Tracking American History with Commemorative Coins

Those interested in numismatics will know that the world of coins can be fascinating, fun, and profitable, too! For as long as human civilization has existed, some form of currency exchange has always been a part of it. Currency is a way to understand the society of the times, and how it might have worked. Modern and early American commemorative coins may not exactly be ancient, but they celebrate some of the most important instances in the journey of our country, and offer a wonderful insight into the history of the nation.

So let’s look at some of the most important commemorative coins in the USA and see if we can track some of America’s history with them.

The first commemorative coin in the US is often considered to be the coin that celebrated the discovery of gold in California. This 2 ½ dollar gold piece minted in 1848 has the word ‘CAL’ stamped on it to celebrate the Californian gold rush. The next commemorative coin is more widely accepted to be the first commemorative coin in US history.

This is the half dollar coin minted in 1892, for the Columbian exposition held in Chicago in 1893, which celebrated the anniversary of Columbus’s epic journey to North America. Ever since then, several important moments in the evolution of the nation are seen reflected in commemorative coins minted down the times.

For instance, in 1932 a commemorative coin celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington, known as the Washington Quarter was minted. This coin was made a regular issue design for a quarter later on, but in fact began by being minted as a special edition commemorative coin. The design of this truly epic coin founded the way for other modern American commemorative coins. It showed George Washington on horseback, with a grand view of the president’s iconic Mount Vernon home on the back side.
This coin was also circulated as a commemorative coin for the United States Bicentennial in the mid-1970’s, celebrating the events that led to the creation of the independent nation of the United States of America. 

Celebratory coins during the Bicentennial also included the Eisenhower Dollar and the Kennedy half Dollar. All the commemorative coins minted during the 1970’s United States Bicentennial were dated 1775 – 1976, which added a great sense of occasion to the coins. More recently, the State Quarters program began minting five commemorative coins every year – with each of the states in the order of admission to the union.

These are simply some examples of how commemorative coins track back the history of America and how they imbibe many relevant parts of the journey of the nation. Commemorative coin enthusiasts understand the fascination of putting together a chronological collection, or perhaps starting a collection of a single commemorative issue and charting its journey through the times. These coins are not only wonderful objects to own, but rare commemorative coins also make for a very sound investment.

Why Silver Eagles are proving to be Such a Sound Investment

These are tough economic times. With inflation at an all-time high, and no real signs of a global economic recovery, finding sound financial investments can be exceptionally difficult. If there is one investment that can hedge against devaluation and inflation, and give guaranteed results, it is in precious metals, especially gold and silver.

So why are precious metals a hedge against inflation? The global economy is already under huge pressure thanks to massive government debts. This means that governments have to print more money, and the more money they print, the more devalued currencies become.

Unlike money which is essentially relative in value and extremely vulnerable to global currency fluctuations, hard money like precious metals are more secure in their demand. In recent times, there has been a huge surge in demand for silver, and this has pushed silver prices up even further. Experts believe that this trend is set to continue notwithstanding day to day fluctuations in silver prices.

In fact, looking over the longer term, silver seems to have gone up over 700% since 2000, making it an extraordinarily rewarding investment for those who have managed to ride the wave and benefit from this huge rise. Silver continues to be a sound investment option in a diverse portfolio for those who are prepared to hold on to it until it hits the top of the current rising trend.

American silver eagles are the official silver bullion coin of the USA. Silver eagles remain one of the, or rather the most popular forms of holding silver. These coins are 99.9% pure silver in content, and contain a guaranteed one troy ounce of pure silver. They have a face value of one US dollar.

This means that the legal value of the American Silver eagle coin is 1 US dollar. However, their real value is far higher than a single dollar, and is determined by the silver content in the coin, as well as the current spot price of silver.

Silver eagles have been in demand since they became available for the very first time in 1986. At this time, initial inventories are known to have sold out instantly due to huge public demand for these coins. Since then, many people invest in American silver eagles regularly, many purchasing coins annually. This continued demand for the silver eagles can well be reassuring to those considering investing today.

Silver has seen a steady rise in demand for a long time now, and experts see no reasons for this demand to wane anytime soon. Investing in precious metals like gold and silver as part of a diverse portfolio only makes sense from the long term perspective.

The demand for silver for industrial purposes continues to increase. A limited supply of silver, combined with a continued interest in it means that silver is set to rise even further than it has over the past years. This not only makes the American silver eagle a sound investment until now, but a good investment for the future, too.

Why Silver Dollars Are So Collectible

Silver dollars are some of the most highly collected coins by professional and amateur collectors alike. The reason that these coins are so popular is because they are valuable, they were made throughout several different periods of American history and are therefore unique; and also because they are, essentially, very beautiful. There are several different designs to choose from, each of which has its own history and unique qualities.

The first silver dollar was minted in 1794, at a time when the amount of metal in a coin was directly related to its worth. At that time, a silver dollar contained enough silver to make up a full dollar. Silver was very scarce during that period and silver dollars were minted on and off in the successive years, with several breaks in production and many different designs created.

Because there are many different designs and many different time periods during which these coins were printed, it’s easy to understand why the general populace has an interest in them. In short, many of these designs are beautiful and unique, making them the ideal basis for a new coin collection or a stunning addition to an existing one.

Morgan Dollars, which were produced between 1878 and 1921, are one of the most popular designs for collectors. These are good beginner coins, as they can be acquired for a nominal cost. Reputable coin dealers are a good source of information regarding the different collections of silver dollars. Value varies depending upon the date that it was produced, the mint that produced it, and how many others exactly were created in that series.

Coin collecting can be a fun and sometimes profitable undertaking. As the value of silver has fluctuated depending on the amount available, the US has produced many different types of coins with different percentages of silver mixed with other metals. This was necessary to maintain the rule that the value of the metal involved in making the coin remains no more expensive than the coin itself was worth at the time of mint.

Purchasing silver coins can be a reliable way of investing; assuming the value of silver will go up in the next few years. Whether you are collecting for aesthetic or financial reasons, silver dollars are a great place to start. With many different designs and types to collect, they are guaranteed to prove an interesting and beautiful collection. Whether you are looking to collect coins on a budget or have money to invest, you will be able to find a type of silver dollar to add to your collection.