 Cover of the January 2019 issue of Coins | |
| Type | Monthly special-interest magazine |
|---|---|
| Format | Magazine |
| Owner(s) | Active Interest Media |
| Publisher | Corinne Zielke |
| Editor | Sophia Mattimiro |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Language | English |
| Ceased publication | June 2023 |
| Headquarters | Des Moines, Iowa |
Coins (formerly Coins: The Magazine of Coin Collecting) [1] is an American monthly numismatic publication.
Coins magazine was founded by Chester L. Krause in 1955 [2] and was called Coin Press. [3] Originally published in Iola, Wisconsin, by Krause Publications from 1955-2002, it was absorbed into F+W Media, which published the magazine from 2002-2019. In September 2019 it was acquired by Active Interest Media. [4] [5] Then the magazine became part of Active Interest Media's Home Group, based in Des Moines, Iowa. [6]
Along with COINage , it was one of the top numismatic magazines by circulation, with 100,000 subscribers as of October 2009. [7]
In May 2023, it was announced that Coins would cease publication effective with the June 2023 issue, bringing an end to its run. [8]
Each issue features articles related to coin and paper money collecting, numismatics, investing, the history of the hobby and of coins in general, as well as tips on collecting and a “coin finds” column, where readers can write to discuss any interesting coins found in circulation. In addition, the magazine features several pages of coin values for coins of obsolete denominations such as the half cent, to modern coinage, as well as commemorative coins and proof sets. R.W. Julian is a regular contributor.
Each month, the magazine focuses on specific coins or series, such as Barber dimes, or Susan B. Anthony dollars. In addition, it occasionally features reviews of recent numismatic books, and a “market watch” column that tracks bullion values. [9]
In addition to the monthly feature stories, each issue contains regular columns, including:
Coin Finds — In which readers can write or email to talk about Coins they have recently found in circulation. [10]
Market Watch — Tracking the values of bullion such as gold, silver, and platinum. [11]
Basics and Beyond — A column focusing on Dr. Mike Thorne's recent pickups and show experiences, as well as occasional reviews of numismatic books.
Grading Standards — A coin grading column.
Bargain Collector — Focusing on some of the best "bang for your buck" coins in the hobby.
Coins was carried by Barnes & Noble in their periodical section.
Coin collecting is the collecting of coins or other forms of minted legal tender.
A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by a government. Coins often have images, numerals, or text on them. The faces of coins or medals are sometimes called the obverse and the reverse, referring to the front and back sides, respectively. The obverse of a coin is commonly called heads, because it often depicts the head of a prominent person, and the reverse is known as tails.
The Coinage Act of 1873 or Mint Act of 1873, was a general revision of laws relating to the Mint of the United States. By ending the right of holders of silver bullion to have it coined into standard silver dollars, while allowing holders of gold to continue to have their bullion made into money, the act created a gold standard by default. It also authorized a Trade dollar, with limited legal tender, intended for export, mainly to Asia, and abolished three small-denomination coins. The act led to controversial results and was denounced by critics as the "Crime of '73".
The United States Mint is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury responsible for producing coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce, as well as controlling the movement of bullion. It does not produce paper money; that responsibility belongs to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The first United States Mint was created in Philadelphia in 1792, and soon joined by other centers, whose coins were identified by their own mint marks. There are currently four active coin-producing mints: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco, and West Point.
Coin grading is the process of determining the grade or condition of a coin, one of the key factors in determining its value. A coin's grade is generally determined by six criteria: strike, preservation, luster, color, attractiveness, and occasionally the country/state in which they're minted. Several grading systems have been developed. Certification services professionally grade coins for tiered fees.
The history of ancient Greek coinage can be divided into four periods: the Archaic, the Classical, the Hellenistic and the Roman. The Archaic period extends from the introduction of coinage to the Greek world during the 7th century BC until the Persian Wars in about 480 BC. The Classical period then began, and lasted until the conquests of Alexander the Great in about 330 BC, which began the Hellenistic period, extending until the Roman absorption of the Greek world in the 1st century BC. The Greek cities continued to produce their own coins for several more centuries under Roman rule. The coins produced during this period are called Roman provincial coins or Greek Imperial Coins.
The Numismatist is the monthly publication of the American Numismatic Association. The Numismatist contains articles written on such topics as coins, tokens, medals, paper money, and stock certificates. All members of the American Numismatic Association receive the publication as part of their membership benefits.
The American twenty-cent piece is a coin struck from 1875 to 1878, but only for collectors in the final two years. Proposed by Nevada Senator John P. Jones, it proved a failure due to confusion with the quarter, to which it was close in both size and value.
This glossary of numismatics is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to numismatics and coin collecting, as well as sub-fields and related disciplines, with concise explanations for the beginner or professional.
COINage, a bi-monthly American special-interest magazine, targeting numismatists and coin investors. Behn-Miller Publications, Inc. - under the joint ownership of Gordon Behn and COINage editorial director James L. Miller - originally published the magazine on a quarterly basis. During that period it was based in Dallas, Texas. In 1965 the magazine moved to a bi-monthly publishing schedule, before moving to a monthly publishing schedule from 1966 until 2019.
Coin World is an American numismatic magazine, with weekly and monthly issues. It is among the world’s most popular non-academic publications for coin collectors and is covering the entire numismatic field, including coins, paper money, medals and tokens.
Krause Publications is an American publisher of hobby magazines and books. Originally a company founded and based in Iola, Wisconsin, they relocated to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, in April 2018.
Coin roll hunting is the hobby of searching and sorting coinage pulled from circulation for collectible coins. This is achieved through obtaining rolled coin, boxed coin, or bagged coin from banks and credit unions. A variant of this practice involves banknotes and is carried out in essentially the same fashion, normally to search for unusual serial numbers, star notes, and misprints.
Quentin David Bowers is an American numismatist, author, and columnist. Beginning in 1952, Bowers’s contributions to numismatics have continued uninterrupted and unabated to the present day. He has been involved in the selling of rare coins since 1953 when he was a teenager.
The 1-yen coin is the smallest denomination of the Japanese yen currency. Historically they were initially made of both silver and gold in the early 1870s. Issues facing the Japanese government at the time included wanting to adopt the gold standard, and competing against the Mexican dollar for use in foreign trade. The decision was made to use silver one yen coins exclusively outside of Japan for trade, while gold coins were minted and used in mainland Japan. Gold and silver coins were eventually allowed to co-circulate in mainland Japan from 1878 to 1897 when they were demonetized. Millions of former one yen silver coins were countermarked by the Japanese government for use outside of the mainland. Silver one yen coins continued to be minted until 1914 for backing up currency.
The 1804 dollar or Bowed Liberty Dollar was a dollar coin struck by the United States Mint, of which fifteen specimens are currently known to exist. Though dated 1804, none were struck in that year; all were minted in the 1830s or later. They were first created for use in special proof coin sets used as diplomatic gifts during Edmund Roberts' trips to Siam and Muscat.
Chop marks on coins are Chinese characters stamped or embossed onto coins by merchants in order to validate the weight, authenticity and silver content of the coin. Depending on particular technique coins said to have been "chopmarked", "countermarked" and "counterstamped".
The Roosevelt dime is the current dime, or ten-cent piece, of the United States. Struck by the United States Mint continuously since 1946, it displays President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the obverse and was authorized soon after his death in 1945.
Numismatic News is an American numismatic magazine which has been in circulation since 1952.
Scott A. Travers is an American numismatist and author. Travers is considered to be a prominent consumer advocate for coin collectors, informing the public about common and potential scams.