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Throughout the history of the U.S. Mint, the issue of managing the money supply and preventing hoarding has been a consistent challenge. During the Great Depression for instance, the hoarding of gold coins forced the government to enact Executive Order 6102, to prevent said hoarding from damaging the economy further. In the mid-1960s, the U.S. government faced a similar issue, this time with silver. 

Over the past two decades, the quarter has seen a variety of innovative new designs due to a series of government programs, including the 50 State Quarters Program and the America the Beautiful Quarters Program. The most recent quarter redesign came this year in the form of the 2021 General Washington Crossing the Delaware quarter.

When it comes to American numismatics, there is no shortage of fascinating history behind the creations of the US Mint. There is, however, one particular coin that tells a story like no other coin ever produced: the Trade Dollar.

Today we celebrate the birthday of one of the most legendary coin designers in United States history: Anthony de Francisci. As his 1921 Peace Silver Dollar design was the very last of the Renaissance of American coinage, De Francisci is considered to have left a profound impact on our country’s coins.

This week, we celebrate the birth of the eighth Chief Engraver of the US Mint, John R. Sinnock. Throughout his career, Sinnock designed some of the most significant coins and medals used in America, including the illustrious Franklin Half Dollar and the prestigious Purple Heart. To this day, Sinnock’s legacy continues to grow as the Franklin Half Dollar series continues to increase in popularity and numismatic value. 

Released just before America’s 203^rd anniversary of becoming a nation, the Susan B. Anthony Dollar entered circulation on July 2, 1979. While the Eisenhower Dollar had been struck since 1971, its large size made it cumbersome to carry around. A study done by the Treasury Department showed that a smaller dollar coin replacing half of the paper dollars produced could save over $19 million in production costs. With all that in mind, the U.S. Mint went to work.

American coinage has long been characterized by a rich and remarkable history. From classic coins like the Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle to modern examples such as the American Silver Eagle, the United States has continually produced some of the world’s most stunning coinage. While so many American coins have gained acclaim over centuries, one of the most important coins to be produced was the 1787 Fugio Cent.

For those interested in numismatics, there is no coin more universally recognizable than the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle. Although there are thirteen known examples of this distinguished coin, only one is able to be owned in private hands. Last week on June 8^th, the single acquirable 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $18,872,250, completely shattering the all-time record for a coin sale. Prior to this sale, this legendary coin was last sold in 2002 for $7,590,020. So, what exactly is the story behind this fabled coin and why is it so valuable?

As demand for bullion products and numismatic collectibles continues to grow, the US Mint has struggled to offer a steady supply. Just last week on Friday, May 28, the US Mint released a message stating that it was experiencing a shortage of silver, specifically in regard to the blank planchets required to strike coins. 

Earlier this week marked the birth of the Eleventh Chief Engraver, Elizabeth Jones. As one of our country’s most esteemed engravers of the modern era, Rare Collectibles TV would like to celebrate her immense contributions to the hobby. From the resurrection of the commemorative coin program in 1982 to the official opening of the West Point Mint in 1988, Jones oversaw some of the largest events to occur in modern numismatic history.

The U.S. Mint is delaying the release of the upcoming 2021 Morgan and 2021 Peace Dollars.

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara was joined by co-founder of the Stack’s Bower Gallery Harvey Stack live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews.  

Within 20 minutes, the brand-new 2021 Morgan Dollars with New Orleans and Carson City privy marks sold out from the U.S. Mint’s website.

In 1904, President Theodore Roosevelt made his dislike for the circulating coinage of America clear in a letter to Secretary of Treasury, Leslie Mortier Shaw. This infamous letter overtly criticized America’s coinage, calling it “of atrocious hideousness.”  Fortunately, Roosevelt knew just the man to produce new coins that would be worthy of the United States: Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara was joined by numismatic expert and author Mike Garofalo live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews. 

