Prince of Wales service with a smile?

Would you please translate “Ich Dien,” the German phrase on the English twopence?

It means “I Serve,” from the badge of the Prince of Wales. It dates to Edward, the Black Prince (1330-1376).

Are there any coins that show people of other countries?

Greek and Roman coins frequently showed captives from lands conquered by their troops. A coin of Brittany shows an enemy head suspended in chains. There are numerous modern commemoratives, including the Isabella quarter and the Lafayette dollar from the United States.

What is meant by “Consular coins?”

Consular coins were Roman coins, struck by the consuls, in 335 to 327 B.C., before the establishment of the empire. They are also known as family coins.

Did all participating countries in 1984 Olympics issue coins?

Some did, but not all. Some countries that were not in the Games also issued coins.

What is the meaning of “Alfonsvs D G R AR S C V F?”

It means “Alfonso, by the grace of God King of Aragon and the Nearer (Citra) and Farther (Ultra) Sicily.” The “F” is for the river Faro, indicating the Sicily beyond the river and not Messina.

I want to buy some gold and silver bullion, but a local dealer wants a substantial premium over the quoted spot prices. Can you recommend a dealer that I can buy from at a reasonable price?

Company policy prohibits specific dealer, product or service recommendations, but my best suggestion is to shop around. Check out prices online. Keep in mind that premiums fluctuate. Competition in the bullion business is heavy enough that you should find most dealers charge competitively with their premiums over spot prices. But you still might balk at some premiums. Consider that the Mint recently ran out of silver American Eagles (Sept. 6-17). The silver Eagle premium shot up to 25 percent over spot price. The premium for a gold American Eagle coin priced at the same time was just 5 percent.

The legal piracy of the early days of our country is well documented. If I read the Constitution correctly, it sounds as if it would still be legal.

The Founding Fathers included two specific weapons in the Constitution: the Letter of Marque and the Letter of Reprisal, which were used in several cases to turn our ships into pirates working within the letter of the law. If you would care to apply for such papers for your gunboat, check Article 1, section 8, paragraph 11 and the first paragraph of section 10.

E-mail inquiries only. Do not send letters in the mail. Send to Giedroyc@Bright.net. Because of space limitations, we are unable to publish all questions.

More Collecting Resources

• Are you a U.S. coin collector? Check out the 2019 U.S. Coin Digest for the most recent coin prices.

• With over 25,000 listings and 15,500 illustrations, the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money, Modern Issues is your go-to guide for modern bank notes.