Author Archives: Alan Herbert

Were there any attempts to revive the Morgan dollar after 1921? Continue reading →

Wasn’t the Bicentennial quarter an afterthought? Continue reading →

Didn’t the U.S. Olympic Committee have to pay for the lobbying done by the two private firms that attempted to take over distribution of the 1983-1984 Olympic coins? Continue reading →

The Latin slogan meaning “Out of Many, One” has been the topic of several recent questions. It is traced to a poem by Roman poet Virgil (70-19 B.C.), who used it in “Moretum” in the line, “…Deperdunt propias; color est E Pluribus Unum,” referring to ingredients ground up with a mortar and pestle. Continue reading →

Section 10 of the Mint Act of April 2, 1792, says, “… with this inscription, ‘UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,’ …” Once this tradition was established, nobody saw any need to change it. Particularly in the early days when dies were hand-made, they economized in every possible way, so perhaps this was another reason for not adding the extra three letters. Continue reading →

It’s a bit difficult to associate the term “rare” with a coin that had a mintage of more than 3 million at each of three mints. The proof mintage is more than 4 million, so any way you look at it the coin is not rare, even if it may be hard to find. Continue reading →