Focused on helping the numismatic communities in New Hampshire since 1985
Small Cents II, a subsidiary of Nashua Coins and Collectibles will be conducting live coin auctions onsite in our gallery at 202 Main Street, in the heart of Downtown Nashua on the following dates:
February 26th, April 30th, June 25th, August 27th, October 29th, and December 17th
Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for up-to-date information on these auctions and to learn about our online only auctions being held the opposite months!
#nashuacoins
One of the most popular pennies in existence would be the Indian Head Penny. Even people who don’t collect recognize the now iconic penny. James Longacre designed the Indian Head Penny. Because it premiered in the years leading up to the Civil War, this penny is viewed as an important part of the history of American coins. Though it was only struck from 1859 until 1909, the Indian Head Penny remains a favorite part of many coin collections. Here are six more fun facts about the Indian Head Penny!
The Indian Cent evolved from the Large Penny. When the Large Penny was first minted, the public did approve. As the Mint reduced the size of the penny, the Flying Eagle Penny came to be. As design flaws affected the use of the Flying Eagle Penny, the Mint replaced it with the Indian Head Penny.
Though most think the design is of an Indian Chief, the face was intended to be Lady Liberty adorned with an Indian headdress. When it comes to American coins, it’s hard to get more American than Lady Liberty and Native Americans.
Due to their location on the timeline, Indian Head Pennies have different values. It was struck for fifty years, so multiple editions of this penny exist. The earlier versions from the years leading into the Civil War carry a higher value than newer editions. Of course, this is just a rule of thumb.
The very first Indian Head Penny featured a laurel wreath on the opposite side. This edition of the penny was made of a copper-nickel composition. However, within a year, the laurel wreath was exchanged out for an oak wreath. When they made this change, they also added a small shield to the top of the penny.
Most coins that enter circulation only last a few decades. Very rarely do circulated coins still exist 100 years later. This is what makes the Indian Head Penny so fascinating. Not only did it survive over 100 years, but certain editions remain in abundance. Naturally, the abundant versions are not as valuable as the more rare editions.
The Indian Head Penny faced a lot of changes in 1864. The first significant change was the composition. This is the year the United States Mint chose to use bronze in penny production instead of copper and nickel. This year also saw the addition of a small L to the bottom of the headdress in honor of James Longacre.
American coins have such a rich history that too many people are unaware of. For example, the 1908 and 1909 Indian Head Pennies are the only editions with the mint marks printed on them. You never know what facts follow around the coins in your pocket. For those interested in numismatics, contact Nashua Coins & Collectibles today or visit them online!
Entering the world of coin collecting is an exciting and intense experience. With so many collectible American coins or foreign currencies, there is plenty for a new Numismatist to look out for to know what they want to collect. After all, the collecting is for you at the end of the day. You want to be proud of your collection. When you first start collecting coins, it can be complicated to know where to start. Do you just happen to find the coins, buy them, sell any that you have?
While some of those questions are best figured out in person with the help of our shop dogs, we can start you off with the basics. Knowing terms that you will hear the farther into coin collection you go will be a huge step to completing your first collection. The Fun Times Guide had a fantastic guide for the top terms that you should know. We agreed with them. So, without further ado, some 10-coin collector terms they listed that you should be aware of when you start collecting!
With these terms under your belt, you are sure to be on your way to becoming an expert Numismatist and find rare American coins. When you are ready to start your next conversation about coin collecting, stop into Nashua Coins and Collectibles today on Main Street in Nashua or give us a call at (603)-718-1018.
For those of you uninitiated, the hobo nickel became popular during The Depression when homeless people or “Hobo’s” would carve the Indian face on the nickel and create many different faces on American coins by hand. Often, they traded their artworks for a meal or other necessaries in their travels. These nickels are highly collectible. Some well-known Hobo artist creations garner huge prices during an auction. A single original hobo nickel went for a record price of $24,200 Jan. 12 during the Original Hobo Nickel Society’s 21st annual auction at the FUN show in Florida.
