With the prevalence of digital payment systems such as PayPal, bitcoin, and Android Pay and Apple Pay, it might seem as though paper currency’s days are numbered. While these electronic payment systems serve online shoppers well, paper currency still rules the physical world. It may surprise you to learn that the money we carry in…

Unfortunately, not everything in life is perfect; the same is true for striking coins. Throughout history, there have been mishaps with the machinery, test runs that did not go anywhere near as planned and even intentional hiccups orchestrated by Mint employees. How and why have certain, imperfect pieces throughout history been deemed worthy of being…

What is bullion? Who determines the worth of bullion? What is the difference between bars and coins? Are bullion coins or numismatic (collectible) coins valued at a higher rate? For many, these are questions without simple answers. Bellevue Rare Coins has decided to tackle these and provide simplified answers for those interested.   Let us…

Home of Victoria Falls, rhinos, hippos and exotic birds, the landlocked, war torn, former Rhodesia, has undergone numerous changes throughout the years. Notably in the last 3 decades we have seen their currency go through not only basic inflation, but also a full collapse with hyperinflation. Resulting in the abandonment of the official currency and…

Concealed in darkness for a fraction of the year, quite possibly the most dangerous terrain and bearer of the most vicious elements, Antarctica has long been the viewed as a land unknown. Explorers have been seeking understanding and knowledge well before Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen either died trying to stake claim or succeeding…

When most people think about Benjamin Franklin and currency, they think of, well, the Benjamin. The U.S. $100 bill is literally synonymous with Benjamin Franklin. But that is by no means his only tie to U.S. currency. Benjamin Franklin was integral in the printing of some of the U.S.’s very first paper currency. As the…

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…

Last month at Chicago’s Heritage Auctions, all kinds of rare coins and currency were bought and sold. The most exceptional among them was a Newfoundland $2 gold coin so rare that the only other known example is owned by the British Museum. The 1865 coin sold for over $100,000 on April 10th. This coin isn’t…

Everyone’s talking about Bitcoin these days. From tales about the digital currency’s mysterious founder to strike-it-rich stories about early investors, Bitcoin has captured the world’s imagination — as well as its dollars. The investment market for bitcoins is so hot that some investors are concerned about a possible bitcoin bubble. If you’re thinking of investing…

Gold prices are still near historic highs — and that’s why it’s a great time to sell your gold. But first you’ll have to figure out how much your gold is worth. West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins help people with fair and accurate gold evaluations every day. Evaluating gold is a fairly simple…

Billy Baeder’s late father purchased a 1933 $10 silver certificate for about the price of a compact car when Baeder was still a teenager. As he grew up, Baeder became a collector himself — and today he owns the most valuable piece of currency printed since 1929. Back in the middle of the Great Depression,…

There’s a lot going on in the world of rare coins, gemstones and precious metals. Here’s a roundup of some of the biggest news that we’ve been following the past few months: Brazilian gold ingot sells for nearly $200,000 As we mentioned in a previous post, the 2013 Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Sports Collectibles…

There’s been a lot of talk about inflation recently, and what investors can do to protect themselves should the United States enter an inflationary period. Throughout history, investing in gold and precious metals has provided a great hedge against inflation, because when inflation pushes the dollar lower, gold typically increases in price. While inflation does…

Carson City is only one of seven cities in the past 200 years to be home to a United States Mint. Compared to metropolises such as Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver, Carson City, located in northern Nevada, seemed both tiny and in the middle of nowhere. But it had something that the other cities didn’t…

The American $100 bill is arguably the most important and most used bill on the planet. Hundreds make up about 75% of the value of all cash that’s currently in circulation, and they’re incredibly popular overseas as a hedge against fluctuating local currencies. This popularity has led to widespread efforts to counterfeit what has become…