Numismatic News: Holding History In Your Hands

Above, the Lawrence and Smith Saloon on Main Street in Boise, Idaho,
circa 1890. How many Morgan silver dollars are in each gent's pockets?

Whenever I get some Morgan silver dollars (minted 1878 - 1904, 1921), I often think about where each coin has been and who held it, particularly when I see late 19th Century photos of western towns and people. When I see photos of men in saloons, one has to wonder how many Morgan silver dollars are in their pockets or in the saloon keeper's cash box.

Numismatic News has posted an article on how coin collecting is "holding history in your hands."

They begin it with:

A fun part of numismatics is holding a coin or note in your hands and being able to dream about who might have touched it at one time. That is not something you can experience by looking at pictures in books or online.

An even better part of being able to hold history in your own hands is that you don’t necessarily have to put out funds to own it. I have had the privilege of holding in my hands multiple coins that have sold or are insured for more than a million dollars, including the 1787 Brasher doubloon with “EB” stamped on the eagle’s breast, an 1804 Bust dollar and the unique 1844-O proof $10 Liberty. Some of these coins are so notorious you can view pictures of them in reference catalogs. I also now own some distinctive West African Kissi pennies that my father received in change when he worked in Liberia in the 1960s (as I wrote last year).

To read the full article, go here.