Information & News About United States Coins
Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Tim S. and it asks a question that has been debated for years. We all know that the United States Mint has produced some stunning coinage over its 200-plus year history. But it has also produced some, shall we say, less than stellar designs too. So which is the worst? What is the ugliest coin ever? Tim writes, Clinton, What is the ugliest coin ever made by the mint? …
Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Erin W. and it asks a question that is both flattering and challenging. It all evolves from a post last year around podcasts and when I am going to start one here at US Coin News. Erin Writes: Clinton, I visit your site nearly daily and always find great information about coin collecting. I too started in my teens in the 90s and have about 300 coins in my …
Today’s Mail Bag question came in last week as a comment on an article about the upcoming Georgia American Innovation Dollar. Their question is about the fact that the United States Mint only sells these coins in bags & rolls – why? Howard writes: hi – i am new to this too…so if this is not the correct place to posit this query – please let me know…. my question…is why are the P & …
Today’s Mail Bag question is more of an ask for help in settling an argument. The question is if American Eagle coins, gold and silver, are legal tender. The question comes from James and they write, Hi, Settle an argument between me and a friend. He says that Silver (American) Eagles cannot be used for paying for things. I say they can but that gold ones can’t. Who’s right? James via the Mail Bag Well …
Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Robert and it is one that can be a big hard to find the answer to without a fair amount of looking. It has to do with coin weights and more specifically, where to find them. They write… Hi, I’m trying to find a reliable source for coin weights. I have been looking online and find a lot of different answers and I’m not sure which to believe. Can …
When it comes to Mail Bag questions I get here on the site, I tend to sit on them a few days or even a few weeks before posting them. But in the case of today’s question, it literally came in yesterday and it reminded me that I have a bit of explaining to do. The question came from Tabby who asks…. Hi, I have been following the site for a while now and noticed …
Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Amanda and it is a question that many modern collectors face. Should I buy slabbed coins and only buy slabbed coins? The answer, like so many in our hobby, depends on you. They write, Hi, I’ve been collecting for a year now and I’ve started buying slabbed coins from NGC and PCGS. Is that the best way to collect? It seems safer as they are likely genuine coins and …
Today’s Mail Bag question comes in from Adam who asks what coins they should collect as they start out their collection. It is an important one and a question that inevitably every collector has asked themselves at some point. The answer, however, is a bit more complicated. Hi, I am just starting my collection and I have a few pennies, nickels and quarters. What should I start with first? What should I collect overall? Thanks, …
Today’s Mail Bag question comes from Rebecca G regarding the term “burnished”. It is a term that gets tossed about a lot but it can lead to question as to what exactly it means. Rebecca writes, Hi, I was reading about a 2006-W ASE (editor: American Silver Eagle) and it mentioned that it was burnished. What does that mean and why is this coin so much more than other ASE coins? Rebecca G’s email This …
Today’s Mail Bag post comes from an email that came in last week from Raj. Their question has to do with coin cleaning and understanding the term Whizzing. Hi, I’ve heard of cleaning a coin by whizzing it. What does that mean? Should I clean coins this way? Raj via Email Raj, thanks for taking the time to write and ask this important question, especially for new collectors. As a general rule, you should not …