COINage

Picking out holiday gifts for coin collectors might seem like an easy task, but it’s one of the most difficult things to get perfect year after year. So, here are five unique coin-related gifts to consider for the holidays. 1. American Silver Eagle bullion coin. The American Silver Eagle is the easiest choice for a holiday gift, but that’s a little cliché and doesn’t require much thought, plus it was probably given last year. “Silver dollars” are beautiful and hold value because of their silver content, but unless it’s a graded coin, it likely won’t stay in gem condition for very long. So, if an American Silver Eagle is the perfect gift for your budding numismatist, think about a graded coin and make it “perfect,” at least on the Sheldon…

A great many of yesteryear’s U.S. coins could claim the mantles of “most beautiful” and “most patriotic.” As the United States marks its 250th anniversary in 2026, a momentous occasion known as the semiquincentennial, many are reflecting upon the patriotic coin designs of yore. However, a lyric of American collectors would lay both titles on three coins that debuted in 1916 and remain popular to this day. They are the Mercury dime, Standing Liberty quarter and Walking Liberty half dollar. THE RENAISSANCE OF U.S. COINAGE Art critics of the late-19th and early-20th centuries panned many of the U.S. coins of the day. The brunt of the criticism was heaped upon the trio of circulating silver coinage designed by Chief Engraver of the United States Mint Charles E. Barber. His Liberty…

Goldman Sachs, the major Wall Street financial institution, forecast the gold price per ounce could rise just as fast in the next 12 months as in the previous 12 months. The firm predicted prices of $4,500 and beyond in 2026, perhaps reaching $5,000 if “certain conditions” are met. I am even more bullish, but I want to focus on the fact that mainstream media and Wall Street seem to almost always be late to the party when it comes to informing investors about gold. The “certain conditions” Goldman mentioned in their projections have to do with rising private demand for gold and President Donald Trump’s increasing pressure on U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) policy, which has appeared more political than proactive on the business front. To reach $4,500, Goldman stated there…

The United States Mint has been in existence since 1792, when the Coinage Act of that year established the first American mint. The mission of the Mint is to serve the American people by manufacturing and distributing circulating, precious metal and collectible coins and national medals, and provide security over assets entrusted to us. Since our institution’s founding in 1792, the Mint has taken great pride in rendering the story of our nation in coins. To hold a coin or medal produced by the Mint is to connect to the founding principles of our nation and the makings of our economy. While the principal mission is to make circulating coins, commemorative coins and medals as Congress mandates, it also strikes coins that become rarities — intentionally and unintentionally. The coins…

Quite a few rare U.S. gold coins and patterns of gold denominations brought enormous prices in auctions over the last year or so. For two years in a row, auction sales of gold patterns have been among the top prices realized. It is not fair or educational, however, to ignore sales of patterns of silver coin denominations, which remain collector favorites. The more historically important types of silver patterns are exciting and have been very popular with collectors for more than a century. The surge in gold bullion from the middle of 2024 to the middle of 2025 has contributed to collector interest and media attention for rare gold coins and rare gold patterns of coins, which are not coins. It is important not to forget about silver patterns, as…

Mike Bonham has handled hundreds of millions of dollars in rare coins. Many of those coins are exceptionally valuable ones that he handled more than once. That’s because Bonham, at 68, is widely considered the most gifted succession-planning expert in the coin and collectibles field. He has one client he’s working with now who he says purchased about $30 million in rare coins from Bonham, whose specialty is helping to educate his clients and add value to their existing collections. He learned about gold, silver, platinum and palladium decades ago by working with a large precious metals firm. Bonham, the senior vice president of Tangible Investments, Inc., in Laguna Beach, Calif., is a preeminent resource for financial service professionals, attorneys and accountants across the United States, assisting with estate evaluations…