Title: Stack of Gold
I love gold dollars! Next time you are at your bank, pick up a roll and then go and spend them!
Enjoy!
Showing posts with label dollar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dollar. Show all posts
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Photo 365 - Day 354 (Stack of Gold)
Day 354 (June 22nd, 2011)
Title: Stack of Gold
I love gold dollars! Next time you are at your bank, pick up a roll and then go and spend them!
Enjoy!
Title: Stack of Gold
I love gold dollars! Next time you are at your bank, pick up a roll and then go and spend them!
Enjoy!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Photo 365 - Day 189 (Golden Baby)
Day 189 (January 8th, 2011)
Title: Golden Baby
For today's Coin Learnings, I'm going to touch on the part of coin collecting that causes the most twitching in coin folks - Coin Condition (also known as Mint Condition or Mint State). In essence, a coins condition is a rating (from 1 to 70; with 1 being the lowest and 70 being the best) of how "perfect" the coin is. By perfect, I mean how close is the coin in relation to the original design (die) that made the coin. Generally, when you look at coins in your pocket, they are circulated and have a rating around 25-55 (very fine to about uncirculated). Sometimes you'll see a old cent that's been beat up and it would have a rating of 8-12 (good to fine). Other times you'll see a brand new dime that's shiny and bright with no scuff marks or dirt, that might have a rating of 55-60 (about uncirculated to uncirculated (mint)). Even coins that aren't really coins anymore still have a rating, say a coin run over by a train or one that's had a hole drilled through it would still having a rating of 1-3 (cull to about good).
The rating is probably the most critical element in what determines the value of a coin (the other major element is its rarity - or how many a certain coin was produced). Generally, the higher the grade (score) the more the coin is worth. When a coin gets to grade 60 or above, its considered Mint and has very few, if any mistakes on it. Each grade above 60 the coin must be getting closer to perfect. A grade 70 coin is extremely rare and are considered perfect examples of said coin. As for cost, just to give you an example; a 1987 quarter in grade 70 sells for about $220.00. Its the same as any normal 1987 quarter you'd pull out of your pocket and keep in mind, in 1987 over a billion of these quarters were made! But out of that billion, less than .000001% (around 1000) will be perfect, which is why they cost so darn much!
Oh, last little fyi about grade (keep in mind, there is a LOT more you can learn about grading coins - books worth if you are interested), never, EVER clean a coin! If you clean it, no matter what it looks like after you clean it, because of the chemicals on it, it will be worth very little (certainly not worth anything near what you'd hope). So, no cleaning! An unaltered scruffy coin is always better than a cleaned one!
This photo is of a 2010-S $1 coin. It's grade is probably around 64-65.
Enjoy
Title: Golden Baby
For today's Coin Learnings, I'm going to touch on the part of coin collecting that causes the most twitching in coin folks - Coin Condition (also known as Mint Condition or Mint State). In essence, a coins condition is a rating (from 1 to 70; with 1 being the lowest and 70 being the best) of how "perfect" the coin is. By perfect, I mean how close is the coin in relation to the original design (die) that made the coin. Generally, when you look at coins in your pocket, they are circulated and have a rating around 25-55 (very fine to about uncirculated). Sometimes you'll see a old cent that's been beat up and it would have a rating of 8-12 (good to fine). Other times you'll see a brand new dime that's shiny and bright with no scuff marks or dirt, that might have a rating of 55-60 (about uncirculated to uncirculated (mint)). Even coins that aren't really coins anymore still have a rating, say a coin run over by a train or one that's had a hole drilled through it would still having a rating of 1-3 (cull to about good).
The rating is probably the most critical element in what determines the value of a coin (the other major element is its rarity - or how many a certain coin was produced). Generally, the higher the grade (score) the more the coin is worth. When a coin gets to grade 60 or above, its considered Mint and has very few, if any mistakes on it. Each grade above 60 the coin must be getting closer to perfect. A grade 70 coin is extremely rare and are considered perfect examples of said coin. As for cost, just to give you an example; a 1987 quarter in grade 70 sells for about $220.00. Its the same as any normal 1987 quarter you'd pull out of your pocket and keep in mind, in 1987 over a billion of these quarters were made! But out of that billion, less than .000001% (around 1000) will be perfect, which is why they cost so darn much!
