Coins

Coins have been used for centuries as money. Coins were originally made from precious metals like gold or silver. The purpose of the coin was to standardize a certain amount of precious metal to make trade easier. Modern coins are often a composite of several metals and more designed more for durability than for their monetary value even though some modern coins are still made of gold and silver and other precious metals.

Most all countries produce some type of coin money. Most countries create coins with designs, emblems, or pictures of important people or events relative to that countries history. This practice dates all the way back to the ancient Romans.

When looking at modern coins, it is easy to be amazed at the level of fine detail most world coins have. The process of creating such fine details is a complex multi step process. To create the fine details in a coin an artist will first create a large mold. This will be many times larger than the coin that will be created from it. This allows the artist to create a much greater degree of detail than they could if they were trying to create it on the small scale of the coin.

From the original mold a new smaller mold is created using a machine called a pantograph. This machine scans over the original mold created by the artist and through a series of complex mechanical gears creates a smaller version of the original. This smaller version then can be used to create a dye to press the images into a blank a coin created that has no designs or artwork on it yet. The new coin may also have additional steps done to it such creating rigged edges and other details.

Many coins that have been created are seen as little complex works of art. Because of this, many coins are sought after by collectors. Some of the most valuable US coins that are sought after by collectors are the Indian head eagle, the Liberty double head eagle, and the capped bust eagle. In US currency, occasionally coins that were mis made have been released. This is a very rare occurrence. Because this happens so infrequently, these coins are heavily sought out by collectors.

The 1969 double dye penny can bring up to 35,000 dollars. Collectors may also collect coins for reasons other than the monetary value of the coin. Often when people travel to different countries they will keep some of the coins from their trip. The coins make an excellent souvenir and memento of the places they have traveled to.

Some people also collect coins because of their artistic quality or personal relevance to the person who collects them. Recently in the US the mint released quarters that represent each of the 50 states with custom designs on the back that show off something the state is noted for. Many collectors have enjoyed collecting these unique quarters even though they haven't become valuable yet.