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 Replies: 50 / Views: 6,314 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
898 Posts |
I never knew what the Fugio cent is until this topic. Also, I know this isn't the greatest, but I'm personally obsessed with the reverse on Barber quarters, just my favorite. I love the Flying Eagle cent too since it was the oldest coin given to my by my grandfather. |
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Valued Member
United States
467 Posts |
The Lincoln Cent! 100+ years of service, and billions upon billions struck. Not only that but probably the first coins that many of us collected. I myself started with the ubiquitous Whitman album for Lincoln cents 52 years ago, at the tender age of 5.... |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1584 Posts |
Edited by noD
08/19/2014 7:07 pm
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Moderator
 Australia
16849 Posts |
What makes a coin "great"?  Popularity with the general public? Then the Lincoln Cent probably wins. Popularity with collectors? Then the Morgan dollar probably is in contention. Best design? Then the SLQ and the Saint can enter the fray. Or by "greatest coin" do you mean a certain specific coin that is great for some reason, rather than a broader type or denomination of coin? The Farouk 1933 Saint, the Ice Cream Nickel or the Toven Aluminium Cent can all be in contention. Given the vagueness of the definition, I have a more specific (though perhaps different) question which I find easier to answer: Which American coin is most distinctively "American"? Lots of countries commemorate their leaders, living or dead. Lots of countries have eagles on their coins. Lots of countries use "dollars" and "cents". So for me, the most iconic American coin (and therefore "the greatest" from that viewpoint) is... The dime. Lots of other countries have "ten cent pieces", but no other English-speaking country has adopted the name "dime" for it - even the Canadians only use the term unofficially and with great reluctance. No other English-speaking country has given any other official name to their 10 cent pieces, either. The dime is the last relic of a bold experiment to introduce a truly decimal currency system. The French republicans had their decime (from whom the Americans adapted the denomination) but they haven't called them "decimes" since 1815. The only other country I'm aware of that still uses and still gives an official name to the tenth-unit coin is mainland China (where 1 jiao is 1/10th of a renminbi yuan). Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Valued Member
United States
156 Posts |
I'll nominate the 1849 Gold Double Eagle (J-117), primarily because it is UNIQUE, secondarily because it represents the single greatest event in the growth of America, by way of the westward expansion of migrating pioneers that resulted from the discovery of Gold in the Territory of California.
Edited by judd1552
08/19/2014 9:32 pm
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Valued Member
South Africa
453 Posts |
But why call it a dime when its 10c?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
But why call it a dime when its 10c? And too why call a five dollar bill a fin? Why call it a bill at all? Why call a Quarter 2 bits? And then too we have saw bucks, Pennies and on and on and on. Some time ago there was a post about all the things we call our money system. So why not Dime for 10 Cents or ten Pennies.  |
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Valued Member
United States
112 Posts |
Personally I am a huge fan of the Buffalo nickel. Native American on the front and the iconic buffalo on the reverse. I just love the design. Also, the Walking Liberty half is just fantastic design work for my eyes. Lastly, a shout out to the Lincoln Cent for sentimental first collected coin reason :) |
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Valued Member
United States
88 Posts |
The draped bust large cent. A great coin, a great design. A bit expensive to collect though. :)
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Moderator
Australia
16849 Posts |
Quote:
But why call it a dime when its 10c? Because it actually says "ONE DIME" on it.  Unlike in Canada and unlike the "penny" and "nickel", "dime" is its actual name, not a nickname. America has not issued "ten cent pieces" since 1837. Under the currency system originally envisaged by the French revolutionaries (and adapted by the American revolutionaries), the currency would be truly decimal: 10 milliemes to a centime, 10 centimes to a decime, 10 decimes to the franc, and so forth. Most countries that have "decimal currency" actually have "centesimal currency" - divisions of 100, rather than 10. American currency as it stands now is a curious mixture of decimal and binary fractional. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Valued Member
South Africa
453 Posts |
Oh ok thanks I understand, here in SA we call it like it is 1c 2c 5c,none of them exist anymore we have 10,20,50c and then 1 rand so on
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Valued Member
United States
368 Posts |
the greatest American coin: The LMC !! |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2368 Posts |
Quote:the greatest American coin: The LMC !! I'm sorry, that W looks upside down.  Kidding! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8518 Posts |
I would take a LWC 1955P-1DO-001 ! Oregon coin geek.....*** GO BEAVS ! ! ! ***
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2368 Posts |
Quote:I would take a LWC 1955P-1DO-001 ! That'll be $2000 sir. I can make that Uncirculated for a thousand more if you like! Anything else? |
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Replies: 50 / Views: 6,314 |
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Posted 08/18/2014 09:55 am