Although the nickel has been a mainstay in United States coinage for over a century, there was a time when these coins did not exist at all. In fact, it was not until after the Civil War that the five-cent denomination was struck using the metal. Today, Rare Collectibles TV celebrates the creation of the five-cent nickel, which began on May 16, 1866.

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara was joined by fellow RCTV host James Gerstel live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews.  

With the passage of the Coinage Act of 1792, the United States had established its first mint in Philadelphia. While this single mint had been sufficient for thirteen states, by the 1830s the country’s expansion had pushed the Mint’s capabilities to the brink. In a time before railroads, automobiles, or aircraft, coinage and bullion were too heavy to transport efficiently. When gold was discovered in several locations throughout the American South, the need for branch mints became an absolute necessity.

Last November and December, the numismatic world witnessed an unprecedented event, as three of the most renowned and sought-after Morgan dollars on the collectible market were sold at auction. Conducted by Stacks, the auction sold off the coin collection of the late Larry H. Miller, consisting of over 1,600 individual pieces. With 36 coins selling for six figures or more, and 3 that sold for more than a million, the total sales of the auction came close to $24 million. All proceeds of the auction went to the construction of Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi, Utah, a fitting tribute to Miller’s charitable and caring legacy.

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara was joined by author and Vice President of NGC Miles Standish live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews.  

Seventy-three years ago, Benjamin Franklin became the first non-presidential figure to be portrayed on a circulating piece of American coinage. Considering Benjamin Franklin’s immense contributions to American society, it is no surprise that he was chosen to be depicted on an American coin. Afterall, he played a large role in writing the Declaration of Independence and negotiated the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ultimately ended the Revolutionary War.

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara was joined by author Rick Tomaska live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews.  

On April 23rd, 1918, Congress enacted the Pittman Act, which oversaw the melting of nearly half of every Morgan Dollar ever struck. To this day, this remains one of the largest mass melts of coinage conducted by the U.S. Mint in history. To this number in perspective, if each of the 270,232,722 Morgan Dollars melted during this act were stacked on top of each other, they would form a tower over 400 miles high. Why was such a large portion of the Morgan Dollar series destroyed in this manner? Like other coin melts, the answer lies with the current events of the time.

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara welcomed Emily Damstra to speak about her 2021 Type 2 American Silver Eagle design live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews.  

This week signifies the 125^th anniversary of the famed Denver Mint’s authorization. Prior to the Denver Mint’s opening, the only Mint branch in the Western United States resided in San Francisco, which came as a direct result of the California Gold Rush. As prospectors filled their pockets in the Golden State, they branched out to other states in the southwest in hopes of striking it rich. In 1858, enormous quantities of gold were discovered near the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. “Pike’s Peak or Bust!” became the slogan of the droves of miners who flooded the area, as Pike’s Peak was the highest summit of the mountain range.

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara talked about gold coins from Mints in the Southern United States. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews.  

Eighty-eight years ago, on April 5th, 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 6102 into law. While there have been many laws passed that have affected the field of numismatics, Executive Order 6102 is perhaps the most important, as its effects are still felt to this day. 

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara discussed pattern coins and early Colonial issues with expert Kevin Lipton live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews.  

If you spend enough time looking at coins, you may notice that they sometimes begin to exhibit surprising shades of color. They could have become a dark brown as the years passed or acquired a stunning rainbow patina in the time since they were struck. This effect is referred to as toning and is a natural process that occurs when the surface metal of a coin is exposed to certain chemical agents. 

In this week’s episode of Coin Snacks with Jack, Rare Collectibles TV host and coin buyer Jack McNamara had the chance to speak with militaria expert Peter Karlan live on YouTube. Each new episode of Coin Snacks with Jack will go live on YouTube every Wednesday at 3PM EST/Noon PST and feature special topics and informative interviews. 

Though the West Point Mint is now the United States’ primary bullion coin manufacturer, this was not always the case. In fact, it wasn’t until decades after West Point opened its doors that it began striking coins.