American Commemorative Coins—Choose Discerningly

The latest fad in the market is that of American Commemorative coins. There are coins to commemorate any and every incident that matters in the American history. Some of them are in good taste and some in not so good taste.

The commemorative coins issued by the United States mint at least are legal tender and have some collector’s value. Most of the commemorative coins issued by private manufacturers like Franklin Mint are priced at a premium with negligible guaranteed value.

The United States Mint has started a commemorative coins program under which they have been issuing commemorative coins since 1982. The surcharge on these coins is being used by the government to help build public buildings, restore historical places (George Washington’s home), and maintain monuments (Vietnam War Memorial) and even new museums.

These coins have supposed to yielded surcharge worth more than $418,000,000 which have been put to good use. These coins are issued in limited numbers and can be had from the mint for a limited time period.

Since the program started a number of commemorative coins have need issued. Most of them are not expected to fetch much added value with time. Some of them though could be potential winners. The recently issued (separate) silver dollar coins to commemorate the birth bicentennials of both Abraham Lincoln and Louis Braille. They are available for $41.95 each.

This year is seeing a deluge of commemorative coins. There is a series on Presidents Polk, Tyler, Harrison and Taylor that have been issued by the government. Another collector’s item could be the gold coin issued to commemorate Anna Harrison, the First lady. This you can have for a cool $600. This year will also be seeing the 50 State series quarters. Quite a bag full.

The government has also achieved a first by featuring Duke Ellington on a coin, the first ever African-American personality. They are now contemplating issuing a coin to commemorate Mark Twain!

These are some of the official legal tender you can look out for. Besides this the market is flooded with a number of commemorative coins that have been made by private people. Some of them could well be called kitsch and some may be worth having as a memorabilia. A pretty new business idea, which seems almost weird.

One example which keeps coming to my mind is the gold coin which was issued to commemorate the swearing in of Obama. A gold coin priced at $22 and it carried a guarantee of 50 cents with it. This was marketed extensively through infomercials, a first, along with other connected memorabilia. Another of such is the 9/11 commemorative coin which has a pop up of Twin Towers. Something not very appreciated by the general public.

Next time you decide to go and buy one of these commemorative coins, know what you are buying. It is one thing to buy something for its novelty value and another to be beguiled into thinking you are buying something of intrinsic value.

9/11 Commemorative Coins -- A Patriotic Gesture

United States of America lost many of her faithful citizens during the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. It is a day of national tragedy and not easy to forget. The 9/11 commemorative coins are another way to remember and honor those who lost their lives on that unfortunate day.

The 9/11 commemorative coins are not only in memory of the lives lost in this war of terrorism but also a celebration of the American spirit and justice. Come take part in this celebration and become the proud collector of these collectible coins. You can even decide to gift these, to your colleagues, friends and family.

These coins serve as a memory of that horrific day when war was waged against the country, and from which we rose like the proverbial phoenix. Even if you are not a numismatist, these are coins that you would love to have to display as proud possessions. If you are a numismatist you can not afford to not have them as part of your coin collection.

So where do you buy the 9/11 commemorative coins?

You can source these coins from either your local coin dealer who may have just the coins you want. Incase they are not available with him; he can place an order for you or may be guide you to a coin collector who may have exactly what you desire.

Another place to source out the coin of your desire is on the internet. You may be able to find a coin of your choice on the many online stores or may be even bid for them on sites like the eBay.

How to choose a coin?

You could choose a coin depending on the kind of metal it is made of. 9/11 commemorative coins are available in gold, silver, bronze and nickel. Some of the coins may also be available in inferior alloys.

If you are looking at a long term investment or are interested in the resale value you would do better to choose the ones made in precious metals.

If all you want is a memorabilia of the day you could choose from the many novelty coins available in the market. One of the more popular ones even sports a pop up of the Twin Towers.

How do I take care of them?

You will need to wear pair of gloves while you handle your precious coins. It will protect the coin from any grease or moisture that may be present in your finger tips. You will also be requiring a coin collecting album. These albums have clear sleeves made of plastic in order to keep your precious possessions safe. With a little care you will be able to keep them in mint condition.

