Chapter Page
Credits and Acknowledgments 12
How to Use this Book 14
2023 Coin Market Report 18
Collecting U.S. Coins 20
A Seminar on the Grading of Coins 21
Rare Coins as an Investment 25
Aspects of Authenticity 25
Cleaning, Conservation, and Preservation 31
The History of Coins in America, 1607 to Date 35
Pre-Federal Issues 118
Colonial Issues 118
Post-Colonial Issues 143
Federal Issues 179
Contract Issues and Patterns 179
Half Cents 185
Liberty Cap, Head Facing Left (1793) 186
Liberty Cap, Head Facing Right (1794-1797) 190
Draped Bust (1800-1808) 194
Classic Head (1809-1836) 199
Braided Hair (1840-1857) 205
Large Cents 210
Flowing Hair, Chain Reverse (1793) 211
Flowing Hair, Wreath Reverse (1793) 214
Liberty Cap (1793-1796) 218
Draped Bust (1796-1807) 223
Classic Head (1808-1814) 231
Matron Head (1816-1839) 235
Braided Hair (1839-1857) 245
Small Cents 252
Flying Eagle (1856-1858) 253
Indian Head (1859-1909) 258
Lincoln, Wheat Ears Reverse (1909-1958) 270
Lincoln, Memorial Reverse (1959-2008) 284
Lincoln, Bicentennial Reverses (2009) 292
Lincoln, Shield Reverse (2010 to Date) 295
Two-Cent Pieces 298
Shield (1864-1873) 299
Three-Cent Pieces 304
Silver Three-Cent Pieces (Trimes) (1851-1873) 306
Nickel Three-Cent Pieces (1865-1889) 312
Nickel Five-Cent Pieces 318
Shield (1866-1883) 319
Liberty Head (1883-1913) 325
Indian Head or Buffalo (1913-1938) 332
Jefferson (1938-2003) 340
Westward Journey (2004-2005) 354
Jefferson Modified (2006 to Date) 356
Half Dismes 359
Half Disme (1792) 360
Half Dimes 363
Flowing Hair (1794-1795) 364
Draped Bust, Small Eagle Reverse (1796-1797) 367
Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1800-1805) 371
Capped Bust (1829-1837) 375
Liberty Seated (1837-1873) 380
Dimes 391
Draped Bust, Small Eagle Reverse (1796-1797) 392
Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1798-1807) 396
Capped Bust (1809-1837) 400
Liberty Seated (1837-1891) 408
Barber (1892-1916) 423
Winged Liberty Head or "Mercury" (1916-1945) 430
Roosevelt (1946 to Date) 439
Twenty-Cent Pieces 449
Liberty Seated (1875-1878) 450
Quarter Dollars 454
Draped Bust, Small Eagle Reverse (1796) 456
Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1804-1807) 460
Capped Bust (1815-1838) 463
Liberty Seated (1838-1891) 470
Barber (1892-1916) 483
Standing Liberty (1916-1930) 491
Washington, Eagle Reverse (1932-1998) 497
Washington, State, D.C., and Territorial (1999-2009) 512
Washington, America the Beautiful™ (2010-2021) 522
Washington, Crossing the Delaware (2021) 535
Washington, American Women (2022-2025) 536
Half Dollars 539
Flowing Hair (1794-1795) 542
Draped Bust, Small Eagle Reverse (1796-1797) 546
Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1801-1807) 549
Capped Bust, Lettered Edge (1807-1836) 554
Capped Bust, Reeded Edge (1836-1839) 566
Liberty Seated (1839-1891) 570
Barber (1892-1915) 584
Liberty Walking (1916-1947) 591
Franklin (1948-1963) 598
Kennedy (1964 to Date) 604
Silver Dollars 618
Flowing Hair (1794-1795) 620
Draped Bust, Small Eagle Reverse (1795-1798) 625
Draped Bust, Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1798-1804) 630
Gobrecht Dollars (1836-1839) 638
Liberty Seated (1840-1873) 643
Morgan (1878-1921) 651
Peace (1921-193 5) 666
Modern Dollars 672
Eisenhower (1971-1978) 673
Susan B. Anthony (1979-1999) 677
Sacagawea (2000-2008) 679
Presidential (2007-2020) 682
Native American (2009 to Date) 689
American Innovation (2018-2032) 693
1921 Silver Anniversary Coins (2021, 2023 to Date) 697
Trade Dollars 700
Liberty Seated (1873-1885) 701
Gold Dollars 709
