Coin Talk

A relatively new addition to my collection, this electrum coin of Mytilene, a one-sixth stater, called hektai in Greek, is one that quickly pulled me far beyond the coin itself. This isn't the first post about this coin type, but I’d like to continue that conversation. What began as an aesthetic attraction led me to treaties carved in stone, monetary systems built on trust, and ultimately to the moment when regional identity gave way to imperial efficiency.



In 326 BCE, one of ancient history's most sophisticated experiments in international cooperation met a cold, imperial end. It wasn’t a siege or a natural disaster that dissolved the two-century-old monetary tradition between Mytilene and Phocaea; it was the calculated efficiency of Alexander the Great. As the Macedonian shadow stretched across Asia Minor, the electrum coins of Phokaia and Mytilene were systematically melted down and recast in the uniform coinage for a new global empire....

The 1816 Austrian One Kreuzer

I’ve been spending some time lately researching one of the most ubiquitous, yet historically dense, copper coins of the 19th century.

Most of us have seen these in bargain bins or inherited "world coin" jars—often worn down to a VG or Fine—but their story is a fascinating look at a superpower trying to survive a state bankruptcy.

Did you know? These coins were struck at six different mints across modern-day Austria, Slovakia, and Romania. If you find one with a "G" or "O" mint mark, you’re holding a rare piece of Transylvanian history! ‍♂️

The story of the 1816 Austrian Kreuzer is inextricably linked to the Habsburg Monarchy’s desperate efforts to reclaim economic sovereignty and political legitimacy in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars.


This coinage represented the physical manifestation of the 1816 Patent. This legislative cornerstone sought to stabilize a currency ravaged by decades of...

Hieron II (Hiero) born 308 BC, and ruled Syracuse, Greek Sicily, from 275 BC until he died in 215 BC. The fact that he lived over 90 years and ruled for 60 is even more incredible knowing he was born an illegitimate child to a Syracusan nobleman.


Hiero served under Pyrrhus, who was considered one of the greatest of the ancient generals. When Pyrrhus left Sicily in 275 BC, Hiero was appointed commander-in-chief.


Hiero was more keen in ruling Sicily than his predecessors. He married the daughter of one the the leading citizens in Syracuse (the capital of Sicily), ruled according to their laws, acknowledged the will of the assemblies, and never purged his opponents. He also signed and honored a treaty with Rome that led to peace and prosperity.


Hiero was known for his close relationship with Archimedes, whom he commissioned to build innovative war machines (like the Claw of Archimedes). Hiero once charged Archimedes...

What do redwood trees, the interior of the Hagia Sophia, and my new coin have in common?

Photos can’t do it justice.

Having recently taken an interest in Napoleonic history, I’ve been keeping a lookout for nice coins of that time. This silver franc caught my eye in a recent CNG auction. I could see it had great detail and also looked like it had some decent toning. The auction house described it as AU with “beautiful deep and iridescent toning”. My bid was successful and I bought the coin. Here’s CNG’s picture:


As nice as it looked in the auction house photo, when the coin arrived I was amazed how much better it was in real life. The toning is spectacular, brilliant and flashy. I spent some time photographing it, trying to capture the full beauty of it. Here's the best I could do.

A couple of recent posts got me thinking about adjustment marks. First, a post by @johnmilton showed a gold coin with adjustment marks that was much later than I had thought adjustment by file had occurred at the mint.

And, in a recent post about a 1795 dollar, a poster asked how to tell the difference between scratches and adjustment marks.

So this post asks two questions.

Please post your photos of coins with adjustment marks as a gallery of what they look like and also to see how late this process was used at the mint. I'll start with a 1795 half dollar.

I posit that adjustment marks are generally cut deep, wide, and spaced a bit far apart, indicating that the adjustment file used was deliberately chosen to be coarse. This shows up in the coins we see. While we sometimes say that adjustment marks are characterized by parallelism and that is true, that argument alone is insufficient because we sometimes (often) see PMD scratches that are also parallel....

Thessaly, Larissa Silver Stater (356–342 BC)

I wanted to share a recent image and a few behind-the-scenes shots showing how it was made. The coin is a silver stater from Larissa, Thessaly (356–342 BC) — a municipal issue with a remarkably high-contrast surface. The reverse features a bridled horse advancing to the right, with its foreleg raised.



What made this one challenging was the extreme tonal range: bright, untoned metal next to deep fields of oxidation. Even well diffused lighting immediately blew out the highlights and crushed the midtones.

Instead of fighting it, I reversed my approach. I turned the coin away from the light, and the main illumination came from white and silver reflectors angled in front. This let me “wrap” the light around the relief softly, maintaining texture and definition without washing out the contrast. It took some tweaking, but I think the result was worth the effort.

In the...

Visited the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, Wales today. What a great experience it was! Started with Google leading my wife and me to the security gate where trucks carrying coins and metals pass. Not surprisingly, we didn’t enter there but an employee kindly directed us to the visitor entrance. The staff was very friendly, and the tour guide was cheery and well informed. We elected to have the strike-your-own-coin and the tea for two options (extra cost but well worth it).

The part of the tour through the factory was strictly no pictures. There were parts of various equipment types (presses, up-setter, edge letterer, sheet roller, etc.) and dies available to touch. The sheet metal rolls of base metal used for planchet production weigh 3 tons. Then it was through the factory floor separated from the presses only with a wire fence. This part of the factory, the largest part at 50 x 100 meters, is for production of circulating coins. There were many huge presses. We didn’t go through...

Hi all! I recently purchased a PCGS membership and decided to send in a few coins. Some of these aren't really "worth it" for grading, but I prefer graded coins for my collection. I also like waiting for grades, picking out coins, etc. It's easier, to me, to purchase raw at a low price and grade myself than buy after the fact at an inflated price!

I submitted 10 coins in total. Luckily, 9/10 straight graded. Many of these will likely stay in my personal collection unless I upgrade them.

The great thing about PCGS regular world submissions is coins come with true views automatically, which makes this post even easier!

First up, the details coin of the bunch. Bavaria, 1686-CZ, 10 pfennig, UNC Details, Cleaned. Honestly, the obverse I thought looked good, but the reverse I think earned the details grade. This coin also has a pretty gnarly curve from the roller milling process


Secondly, a couple uniface pfennigs from Nurnberg. Both were graded MS63....

Here are a couple of really interesting coins that recently turned up.



There is a cross over here from Shipwreck coins, military career and political activism.

Admiral Alan Gardner, a figure of considerable renown in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was a pivotal naval officer during an era dominated by the formidable might of the Royal Navy. His distinguished career was marked by bravery and strategic acumen, earning him a place among the luminaries of Nelson's era. Gardner's active service spanned significant conflicts, from the American War of Independence to the protracted struggles against Revolutionary France. He commanded with distinction at the pivotal 'Glorious First of June' in 1794, a major naval engagement against the French fleet, and later played a crucial role at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797, a resounding British victory. His unwavering resolve and leadership...