The record lot, once part of the Bill Fivaz Collection, surfaced in the late 1930s by hobo George Washington “Bo” Hughes. “Bo” was one of the most prolific and talented carvers of nickels. To this day, many actively seek his works. The record price was for the great two-sided “dicer” hobo nickel. More than 50 classics, nicknamed and modern carvers were present in the sale.
The altering of coins dates back to the 18th century and earlier. Altering hit its peak in the 1850’s. The most common alteration was the “potty coin,” engraved on US seated liberty coins from half cents to dollars. Also popularized during this period were “Love Token” primarily on silver coins. These usually contained engraved initials. However, these typically came to be by smoothing one surface of the coin and using engravers tools to produce more stylized artistic pieces for jewelry pendants and bracelets.
With the advent of the Buffalo nickel in 1913, the large thick profile of the Indian gave artists a larger template to work on. It became popular quickly.
Another attribution for the medium is that the name “Hobo Nickel” came from the city of Hoboken New Jersey just after World War I. This is due to the fact that there was a widespread practice of off-duty soldiers carving nickels with military likenesses. These were tributes to returning veterans. Regardless of the source, many seek these American coins today.
“I was able to purchase a couple of these for Laurie in Manchester. I believe the military one is from the 1903’s where the “Sleepy Head” coin is probably sometime later. Laurie love’s them, so that’s all that is important.” Gary was able to show me the display that Laurie set up at Nashua Coins & Collectibles showing off her Hobo Nickel collection. Laurie feels that this is one of the items that bring many aspects of their business together. That makes her loves these American coins even more! For more information about hobo nickels or what we have to offer, visit Nashua Coins & Collectibles or give us a call at (855)-287-2218!
If you’ve shopped at Nashua Coins & Collectibles before, you can plainly see and understand what we do. Coins and antiques are our passion. We love sharing them with our customers. However, we have beliefs and passions outside of the coin store or business aspects of our lives. For example, we are passionate about our city and want to see Nashua thrive. We believe it’s a great place to live, work, and shop as it is. Now, there’s something that could make it even better.
Nashua Coins & Collectibles is in favor of the Performing Arts Center coming to Downtown Nashua. It could bring job opportunities, an appreciation for the arts, and talent to our city. Plus, it could bring even more customers to our coin store! It’s a win-win for both passionate artists and business owners. Artists get to have a center to express themselves, and companies earn more capital. They also could expand their hours. We think Laurie put it best:
“Bringing a Performing Arts Center to the heart of Downtown Nashua could be one of the best things the City of Nashua does for the community. It would allow people to come together for one purpose, to spend a few hours together in harmony, without any boundaries.” – Laurie Galbo
Though we own business focused on coins and antiques, we still love supporting other businesses and our city. We believe anyone who wants to see Nashua thrive should, too. Though the initial vote to move the performing arts center was unsuccessful, there is another chance to make it happen on November 7th. You can read more about that here.
The arts are an exciting, beautiful form of self-expression, and Nashua Coins & Collectibles believes it would be a shame to deny artists their space. We urge you to learn more about the center and make an educated choice on November 7th. Of course, in the meantime, you can come to our coin store and talk about it with us or find your next favorite coin or collectible! We’re happy to share our knowledge with customers and engage with them.
The past intrigues and mystifies as we move forward into the technological age. While laptops, tablets, and phones that do more than the first computer could enamor us, we are still fascinated with aspects of the past. The past shapes us and brings us forward in ways we do not always understand. That is why an antique collection gathers attention from many individuals. Nostalgia, yearning for a simpler time, and an altogether sense of times long past make many people stop in their tracks.
Stopping into a store with antiques can do many things for an individual. Being in this kind of place humbles us and lets us take a step out of our lives into something simple. It can be an experience all on its own. This is especially true for the younger generations born into an era where technology has never existed. It seems that fewer and fewer individuals can take a step away and appreciate what the past had to offer.
You never know what you are going to find on a regular basis upon entry. You can find something that can inspire a story, a comic, a movie, anything you can imagine. Recently, the steampunk genre has become a sort of mix up of the best things from the past with the technology of today and beyond. Therefore, the inspiration is here and will continue to enable creativity like this.
