On Mints and Mint Marks

On Mints and Mint Marks

Mint Marks are tiny letters referring to the locality where the minting of coins took place. The position of mint mark can be found typically on the back side of coins that were minted before the year 1965 and on the front after the year 1967.

Coins of every US mint branch are recognized by mint marks. These coin marks date back to ancient times in Rome and Greece.

The “Director of the Mint”, through the “Act of March 3, 1835”, set rules to classify and distinguish the coins released from every US Mint branch. This core management set accurate standards and pattern of production as well as responsible coinage.

Coins that minted at the “Philadelphia mint” earlier than the year 1979 have no mint marks. So it was in that year that the dollar was marked with the letter P and other denominations had that same mark thereafter.

All dies for US coins are produced at the “Philadelphia Mint” and prior to shipping the coins to their mint branch, coins are marked first with the correct and designated mint markings. The precise size and positioning of the coins’ mint mark can slightly vary; this is influenced by how deep the punch was impressed and where.

The importance of mint marks:

Collectors can determine the value of a coin though mint mark, date and condition examination, making the coins condition the most significant factor and standard when determining its value.

Defining the Mint which hit the coin is tremendously important in determining the value of the coin; the coin can be hit in huge quantities at a single Mint or in smaller quantities in another hit.

The process of minting:

1. The making of metal strips in the correct thickness: Zinc strips are used for pennies, alloy strips composed of nickel (25%) and nickel (75%) for nickel and dollars, half-dollars, dimes, half-dimes are fabricated from a fusion of three coatings of metals; the external layer are alloys and the center is copper.

2. These strips of metals are then put into “blanking presses” that are responsible for cutting “round blanks”, approximately the dimension of the “done” coin.

3. The blanks then are softened by running them through an annealing furnace, through tumbling barrels, and then through revolving cylinders containing chemical mixtures to burnish and clean the metal.

4. The blanks then are washed and placed into a drying device, then into the "upsetting" machines, that produce the raised rim.

5. The Final stage: “coining press”. Each blank is clasp into position by a collar or ring as it is being struck or hit under great pressure. Pennies need approximately40 tons of pressure and the larger coins need more. The “upper and lower dies” are stamped simultaneously on the two sides of each coin.

The design:

The “Director of the Mint” chooses the design and pattern for United States coins, then that is approved by the “Secretary of the Treasury”; congress can recommend and suggest a design. The design then can not be changed for twenty five years unless directed by the congress.

All emblems of United States coins minted currently represent previous presidents of the United States. President Lincoln is on the one-cent coin, adopted in the year1909; Washington on the 25 cent coin that was minted first in 1932; Jefferson on the five cent coin in 1938; Franklin Roosevelt on the dime, introduced in the year1946; Kennedy on the half dollar that was first minted in 1964.

The “Act of 1997” known as the “50 States Quarters Program” supports and allows the redesigning of the quarters - the reverse side is to show each of the fifty states emblems. Every year starting in 1999 and until 2008, coins honoring five states, having designs that are created by each state, will be issued in the sequence or manner in which each state signed the Constitution.

The phrase "In God We Trust" was used first in 1864, on a United States two-cent coin. It then was seen on the quarter, nickel, half-dollar, silver dollar and on the $10, $5 and $20 in 1866; in 1909 on the penny, in 1916 on the dime. Today, all United States coins carry the motto.

Tips in Buying Bullion Coins

Tips in Buying Bullion Coins

What are bullion coins? These coins may have high values because they are not only limited; but also they may have been found in shipwrecks, or they may come from the ancient times. Bullion coins are the type of collector’s items that many people look for.

The silver bullion could be the most well known type of bullion that is selling very well in the internet aside from those that are to be considered to be most expensive and valuable items in the world.

Some high priced coins that are displayed on the internet include the silver ingot. The silver ingot was said to have been found in the Spanish ship Atocha that sank in the ocean. This ship was found to contain treasures and artifacts including silver ingots. Others claim that the silver ingots were recovered from an old Colorado Mining area. Coins were found everywhere and were said to have been hidden by the miners.

The silver Maple Leaf Coins, which are officially sealed, are also popular among collectors. These coins came from the Royal Canadian Mint and include the Walking Liberty half-dollars and the dealer roll first-strike 1994 U.S. Eagles. These items were a collection of the Franklin Mint which had more than 100 masterpieces in his memorabilia.

Most bullion collectors prefer the gold billion. Some famous bullion gold coins include the gold Krugerrands, which are from South Africa. The European Gold Crowns were released from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Other items include the Canadian Maple Leaf Coins and the United States American Eagle Coins. British Sovereigns are also seen on the internet as are the Swiss Helveteas and the French Roosters.

The awesome 10-ounce Swiss gold bar, China gold panda set, and the American eagle proof set coins can also be found and are considered to be the most seen coins on the internet. There are gold bullions found in the American Eagle set, Mixed Lots, Rounds, Bars, and any other similar categories that are found on some sites n the internet.

A type of bullion that is not well known is the Platinum bullion. It is less researched on the internet because the demand for it is not as great as the silver and gold bullions. Platinum bullions can be purchased anywhere: some of them are the French Statue of Liberty coins, Eagle sets, and the Koala Proofs. The World Trade Center has also offered some Platinum bullions like the Englehard platinum bar, crucible dish made of platinum bullion, and the Johnson Matthew Year of the Dragon coins which were recovered from the safety vaults of the building when it collapsed.

These coins can be considered as thoughtful gifts aside from their being valuable since they can be kept as a souvenir from the person who gave it. A bullion bar that features a happy birthday greeting can be a thoughtful gift for a friend’s birthday especially if the bar has the date of the birthday on it. Some people also use them for their anniversaries as their gifts to one another - they search for those bullions that have the date of their engagement or the wedding year. Some brides also ask their groom to find her 24-karat gold flakes or silver flakes as her chosen token for their wedding.

Coin collecting of this type can be very expensive, especially when buying bullions, but here are some tips that can guide a person in his search for affordable bullions.

1. A person must be sure of the type of bullion he would like to purchase before ordering or buying.

2. He must ask himself, or the person he is buying the bullion for, what bullion he/she prefers and ask if they would like to come with him when purchasing the bullion.

3. A person must figure the delivery costs and add them to the agreed price.

4. A person should be sure that the seller would contact give him a delivery for the item if they have ordered it on the internet.

5. He should never make the payments using instant money transfer firms.

6. It is important to know the seller’s background and reputation in the business.

A person can purchase any bullion that he prefers. The idea of giving bullions to a special loved one or friend can be very thoughtful and it will serve as memorabilia that will be kept throughout the years.