WCT News

By Mike Markowitz

Chickens on Coins, the Bird That Changed the Ancient World

Chickens may seem ordinary today. However, in antiquity, they carried deep meaning.

Modern chickens descend from jungle fowl native to Southeast Asia. Archaeology shows that the Phoenicians introduced domesticated chickens to the Mediterranean around 2000 BCE. From there, their importance spread quickly.

At first, chickens symbolized wealth. Both meat and eggs counted as luxury foods. Soon after, they gained religious and cultural meaning.

By 700 BCE, chickens appeared in Western art. Corinthian pottery provides the earliest known depictions. Not long after, they entered the world of coinage.

And once they did, they stayed.

Sacred Chickens and Roman Superstition Roman Republic Ingot circa 280-260, Æ 1461 g. Two chickens feeding and facing each otherand below chickens’ heads, an eight rayed star. Rev. Two tridents pointing inwards; between them, two dolp…

By Kyle Knapp for Professional Coin Grading Service

Introduction to Coin Grading:  Understanding Coin Grading Beyond the Basics

Every introduction to coin grading begins with broad, theoretical descriptions of each grade category. For example, “Good” coins show mostly full rims. Meanwhile, “Fine” coins display generally complete lettering.

However, experience changes how collectors interpret grades. As collectors specialize, they must apply issue-specific analysis. This deeper approach helps them understand how a numeric grade truly reflects a coin’s condition.

Three essential concepts support this advanced interpretation:

Grade distribution Condition census Provenance

These tools do not always determine a grade on the Sheldon grading scale. However, they provide critical context. As a result, collectors make better decisions. Experts also improve authentication and grading accuracy. In addition, these concepts add historical depth to important …

Indian Head Quarter Eagle: History, Design, and Collecting Insights

By CoinWeek Notes

A New Era of U.S. Coin Design

The early 20th century marked a transformative period for United States coinage. During this time, the nation introduced some of its most celebrated designs.

1911-D Indian Head Quarter Eagle, Strong D. Image: GreatCollections.

In 1907, Augustus Saint-Gaudens debuted the $20 double eagle and the Indian Head $10 eagle. Soon after, in 1909, Victor David Brenner introduced the Lincoln Cent. This coin commemorated the centennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth and became the first circulating U.S. coin to feature a president.

Design innovation continued. In 1913, James Earle Fraser released the Buffalo Nickel. Then, in 1916, Adolph A. Weinman introduced both the Mercury Dime and Walking Liberty Half Dollar. That same year, Hermon A. MacNeil created the Standing Liberty Quarter.

Meanwhile, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition p…

A New Era for Gold Begins.

Gold is no longer just about price. Instead, it is becoming something more important.

In today’s fractured global economy, gold is gaining strength as a store of value. However, that strength does not always translate into steady price gains.

According to Nina-Alessa Michel, policy advisor at the Swiss Bankers Association, gold is entering a new phase. This phase reflects geopolitical tension, rising debt, and shifting global power.

As a result, investors are turning to gold, but not always with predictable outcomes.

Volatility Challenges the Safe-Haven Narrative

Traditionally, investors view gold as a safe haven. Yet recent market behavior tells a more complicated story.

Gold prices have reacted sharply to global events. For example, the metal dropped 14% in just three days after Donald Trump nominated a new Federal Reserve Chair. At the same time, silver and Bitcoin also came under pressure.

This …

Oinoanda Didrachms by Russell A. Augustin, AU Capital Management, LLC ……

Introduction to Oinoanda and Its Coinage

Oinoanda stood high in the mountains of ancient Lycia, in what is now southwest Turkey. The city overlooked the upper valley of the Xanthus River. Although archaeologists have surveyed the region, they still know very little about its early history.

Even so, Oinoanda grew into a significant city in antiquity. Surprisingly, however, it struck silver coins during only a brief moment in its long existence.

For many years, scholars knew just one example of its coinage. The British Museum acquired that specimen in 1897. Then, in the early 2000s, researchers discovered a small group of additional coins. This discovery transformed the study of Oinoanda’s coinage and expanded our understanding of the region.