A few years ago, an antique store in Boston had beautiful lithographs and engravings that you normally would never be able to secure. What you find can make you stop. A quick stop turns into hours. An antique store is a place to find anything for those special people that have a peculiar taste. Individual pieces and one-of-a-kind works always bring together past and present.
Those of us that work at antique shops are the treasure hunters, digging for buried treasure. We search, and sometimes things come to us. We find them, care for them, then return it to the next soul that didn’t even know they needed it. Collectors, individuals who want to spruce up their home or those who didn’t know they were missing something, are joyful while finding the right piece.
An antique collection is always unique. Collections can be quirky, strange, romantic, or a mix of everything. So, stepping into an antique shop opens the eyes and the mind. It would be wonderful if everyone stepped into an antique store at least once in their life. They would be able to see the past come to life. Movies, books, plays, and stories paint the original picture. Still, to truly step back in time and see the care and dedication, that is what makes our job worth everything.
Come and stop in to see our newest range of antiques in our antique collection at Nashua Coins and Collectibles Tuesday through Saturday at 202 Main Street. You will be amazed at the time travel you can do in one visit.
Many things intrigue the American populous. Rare coins continue to be one of the largest collector’s groups out there compared to others. The collection of coins – some foreign, some domestic – has been a pastime for years. For example, not many individuals live their lives without hearing about the Buffalo Nickel. It is one of the most famous rare coins that is scarce, but well-known. It proves that currency will continue to.
Though many individuals know of the Buffalo Nickel, the actual history of the nickel is vastly obscure. On the Buffalo Nickel Organization website, they cover the central portions of the metal’s history. Any collector or soon to be collector should know about this famed coin.
The Buffalo nickel had a short run getting produced by the U.S. mint. The 5 cent coin was in production from 1913-1938. The short stint allowed it to be one of the more famous coins of the past 100 years. The nickel, like newer models, has the 75% copper to 25% nickel break down. However, the design brings individuals to the coin.
James Earle Fraser designed the coin to pay homage to Native Americans and their heritage. Fraser had the opportunity to collaborate with three different chieftains for a different project. He used them as the culmination of the Native American that is on the coin. Chief Iron Tail from the Sioux nation, Chief Two Moons from the Cheyenne Nation, and Chief John Big Tree of the Seneca Nation were all morphed together. The morphing created an embodiment of a “type” of a particular person imprinted on the back of the coin. It allowed for a “general” depiction of the peoples of the tribes.
The buffalo on the front, however, was supposedly a portrait of a single buffalo from the New York Zoo. The buffalo’s name was Black Diamond and was an amazing animal based on the design on the back of the coin. According to an article by Indian Country Today Media Network about the currency’s 100th Anniversary, Black Diamond died in 1915. His body provided 750 pounds of meat – an upsetting fate for the famed buffalo.
The Buffalo Nickel had two different designs during its production. The first type – made only during the first year of its release in 1913 – had the words “five cents” imposed on the mound that the buffalo stood on. However, they figured that the phrase would wear too quickly in that position. So, on the second type (which continued until its retirement in 1938) “five cents” got printed in the recess that was on the mound. This way, it would last longer.
What makes these coins so special, aside from their short run, is that there are quite a few that have multiple errors. Some of the most common errors found were D’s over S’s. It designated where mint the coin came from and had numbers over other numbers. However, the ones that many collectors want to try to get their hands on are from particular years and mints. The 1936-D coins have a 3.5 legged buffalo on it, while the 1937-D coins have a buffalo with only three legs. As one of the groups of coins that has the most errors, they came to be some of the best rare coins to collect out of US currency.
Next time you wander down Main Street, stop on in and see what rare coins we have in store or give us a call at (603)-718-1018.
When a business comes to fruition, there are two distinct end goals: provide quality products to customers and meet their demands the best they can. While we certainly accomplish that with our customer service, we like to go beyond it and get to know our collectors. We love helping them build their collections, and offer a few ways to do so in our coin store.
