Collecting coins has been popular throughout the world and history. Some people collect coins as an investment others such as myself collect coins as a hobby and I started collecting coins many years ago. My interest was more in the coins itself and not so much as to the grade of the coins, though I always looked for the best grade possible within my budget. For people who collect anything; coins, stamps, art work or even rocks for a hobby, one thing that makes the hobby worth while, other than the ownership of the object, is to be able to display and show them to others.
The Winged Liberty Head Dime was designed by Adolph A. Weinman. The dimes’ composition is 90% silver and 10% copper with a 17.9 mm diameter. The obverse has a portrait of Liberty facing left, wearing a Phrygian cap, (symbolizing liberty and freedom) and wings (symbolizing freedom of thought). The coin is referred to as the Mercury Head dime due to its’ likeness to the Roman god Mercury. The reverse has an olive branch and a fasces, (which is a bundle of rods tied together with an axe attached). The dime was minted from 1916 through 1945 but no dimes were dated 1922, 1932 or 1933.
The Barber dimes’ obverse, pictures Liberty facing to the right wearing a Phrygian cap with a laurel wreath and ribbon, also a headband with the word “liberty” written on it. The portrait is encircled by the words “United States of America”. The reverse has the words “One Dime” surrounded by a wreath. The coin was designed by Charles E. Barber in which the coin is named after. The coin was minted from 1892 to 1916. It is 90% silver, 10% copper with a 17.9 mm diameter.
The Buffalo nickel was designed by James Earle Fraser. The obverse of
the coin has a profile of a Native American. Fraser used three models for the coin; Iron Tail, who was a Oglala Sioux, Two Moons, a Cheyenne chief and John Big Tree from the Seneca Nation. Underneath the date is his initial F. On the reverse side, a bison named Black Diamond was used as a model for the coin. The Buffalo nickels were minted from 1913 to 1938. In 1937 too much polishing on some of the coins at the Denver Mint caused the right foreleg on the bison to be removed creating the three legged variety. There is also a 3 ½ variety from 1936 also from the Denver Mint. The coins were minted at three mints; Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. The coins are also know as Bison or Indian Head nickels. The coins weight 5 grams are are made of 75% copper and 25% nickel with a diameter of 21.2 mm.
The Buffalo nickel was designed by James Earle Fraser. The obverse of