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 by Steve Wolff
Among all the ancient coins of the Roman Empire, there is one legendary bronze that literally bears “the Hand of God.” That’s right, when Emperor Constantine the Great died in 337 AD, his sons decreed that posthumous bronze coins be struck which clearly depict Constantine being flown up to heaven in a Roman chariot (called a Quadriga) pulled by four horses. The Quadriga was a chariot drawn by four animals (usually horses) which was the customary vehicle for triumphant processions honoring the victorious, as well as being used in the funeral ceremony of an Emperor’s consecration.
On this particular bronze of Constantine the Great, however, the truly amazing thing is that the right hand of God himself is shown coming down from heaven to welcome the great Emperor home! This is significant in that it represents the first depiction of the Christian God on a Roman coin. Known examples of this amazing coin bear dates from 337 – 340 BC. The obverse of this coin contains the veiled head portrait of the deified Emperor Constantine.
Now over 1,600 years old, this “Hand of God” Roman bronze coin of Constantine the Great is an ancient heirloom that can be found in museum archives and some private collections around the world. |
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The Lost St. Gaudens Masterpiece: The Winged Liberty |
 by Steve Wolff
The Walking Liberty design of Augustus Saint-Gaudens was the first design created in response to a commission by President Theodore Roosevelt for new, more artistic US coins. Millions instantly recognize this classic design. Relatively few, however, are aware of the “lost” Winged Liberty design which Saint-Gaudens originally envisioned.
The two men met in 1905, when Teddy Roosevelt chose Saint-Gaudens to design an inaugural medal for his second term as president. The Irish-born Saint-Gaudens America’s foremost sculptor at the time – although his best-known works were massive bronze sculptures such as the statue of Admiral David Farragut, a Civil War naval hero which still stands in New York City’s Madison Square. Roosevelt was delighted with the medal design Saint-Gaudens created for him and the men began to share how much they both admired the high-relief coins of ancient Greece. Both men felt that the current US coin designs of the day were uninspired and derivative and Roosevelt soon commissioned Saint-Gaudens to craft a complete series of U.S. coin designs based on those classical Greek models.
When he accepted Teddy Roosevelt’s challenge in 1905, Saint-Gaudens was 56 and his health was beginning to decline. He was still at the peak of his artistic powers, however, and he eagerly accepted the challenge to help the president realize his dream. From the start, Saint-Gaudens’ intention was to totally redesign U.S. coinage in a bold and artistic manner. While the resulting Saint-Gaudens Walking Liberty design is one of the most beautiful and best known in history, an early plaster sketch sculpted by the artist in 1907 shows two dramatically-different elements. This design, a precursor to the finished version, shows Liberty as she would ultimately appear on the 1907 Gold Eagle, except that she was portrayed with large, billowing wings and with a feathered headdress. |
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 by Steve Wolff
In 1885, the Liberty Bell left Philadelphia for the first time ever and traveled to New Orleans for the 1885 World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition. The Liberty Bell was sent to New Orleans to help foster national unity between the North & the South, and it attracted huge crowds who came to see the legendary symbol of freedom (protected by three armed guards!) At the same time, just a few short blocks away, the New Orleans Mint was striking the 1885-O Morgan Silver Dollar. This same silver dollar would have paid for a night in the famous Hotel Royal in the heart of the French Quarter, the lodgings of choice for many well-heeled fairgoers and New Orleans society figures. The 1885-O Morgan Silver Dollar is the only New Orleans Silver Dollar to claim the title of “Liberty Bell” dollar.