Liberty Head (1849-1854) 710
Indian Princess Head, Small Head (1854-1856) 714
Indian Princess Head, Large Head (1856-1889) 716
Gold Quarter Eagles ($2.50) 723
Capped Bust to Right, No Stars on Obverse (1796) 725
Capped Bust to Right, Stars on Obverse (1796-1807) 729
Draped Bust to Left, Large Size (1808) 736
Capped Head to Left, Large Diameter (1821-1827) 740
Capped Head to Left, Reduced Diameter (1829-1834) 747
Classic Head, No Motto on Reverse (1834-1839) 754
Liberty Head (1840-1907) 765
Indian Head (1908-1929) 887
Three-Dollar Gold Pieces 902
Indian Princess Head (1854-1889) 903
Four-Dollar Gold Pieces 909
Stella, Flowing Hair and Coiled Hair (1879-1880) 909
Gold Half Eagles ($5) 912
Capped Bust to Right, Small Eagle Reverse (1795-1798) 914
Capped Bust to Right, Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1795-1807) 917
Draped Bust to Left (1807-1812) 921
Capped Head to Left (1813-1834) 924
Classic Head, No Motto on Reverse (1834-1838) 929
Liberty Head (1839-1908) 932
Indian Head (1908-1929) 947
Gold Eagles ($10) 952
Capped Bust to Right, Small Eagle Reverse (1795-1797) 954
Capped Bust to Right, Heraldic Eagle Reverse (1797-1804) 956
Liberty Head (183 8-1907) 960
Indian Head (1907-1933) 974
Gold Double Eagles ($20) 979
Liberty Head (1849-1907) 980
Saint-Gaudens, High Relief and Ultra High Relief, MCMVII (1907) 993
Saint-Gaudens, Flat Relief, Arabic Numerals (1907-1933) 996
U.S. Commemoratives 1002
Classic Commemoratives (1892-1954) 1002
Modern Commemoratives (1982 to Date) 1055
Proof and Mint Sets 1183
Modern Proof Sets (1936 to Date) 1187
Uncirculated Mint Sets (1947 to Date) 1192
Special Mint Sets (1965-1967) 1193
Souvenir Sets (1982-1983) 1193
Other Collectible Sets (2000 to Date) 1193
U.S. Mint Bullion Coins 1195
American Silver Eagles (1986 to Date) 1196
America the Beautiful 5-Ounce Silver Bullion Coins (2010-2021) 1200
American Gold Eagles (1986 to Date) 1204
American Buffalo .9999 Fine Gold Bullion Coins (2006 to Date) 1211
First Spouse $10 Gold Bullion Coins (2007-2020) 1213
American Platinum Eagles (1997 to Date) 1220
American Palladium Eagles (2017 to Date) 1226
Significant U.S. Patterns 1228
Private and Territorial Gold 1235
Private Tokens 1261
Hard Times Tokens (1832-1844) 1261
Feuchtwanger Tokens (1837-1864) 1264
Civil War Tokens (1860s) 1264
Lesher Referendum Dollars (1900-1901) 1268
Confederate Issues 1269
Hawaiian and Puerto Rican Issues 1271
Philippine Issues 1275
Philippines Under U.S. Sovereignty (1903-1936) 1277
Commonwealth Issues for Circulation (1937-1945) 1296
Commonwealth Commemorative Issues 1303
Alaska Tokens 1305
Appendices 1307
Appendix A Misstrikes and Errors 1307
Appendix B Collectible Red and Blue Books 1312
Appendix C Bullion Values 1318
Appendix D Top 250 U.S. Coin Prices Realized at Auction 1321
Appendix E Conditions of Coins and Grading Standards 1327
Appendix F Special Modern Gold Coins (2009 to Date) 1329
Appendix G American Arts Commemorative Series Gold Medallions 1335
Appendix H So-Called Dollars 1359
Appendix I The Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 20202 1377
Appendix J The American Women Quarters Program 1382
Appendix K Collecting American Medals and Tokens 1397
Appendix L Pattern $2.50 Gold Coins 1440
Appendix M $2.50 Gold Coins in Treasure Finds 1450
Appendix N $2.50 Gold Coins in the News 1457
Appendix O Error $2.50 Gold Coins 1469
Appendix P Counterfeit $2.50 Gold Coins 1473
Notes 1475
Glossary 1476
Bibliography 1479
Image Credits 1489
Index 1491
General Index 1491
Alphabetical Index of Dates for Commemoratives 1498