Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez - The Fun Times Guide to U.S. Coins

Six Fun Facts About Sixpence Coins

For many, sixpence coins are more well known as a part of cultural lore than as a once-important part of the British pre-decimal monetary system, as well as that of several other nations, including Colonial America. So, for being a being a somewhat diminutive 19 millimeters, about the size of a United States one-cent coin, sixpence coins certainly have an incredible large presence in history. During most of their production, sixpence coins were struck with a 92.5 percent silver composition, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Myths, Trivia & Facts, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: gift ideas, novelty coins, silver coins

What’s the Value of Wheat Pennies? Find Out How Much Yours are Worth!

“What’s the value of my wheat pennies?” – that’s the main question I keep getting here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins, and I’m glad this is so, because Lincoln cents have long been my specialty. In fact, that’s the first coin I ever collected and the coin that I to this day still focus my coin collecting efforts on. When I was a new coin collector I, too, used to wonder what the value of wheat pennies was, simply because they’re obsolete coins that by the very nature of their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: Lincoln cents, pocket change, wheat pennies

Getting A Coin Appraisal: Tips for Finding Out the Values of Your Coins

I get many inquiries on coin appraisal from the countless readers here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins, and I am always glad to answer the many questions received every day in the comments forum. Please keep it up, everyone! Now, as for learning more about the value of your coins, you’ve come to the right place. I specialize in 20th century coins, but have dedicated much of my numismatic research time to many other areas of coin collecting, including 19th century coins and gold coins, as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: coin dealers, grading coins

Keep Your Pretty Pennies Safe in Coin Albums for Lincoln Cents

If there is one coin that I and millions of other coin collectors love putting in coin albums, it has to be the Lincoln cent, and for good reason – it is one of the first coins we ever started collecting, most dates are pretty affordable, and these pennies are easy to find in pocket change. Besides, Lincoln cents have been with us for more than a century – since 1909, to be exact; so it is no wonder that this beloved little coin is found in millions of numismatists’ coin … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Collecting 101, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: coin folders, coin holders & storage, Lincoln cents, pennies

Historic Values of Morgan Silver Dollars

There is probably no more popular a coin series than the Morgan dollar. United States Morgan silver dollars were first minted in 1878 and remained a regular entry in United States coinage circulation until the last of these giant silver coins was produced in 1921. Designed by George T. Morgan, this famous dollar coin features a large bust of a woman representing Miss Liberty. The design itself being modeled after Anna Willess Williams, who sat for Morgan and whose face has been immortalized … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: dollar coins, silver coins

Short Sets – The Short Cut to Completing Coin Sets on a Budget

There is perhaps nothing more frustrating to a coin collector than wanting to complete an entire date-and-mintmark run of coins and not being able to afford the goal. For example, collecting the entire series of Lincoln cents, to date, could cost a typical coin collector more than $2,000 when taking into account the cost of rare dates, such as the 1909-S V.D.B., 1909-S, 1914-D, and 1931-S. Add in the 1922 plain cent – a rare variety customarily included in many Lincoln sets – and the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fun With Coins, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: 1943 coins, budget coin collecting, coin sets, Lincoln cents, pocket change

Lincoln Cent Varieties – Coins That Don’t Always Have a Place in the Typical Coin Album

As most Lincoln cent coin collectors know, collecting the entire series of pennies is not as easy as one may think. Certainly, the one-cent coin may be the lowliest of all currently circulating U.S. coinage as far as denominations go, and there may be tens of billions of Lincoln cents in existence – but collecting an example of every Lincoln cent ever made certainly isn’t cheap, nor is it easy. There are some 300 different regular-issue date-and-mintmark combinations, and many of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hobbies & Crafts, Rare U.S. Coins Tagged With: coin sets, Lincoln cents, rare coins, wheat pennies

Historic Values of Walking Liberty Half Dollars

Considered one of the most beautiful coins of all time, the Walking Liberty half dollar was designed Adolph A. Weinman in 1916. The Walking Liberty half dollar features an obverse image of Miss Liberty with her right arm outstretched in peace as she strides toward the rising sun; the reverse design depicts an American bald eagle perched upon a large olive branch. Walking Liberty half dollars are popularly collected both as a complete set of coins and as a type coin, and are desired by both … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: coin sets, half dollar coins, silver coins, walking liberty coins

New 2012 Coins from the United States Mint Commemorate an Iconic American Hymn, National Parks, and More

The selection of 2012 coins from the United States Mint include commemoratives honoring the bicentennial of the writing of the Star Spangled Banner. Image courtesy the United States Mint.

The United States Mint’s field of 2012 coins offers a wide array of beautiful designs paying homage to our nation’s historic figures, points of interest, and culture. As in previous recent years, coin collectors again get to choose from several designs honoring our country’s past presidents and national parks, but there is a new offering adding a more lyrical touch to the wide selection of coins, and a dollar coin that you’ll be chomping at the bit to buy. 2012 America … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Myths, Trivia & Facts, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: commemorative coins

Popular Coin Sets for Beginning Collectors

Coin collecting is a hobby that has grown by leaps and bounds over the last several years, with tens of thousands joining the ranks of coin collectors each year. By some estimates more than 100 million Americans collect coins, and these millions of collectors all started their journeys in the hobby somewhere. For many people, their first foray in coin collecting originates with a collection they inherit from a family member, a strange coin found in pocket change, or perhaps even the start … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Coin Collecting 101, Hobbies & Crafts Tagged With: budget coin collecting, Lincoln cents, nickels, pennies, state quarters