| Today, it is believed that the first
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| | collection and even gave out some as
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| coins were bronze and used in China
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| | gifts. In the Middle Ages, the wealthy
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| around 800-1,000BC. Lydia in Asia Minor
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| | families and royalty amassed amazing
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| used coins about 600-700 BC. The
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| | collections. Even in the early history
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| Lydian's coins were called "starters"
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| | of America, only the wealthy could afford
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| which was a unit of weight. Starters
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| | to collect coins. Everyone else had to
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| were stamped with a lion's head image and
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| | spend the money for necessities such as
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| made with a gold and silver alloy.
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| | food, shelter and clothing.
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| Today, as you might guess, the coins that
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| | Then in 1858 the American Numismatic
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| are still remaining are very valuable.
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| | Society was formed and in 1891 the
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| The early Americans did not use coins for
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| | American Numismatic Association was
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| money. They made their "notes" from
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| | founded. (A numismatist is a person who
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| beaver skins, wampum and tobacco. They
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| | studies, collects or invests in paper
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| had their own money system without coins
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| | money or coins). Because of these
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| in use until foreign traders came to
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| | organizations, public awareness of coin
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| America and demanded payment for their
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| | collecting grew and in the 1930s the U.S.
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| goods. The foreign coins then started to
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| | Commemorative coins were struck and
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| circulate, but soon Americans started
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| | became extremely popular with the public.
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| making their own coins from copper in the
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| | More and more people were starting to
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| 18th century. Then after the new
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| | collect and invest in coins. The
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| American government was born, it started
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| | numismatic hobby has been growing every
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| to regulate coinage. The rights to
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| | since the 1930s and it is estimated that
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| produce their own coins were eventually
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| | there are more that 15 million
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| given to the states. Later, national
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| | numismatists in the United States today!
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| coinage was produced in America and the
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| | Collecting coins is such a popular hobby
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| first U.S. Mint building started their
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| | because the idea of collecting money is
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| coining operations in Philadelphia in
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| | exciting! And the money itself is
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| 1793. The Mint building was actually an
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| | fascinating and informative. Coins can
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| old brewery! The cent coin was the first
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| | open up your world to other cultures,
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| one struck for circulation.
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| | history, art and economics by just
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| It's amazing how these ingenious and
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| | studying them and the stories attached to
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| enterprising early Americans operated
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| | the coins. There is a satisfaction when
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| their first Mints. They used a screw
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| | a person finds that particular date or
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| press that was powered by horses or many
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| | mintmark to complete his collection! And
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| strong men! The planchets were squeezed
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| | since a completed collection is more
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| between the obverse and reverse dies to
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| | valuable than individual coins, the
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| strike the coins. At first, the dies
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| | excitement grows after each completed
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| were cut by hand. Sometimes a die cutter
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| | collection!
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| would add his own artistic flair to his
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| | Start your collection today by visiting
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| dies.
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| | the many quality numismatic websites on
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| Coin collecting has a long and colorful
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| | the internet. Some companies even let
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| history and was mostly a hobby for the
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| | you preview the coins before you buy
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| wealthy until more modern times. The
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| | them! It really is an exciting and
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| Roman Emperor Augustus (63BC-14AD) was
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| | fascinating hobby. Don't be surprised
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| the earliest person known to collect
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| | that when you collect that first coin,
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| coins. He collected them for his own
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| | you won't want to stop!
|