Now that you know how to source, choose and take care of your coins, just go ahead and buy yourself these lovely 9/11 commemorative coins and show your solidarity with the families who lost their loved ones on that dark Tuesday.

Collectible Commemorative Coins

The popularity of the commemorative coins has increased in the last decades. More frequently they are given as gifts for some special occasions and they are preserved for numerous years. They are considered souvenirs from a loved person or a dear friend. A commemorative coin is significant because it represents an important event or a mint date.

But commemorative coins are not just precious gifts from our friends. They are valuable items that represent money on the collector’s marketplace. From the 1970’s every year there were individual commemorative coins and nowadays they come as sets. This is a good deal since euro was introduced in Europe.

The first commemorative coins were introduced in the 1900s and they were made from pure silver. Those particular coins were minted to honor George Washington and Lafayette. After the denomination of the half dollar the commemorative coins began to represent celebrations instead of historical events.

The modern commemorative coins might be an extremely profitable type of collection when on a limited budget. The key for succeeding in the business is to know the right prices for particular coins. There are even some books available online about investing in coins. With their help you may find the correct price for a commemorative coin whether you are an investor or a collector.

The rare modern commemorative coins can be bought directly from US Mint. It is quite exciting collecting coins and if you don’t really believe, you should take a close look on eBay. Look on this website and observe the incredible high prices that appear on the listings. The prices there are really different from that of the coin reference books and you should take this opportunity to make a great deal.

In other words, you may purchase such coins for a bargain and after that sell them on eBay with a high profit. The taste of investing in coins is a thing that might be learnt. Unlike investing in savings accounts or stocks, you will obtain something really beautiful for the money you pay. When you make a wise investment, you may get more than in savings accounts because there is a nice profit for you there when you sell.

If you think the US market is too tight for you and want to experience new designs and types of coins, you should try visit Australian and European websites. Here you can invest in coins that are rare on the US and Canada market.

American Coins – An Insight

American coins have been in production since 1792, the year when they were first minted. To date the common denomination in circulation are penny or cent,, nickel or 5 cents, dime or 10 cents, quarter or 25 cents, half dollar or 50 cents and last but not the least the dollar 100 cents or $1.

The dollar coin has been minted in gold silver and even in a cu, nickel combination. It has never been too popular due to various reasons. The dollar bill has always been more popular than the dollar coin.

The older rare American coins have become a collectors’ item. Some of the rare coins are sold for very high prices. Coins with errors are also sought after and sold at fabulous prices within days of being uncovered. Some of these coins are the Washington coins which were struck with error and passed on to the banks in Tennessee and Florida by the Philadelphia mint. These are marked by the absence of markings on their edges, “E PLURIBUS UNUM IN GOD WE TRUST 2007 P”.

Many new collectors have been fooled by tricksters into buying coins thinking that the lettering on them was up side down. They were simply not aware that the letters are printed both ways to be in sync with the head.

American coins have been struck at mints situated at charlotte, Dahlonega, new Orleans, Carson City, West Point, San Francisco, Denver and of course Philadelphia.

It is the Philadelphia mint and the Denver mint which strike the coins in circulation. It has been 29 years now since San Francisco mint struck coins for general circulation. It now strikes proofs meant for collectors. West Point mint is known for its coins of high denominations starting at $10. The temporary mint at Carson City worked during the mid nineteenth century. The Dahlonega mint and the charlotte mint specialize in bullion coins.

Coins struck in bullion metals like gold, platinum and silver can naturally be not expected to be a part of the general circulation. They are struck especially for individuals speculators and discerning collectors who could earlier buy them from authorized agents. The mint now sells these coins to them directly. These special coins in bullion metals are known as American Eagles.

These coins are officially legal tender but are not used in general circulation. The face value of these coins is far below the value of the metal used to mint it. These are thus made specifically for people looking for collectibles.

The United States mint has started the commemorative coin programs. It issues special coins to mark the highlights in the American history and culture. These coins are dedicated to events and people who have made a difference. These coins may also be issued in the event of a special occasion like Olympics or more recently the birth bicentennials of both Abraham Lincoln and Louis Braille.

These are more reachable for the common man and will soon be joined by a host of other commemorative coins scheduled to be issued this year.