News — Coin History
What Are Indian Head Quarter Eagles?
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
Indian Head Quarter Eagles are some of the most innovative coins made to date. Described as both innovative and daring, the Indian Head Quarter Eagle was minted from 1908 through 1929. These coins were issued annually from 1908 through 1915. At that point, the mint suspended their production for a decade. When minting resumed in 1925, the coins were struck for five more years before the series eventually ended in 1929. These coins were commonly used as currency until President Franklin Delano Roosevelt requires Americans to turn in their gold coins to be melted down in an effort to combat the Great Depression.
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- Tags: Coin Collecting, Coin History, Gold, Numismatics
The History of the $20 Gold Liberty
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
The $20 Gold Liberty coin, also referred to as the double eagle coin, was minted during the California Gold Rush. Mines had an abundance of gold and affected the United States currency. The Philadelphia Mint was the first to receive gold from Colonial R.B. Mason, the governor. 230 ounces of gold was minted into quarter eagles. However, the mint soon realized that there was an overabundance of gold. Half eagles and eagles were then minted. James Iver McKay, governor of North Carolina, authorized a small coin as the gold dollar. He was later persuaded to mint a larger coin, the $20 Gold Liberty, which was approved by Congress in 1849.
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- Tags: Coin History, Gold, Numismatics
What Are $20 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles?
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
This country has a long history of circulating beautiful and brilliant coins but, the title of “Most Beautiful Ever Created” is usually given to the Saint-Gaudens Double Gold Eagle. This coin was originally commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt felt that American coinage was lacking, and he sought to remedy this by creating a new coin. When approaching this issue, President Roosevelt had requested an elegant high relief design with a high rim. Given these ramifications, it was now time to find an artist to further the design of these coins. All American coins previously created had been designed by employees of the U.S. Mint, but this long history stopped when Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a friend of Roosevelt’s who had designed his inauguration medallion, was selected to design the coin.
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The History of The Oregon Trail & the Oregon Trail Half Dollar
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
The Oregon Trail Half Dollar is a commemorative coin that celebrates people who traveled on the trail towards the west. The Oregon Trail Association brought a petition to Congress for the coin. The association was led by Pioneer Ezra Meeker, who traveled the trail himself. Congress approved the petition and stated that six million coins was the maximum limit for coinage. The obverse side of the coin was designed by Laura Earle Fraser. It depicts a wagon moving towards the west with a two inscriptions, “In God We Trust” and “Oregon Trail Memorial.
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The History of Confederate Coins: Part 1
Posted by Derek Sawchenko on
1861 was a dark year for the United States. This was the year that many states seceded from the Union to create the Confederate States of America. Although this Civil War era was not the brightest part of the United States’ rich history, there were certain artifacts left behind that help people connect to this time. As you may have expected from the title of this post, coins and money are a huge part of history and can serve as our connection to a certain time, in this case, Confederate America.
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- Tags: Coin History