Coin Jefferson
Hobby Of Collecting Coins
Very few things tell more about a country in fewer words than the coins it produces. Coins hold a wealth of information on their small faces, from the year of their birth to the language spoken at the time, from the metals a country holds valuable to the cultural influences and historical figures that its people hold valuable. Coins can also be strikingly beautiful in their own right, with the top designers of a nation striving to have their motif chosen for immortality on the face of a coin. With so much information and beauty contained in so small a package, it is no surprise that coin collecting has been a hobby nearly as long as the concept of coins themselves. An understanding of the long history of coin collecting, once known as “the hobby of kings,” will make this pastime even more enjoyable.
The Origin of Coins and Coin Collecting
The hobby of coin collecting began nearly as soon as the first coins were minted in Asia Minor, around 650 B.C. Before that time, gold and silver ingots were the most common form of legal tender. Because there was no standard, however, each trade necessitated a careful weighing and examination of the precious metals being offered, and it was easy for unscrupulous merchants to pass off a lesser quality of gold in trade. Coins, which were printed on standardized weights of precious metals and stamped with a government guarantee of value, was the answer to this unwieldy, easily sabotaged trading process. Within one hundred years, the concept of coins had been adopted by all of the major trading cities in the civilized world.
At the beginning, coin collecting had a very practical reason – there were no banks in which to store money. People hoarded coins as a way of safeguarding their wealth. Those coins that were especially beautiful were hoarded the longest, often being passed down within families.
Coin Collection in Renaissance Times
Modern coin collecting, where the coins are viewed as a work of art as well as a collection of valuable legal tender, is widely thought to have begun with Francesco Petrarca, or Petrarch, who is often called the father of the Renaissance. Although there is reason to believe that Roman emperors and citizens paid prices higher than face value for coins that were no longer in circulation, Petrarch was known to be an avid collector, and often spoke of his collection in his writing. During the Renaissance, popes and nobility began collecting coins for their artistic and historical value, and the name “the hobby of kings” was born. So popular was the pursuit and trade of ancient Greek and Roman coins in this time period, that a brisk business in high-quality counterfeits sprang into being. Today, these counterfeits even have a high value, due to their age, quality, and historical significance.
Coin Collecting in Modern Times
Coin collecting has been a favorite pastime of many people with a reverence for history, including U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. The development of two large coin organizations in the mid-to-late 1800s, the American Numismatic Society (ANS) and the American Numismatic Association (ANA), helped spark American interest in building and maintaining a coin collection. Today, there has been an explosion in American interest in coin collecting, in large part due to the ease and availability of obtaining interesting coins. The U.S. Mint has successfully increased interest in starting a coin collection through the minting of specialty coins, such as the bicentennial half dollars released in 1976 and the current release of quarters commemorating each of the fifty states.
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2007 MS70 Jefferson Liberty $10 Gold Coin
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Sale – The Perfect Gift – History of American Eagle Stein – Limited Edition – Magnificent ! The body of the stein is a smooth, black and blue glazed, high quality stoneware decorated with a gold wrap around design. This stein has been crafted to highlight the different representations of the American eagle over time and to recognize this inspiring symbol of freedom as an important piece of the United States’ history and future. A pewter emblem with gold highlighting is situated at the ce… |
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Jefferson Nickels Folder 1962-1995 (Official Whitman Coin Folder) $0.99 Whitman brand, folder opens flat for all-at-once viewing and includes data pertaining to the coins it holds. Jefferson Nickel #2 1962-1995 , 65 openings…. |
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Jefferson Nickels Folder 1938-1961 (Official Whitman Coin Folder) $1.28 Whitman Publishing offers all sorts of books, albums, folders and supplies for all your coin collecting from pennies to dollars…. |
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Jefferson Nickels Folder Starting 1996 (Official Whitman Coin Folder) $1.27 Whitman brand, folder opens flat for all-at-once viewing and includes data pertaining to the coins it holds. Jefferson Nickel #3 1996-2007 , 65 openings. Has additonal openings with no date…. |
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Gorgeous 2-toned 24k Gold on Sterling Silver World Coin Hinged Money Clip – New Jefferson nickel Bison 2005 Total clip size 1 x 2 $87.00 Each one of these real coins from around the World is first layered in pure Bright Silver. Then the figures of each are highlighted and brought to life with rich pure 24K Gold (this gold work is done by hand). This breathtaking and exclusive work turns these coins into stunning and true works of art. Each coin is hermetically sealed against wear in a clear, hard acrylic coating. NOTE: The Gold &… |
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Jefferson Nickel Profile Coin Cufflinks by Cuff-Daddy $124.99 Cuff-Daddy is proud to present these genuine coin cufflinks painted by hand by a local artisan. These feature the new Jefferson nickel and are actual coins. The artist selected top quality coins and painstakingly hand painted every detail that already exists in the coin just for you. Since all of the enamels are mixed by hand just prior to painting, no two cufflinks are ever exactly identical,… |
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Gorgeous 2-toned 24k Gold on Sterling Silver World Coin Hinged Money Clip – New Jefferson nickel Sacred White Buffalo (minted 2005) Total clip size 1 x 2 $77.00 Each one of these real coins from around the World is first layered in pure Bright Silver. Then the figures of each are highlighted and brought to life with rich pure 24K Gold (this gold work is done by hand). This breathtaking and exclusive work turns these coins into stunning and true works of art. Each coin is hermetically sealed against wear in a clear, hard acrylic coating. NOTE: The Gold &… |
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$2.00 Bill, U.S. Treasury Note, Two Dollars, Thomas Jefferson, Crisp, Clean, Uncirculated $0.01 Own a piece of American History. You won’t find one of these in the cash register of your local stores, but these are legal tender. Two dollar bills are great for small and large collectors. Each two dollar bill proudly displays a portrait of Thomas Jefferson, one of our nations founding fathers and 3rd president. Date of printing and serial number will vary…. |
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1998 U.S. Proof Set in Original Government Packaging $6.47 Up for sale we have a U.S. Mint 1998 Proof Set. This Set is in the Original Box and Plastic Holder that was issued from the U.S. Mint. Here’s what’s included in this proof set: 1998 Lincoln Cent, 1998 Jefferson Nickel, 1998 Roosevelt Dime, 1998 Washington Quarter, and 1998 Kennedy Half Dollar; and all in the original US Government packaging!!… |
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1997 U.S. Proof Set in Original Government Packaging $12.94 Up for sale we have a U.S. Mint 1997 Proof Set. This Set is in the Original Box and Plastic Holder that was issued from the U.S. Mint. Here’s what’s included in this proof set: 1997 Lincoln Cent, 1997 Jefferson Nickel, 1997 Roosevelt Dime, 1997 Washington Quarter, and 1997 Kennedy Half Dollar; and all in the original US Government packaging!!… |