Coin Collecting And Visiting Washington DC

If you search LMC varieties then the Lincoln Memorial would be a must see! Maybe you could even find a LMC on the actual memorial that would be something to keep for sure. And maybe that would be the only case where you would want to find a LMC tail side up!

Go to the Smithsonian.

1. Check to see if the Smithsonian National Museum of American History has an exhibit called "The Value of Money". If recall correctly there is a planned renovation and I don't know exactly when the renovation is supposed to start and/or finish. I haven't been to the museum in a few years now. There are also some other really nice exhibits at the same museum too, to include Old Glory (The Roland flag).
2. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History (I think next door to the American History one) has a decent Gem exhibit (the Hope Diamond is there), but also a small exhibit with natural gold and silver nuggets/mineral formations, a huge sheet of natural copper (same room as the Hope diamond). There is a pretty decent amount of meteorites there too. Unfortunately, I think the dinosaur exhibit may be under renovation.

The Smithsonian has coin displays at the American History building including the recently opened room with rarities hiding in pull out drawers, see both rooms there, plus gold on the fourth floor of the Native American Museum, Europen medals on the lower floor of the main Art Museum, and also see the National Portrait Gallery a couple of blocks north to see the paintings of person pictured on currency. U.S. Mint outlets at main Treasury and Union Station also offer instant gratification without shipping charges on all catalog coins. The BEP also has a gift shop you access after taking the tour. If you can pull VIP status contact the Director of the National Numismatic Collection in advance for a private tour of places off limits to the general public.

Yeah, I got Eagle Eye's joke about finding a Lincoln Memorial cent at the Lincoln Memorial. I found it to be funny. Seems like there's just a minor misunderstanding here.

Anyway, it would be neat to get a picture of the Lincoln Memorial while holding a Lincoln Memorial cent in front of it. Likewise, you could also fold $5, $10, $20 and $50 bills and hold the half up to the actual building in D.C.

As for coin shops, I know of Julian Leidman at Bonanza Coins, located nearby in Silver Springs, Maryland.

Great ideas guys. I'll let yall know what I do.

If you collect or just appreciate Byzantine coins, Dumbarton Oaks has one of the finest collections in the world. See http://www.doaks.org/museum/byzanti...-collection.

Steve S.

The Smithsonian exhibit is different from what it was online, but very cool. I only had an hour at the American History musuem and spent he whole time in their coin exhibits. They have an astonishing collection of gold coins, rare coins, and they are all in such beautiful condition. I could have stayed there for hours... but alas the family dragged me away.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is cool - I bought a couple of proof sets and an Eagle there. I guess I should have bought some bills, but coins always win me over. They don't make coins there, but they had a few in the gift shop.

I thought it was obligitory to hold up a penny and $5 bill at Lincoln memorial as well as a nickle at Jefferson memorial. I took lots of photos.