Fascinating Facts Mysteries And Myths About U S Coins

Who were the models for the Indian Head nickel? Why is it called the Orphan Annie? What is the King of American Coins? Fascinating Facts, Myths and Mysteries about U.S. Coins is a compilation of some of the more intriguing stories in the history of U.S. Mint coinage. Some are based on facts. Others are hobby myths. All of them make for entertaining reading. Read about: • The five-known 1913 Liberty head nickels • Augustus Staint-Gaudens and his famed gold $20 • The short-lived 20-cent piece • The $1 million coin exhibit • The reason for the Liberty cover-up on the Standing Liberty quarter

Take a Closer Look Is that coin in your hand the real deal or a clever fake? Discover the difference with U.S. Coins Close Up, a one-of-a-kind visual guide to every U.S. coin type. This handy reference features large and clear images that detail inscriptions, mintmarks and initials, as well as thorough descriptions and fascinating coin history. Author and renowned numismatist Robert R. Van Ryzin takes a keen and careful look at U.S. coins, with in-depth denomination overviews, highlights of remarkable coins and an extended glossary of terms and features. No matter your level of expertise, this invaluable resource will leave you more knowledgeable and better prepared to spot that carefully altered coin â€" and save you from making an expensive mistake.

Distinguish differences between major varieties and types. Author Bob Van Ryzin gives you the complete picture with type listings and descriptions of all regular-issue U.S. coins from 1792 to date.

Probe rumors and fiction from the coin collecting hobby. Get facts with this new release by award-winning author Robert Van Ryzin.

In the fifth edition of the best-selling and award-winning 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, readers are taken on a personal guided tour of the nation's greatest coinage. "Each of the 100 Greatest was voted into place by leading coin dealers, researchers, and historians," says Whitman publisher Dennis Tucker. Inside the reader will find prized and seldom-seen raritiesthe unique and high-valued pieces that collectors dream about! The book also explores more readily available and widely popular coins: pieces so beautiful or with such strange and fascinating stories that everybody wants one. 100 Greatest U.S. Coins, Fifth Edition is not just a price guide or a fancy picture book. It's a time machine that takes the reader to a hundred different points in American history. And it's a fascinating introduction to the hobby of collecting U.S. coins.

It is the complete guide to contemporary numismatics that collectors and investors repeatedly turn to. This award-winning book covers important developments in coin collecting during the last quarter century, and devotes the same careful attention to public and private libraries.

Publisher Description

Can you spend fifty cents using a quarter, two dimes, and two other United States coins? Yes, you can, and you'll find out how in this book. "Coin Collecting for Fun and Pleasure" is written and designed for the beginning collector, someone who has just inherited a collection of old coins, or the novice collector who wants to learn more about this fascinating hobby. Contained within the pages of this book is information on the history of United States coinage, the various branch mints that have operated during our nation's history, how coins are created, assigning a "grade" to your coins, how to determine the value of your coins, and how to properly handle your coins and document your collection. This book covers every copper, nickel, and silver coin minted for use in the United States from 1793 - present. The content focuses on circulated coins, the kind of coins most beginning and novice collectors will encounter, and gives overall values for common date coins, but also highlights key dates, varieties, and errors. Some of the astronomical prices paid for extremely rare or pristine examples has also been included. Each coin denomination and type has been illustrated with full color photographs to aid in identification. Physical descriptions are also included as an additional aid, and each section contains a little bit of history surrounding that particulare denomination or series. This book does not cover gold coins, commemoratives, or special issue coins, although there is a chapter on mint sets and proof sets and explains why you might want to consider adding these to your collection. Error coins are not covered in detail, although some brief descriptions are given of the most common die error types. This book is intended for the collector who has a passion for the hobby. The author even relates some personal stories and experiences that he has had during his forty-plus years collecting. Most of all, this book is about having fun collecting, while at the same time learning a little more about these tiny pieces of American History.