In 1794, the first silver dollar was issued and remained in circulation until 1804 with the value one dollar, hundred cents or unit on the edge of the coin. The value of the coin was engraved on the reverse side after a slip in simple or reeded edges.

On January 18,1837 a new act of Congress changed the weight to 412 ½ grains with a fineness of .900, the coin was removed from circulation on February 12, 1873 but was put back in circulation on February 28, 1878. It was removed again following another act of Congress in 1835. Only copper-nickel coins have been issued since 1971.

The flowing hair silver dollar was used from 1794 to 1795, designed by Robert Scot. It weighed 26.96 grams and was composed of .8924 silver and .1076 copper, 39 to 40mm in diameter, with one dollar or unit, hundred cents stamped on the edge. The draped bust coin was used from 1795 to 1798 and has a small eagle on the reverse side.

It was late in 1835 when R.M. Patterson instructed Christian Gorbrecht to create dies from a design created by Thomas Sully and Titian Peale. The front has a seated Liberty and the reverse displays an eagle with 26 stars and the statement United States of America One Dollar. Gorbrecht’s name had been on the first dies. In late 1836, pieces were produced using 416 grains in accordance with the 1792 standards for coins.

There are many silver coins that are both fun to have as well as very rare and worth quite a bit of money. One such coin is the 1804 silver dollar. In actuality, there were none printed in 1804. This was a mistake by the makers of the coin and only about 15 are known to be in existence today. Because of this they are very rare and highly sought after.

One very good reason to invest in silver coins is that this type of investing is very easy to participate in. All coins are easily sold as well as easy to buy by anyone in just about any place. While serious collectors only trade with other serious collectors, as a hobby one can pick up valuable coins in many places.

Silver has never really caught on as a form of currency here in the United States. This is probably due to the weight of the coins as well as the space required to store them. Putting a piece of paper in your wallet is by far easier than stuffing several coins in your wallet. Starting on a collection of coins is very easy to do.

Silver coins were an essential way that he and Phillip II paid their armies and military expenses. The Romans used silver coins to pay off their legions, and they also used these coins throughout their daily transactions. Silver coins do help us understand the history of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. The first currency where silver was used was back in 1828. Silver coins come in many different designs. Although the Coinage Act of 1792 made the dollar the standard monetary unit, the silver coin is still a very valuable thing to collect.

The silver coin was hand crafted by a craftsmen who worked with precious metals. For the American silversmith to obtain raw materials was difficult. He had to either purchase silver bars or melt silver coins. Silversmiths also bought the materials from the public. This also helps to explain how rare and different each piece was back in 1859 when this was going on. Not one piece of silver was the same, they were all unique. Although the silver dollar never quite became as popular as people had hoped, silver was still used on a daily basis as currency.

When attending a coin collector show one must be prepared by carrying cash if they intend to purchase a new piece for their collection. Many dealers and sellers will not accept checks and some cannot accept credit cards. To avoid any problems with getting that coin that you’ve been looking for it is best to carry enough cash with you to do so.

For many attending this type of gathering is the only opportunity to purchase rare collectible coins. Many are owned only by dealers. For this reason it is difficult to make a purchase outside of this type of venue. Dealers either have their own shops where they will buy and sell coins or they can also attend coin shows to have the opportunity to not only sell their rare coins but to buy new ones as well.

When new coins are released there are ways that avid collectors can obtain these coins if they would like. Many find it easiest to attend the shows and purchase the coins there rather than risk shipping them to their home. Collectors who have very large collections usually have some that they are willing to part with as well. Shows are a good location to find some of these.

In 1964 dimes were produced using copper and nickel, not pure silver. Pure silver dimes minted in 1965 were an accident. The value of these dimes can be up to $9,000 for collectors today. They are rare, but it is believed there are a few still in circulation. The silver dime has a silver edge, while the mixed dime has a brown edge. The pure silver dime also weighs more at 2.50 grams and the mix weighs 2.7 grams.

The authentic 1862 Liberty Seated Dollar is a coin collectors are seeking. They are rare because of the need for silver during the Civil War, 1861-1865. The coin consists of 90% silver and 10% copper. The weight is 26.73 grams. There was a counterfeit coin produced that is lacking the word “liberty” on the shield. It also has a blurred image of the Goddess of Liberty.

