A Numismatist Visits DC

A Numismatist Visits DC

First of all, if you visit the nation's capital, take a look at the change you get from stores -- the mintmark is missing from the cents out here, and there is some mint issue on the other coins where the "D" mintmark I ALWAYS see in Texas has a deformity that actually makes it look like a letter "P".

Kidding aside, my wife and I recently visited Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and NYC. Obviously there are plenty of sites and attractions to keep anyone busy for days in each city, but I kept track of attractions that might interest coin collectors:

WASHINGTON, D.C.

National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum (Metro Stop: Gallery Place - Chinatown. They share a building. Admission: Free.)
http://www.npg.si.edu
http://americanart.si.edu



If you've seen a $100 bill, you've see this portrait of Ben Franklin. It was the basis for the portrait on the bill.

This iconic portrait of George Washington is by the same artisit (Gilbert Stuart) who painted the "Athenaeum Portrait" on which the dollar bill engraving is based. This painting was based on the unfinished Athenaeum. (Do you know why it's unfinished? It's a fascinating story!) The Athenaeum is owned by the Smithsonian, the National Portrait Gallery AND the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I don't know where it is displayed.

Several sculptures by Augustus St-Gaudens are on display including this memorial and this bust of Abraham Lincoln.

The conservancy section above the third floor has several pieces of medallion sculptures. This includes these 1921 Peace dollars. The samples have been mounted and inventoried such that only one face of each is even presentable. The reverse of one has the inventory number written in marker, the obverse of the other is marred by some sort of mounting mechanism.

National Museum of American History (Metro Stop: Smithsonian. Admission: Free)
http://americanhistory.si.edu



This museum holds the The National Numismatic Collection. They have a very small display of some of their items called Stories on Money (http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhib...8&exkey=1327). It is located on the lower floor. You won't see a vast collection, but you will see some remarkable pieces -- a 1913 Liberty "V" nickel, a 1974 aluminum cent, and a 1933 double eagle to name a few. There are some colonial pieces on display in this room.

If you want some out-of-the-ordinary numismatics, the National Museum of Natural History (http://www.mnh.si.edu/) nearby has a huge Rai Stone, currency from Yap, on display outisde the gift shops on the lowest floor.



Library of Congress (Metro Stop: Capitol South. Admission: Free)
http://www.loc.gov/index.html

I didn't find the exhibit/display, but the L.O.C. has the contents of Lincoln's pockets from the night he was assassinated. This includes a Confederate $5 bill.

Capitol Building (Metro Stop: Capitol South. Admission: Free. Tour Tickets Required)
http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/



The image on the back of your $2 bill comes from this painting that hangs in the Rotunda. There are eight paintings in the Rotunda. Four depict major moments in the Revolution, and four depict important moments prior to the Revolution.

If you are a State Quarter fan, you will find many of the states' statues from the Statuary Hall Collection reflect their quarter designs: King Kamehameha from Hawaii, for example.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing (Metro Stop: Smithsonian. Admission: Free. Visitors' Center open to the public, free ticketed tours available.)
http://www.moneyfactory.gov/

I only went to the visitors' center (which still required security screening). Guided tours are available. Tickets are issued from a booth on the day of. Closest metro stop is "Smithsonian." You have to walk to one side of the building to get your tickets, then back to the other side to enter the tour, and you exit on the ticket booth side. And it's not the shortest walk between these two sides.

Other Notes:
Those of you who collect elongated cents -- they see you coming. These machines are all over the Mall. The Smithsonian museums alone have more than a dozen. Each machine produces four different designs, and each one costs $1 (plus a penny). Notice the numbers on the base... there are at least 13 of these machines.



And of course, the monuments here are reflected in our currency. The Lincoln Memorial on the $5 bill and the LMC; the Treasury Building, White House, and Capitol Building on the $10, $20, and $50, respectively; the liberty imagery in the architecture and statues.



When I get it together, I'll post similar highlights of Philly & NYC combined (not as much there as in DC). If you liked this or have questions, let me know!