The federal government can move quickly when it wants to. In the days following John F. Kennedy’s assassination, officials at the U.S. Mint and the Treasury Department began talking with his widow about memorializing the slain president on a coin. Deciding against replacing another ex-president, Jacqueline Kennedy asked for the half dollar, which was then occupied by Benjamin Franklin. Wanting to start minting these coins as quickly as possible, Mint and Treasury officials decided against coming up with a design from scratch or soliciting options from engravers and artists. Instead, they adapt ..read more

2023 Morgan Dollar Reverse Proof 2023 Morgan Dollar Reverse Proof 2023 Peace Dollar Reverse Proof 2023 Peace Dollar Reverse Proof Just hook it to my veins… I try not to go overboard with commemorative coins — especially modern day ones. I’ve always been partial to the design and style of the pre-1954 commemoratives, so if I’m going to spend my money, it’ll be on one of those coins. I was also skeptical of the whole “reverse proof” thing. When I first heard of it, it sounded like a gimmick — not unlike colorized coins or commemorative coins with curved surfaces, like the moon landing or Bas ..read more

Time. Space. Reality. It’s more than a linear path. It’s a prism of endless possibility, where a single choice can branch out into infinite realities, creating alternate worlds from the ones you know. I am The Watcher. I am your guide through these vast new realities. Follow me, and ponder the question… What if? From Marvel’s “What If?” series Marvel’s What If? streaming series asks a number of interesting questions, including what might have happened if Peggy Carter got the super soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers? Or what if Killmonger had killed Tony Stark, permanently overthrown T’Chal ..read more

As we’ve seen, politicians from silver-producing states have, historically, had an outsized amount of influence when it came to dictating coinage policy in the United States. In the 1960s, though, opponents of silver coinage struck back. Appropriately enough, the battle between these forces took place over how to honor one of the greatest military and political leaders in American history. One of the best paths to the White House is through the armed services. Of our 46 Presidents, 31 have served in the military, with 12 rising to the rank of general (George Washington, Andrew Jackson, William ..read more

Last week, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) was charged with bribery, honest services fraud and extortion among other corruption-related crimes, marking a second such indictment since 2015. The powerful Senator, who until the indictment hit, chaired the Foreign Relations Committee, is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bribes and gifts in exchange for using his influence and connections to protect and secure favorable treatment for three businessmen with ties to the Egyptian government. The alleged bribes include cash, a luxury car, help with a home mortgage, compensa ..read more

When you become leader of a country, state, republic, kingdom, empire or territory whose legal status is in dispute, one thing is for sure: your face will appear on coins — both official and unofficial ones. That’s the case even if your reign lasts about as long as Chevy Chase’s career as a late night talk show. Or Mötley Crüe’s retirement. Or Richard Nixon‘s forced exit from politics after his infamous “Last Press Conference.” Napoleon II — Emperor of France (in name only): 1816 Napoleon II 3 Centimes Pattern Coin. (Image via me) “The King is dead! Long live the King!” The same holds tru ..read more

America’s semiquincentennial is coming up. Or is it a sestercentennial? Or bicentennial-and-a-quarter? Whatever you want to call it, it’s America’s 250th birthday. Planning commissions are already meeting to figure how to properly commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. If history is any guide, commemorative coins will be part of those plans. Will it be like 1876, when the U.S. Mint produced an official centennial medal? Or will it be like 1926, when it produced a sesquicentennial commemorative half dollar? Or 1976, when it produced new bicentennial ..read more

Numismatics have long been an important trope in pop culture, and it’s not hard to see why. For one thing, coins can be worth a lot of money, making them a good plot device for heist movies, crime dramas and treasure hunts. For another, they can serve as historical documents, adding credibility to period pieces or providing a glimpse into yesteryear from the present. And of course, they look good on screen, giving the actors, to say nothing of the audience, something striking to look at. These are just a few of the many movies, TV shows and plays in which numismatics play an important role. (T ..read more

* Yinz – A western-Pennsylvania bastardization of the phrase “you ones”, which addresses more than one person. With 17 professional championships, Pittsburgh may not be Titletown, USA (that would be New York City, with 65 as of early 2023), but it’s definitely punching above its weight. Yinzertown has won more titles than several much larger cities and markets, including Atlanta, Denver, Houston, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Miami, and Baltimore (suck it, Ravens!). Not bad, considering Pittsburgh only has three of the four major sports (although an old ABA franchise, The Pittsburgh Pip ..read more

The upcoming FIFA World Cup will make history in several ways. It will be the first tournament to take place in November-December, disrupting the European club season. It will also be the first World Cup to take place in the Middle East, and the first to take place in an Arabic country. One thing that won’t be a break with precedent? There will be plenty of coins issued to commemorate the event. FIFA, the Central Bank of Qatar, and various countries have already made some available for sale and there are probably a lot more out there. I’ve acquired a few World Cup coins over the years. Read al ..read more