State quarters: 50 designs, almost all still a quarter
1999–2008 50 State Quarters. Clad in circulation. Silver in some proof sets. Your map book is a collection. It is…
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Presidential dollars: one president per coin, still a dollar
2007–2016 (and a few later) Presidential dollars. Manganese brass. Edge lettering. Common dates are face. Missing-edge errors are a real…
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Draped Bust coins: the silver after Flowing Hair
Draped Bust is the US look from the late 1790s into the 1800s. Liberty with a draped neckline. Small eagle,…
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Gobrecht dollars: the seated dollar before Seated dollars
1836–1839 silver dollars by Christian Gobrecht. Liberty seated, eagle flying. Patterns, originals, and later restrikes. Not a Morgan. Not a…
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San Francisco: the S mint mark
S is San Francisco. A real branch mint from 1854. Proofs, common S Morgans, and a few dates that actually…
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Charlotte and Dahlonega: the C and D gold mints
C is Charlotte. D on old gold is Dahlonega, not Denver. Small southern gold mints. Soft strikes. Real money when…
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Hairlines, toning, and wear are three different things
Wear flattens the design. Hairlines are scratches from cleaning. Toning is color from air. Mixing them up is how a…
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How to look at a coin with a loupe
A 5× or 10× loupe, a lamp, and a tilt. That is how a shop decides wear from hairlines. Not…
Read →America the Beautiful quarters: parks on a quarter
2010–2021 park and site quarters. Five a year. Clad in change, silver in some collector sets. Five-ounce silver bullion versions…
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