Obsolete and broken-bank notes: pretty paper from banks that closed
Obsolete notes (broken-bank notes) are private and state-bank paper from before national bank notes took over in the 1860s. Many…
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Confederate notes: Southern paper, not US legal tender
Confederate States notes (1861–1864) are Southern wartime paper. They are not US legal tender and they are not “gold.” Common…
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Indian Head cents: 1859 to 1909, and the dates that are not a coffee-can coin
Indian Head cents ran 1859–1909. Most later bronze dates are common. 1877, 1908-S, and 1909-S are the keys. 1859 has…
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Two-cent pieces: the first coin that said IN GOD WE TRUST
The US two-cent piece (1864–1873) is a bronze coin with a shield. It was the first US coin to carry…
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Kennedy halves: 1964 is 90%, 1965–1970 is 40%, after that is clad
Kennedy half dollars start in 1964. That year is 90% silver. 1965 through 1970 are 40% silver. 1971 and later…
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Proof set vs mint set: two different boxes from the Mint
A proof set is specially struck collector coinage with mirror fields. A mint set (uncirculated set) is regular business-strike coins…
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Large cents: the penny that is bigger than a half dollar
US large cents (1793–1857) are copper coins the size of a half dollar. Later Coronet and Braided Hair dates are…
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Star notes: a replacement bill, not automatic money
A star note is a replacement Federal Reserve note. The star sits at the end of the serial (or the…
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Gold certificates: the orange-seal note that was once good for gold coin
US gold certificates are paper that once paid in gold coin. Small-size 1928 and 1934 notes have an orange-gold seal.…
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