A LEGACY OF NEW ORLEANS SILVER
New Orleans is famous for many things: its fine restaurants, Dixieland Jazz, the French Quarter, and the city’s annual Mardi Gras celebration. But it is also famous for its role in the history of US coinage! The New Orleans Mint produced coins from 1838-1909 and it struck its first silver dollar in 1846. The New Orleans Mint is the only mint in American history to have been run by three governmental bodies. The U.S. government ran it up until January of 1861. The state of Louisiana seceded from the Union on January 26, 1861, and took control of the mint. Two months later, the mint was taken over by the Confederate States of American (CSA), which tried, but failed, to mint its own coinage. From May of 1861 until the fall of New Orleans, Confederate troops were housed at the Mint. New Orleans actually fell to the Union Army in 1862 but the mint was so heavily damaged and without operational machinery that it ceased to function as a coining facility at that point. With no minting operations conducted in the facility, the building served as headquarters for Union forces and as a prison for capt |
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 The New Orleans Mint never produced nickel or copper coins. It struck coins only in silver and gold. Though it hasn’t struck a coin in over 95 years, the building continues to stand as a shrine, a lasting memory of one of the greatest mints of all time.
MILLIONS MELTED for WORLD WAR I
When the Silver Dollar era came to an end in the early 20th Century, millions of these beautiful and historic Morgan Silver Dollars were melted for their valuable silver bullion. The US Government alone officially melted over 50% of all coins, and millions more were privately melted for their silver bullion value. The few remaining coins can be tough to find, especially in top collectible condition. |
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 by Steve Leet
Have you ever heard the saying, “Find a penny pick it up, all the day you’ll have good luck?” Well, over 100 years ago, you were very lucky to find an Indian Head cent lying on the ground because it packed substantial buying power. Few Americans remember a time when their pocket change didn’t include the Lincoln Cent. Prior to Lincoln’s bust adorning the obverse of our national cent, the Indian Head cent jingled in the pockets of Americans for well over 50 years.
The Indian Head cent first appeared on the scene in 1859, a few years before Lincoln took up residence in the White House. The obverse design features an Indian, but more likely a Caucasian wearing a feathered headdress. The first year of issue featured a reverse design that depicted a simple laurel wreath around the words “One Cent.” The reverse design was modified in 1860 and displayed an oak wreath with a small shield. This remained the official reverse design until the Indian Head cent series came to a close in 1909.
Modern U.S. coinage suffers from the burden of having to feature so many required inscriptions. The Indian Head cent was subject to fewer mandates and the absence of heavy verbiage contributes to its eye appealing, clean, and uncluttered look. Its obverse bears just two mottos: “United States of America” which encircles the central portrait and “Liberty,” placed discreetly on a ribbon at the base of the headdress. The Indian Head cent design was immediately accepted by the public and became one of the most beloved coins in the arsenal of United States coins circulating at the time.
The Indian Head cent continued to be struck during the remaining years of the 19th century and into the 20th century. When legislation was approved for a newly designed one-cent coin featuring beloved Abraham Lincoln, the Indian Head cent was honorably retired in 1909. During its 50 year reign, 15 new states joined the Union. |
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 by Steve Wolff
The California Gold Rush which started in 1848 created a very special problem for the massive influx of people who streamed west into the California territory. Newly-panned Gold dust was abundant, but there was a serious lack of coins to conduct normal business transactions. While many saloons and dry goods stores resorted to accepting “pinches” of Gold dust, a more practical solution was needed quickly. To help solve the problem, a United States Assay Office was created in 1851 in San Francisco under the direction of Augustus Humbert. He contracted with a firm called Moffat & Co. to produce massive $50 coins (which were legally ingots) with a very distinctive octagonal shape, each containing nearly 2.75 troy ounces of pure gold.
Known today as “slugs”, the relatively few surviving examples always fetch top dollar when they appear at auction. A unique proof example sold for $500,000 in 1980, and a recent auction saw a non-proof specimen sell for over $450,000! The Humbert $50 Octagonal Gold Slug is prominently featured in the best-selling book 100 Greatest U.S. Coins by Jeff Garrett.