Oh, last little fyi about grade (keep in mind, there is a LOT more you can learn about grading coins - books worth if you are interested), never, EVER clean a coin! If you clean it, no matter what it looks like after you clean it, because of the chemicals on it, it will be worth very little (certainly not worth anything near what you'd hope). So, no cleaning! An unaltered scruffy coin is always better than a cleaned one!
This photo is of a 2010-S $1 coin. It's grade is probably around 64-65.
Enjoy
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Photo 365 - Day 186 (Evil Presidential Eye)
Day 186 (January 5th, 2011)
Title: Evil Presidential Eye
For those of you who were unaware, I am a coin person. I like coins, I collect coins, and I am even sick enough to go to coin shows. One of the things I really love about coins, are their history - nearly every nation uses their currency as a medium for displaying some aspect of their history (and culture). In the past, US coins were some of the most beautiful coins made, sadly, during the 1980s-1990s many of our coins lost their artistic elements and were just slabs of metal to most. But, in 1999 the US Mint decided to go all 'crazy' and started using coins as form of both art and history with the State Quarters program. Speaking on behalf of us 'coin folk', we were overjoyed. It made people look at their coins again, it brought younger folks into the world of collecting and helped start a trend in modern coinage that is still continuing - frequent changes to our coins, with new and better art.
One of the new series' that I am really excited about (really, I get actually excited about it - if you ever see me, just ask about it and I'll go all nuts explaining why the program is so great) is the Presidential Dollars program. In a nutshell, starting in 2007, every year the US Mint is going to release 4 new $1 "gold" coins, each with a different president, starting with good ole George Washington and going till Gerald Ford (they can't go past that, because Jimmy Carter is still alive - they have rules about putting art of living people on coins - basically, they won't). And it's not just a face, but it has when they were president as well. It's educational and fun!
These coins are available at any bank or from the US Mint's website. Buy them. Lots of them. They are nifty!
... except when Abraham Lincoln is starting at you... spooky!
Enjoy
Title: Evil Presidential Eye
For those of you who were unaware, I am a coin person. I like coins, I collect coins, and I am even sick enough to go to coin shows. One of the things I really love about coins, are their history - nearly every nation uses their currency as a medium for displaying some aspect of their history (and culture). In the past, US coins were some of the most beautiful coins made, sadly, during the 1980s-1990s many of our coins lost their artistic elements and were just slabs of metal to most. But, in 1999 the US Mint decided to go all 'crazy' and started using coins as form of both art and history with the State Quarters program. Speaking on behalf of us 'coin folk', we were overjoyed. It made people look at their coins again, it brought younger folks into the world of collecting and helped start a trend in modern coinage that is still continuing - frequent changes to our coins, with new and better art.
One of the new series' that I am really excited about (really, I get actually excited about it - if you ever see me, just ask about it and I'll go all nuts explaining why the program is so great) is the Presidential Dollars program. In a nutshell, starting in 2007, every year the US Mint is going to release 4 new $1 "gold" coins, each with a different president, starting with good ole George Washington and going till Gerald Ford (they can't go past that, because Jimmy Carter is still alive - they have rules about putting art of living people on coins - basically, they won't). And it's not just a face, but it has when they were president as well. It's educational and fun!
These coins are available at any bank or from the US Mint's website. Buy them. Lots of them. They are nifty!
... except when Abraham Lincoln is starting at you... spooky!
Enjoy
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Photo 365 - Day 19 (ONE dollar)
Day 19 (July 22nd, 2010)
Title: ONE Dollar
I had fun with the shot yesterday of the dollar bill, and so I thought I would take a few more today. Its a shame that our currency today is so mono-toned, but with a little creativity and taking loads of macro shots, you're sure to find something intriguing about the "simple" dollar!
Title: ONE Dollar
I had fun with the shot yesterday of the dollar bill, and so I thought I would take a few more today. Its a shame that our currency today is so mono-toned, but with a little creativity and taking loads of macro shots, you're sure to find something intriguing about the "simple" dollar!
Photo 365 - Day 18 (George of the Dollar)
Day 18 (July 21st, 2010)
Title: Dollar George #1
I love taking pictures of money. Currency used to be a work of art, with some of the most amazing engravings, but now US currency is pretty "bland". But, with a little nudging of the colors, you can make them have a bit more "pop"!
Title: Dollar George #1
I love taking pictures of money. Currency used to be a work of art, with some of the most amazing engravings, but now US currency is pretty "bland". But, with a little nudging of the colors, you can make them have a bit more "pop"!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)