Struck between 1926 and 1939, the Oregon Trail Half Dollar is widely considered America’s most beautiful commemorative coin. Explore the history of Ezra Meeker, the stunning husband-and-wife design, and how this coin became the poster child for numismatic greed.
Long before the Morgan Dollar, the Seated Liberty design dominated 19th-century American commerce. Explore the history of these classic silver coins, from half dimes to silver dollars, and learn why the Mint had to add arrows next to the dates during the California Gold Rush
It is one of the shortest-lived and strangest denominations in US Mint history. Learn how a massive Civil War coin shortage gave birth to the 1864 two-cent piece, and how this heavy copper coin became the very first to bear the iconic motto “In God We Trust.”
In 1896, the United States decided to turn its money into a canvas. Explore the history of the Educational Series, a short-lived set of silver certificates featuring sweeping, edge-to-edge murals that were deemed too beautiful—and too controversial—to survive.
In 1923, it took a wheelbarrow full of cash just to buy a loaf of bread in Germany. Explore the numismatic legacy of the Weimar Republic’s hyperinflation, from emergency porcelain coins (Notgeld) to the legendary 1 Billion Mark coin.
Before the Civil War, local Michigan towns and “Wildcat Banks” printed their own beautiful paper money. Learn the chaotic history behind Obsolete Banknotes, why most of them became worthless paper, and why they are highly prized by local collectors today.
It is the most famous unauthorized coin in American history. Learn the incredible true-crime story behind the five 1913 Liberty Head Nickels, from a midnight strike at the US Mint to a lost multi-million-dollar treasure sitting in a closet for 40 years.
You can hold the history of the Bible in your hands. Explore the fascinating numismatic history behind the New Testament’s most famous coins, including the Widow’s Mite, the Roman Tribute Penny of Tiberius, and the Thirty Pieces of Silver.
Struck from 1916 to 1930, the Standing Liberty Quarter is widely considered America’s most beautiful silver coin. Explore the history behind its two major redesigns, the infamous bare breast controversy, and why the “Full Head” designation is the ultimate challenge for collectors.
Struck to celebrate the end of World War I, the Peace Dollar is a masterpiece of American coin design. Explore the history of Anthony de Francisci’s iconic work, the melting of the Morgan dollars, and the legendary 1921 High Relief rarity.