Historically, 1936 was not a great year for most Americans. The United States was deep into the Great Depression. There was an unemployment rate of 16.9%, banks remained unstable, and the Dust Bowl continued to devastate the plains states. But with the U. S. economy floundering, a pastime known as “the hobby of kings” was flourishing. Coin collecting in the 1930s was heated by a...

1948-S Booker T. Washington Half, Splendidly Toned MS67 PCGS, Elusive Series Issue. While the 1946-dated PDS Booker T. Washington half dollars saw net distributions (pieces struck less those later recorded as unsold and melted) in the several hundreds of thousands of coins (and in fact still turn up well-circulated occasionally in bags of common 90% … Read More »

1925-S California Commemorative Half Dollar Toner, MS65 PCGS. As a longtime numismatist and aficionado of toned coinage in particular, as I have advanced my grading skills further every year—I hope—I’ve learned to look at color and preservation separately, especially, of course, on Mint State coins. “Yes, yes, George, it has pretty color. Now look at … Read More »