Historical Context: The Attalid Takeover Map of Lycia and Asia Minor during Hellenistic period

Three distinct coin issues fro…

A Stunning Mint Error Emerges from a Long-Held Collection

In late 2025, a remarkable discovery surfaced from an old-time mint error collection. Among several rare off-metal pieces sat an extraordinary coin: a Buffalo Nickel struck on a dime planchet, now certified by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).

TrueView Photo by PCGS – Second Finest Known Buffalo Nickel Struck on a Dime Planchet

The coin immediately stood out. It displays a fully struck design, strong eye appeal, and gem mint state preservation. Light, original toning complements its vibrant luster. As a result, it ranks as the second-finest known example of this famous error type.

Even more impressive, the piece survived unnoticed for decades before finally entering the spotlight.

What Makes This Error So Rare?

A Buffalo nickel struck on a dime planchet represents a dramatic minting mistake known as a wrong planchet error.

How the Error Happens

The process is simple, but t…

By CoinWeek Notes …..

While silver bullion was pouring out of the nearby Comstock mines, United States Mint leadership in Washington, D.C. was facing a cost problem at the Carson City Mint and sought to shutter the branch as soon as practicably possible.

1879-CC Morgan Silver Dollar. Clear CC. MS-65 (PCGS). CAC. CMQ.

The explanation for why was given in the 1879 Mint Director’s Annual Report:

Nothwithstanding the fact that the mint at Carson City is located but a short distance from the productive mines of the Comstock Lode, higher prices were demanded for bullion deliverable at Carson than at San Francisco, and, in addition, the rates charged by the express company for transportation of silver dollars were higher from Carson than from San Francisco.

The Carson City Mint had ample amounts of silver on hand when Carson City Superintendent James Crawford received instructions on January 26 to …

By Pete Apple

Something vanished from the United States Mint sometime between 2008 and 2022. No announcement followed. Even more striking, no one seems to have noticed.

CHARGES FILED

The charge is simple but serious. The Master Hub may have quietly disappeared from the die-making process without notice. As a result, numismatists may have attributed Master Die Doubled varieties to a process that may no longer exist.

SETTING THE SCENE

By 2008, the Mint used the freeform 3D modeling system by Sensable Technologies, Inc. to design some of its most recent coins. At the same time, the computer numerical control (CNC) digital engraver cut hub manufacturing time to under 24 hours. [1] Clearly, the die-making process was changing fast, and not everyone was keeping up.

An article from 2016 includes a photo of a CNC milling machine. America the Beautiful 5-ounce silver coins were struck by dies engraved by this machine. No hubs, whether Master or Working, we…

The countdown to America’s 250th anniversary just took a major turn for collectors. Whitman Brands has launched a sweeping new line of coin albums and folders built specifically for the historic Semiquincentennial coinage entering circulation in 2026.

This release arrives at a pivotal moment. The United States will mark 250 years since its founding in 2026. At the same time, the U.S. Mint will issue a one-year-only series of circulating coin designs authorized under the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act of 2020. For collectors, that combination creates a rare opportunity. In fact, it offers a once-in-a-generation chance to build a meaningful set directly from circulation.

A Historic Coin Program for 2026

The U.S. Mint’s Semiquincentennial program spans multiple denominations. It includes the dime, quarters, and half dollar. Each design reflects America’s founding ideals, key historical moments, and long-term aspirations.

Among the most ta…

1921 Alabama Centennial. 2×2. MS-66 (PCGS).

In 1919, Alabama marked the 100th anniversary of its admission to the Union as the 22nd state. Two years later, officials commemorated that milestone with the 1921 Alabama Centennial Half Dollar.

This coin stands out within the classic commemorative series. It reflects both a complex historical backdrop and a groundbreaking design choice—the inclusion of a living individual.

Alabama Statehood and Historical Context

Spain explored the region that became Alabama in 1540. France later established settlements in 1702 and claimed large portions of the interior. However, France ceded this territory to Great Britain in 1763 under terms that ended the Seven Years’ War.

A series of agreements between Native American nations, European powers, and neighboring colonies shaped Alabama’s boundaries. Spain relinquished its remaining coastal claims in 1819, clearing the way for statehood.

Alabama entered the Union …