The design shows an Eagle on a rock, clutching a shield, a bundle of arrows, and an olive branch. The Eagle holds a scroll in its beak that states the fineness of the coin (“887 Thous” – meaning .887 pure.) The words “United States of America” surround the Eagle. The reverse is one of the most unique designs in US coinage. This engine-turned design features an intricate and elaborate pattern of overlapping arcs which form a dramatic sunburst pattern. When one considers the relatively primitive and wild conditions of Gold-Rush era California, the beauty and artistry of this massive, privately-minted gold piece is astounding. |
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 by Steve Wolff
While watching From Russia With Love recently, I was amazed to see something in the movie I had long forgotten—The James Bond Gold Piece! Near the beginning of the movie, Q delivers a special black brief case to Bond. The case was filled with the usual rounds of ammunition & many high-tech weapons – but also featured 2 straps hidden inside the lining of the case, which secretly held 50 Gold Sovereign coins! Toward the end of From Russia With Love, a SPECTRE hit man has James on his knees when Bond tells the henchman about the fifty gold sovereigns in his briefcase—which proceeds to explode in the greedy assassin’s face when he opens the case to get at the gold coins. Needless to say, James Bond escapes to spy another day…
Well, I can tell you that Gold Sovereigns haven’t just saved the life of movie spies – they have saved the lives of countless British servicemen & REAL espionage agents for nearly 75 years! During WW2, Gold Sovereigns were included in the survival kit of all special operations agents – which is what inspired Ian Fleming to write them into his James Bond novels! In more recent times, British Gulf War service personnel at risk of being stranded behind enemy lines were issued with twenty sovereigns per person to buy emergency food, shelter and safe conduct. The reason is simple: The Gold Sovereign is the most recognized & respected Gold Coin in the entire world!
Here are a few more fascinating facts and specifications about the Gold Sovereign:
STRUCK IN 22 CARAT GOLD: Each British Sovereign is struck in the finest quality 22 carat gold.
THE COIN THAT BUILT AN EMPIRE: A gold sovereign contains almost a quarter ounce of gold, and, back in the days when all paper money was backed by gold, a gold sovereign equaled one British Pound.
TIMELESS CLASSIC SOVEREIGN DESIGN: The reverse of this Gold Sovereign bears one of the most celebrated coin designs in history: the image of St George slaying The Dragon by Pistrucci. |
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 by Steve Leet
In 1864, the outcome of the Civil War, the only war fought on American soil by Americans, was becoming more evident as the North began to wear down the South by reeling off consistent victories and having the resources to continue to support the cause.
If the question were asked, “Who was and still is the most hated and despised man in the history of Georgia?” the response would be William Tecumseh Sherman. From the onset of hostilities in the Atlanta Campaign on May 6, 1864 and the March to the Sea ending two days before Christmas in 1864, no one created more destruction. Sherman was renowned as a fierce – some would say tyrannical – military leader.
With a grand aggregate of 98,797 troops and 254 cannons, Sherman began his siege on the city of Atlanta in the spring of 1864. Sherman fought fierce resistance from Confederate troops under the command of Joe Johnston until Johnston was relieved and the aggressive Confederate General John Bell Hood assumed command. Hood was just as unsuccessful and the city fell to Sherman on September 1, 1864. Sherman declared Atlanta to be a military encampment and gave orders for the city to be evacuated and burned.
Although hoards of Confederate paper money still surface with some regularity, none boast ties with such a significant historical event. The notes in this hoard were protected in a strong box in a bank during the siege and were rescued from the ashes of the charred and smoldering city. Since the initial recovery from the strong box, one family maintained ownership of the cache. It remained untouched throughout the entire 20th century. The notes which were hand-selected from this hoard each demonstrate evidence of charring, typically along one edge. |
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Troy Ounces vs. Avoirdupois Ounces
A Guide to Understanding Precious Metal Weights
The standard weight measure for all precious metal is Troy ounces and pounds. All legal tender silver, gold, and platinum coins are struck in troy ounce sizes, not Avoirdupois ounces (which are used for coarse dry weights such as grain, flour, sugar, tea, etc.) |
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| Protect your coins and you may not have to clean them at all. The question of whether of not to clean a coin collection is one that is hotly debated among collectors. |
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| Since 1981, Collectible America has procured rare coins, secured bullion, and struck medallions for the American numismatic public as an independent private mint, not affiliated with the United States Government. This independence provides the cornerstone for our commitment to excellence in both product and service, and, most important, it guarantees to our customers essential rights and complete satisfaction. |
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