The Scott Restrike Half Dollar, Confederate Coin, is valued at $3,350.00 to $10,000 dollars. The Confederate Mint closed on April 30, 1861 after striking four Confederate Half Dollars. The chief coiner, B. F. Taylor received one. He sold the die that made the reverse side of the coin to E. Mason, JR., of Philadelphia in 1879. Then E. Mason sold the die to J. Walter Scott and Company, who was New York coin dealers. Mr. Scott purchased 500 Liberty Seated Half Dollars to restrike with the Confederate coin die. Part of the original reverse was visible so he had to have them shaved and re-done.

Next, kids should do a bit of research at the local library or online for basic information about the history of coin collecting, types of silver coins that are most valued and those most traded. Another way to encourage silver coin collecting for kids is to have them visit silver-unlimited.net where they can gather the kind of information on how to acquire silver coins for their collection.

Silver Coin Collecting Grows With The Child
Kids eventually develop a fairly solid background with their coin collecting hobby. As they become young adults, they should consider their silver coin collection in terms of investment value. This is whole other area that teaches children about investments. They will learn how silver increases in value as a result of investment market fluctuations. They will also be better able to judge silver weight with respect to market value. It’s an investment for kids as well as parents.

Visit silver-unlimited.net – For A Great Start
The online website silver-unlimited.net offers kids an opportunity to start their silver coin collecting hobby. The site is convenient, educational and a good introduction for kids.

Coin collectors are also called Numismatists. Do a little research and you will find many about their stories on getting started. Most people start out small when collecting, others go all out. Collecting coins is easy like finding loose change around your house. People collect these silver coins for a lot of different reasons and interest. It could be the different design’s to coin manufacture, and obtaining every date. It’s kind of like art work. They are rare to find, and value of the coin could be worth a lot. Many collect coins because it’s the story behind it.

When people become good at collecting coins they want others to see their hobby. Some people take trips, including overseas to show their collections or future investments. Coin collectors join coin organizations to get valuable information on their hobby. There are many coin collecting books and websites out there. Building a coin collection, is a long process. While doing this keep your coins stored. using the albums and coin books for protection from being damaged. The United States coin manufacturer is the largest currency in the world.

The easiest, and more importantly, cheapest, place to locate silver coins is in circulation. While there are not as many floating around as there were, say a decade ago, they still turn up in change. Any dime, quarter, half dollar, or silver dollar minted before nineteen sixty-four are made of ninety percent silver. It’s easy to distinguish them, as when they are viewed from the side there is no copper viewable.

Going to your local bank and purchasing rolls of any one of those coins is fun, and occasionally a silver coin can still be found. While many people are aware of the the pre nineteen sixty four coins being silver, many are unaware that nickels made from 1942 through 1945 are thirty five percent silver. And Kennedy halves from 1965 through 1967 are forty percent silver. Because of the lower silver content, many collectors over look them in change.

If you are at a store that contains a Coinstar machine, check out the basket that returns uncountable coins. Silver coins fall into this category, and you never know what might be sitting in that basket. Be sure to ask friends and family to check their change as well.

One last resource is the cashier at any local store. Strike up a conversation and ask them to keep an eye out for any silver coins. Often a cashier will gladly sell a quarter for a dollar, not caring about the coin as a collectible.

Silver coins are getting harder to find in circulation, but with a little work and luck, they can be found.

Foreign silver coins are a different story really. There are several coins that are regularly circulated as currency today that are collectible and spendable all at the same time. Some of the foreign silver coins that people look for include the Corona from Austria, schillings from the Austrian Republic, and the pence from Australia.

The Belgium Franc is also made from silver as is the Brazilian Reis. Canada also offers several coins made with silver. In the United States, the dime, nickle, quarter, half dollar and older dollar coins contain silver as well. Today the gold dollar coins are more commonly found.

United States and Canadian currency in the United States are considered one and the same with coins. However, if you hold a Canadian dime and an American dime in opposite hands, you will notice that the Canadian dime weighs far less than the American dime. This is due to the contents of the coin. There is a blend of metals used in both, but the Canadian currency is made with lighter weight metals than the US currency.

A collector of silver coins must always be on the look out for fake or counterfeit currency regardless of where it comes from. Because the look of silver in a coin can be easily duplicated, knowing the signs that say it’s not real is very important.

In order to clean silver collectible coins, the first thing needed is a bucket or large bowl filled with lukewarm distilled water. A mild soap or detergent is then added and stirred into the water. A soft toothbrush is then dipped into the soapy water and this is then used to clean the silver coin. It is important to keep in mind that any damage to a collectible item will lower the market value, so extra care has to be taken when rubbing the dirt or tarnish off of the coin. If the dirt does not come off easily, then only whatever is loose should be removed. After the dirt has been removed, the collectible silver coin should be rinsed off gently in clear water and then dubbed dry using a very soft towel.