I don't find old/foreign coins in the hotel cash drawer much any more, but tonight I found a 1943-P US nickel, made of 40% silver and known as a "war nickel" because nickels minted from 1943-1945 were all made of this silver alloy, actual nickel being needed for the war effort.
Don't know why coins are tougher to find these days, although I've seen YouTube channels where people buy up old rolled coins from banks and search them for these old coins, so maybe that has an effect; maybe coin counting machines are better at separating out unusual coins these days?
Showing posts with label coins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coins. Show all posts
Monday, November 29, 2021
Saturday, September 06, 2014
Treasure Blog: Colonial-Era US Threepence
Found in Nottinghamshire, UK, by a treasure hunter using a metal detector.
Who knows how it found its way to UK? Taken in trade? A piece of pocket change that was lost?
Pics:
Could bring up to $1.7M at auction.
Who knows how it found its way to UK? Taken in trade? A piece of pocket change that was lost?
Pics:
Could bring up to $1.7M at auction.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Treasure Blog: Coins In the Walls
St. Cloud, Florida:
Police in Florida have seized 60 pounds of silver coins that had been stashed for decades inside the walls of a recently demolished home. According to officials in St. Cloud, Fla., glass pickle jars holding more than 2,000 coins shattered while city workers were leveling a 1915 bungalow, turning the demolition into a momentary slot machine.
"It was like a treasure hunt — the more you dug the more you found," one of those workers, Melissa Howes, told the Orlando Sentinel. "We thought we might be able to keep it like finders keepers, but it was city property."
The most recent owner of the 776-square-foot house, Lamarr LoMax Lowe, a former Walt Disney World employee, abandoned it after racking up $511,500 in code-enforcement liens, the paper reported.
The seizure included 861 half-dollars, 1,016 quarters, 202 dimes and three nickels, police records show. Some of the oldest coins were dated 1917, officials said.
Police in Florida have seized 60 pounds of silver coins that had been stashed for decades inside the walls of a recently demolished home. According to officials in St. Cloud, Fla., glass pickle jars holding more than 2,000 coins shattered while city workers were leveling a 1915 bungalow, turning the demolition into a momentary slot machine.
"It was like a treasure hunt — the more you dug the more you found," one of those workers, Melissa Howes, told the Orlando Sentinel. "We thought we might be able to keep it like finders keepers, but it was city property."
The most recent owner of the 776-square-foot house, Lamarr LoMax Lowe, a former Walt Disney World employee, abandoned it after racking up $511,500 in code-enforcement liens, the paper reported.
The seizure included 861 half-dollars, 1,016 quarters, 202 dimes and three nickels, police records show. Some of the oldest coins were dated 1917, officials said.
Monday, February 04, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Treasure Blog: 1913 Liberty Nickel
One of only five minted, and that illegally, since 1913 was the first year of the Buffalo nickel.
Apparently a mint worker got a little greedy.
It's going up for auction - - price expected to be paid? Well, it would be like winning the lottery. That much.
Apparently a mint worker got a little greedy.
It's going up for auction - - price expected to be paid? Well, it would be like winning the lottery. That much.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Treasure Blog: 1873 Seated Liberty Dime
From the Carson City mint, sold for $1.6M.
Here's a pic of an 1873 Seated Liberty:
The Mint also made Seated Liberty quarters, half dollars and silver dollars, as I recall.
Here's a pic of an 1873 Seated Liberty:
The Mint also made Seated Liberty quarters, half dollars and silver dollars, as I recall.
Monday, January 09, 2012
Treasure Blog: US 1793 Penny
Sold for $1.38M at auction.
It's one of the US's first coins, and this particular penny had a design that was rejected, so it was never circulated.
Pic:
Apparently the chain design on the reverse side, of 13 links meant to indicate the unity of the United States, was instead rejected because of the connotation of chains with slavery, a touchy subject in the country at a time when the new government had struggled over slavery in the US Constitution.
Lady Liberty on the Obverse (heads) side of the penny is unappealingly masculine, IMO.
It's one of the US's first coins, and this particular penny had a design that was rejected, so it was never circulated.
Pic:
Apparently the chain design on the reverse side, of 13 links meant to indicate the unity of the United States, was instead rejected because of the connotation of chains with slavery, a touchy subject in the country at a time when the new government had struggled over slavery in the US Constitution.
Lady Liberty on the Obverse (heads) side of the penny is unappealingly masculine, IMO.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Treasure Blog: Roman, Greek, Byzantine Coins
Rediscovered in a library in Passau, Germany, by a janitor.
Just lying around in a wooden box, ignored for centuries.
Pic:
Excuse me for a bit, I'll be up in the attic.
Just lying around in a wooden box, ignored for centuries.
Pic:
Excuse me for a bit, I'll be up in the attic.
Monday, October 24, 2011
$1 Coin Proposal Gathers Steam
Could result in savings of 5.6 billion dollars.
