We are pleased to offer for sale this CollecTons Keepers Set #36 through #40.
What makes the Collectons Keepers program special?
Here at CollecTons, we work hard researching coins that should be part of every collection. Our goal is to utilize our knowledge in the numismatic industry to select coins worthy of being in everyone's collection! Therefore, the CollecTons Keepers program will only feature those Coins Worth Keeping.
Each coin is hand selected and given to ANACS (America's Oldest Grading Service) for grading and authentication. The coins are then sealed in an ANACS certified proprietary slab holder for long-term storage, with our limited edition label marking it a CollecTons Keeper.
The five CollecTons Keepers included in this starter set are:
American Indian tribes have always put value on physical bravery and there are few people braver than the "high iron" construction workers. If you have ever seen an ironworker walk across a one foot wide steel beam on top of a skyscraper you understand the bravery involved. Just as the American Indian warriors of the past were honored and revered, so are the "high iron" workers of the Mohawk tribes. The 2015 Native American $1 Coin commemorates some of these risk takers, the Kahnawake Mohawk and Mohawk Akwesasne communities and their contribution to the ´high iron¡ construction work and building of New York City skyscrapers.
Mohawks began working in high iron back in 1886, when building a bridge over the St. Lawrence River. Their supervisors and coworkers were amazed by the Mohawk's balance and fearlessness, two attributes that were necessary in the high ironworks of the bridge. After the bridge was built, Mohawks began traveling south to NYC to help build the bridges and skyscrapers that would eventually become the New York City skyline. They participated in the creation of the Empire State Building, the George Washington Bridge, the Chrysler Building, the United Nations Building and the World Trade Center. They also helped build the Sears Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge. After the fall of the World Trade Center, they returned to help dismantle the remains and build a new one.
The dangers of the work were never more apparent then in 1907 when the Quebec Bridge failed while under construction. The failure sent 33 Mohawk workers to their deaths. After the collapse, the Kahnawake Clan Mothers ruled that large numbers of Mohawk men could not work on the same project at the same time.
This 2015 Mohawk Ironworkers Native American Dollar is the first small dollar to be minted at the West Point Mint. It features a Mohawk ironworker reaching for an I-beam that is swinging into position. There are rivets on the left and right side of the border. The background is a high elevation view of the NYC skyline. There is an inscription "MOHAWK IRONWORKERS" on the bottom. The finish is enhanced uncirculated. The highlights of the imagery are in an almost proof finish, as are the inscriptions, while the background has a frosted finish.
The 2014 Gold Proof Half Dollar was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the JFK half dollar and is the first gold half dollar offered by the U.S. Mint. The coin features the original 1964 obverse design by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Gilroy Roberts. The coin was produced by the West Point (W) Mint from 3/4 of an ounce of pure 24 karat gold.
Following the sudden death of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, officials at the U.S. Mint received numerous requests to strike a coin honoring the late president. Congress and President Lyndon B Johnson quickly passed a law authorizing the production of such a coin. Within months the new Kennedy Half Dollar was designed and minting of the new coin began. Since it's debut in 1964, the JFK half dollar has become a favorite among collectors.
The 2014-W Gold Kennedy Half Dollar has a high relief proof finish. The frosted bust of JFK appears to float on the mirror-like background. Roberts based the bust of Kennedy on a portrait prepared for Kennedy’s Presidential Medal.
The reverse of the coin is based on the Presidential Seal and was designed by U.S. Mint Sculptor/Engraver Frank Gasparro. It consists of a heraldic eagle with a shield on its breast holding a symbolic olive branch and bundle of 13 arrows. It features the inscriptions “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, HALF DOLLAR” and “3/4 OZ. .9999 FINE GOLD.” Like the circulating Kennedy half dollars, the design is circled by a ring of 50 stars, which gives the Kennedy half dollar the distinction of having more stars than any other U.S. coin ever produced for circulation.
Production of the 50th Anniversary JFK Gold Proof Half-Dollar was limited to just 75,000 pieces!
As the American Civil War began to exact it's economic toll, the public began to hoard all government issued coins. The coins soon vanished from circulation and the Philadelphia Mint was having trouble keeping up with demand due to the difficult striking process for the one cent coin. Mint officials recommended that the coin be replaced with one that was easier to produce. The Coinage Act of April 22, 1864 authorized a new bronze composition cent and also included a provision to produce bronze two-cent pieces. It also required the new two-cent piece to contain the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" as a reflection of the growing religious sentiment during the Civil War. This was the first time the motto appeared on U.S. coinage and it is still used today.
The Two-Cent Piece was only produced by the U.S. Mint from 1864 to 1873 making it one of the shortest lived coins in U.S. history. The two-cent piece was initially popular with the public but support soon waned as the U.S. Mint began producing more nickels and three-cent pieces. The two-cent piece was abolished by Congress in 1873 and large quantities were turned over to the government and melted.
This 1864 Two-Cent Piece, first year of issue, is a highly sought after piece of American history. It is a first of its series and is one of the most popular type coins for collectors today.
The nickel three-cent piece was produced by the U.S. Mint from 1865 to 1889. The economic impact of the American Civil War caused the public to hoard all government-issued coins, making them vanish from circulation. The Philadelphia Mint was having trouble filling demand for the cent due to it being difficult to strike. Congress issued paper money in smaller denominations, including three cents, but the small slips of paper were deeply disliked by the public because they quickly became ragged and dirty and they were easy to lose. After the initial success of the two-cent piece in 1864 it was recommended that the three cent note be replaced with a three-cent nickel. Congress passed legislation authorizing the three-cent nickel piece on March 3, 1865 and production was quickly under way.
The three-cent piece was initially a very popular coin, but the larger five-cent nickel was introduced in 1866 and the public found it to be a more convenient coin for everyday use. The mint reduced the production numbers heavily in 1871 and the last of the coins were produced in 1889. Many of the coins were collected by the mint and melted down to use in five-cent pieces.
The obverse of the three-cent piece features the likeness of the goddess Liberty, as designed by Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre. She wears a coronet bearing her name and has a ribbon in her hair. The reverse was also designed by Longacre. He combined the Roman numeral III with the laurel wreath previously used on the 1859 Indian Head cent. Congress had required that all coins large enough to bear it must contain the motto "In God We Trust" but the three-cent piece was deemed too small.
This 1865 Three-Cent Piece, first year of issue, is a highly sought after piece of American history. It is a first of its series and a popular type coin for collectors today.
On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by a terrorist group. The attacks took place at the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Arlington, VA. Another attack was thwarted in Shanksville, PA. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives in these horrible attacks. The "National September 11 Memorial & Museum Commemorative Medal Act of 2010" required the U.S. Mint to strike One Ounce Silver Medals in commemoration of both the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks and the establishment of the "National September 11 Memorial & Museum" at the World Trade Center. The Mint was authorized to produce up to 2,000,000 of the medals between the West Point and Philadelphia Mints. However, the actual number minted is much lower. The West Point Mint only ended up producing 141,602 pieces.
The medals were struck in a proof finish from 1 ounce of silver. The obverse of the medal was designed by Donna Weaver and sculpted by Phebe Hemphill and features Lady Liberty holding the Lamp of Remembrance with beacons of light stretching skyward behind her. Inscribed upon the obverse are the words "ALWAYS REMEMBER" and "2001-2011". Donna Weaver was also the designer for the reverse of the medal but it was sculpted by Joseph Menna. It shows a bald eagle with a backdrop of cascading water above the inscriptions "HONOR" and "HOPE". The mint mark is located within the cascading water on the reverse.
This 2011 9/11 commemorative is a highly sought after piece of American history.
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