim meet, busy at work, or entertaining friends. Markets move fast. And timing is everything. To help you…

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…

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…

This is the second article in a series on United States Mints. During the 1830s the U.S. was in the midst of a swift expansion. As explorers and settlers pushed further South and West, infrastructure was needed. Amongst the missing amenities in these new regions, was a facility to produce currency. Even though the Philadelphia…

Over 2,000 years ago, a king named Liu Fei was buried. His body was laid to rest in what is now Jiangsu, China. Liu Fei’s burial was no standard affair. His family attempted to enhance Liu Fei’s quality of, well, afterlife by filling each of the mausoleum’s 11 chambers with his unimaginable wealth. Archeologists have…

Over 50 years ago, an event took place that changed American history. In its wake, a special coin was issued: the Kennedy half-dollar. This year marks the coin’s 50th anniversary, and on Tuesday, August 5th, a new Kennedy half-dollar coin was revealed at the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) World’s Fair of Money in Rosemont, Illinois….

Finally. After much delay, the 2014 Mexican Silver Libertads have been released to the public. It’s not just the delay that makes these bullion coins a sensation. Like the gold Libertads, which were released in March, these silver coins typically have a relatively low mintage. The Mexican Mint is notorious for releasing a limited amount…

You never know what you’ll get when you sort a roll of coins. One lucky man in New Orleans got the find of a lifetime. He found a very special 1861-O Seated Liberty half-dollar hiding in a roll of Kennedy half-dollars. After undergoing knee surgery, this unnamed coin collector decided to sort through rolls of…

This is the first in a series of articles about the United States mints. It’s 1776 and the ink is still drying on the U.S. Constitution. One of our Founding Fathers’ first actions was to create a continental currency, thinking that it would ease trade and unify the emerging country. A dream team of Benjamin…

In 1896, the United States Treasury produced silver certificates. Many believe these notes to be the most beautiful paper currency in U.S. history. These certificates debuted to the delight of art lovers and numismatists alike. Commonly dubbed educational currency, these notes were short-lived. Battles between artists — and between puritanical and artistic ideals — were…

One of the world’s oldest coins was recently sold in Germany. The price? Over $380,000. Issued between 600 and 625 B.C., this coin is unique because of the stamp of Phanes. The exact identity of Phanes remains unknown. And perhaps it’s the not knowing that makes this ancient coin so valuable. “I am the badge…

Only one man has ever been brave enough to try and rob Fort Knox. His name was Goldfinger, and — SPOILER ALERT — James Bond got him in the end. As most people know, Fort Knox is basically impossible to break into, but that didn’t stop Goldfinger from trying. In the Bond movie, Goldfinger’s plan…

The year 1795 was a pivotal one in our nation’s history. Our forefathers were still establishing the government of the United States. George Washington submitted the Jay Treaty to the Senate; the 11th amendment to the Constitution was ratified; and it was also the first year the U.S. Mint struck gold coins. Owning any item…