Realcent.org

The auction of some old US Large Cents got me to thinking. Our national coinage began in 1793; 218 years ago. What's your favorite oldest US coin minted 1793 and later that you have in your collection? Perhaps you know some history about your coin, perhaps not. Anyway, think about what was happpening in the US when your coin was minted. What famous people could have spent that coin at an early General Store? If you've got a photo, please post it so we can all see. Sometimes your favorite coin is a worn down penny from the beginning decades of our nation. It doesn't have to be a cameo or an MS-65 either. What do you think about your coin when you hold it in your hand?

Favorite coin is a 1906 O Barber half that my Grandfather carried as a pocket piece. That was his birth year.

To call it even "about good" would be a push now as it's worn nearly slick and smooth. I'd tried to continue the tradition by carrying it with me, too, but after coming too close to losing it a couple times, I now keep it in a special place at home.

My wife and daughter already have instructions to tuck that in my pocket before I'm lowered six feet underground.

I don't have just a single favorite, but lincoln cents are my favorite to collect especially laminated lincolns.

My favorite coin is my 1830 Bust half. Has full Liberty, has a nice patina and would probably grade XF except that someone years ago tried to punch a hole above Liberty's head. I paid $25 for it about 4 years ago. Sorry there is no photo. Can't figure out how to add one. My second favorite is an 1818 Quarter with a hole. I love the pre 1835 quarters because they were almost the size of half dollars. Bust coins are my favorites. I try to collect all that I can if the price is right and I don't mind a hole in the head.

I can't really point to one coin and say it's my favorite. I've got a little bit of nostalgia and imagination to me, so I like the old stuff from around the time period of the Calif. Gold Rush, civil war, and the wild west... basically, the 1850's to 90's.

Within this range of time, one of my favorite pieces is an 1884-CC $20 Liberty, graded AU50 by PCGS. Being that it is from the Carson City Mint, then there is a strong possibility that it was used in the Old Wild West for some kind of commercial activity... whether it be pure or not. $20 got a lot in those days... the equivalent of about $2000 in today's terms. And this coin has been circulated, so I know it has seen some action. To imagine what the coin may have purchased, or who could have held it in their hand makes me attracted to this coin. I'll have to pull it out and show a picture of it, but other than the CC mintmark, it just looks like a regular old $20 liberty.

Another coin that comes to mind is actually not a US coin, but was used in California commerce during the time after the gold rush. It is a privately minted .25 Indian Head gold piece... made from California gold, and intended to help to fill the coin and currency shortage during the time. It was much easier and fairer to pay with a coin than it was with an unknown quantity of gold dust, pinched between the fingers of a greedy bartender. Private mints sprung up and produced these gold tokens for trade. I have an uncirculated example from 1875, PCGS MS62. This coin has a total population of less than 900 pieces. This one is worth a picture, and I'll post it up at another time.

I have two favorites (they're my favorites because of their history more-so than their appearance).

First is my Racketeer Nickel. Second is my 1853 Trime.