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George Washington 250th Anniversary Half Dollar
The George Washington 250th Anniversary half dollar is a commemorative coin that was issued by the United States Mint to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. The coin was authorized by . History The George Washington 250th Anniversary half dollar was the first modern United States commemorative coin. Production of traditional commemorative coins had previously ended in 1954 with the Carver-Washington half dollar. Production and sales Public Law 97-104 authorized a total mintage of 10,000,000 coins. Two varieties of the coin were produced, one with a proof finish (struck at the San Francisco Mint with the "S" mint mark) and one with an uncirculated finish (struck at the Denver Mint with the "D" mint mark). A total of 4,894,044 proof and 2,210,458 uncirculated coins were produced and sold. See also * List of United States commemorative coins and medals (1980s) * United States commemorative coins The United States Mint has minted numero ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Silver
Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. The metal is found in the Earth's crust in the pure, free elemental form ("native silver"), as an alloy with gold and other metals, and in minerals such as argentite and chlorargyrite. Most silver is produced as a byproduct of copper, gold, lead, and zinc Refining (metallurgy), refining. Silver has long been valued as a precious metal. Silver metal is used in many bullion coins, sometimes bimetallism, alongside gold: while it is more abundant than gold, it is much less abundant as a native metal. Its purity is typically measured on a per-mille basis; a 94%-pure alloy is described as "0.940 fine". As one of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uncirculated Coin
The term uncirculated coin can refer to three things: * A coin that is released to the public but not intended for general circulation (i.e. not used as money although it is still legal tender) but is available through a mint or through a local coin dealer. * A coin that has been graded as 60+ on the Sheldon or European grading systems. * The process by which a coin is made. The US Mint uses this definition for the coins in the uncirculated coin set that it sells. For these coins, adjustments are made to the minting process which result in a more proof-like finish. These include using a higher force during coining, the use of fresh dies, and special cleaning. See also *Proof coinage Proof coinage refers to special early samples of a coin issue, historically made for checking the dies (as in demonstrating that something is true) and for archival purposes. Nowadays proofs are often struck in greater numbers specially for co ... References * {{DEFAULTSORT:Unc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fifty-cent Coins
50 cents is a coinage value in many systems using decimal currencies. Examples include: * Australian fifty-cent coin * 50-cent piece (Canadian coin) * 50 euro cent coin * Half dollar (United States coin) * Half guilder coin (Netherlands) * Hong Kong fifty-cent coin The fifty-cent coin was first introduced as a .900 purity silver half dollar in 1866. These coins were 13.41 grams, with a diameter of 32 mm, thickness of 2 mm, and a reeded edge. The design was similar to the British trade dollar ... See also * 50 Cent (other) {{SIA ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cultural Depictions Of George Washington
George Washington has inspired artistic and cultural works for more than two hundred years. The following lists cover various media to include items of historic interest, enduring works of high art, and recent representations in popular culture. The entries represent portrayals that a reader has a reasonable chance of encountering rather than a complete catalog. Lesser known works are not included. For purposes of classification, popular culture music is a separate section from operas and oratorios. Television covers live action series, TV movies, miniseries, and North American animation but not Japanese anime, which appears with manga and graphic novels. Art Washington is among the historical figures depicted in '' Our Nation's 200th Birthday, The Telephone's 100th Birthday'' (1976) by Stanley Meltzoff for Bell System [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Birds In Art
Human uses of birds have, for thousands of years, included both economic uses such as food, and symbolic uses such as art, music, and religion. In terms of economic uses, birds have been hunted for food since Palaeolithic times. They have been captured and bred as poultry to provide meat and eggs since at least the time of ancient Egypt. Some species have been used, too, to help locate or to catch food, as with cormorant fishing and the use of honeyguides. Feathers have long been used for bedding, as well as for quill pens and for fletching arrows. Today, many species face habitat loss and other threats caused by humans; bird conservation groups work to protect birds and to influence governments to do so. Birds have appeared in the mythologies and religions of many cultures since ancient Sumer. For example, the dove was the symbol of the ancient Mesopotamian goddess Inanna, the Canaanite mother goddess Asherah, and the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Washington Half Eagle