For those who are very enthusiastic about adding coins to their collection, we have auctions about every other month. It’s always a fun time, and there are all kinds of coins to collect. See what it’s all about on our “Small Cents Auctions” page!
Have you come across an item recently that you know little about? Perhaps it’s a hand-me-down or heirloom? We are happy to come by and assess your items and make a purchase offer. However, for coin collections, there is an appraisal fee for our time that we waive if we purchase your collection for our store.
We’re not just robotic shop owners – we love talking to our customers! Our staff is ready and willing to talk to you and discuss how to build your collections. Whether you need advice about something you want to sell or just want to know how to start collecting, we’ll lend our ears.
We pride ourselves on our vast collection of coins U.S. and foreign! Between our coins and antiques, we have items that will satisfy just about any collector’s taste. A trip to our coin store is a quick way to add to your collection and get a taste of variety!
Our collectors are special to us, and we go above and beyond customer service expectations every time they enter our shop. Give us a call at (855)-287-2218 to learn what we’re all about!
FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN SELECTING YOUR COIN DEALER
Nashua Coins has experience in both the store operation and coin ability arenas. We have run businesses since 1985, and our founder, Gary Galbo, has worked with coins since 1979. Our attention to detail, knowledge, and personal anecdotes have helped us cater to all kinds of coin collectors. We know our stuff!
Come for the coins, and stay for the unique, fun finds we offer. Our antique collection is an exciting sight, with a variety of items and trinkets to satisfy the quirky collector in any person. Our antiques add a unique flair to what could be an average storefront.
We go beyond customer service for our customers – we want to actively assist you and help you build your collection. Our auctions happen bi-monthly, featuring a range of coins for bidders to select. When everyone gets together and bids, it fosters a sense of community and excitement most retail spaces do not offer.
You read that right. If you have unique antiques and a variety of collectibles to sell, we can come to you, see what you have, and make a buy offer. For coin collections, there is an appraisal fee for our time, which is waived if you sell us your collection.
We take care of our clientele, and we are happy to assist you with collection questions, auctions, and any other matter you need. Whether you are a frequent shopper or someone brand new, we will make you feel welcomed and answer any and all questions you may have.
The next time you want to find anything old and interesting, visit Nashua Coins. You will see why we are a coin store unlike any other. Give us a call at (603)-718-1018!
You never know how much value something has until it is observed by someone who knows the product and industry to which it belongs. Coins are an especially valuable and varied item, so appraisal is rather common. However, there are some things you should do beforehand to ensure you get a great deal and learn the most information you can about coins appraisal. The following are a few tips to make your experience one well worth your time.
We all tend to want to put things in order. It’s human nature, and organization certainly has its advantages. However, it is best to come a little less prepared when it comes time for coin appraisal. It is better for the coins to remain unsorted, since the experts will be able to categorize them efficiently and provide the information you need. All you need to do is bring the pieces – appraisers have the background information to make sense of it all! Research beforehand is not necessary.
An item is not going to be nearly as valuable if it is not in good condition. Prior to visiting the appraiser, take a look at your coin(s) and be sure that it is in good enough condition to get appraised. Otherwise, you may not get much for your effort. Preserving the coin(s) and keeping them locked up in a private space will help, as will any other preservation methods that cannot damage the coins.
You do not want to go through all of this effort only to deal with someone who is not a good match for you. Make sure the appraiser you are going to visit is fair, honest, and offers a good price. They should also be enthusiastic about the product you have to offer, as it will make the process even more pleasant! Browse the Internet or talk to friends who have visited appraisers you are considering to see how their customer service stacks up, as well.
These tips will ensure the appraisal process for your coins will go well. Who knows, they just may end up in a coin auction for eager buyers! Our next one is Saturday, April 8th, so come see the exciting coins we offer. If you are looking for coins appraisal in New Hampshire that is fair, enthusiastic, and experienced, you can rely on Nashua Coins. For more information, give us a call at (855)-287-2218!
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