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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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| So you want to be a numismatist. Good for you. Grab your magnifying glass, and let's get going. |
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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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