The George Washington gold half eagle is a commemorative coin issued by the United States Mint in 1999, the 200th anniversary of Washington's death. Legislation The George Washington Commemorative Coin Act of 1996 () authorized the production of a commemorative $5 gold coin (half eagle) to commemorate the life of George Washington, leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and the nation's first commander-in-chief. The act allowed the coins to be struck in both proof and uncirculated finishes. Design The obverse of the George Washington gold half eagle, designed by Laura Gardin Fraser, bears a right-facing portrait of Washington. The reverse, also designed by Fraser, features the Heraldic Eagle with outspread wings. Fraser's obverse was later used as the obverse for the coins of the circulating American Women quarters program. Specifications * Display Box: Maroon * Edge: Reeded * Weight: 8.359 grams; 0.27 troy ounce * Diameter: 21.59 millimeters; 0. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Commemorative Coins
The United States Mint has minted numerous commemorative coins to commemorate persons, places, events, and institutions since 1848. Many of these coins are not intended for general circulation, but are still legal tender. The mint also produces commemorative medals, which are similar to coins but do not have a face value, and therefore are not legal tender. History Early commemoratives The earliest commemorative coin minted by the US Mint was the 1848 "CAL" quarter eagle, which commemorated the finding of gold in California. These coins were standard quarter eagles that were modified by punching ''CAL.'' onto the reverse above the eagle. Most standard US commemorative coin lists begin with the 1892 Columbian half dollar commemorating the 400th anniversary of Columbus' voyage to America. The following year, the Columbian Exposition quarter dollar featuring Queen Isabella of Spain was issued. In 1915, the mint issued the Panama–Pacific half union, which had a face value o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Denver Mint
The Denver Mint is a branch of the United States Mint that struck its first coins on February 1, 1906. The mint is still operating and producing coins for circulation, as well as mint sets and commemorative coins. Coins produced at the Denver Mint bear a D mint mark (as did the Dahlonega Mint, which closed before the Denver branch opened). The Denver Mint is the single largest producer of coins in the world. History Clark, Gruber & Co. The predecessors of the Denver Mint were the men of Clark, Gruber and Company. During the Pikes Peak Gold Rush, they coined gold dust brought from the gold fields by the miners. In 1858, Austin M. Clark, Milton E. Clark and Emanuel Henry Gruber founded a brokerage firm in Leavenworth, Kansas, and then established an office in Denver at the beginning of the Colorado Gold Rush. Desiring to save on shipping and insurance costs associated with shipping gold back east, the firm opened a private mint. On 25 July 1860, the mint opened in a two-story ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
San Francisco Mint
The San Francisco Mint is a branch of the United States Mint. Opened in 1854 to serve the gold mines of the California Gold Rush, in twenty years its operations exceeded the capacity of the first building. It moved into a new one in 1874, now known as the Old San Francisco Mint. In 1937 Mint operations moved into a third building, the current one, completed that year. History Original United States Mint and Subtreasury (1854) The San Francisco Mint began operations in 1854 at 608 Commercial Street, just west of Montgomery Street. The building sat between Commercial and Clay Streets and a historical plaque can be found today on Commercial. Since June 14, 1970, the building has been listed as a San Francisco Designated Landmark. Within the first year of its operation, the San Francisco mint turned $4 million in gold bullion into coins. Because of the scale of its increase in operations due to economic growth, a new building was soon required. Construction of the new loca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orange color. Copper is used as a conductor of heat and electricity, as a building material, and as a constituent of various metal alloys, such as sterling silver used in jewelry, cupronickel used to make marine hardware and coins, and constantan used in strain gauges and thermocouples for temperature measurement. Copper is one of the few metals that can occur in nature in a directly usable metallic form ( native metals). This led to very early human use in several regions, from circa 8000 BC. Thousands of years later, it was the first metal to be smelted from sulfide ores, circa 5000 BC; the first metal to be cast into a shape in a mold, c. 4000 BC; and the first metal to be purposely alloyed with another metal, tin, to create ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Proof Coinage
Proof coinage refers to special early samples of a coin issue, historically made for checking the dies (as in demonstrating that something is true) and for archival purposes. Nowadays proofs are often struck in greater numbers specially for coin collectors (numismatists). Nearly all countries have issued proof coinage. Preparation of a proof striking usually involved polishing of the dies. They can usually be distinguished from normal circulation coins by their sharper rims and design, as well as much smoother "fields" – the blank areas not part of the coin's design. The dies for making modern proof coins are often treated with chemicals to make certain parts of the design take on a frosted appearance, with the polished fields taking on a mirror finish. Several other methods have been used in the past to achieve this effect, including sand blasting the dies, and matte proofs. Proof coins of the early 19th century even appear to be scratched, but it was part of the production ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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