Park Avenue Numismatics has launched a new online encyclopaedia for collectors of rare and notable coins everywhere. Starting with US coins, the service allows a user to click on the coin that he or she believes they have, or would like to purchase, from a pick list. This will then bring up a page with colour pictures of the coin, and a detailed descripti...

So, draws to a close (perhaps) one of the most volatile trading periods the world has ever seen. Major stock indices have seesawed through massive profit and losses for investors, as they have reacted to the various economic news releases. Not without justification will investors will be scratching their heads thinking “what next?” However, every clou...

Many people claim to have no interest in art, and yet all unwittingly carry artwork in their pockets without realising it in the form of coins. And that artwork can tell a lot about the coin, its history and place of minting. But how did the artwork on coins evolve, and what is its relevance to today’s collectors? Before money came into being, the conce...

There is a major difference between Chinese coin collectors and their contemporaries in the West that becomes apparent when one examines collectable coins from the two parts of the world. In the West, the penchant is for coins to be presented in a pristine condition: the shinier, the better. Such a condition is deemed to show that the coin has been well look...

Yesterday, this blog discussed coins that have been found as part of sunken treasure. Of course, treasure doesn't always come in the form of gold and silver. Sometimes it is because of the historical importance of the find itself that gives treasure its value. And sometimes these historically important finds are commemorated in the form of new coinage. La...

Ask most people today what springs to mind at the mention of shipwrecks and the talk will turn to chests full of golden coins, and of ships blown to smithereens and left flailing in high seas, their crews praying as the hull beneath them sinks to Davy Jones’s locker. After the ‘yo-ho-hos’ and bottles of rum, comes a hoard of gold and silver waiting to ...

Collectable coins are minted for many different reasons. It may be to commemorate a special event, such as the recent Royal Wedding, or an anniversary or other special occasion. But they could also be minted to appeal to fans of films (the Star Wars coins and Transformers coins from New Zealand and Australia spring to mind, that were highlighted in this blog...

The US Mint has closed a loophole that some clever buyers of dollar coins were using to rack up frequent flyer miles. In 2008, the Mint launched a direct shipping facility that allowed the public to buy dollar coins and have them delivered to their home. The hope was to increase the use of dollar coins in rather than notes. However, a few spotted that ...

Final sales numbers from the US Mint are in for Silver Eagle Bullion Coin Sales in July 2011. Summer is traditionally a time for lethargic sales of all investments. Silver and gold are no different, so it comes as now surprise that the final figures released by the US Mint for its Silver Eagle Bullion Coin Sales show a slowdown from June. In fact, sales s...

There appears to be a new way to invest in silver, though those wishing to should conduct their own research before doing so. The Royal Silver Company, headquartered in Panama and with a wholly owned subsidiary in Bolivia, is offering a unique opportunity which promises a steady stream of 1 ounce silver coins and the return of capital invested on top. Hea...