And, although the coins are heavy, increased production of the $2 bill (it could go in the $1 bill slot in cash drawers) would alleviate most of the concerns people have over weight.
And, although the coins are heavy, increased production of the $2 bill (it could go in the $1 bill slot in cash drawers) would alleviate most of the concerns people have over weight.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Hey, Look, a Way To Save Federal $$$
Either stop making these dollar coins, or stop making dollar bills. It's insanity and fiscally irresponsible to make both.
Logically the coins should be in cash drawers, and dollar bills withdrawn from circulation, because the coins are durable and last for years, even decades, while the bills quickly wear out and must be replaced.
There, that wasn't so hard now, was it?
Logically the coins should be in cash drawers, and dollar bills withdrawn from circulation, because the coins are durable and last for years, even decades, while the bills quickly wear out and must be replaced.
There, that wasn't so hard now, was it?
Friday, June 24, 2011
Treasure Blog: George II Farthing, New Bern, NC
Found by a woman picking up litter in a town that pre-dates the formation of the United States.
New Bern was at one time the capital of the colony of North Carolina.
Pic:
This puts the coin within the time period of the Golden Age of Piracy, which is my particular field of interest.
update: I think that the article has the date wrong on the coin. It appears to be dated from 1739, not 1730. For comparison, here is a 1730 coin found with a Google Image search:
And here is a 1739 farthing:
Update 2: The original story, posted in the News & Observer of Raleigh, NC, does note that the farthing could be from 1730 or 1739, but does not declare it unequivocally.
New Bern was at one time the capital of the colony of North Carolina.
Pic:
This puts the coin within the time period of the Golden Age of Piracy, which is my particular field of interest.
update: I think that the article has the date wrong on the coin. It appears to be dated from 1739, not 1730. For comparison, here is a 1730 coin found with a Google Image search:
And here is a 1739 farthing:
Update 2: The original story, posted in the News & Observer of Raleigh, NC, does note that the farthing could be from 1730 or 1739, but does not declare it unequivocally.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Treasure Blog: 1930 Proof Australian Penny
Sold for $1.5 million.
I found this pic on Google Images, don't know if it is the exact penny, but it's probably similar:
It can still be worth it to look through your pocket change.
I found this pic on Google Images, don't know if it is the exact penny, but it's probably similar:
It can still be worth it to look through your pocket change.
Sunday, June 05, 2011
Treasure Blog: 200,000 Ancient Chinese Coins
Four tons of 'em, found at the bottom of a well.
No pics, unfortunately. Another link to a Russian website says that the coins are silver, so they'll probably be black and tarnished.
No pics, unfortunately. Another link to a Russian website says that the coins are silver, so they'll probably be black and tarnished.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Answer Me This
Why is it that the US government is willing to ram such things as Obamacare down our throats, but balks at lesser intrusivenesses such as switching from dollar bills to dollar coins or switching to the Metric measurements system?
In the case of the dollar bill coins it even saves the government money in the long run, so it's something that fiscal conservatives can get behind.
In the case of the dollar bill coins it even saves the government money in the long run, so it's something that fiscal conservatives can get behind.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Treasure Blog: Roman Coin Hoard, Somerset, UK
The largest Roman coin hoard ever found in UK, discovered buried in a clay pot.
Over 52,000 coins in the pot, which would weigh an approximate 400 pounds.
I hope that the finder snuck a few of the coins into his pocket, because in UK, as in many EU countries, all hoards belong to the national government involved, not the finder.
update: damn, I spelled it horde instead of hoard. Why did you people let me do that?
Over 52,000 coins in the pot, which would weigh an approximate 400 pounds.
I hope that the finder snuck a few of the coins into his pocket, because in UK, as in many EU countries, all hoards belong to the national government involved, not the finder.
update: damn, I spelled it horde instead of hoard. Why did you people let me do that?
Friday, May 21, 2010
Treasure Blog: 1794 Silver Dollar
Sold privately between two coin dealers for $7.8 million dollars.
Here's what it looks like:
Lovely thing.
Here's what it looks like:
Lovely thing.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Treasure Blog: Silver Henry I Pennies
178 coins from the early 12th century.
Pic:
That's one advantage that the UK (and the rest of Europe, for that matter) has over the US: many hundreds of years of recorded history, thus many more treasures quietly awaiting discovery hidden in the cold, dark earth...
Pic:
That's one advantage that the UK (and the rest of Europe, for that matter) has over the US: many hundreds of years of recorded history, thus many more treasures quietly awaiting discovery hidden in the cold, dark earth...
Friday, February 12, 2010
Bad Day At The Chilean Mint
Apparently the spell-check was turned off when this 50-peso Chilean coin was minted, and a bunch of them were released into circulation:
Republica de Chiie?
I mean, damn! It's only 5 letters, and it's the name of your country...
And apparently, the coins circulated for a year without anyone noticing...
I mean, damn! It's only 5 letters, and it's the name of your country...
And apparently, the coins circulated for a year without anyone noticing...
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