Wear Your Numismatic Hat and Get Ready for Colonial Acres Auction

Kitchener, ON, October 25, 2015 /ColonialAcres.com/ Are you ready to grow your coin collection? Well, you are in for a treat because we will not only be auctioning coins; we will also be putting great numismatic finds on sale!    

One of Canada’s leading numismatic firms, Colonial Acres, is holding a numismatic live public auction sale on October 25, 2015, 12pm EST.  With more than 750 quality items this auction will give collectors a challenging, but hopefully a pleasurable time in choosing that perfect piece to complete their collection. Collections will include, but not limited to the following:

• Old coin estate collections

• Gold and silver bullions

• Old paper money

• Group lots of tokens

• Overstocked items

• Original rolls

• World paper money

• Jewellery

• Silver year sets

• Royal Canadian Mint

• Franklin Mints and so much more

If you want to see these pieces in person, visit Colonial Acres’ October 25th auction at Colonial Acres Coins, 991 Victoria Street North Kitchener, ON N2B 3C7.

So what are you waiting for? Do not miss this rare opportunity to bid for your piece for as low as $1.00! Get that numismatist hat ready and grow your collection with wonderful finds from Colonial Acres! To get updates for this upcoming auction, visit https://www.colonialacres.com/auctions/.

About Colonial Acres
Colonial Acres has been in the numismatic industry for more than two decades and was founded in 1991 in Waterloo, Ontario. The business expanded with its first flagship store on Victoria Street in Kitchener, which was built in 1996.  Colonial Acres has been buying, selling, appraising Canadian and US coins, paper money and other related numismatic items and has been one of the leading numismatic firms in Canada. More than doing pure business, Colonial Acres prides itself with the helping hand they extend to both amateur and professional coin collectors with the helpful information they post about different numismatic items in their website. To know more about Colonial Acres, visit their website at www.colonialacres.com.

Coin Profile: The Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle Gold Coins

Coin collecting isn’t just a great hobby; for some it is a profitable activity and for others, even a profession. Some prominent figures in history have been avid coin collectors themselves. One of the famous people who loved coins is President Theodore Roosevelt.

In fact, there is one special coin that is tagged along his name. The coin is called the Saint-Gaudens double eagle coin. It is a gold coin worth twenty dollars in monetary value, but because of the ornate features, this coin is a gem to coin collectors to date.

When the United States of America became wealthy because of the California Gold Rush, the government decided to put that huge resource to use by minting gold coins in large denominations. This was also because people then didn't trust the paper money yet. Coins were still preferred over bills, because of the value of the metal used for the coins.

The double eagle coins were then minted in 1850, after the Gold Dollar Bill was passed in February 1849. These coins were twenty dollar coins. There were two different designs for the double eagle coins. First is the  Liberty Head design by J. Longacre which were minted from 1850 to 1907, and the next one was the famous Saint-Gaudens design, which was used from 1907 to 1933.

In 1907, Theodore Roosevelt requested sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to design the double eagle coin because of his fascination over ancient coins. The obverse side featured a Hellenistic Lady Liberty in a flowing gown, holding an olive branch and a torch. The reverse side featured an eagle flying over a sunrise. The Saint-Gaudens coin is known for its ornate value. It was so intricately designed that some numismatists can easily declare it to be the most beautiful American coin to ever be minted.

The following year, 1908, some changes were made to the Saint-Gaudens coin. The "In God We Trust" inscription was added over the rising sun, and the roman numerals representing the year of mintage was changed from roman to arabic. Because of these changes, the original 1907 coins were considered rare and more valuable.

If you have just started with your coin-collecting journey, it is important to know of these different kinds of coins that you may want to include in your collection further along. In the case of some coins, there is more value that what meets the eye so it is important that you do some research. Keen coin collectors are knowledgeable enough to know that they can't successfully complete a collection without the help of other collectors and coin shops.

Colonial Acres Coins is one trusted shop that has rendered service to many coin collectors over the years, both in the business of buying and selling coins, as well as providing resources that could help budding collectors. Colonial Acres Coins have a wide variety of resources and coins to  answer the demands of serious collectors.

