Keith Scott

Collecting Barber Half Dollars Can be a Rewarding Challenge

General The Barber Half Dollar, once know as the ?Liberty Head Half?, was minted from 1892 to 1915 and consists of 73 regular issues, plus one major variety, the 1892 micro O. Barber halves enjoy a solid collector audience, but mostly in lower grades (... Read >

History of the Barber Half Dollar

The Barber Half Dollar, once know as the "Liberty Head Half", was minted from 1892 to 1915. In 1887, Mint Director James P. Kimball noted in his annual report the "inferiority of our coinage" compared to other advanced nations and that in his opinion, th... Read >

Why are Some Coins Worth More Than Others?

Many times I get asked the question of why a certain coin is worth more than another particular coin. While valuing coins is not an exact science, there are three primary factors that weigh into considering the value of a coin. There are also a few othe... Read >

What are the Advantages of Buying PCGS Graded Coins?

As a coin collector or an investor of coins, you no doubt have asked yourself the question of why you should buy professionally graded coins. These coins are also known as slabbed or certified vs. an uncertified coin which is known as "raw". The term "s... Read >

The History of the Buffalo Nickel - Part II

Continued from Part I A buffalo (bison) named Black Diamond, who was a resident of the New York Zoological Park served as the model. Fraser utilized a little artistic freedom to depict the bison as though he was on the Great Plains. A few years after... Read >

History of the Standing Liberty Quarter

History of Standing Liberty Quarter The radical change in our coinage that was taking place in the early 20th century was not quite done by 1916. With the new Lincoln cent and Buffalo nickel now in circulation, and changes to gold coinage, it was now ... Read >

History of the Mercury Dime

History of the Mercury DimeThe year was 1915 and there was a movement afoot to change the remainder of American coinage. With the changes to the $10 eagle, $20 double eagle, the cent and nickel, it was now time for changes to the dime, quarter and half do... Read >

History of the Barber Dime

In 1887, Mint Director James P. Kimball noted in his annual report the "inferiority of our coinage" compared to other advanced nations and that in his opinion, the coinage of the U.S. was out of date and should be changed. At the request of Kimb... Read >

The Lincoln Cent – Part IV – Upcoming Changes

To review our last segment, the Lincoln Cent has undergone many changes. From the VDB initials controversy, composition changes and reverse changes nearly 50 years ago (from Wheat to Memorial). The versatile cent has seen its share of changes. So wha... Read >

The Lincoln Cent – Part I – The Beginning

Incredibly, from 1909 through 2004, over 400 billion pennies have been minted. Yes, that is over four hundred billion, as in billion with a "B". That is roughly 1400 pennies per each US Citizen. If you have a jar, can, piggy bank, no doubt you have you... Read >

The Lincoln Cent – Part 2 – Controversy

On August 2nd, 1909 the new cent was released to the public. This was the first ever U.S. coin that would be released that would contain a real person on the picture. As such, there was much controversy as some people felt that putting a real person on ... Read >

Do I have to Buy the Best Quality Coins if I Want to Make Money?

Do I have to Buy the Best Quality Coins if I Want to Make Money? By Keith Scott, Mountain View Coins Buy quality! Buy quality! Buy quality! That's all you hears these days when you are considering rare coins as an investment. First, are you reall... Read >

How do I sell my Coin Collection?

So, you feel it is time to sell your coin long-time collection, or you have inherited a collection and you know nothing about coins and you want to sell them. As with the sale of anything, you want to make sure you get a fair price. Sounds simple enough... Read >