Basic Coin Collecting Supplies You Need to Know About

Coin collectors need specific tools to preserve their coins from the elements, dirt and other factors that may decrease the coin’s value. Basic supplies such as holders, folders, albums and magnifiers are just a handful of things you need to have for your collection.

Holders
The most important supply you need for your collection is a safe place to store your coins in to protect them from damage. A majority of beginners starts using a ‘cigar box’ to keep their coins safe. However, this is an inadequate holder for coins as it does not prevent them from touching and rubbing against each other. This friction causes damage that reduces the value of your collection.

Get a holder specifically customized to store your coins. Most collectors use cardboard 2x2s as coin holders. These are 2” x 4” pieces of cardboard that has a hole in the center on both sides, and has a Mylar plastic inside. An affordable yet popular alternative is coin flips. These use Mylar plastic and measure 2” x 4”.

Albums and Folders
Another way to store your coin collection is by using a folder or album. Using a folder limits you to one side of the coin when you want to view your collection, but are affordable alternatives for beginners.

A coin album is ideal for advanced coin collectors as they are a bit pricier, but enable you to view both sides of your coin. They also provide extra protection because of the plastic inserts, keeping your coin’s surface safe form scratches and the elements.

Lighting and Magnifiers
You need to have proper lighting and a magnifier to view your coins properly. The best type of lighting is incandescent as it reveals any damage on the coins. Fluorescent lights are too mild and may make it difficult for you to spot any imperfections.

A hand lens with a magnification power of 2X to 3X is ideal for general viewing. For in-depth coin analysis it is best to use a lens with magnifying powers between 10X to 15X.

Padding or Soft Cloth
Collectors often overlook the importance of having a soft cloth or padding for viewing and displaying their coins. A coin is often damaged because it fell on a hard surface. Pads or a soft cloth will reduce the possibility of this happening.

These are some of the basic supplies you must have when you begin collecting coins. These make sure that your coin collection stays persevered over a long time.

Colonial Acres offers a variety coin collection supplies for budding and longtime numismatists.

Coin Profiles: 1953 “Shoulder Fold” Penny

Every coin is as diverse and unique as the people who made it. Every coin has its own design, and each design represents a certain era in the history of man. Mints usually switch to newer coin dies that complement the characteristics of the present society. Coins usually feature the prominent people of the time they were minted, like how Queen Elizabeth II’s side profile is featured in the 1953 coins.

With the succession of Elizabeth II, the mint switched to a new coin die to feature the queen and represent a new era of reign. The original Elizabeth II coin dies were a bit of a problem though, because the resulting coins showed a side profile of the queen seemingly wearing a strapless dress. Monarchists then demanded for the issue to be addressed, since the coin made Elizabeth II look undignified. The new-minted coins were then known as the 1953 Shoulder Fold Pennies.

These coins are the scarcer variety of Elizabeth II pennies, since in 1954 the Mint ordered a new die again which produced the No Shoulder Fold (NSF) variety. 1953 Shoulder Fold (SF) variety is distinguished by the less flared I in the DEI inscription on the coin. If the “I” looks more like a stick than a flared one, then the coin is a Shoulder Fold coin. The no flare “I” is also seen in the ELIZABETH inscription.

Another characteristic of the Shoulder Fold Coins are the two maple leaves on the other side. They are usually extremely close to the ends of the coin and the denticles. The 1953 Shoulder Fold coins are also known as “Shoulder Fold, Far Maple Leaf” whereas the No Shoulder Fold variety is known as “No Shoulder Fold, Near Maple Leaf” to collectors for easier distinction.

Since the 1953 Shoulder Fold variety was scarcer than the No Shoulder Fold variety, the value of these coins is relatively higher than the latter especially when in good condition. They are a serious collector’s must have, and coin shops seek these coins to sell to their customers.

If you are new in the coin-collecting hobby, Colonial Acres can give you loads of information about the coins you seek. Colonial Acres Coins is in the business of buying and selling rare coins. With more than a decade in business, Colonial Acres has the reputation in the coin collecting industry and you can rest assured that what you see is what you will get.