Plastic green army men have lived in children’s toy boxes for generations. Silver soldiers, reminiscent of those tiny toy soldiers you played with as child, are now available at Provident Metals. The first plastic army were made from metal and lead, but in the 1930s, plastic became the only medium used to create the iconic infantrymen. The toys even…
How the Comstock Silver Lode Changed Mining Forever
The year is 1857. The setting – a lonely mountain peak in Nevada’s Virginia Range. A sheepherder and prospector by the name of Henry Comstock investigates a large deposit two brothers, Evan and Hosea Grosh, had recently discovered before their untimely deaths. After a few months of unsuccessful digging, Comstock (or familiarly known as “Old…
Why You Should Never Take a Coin at Face Value
You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase “Never judge a book by its cover,” right? Well, in the case of coin collecting, the same rule applies. Or put differently, you can’t assess the worth of a coin by its face value. Here’s why: Face Value vs. Actual Worth When determining a coin’s monetary worth, there are several…
Junk Silver Half Dollars Worth More Than Melt
Completing our series on junk silver pieces that carry a numismatic value, these half dollars can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It may be worth it to check the dates and mint marks in your collection! Barber Half Dollars pre-1900– The Barber Half Dollar was first minted in 1892. Even in poor…
Seek Out These Junk Silver Quarters
Junk silver is valued for its affordability, accessibility, and — of course — silver content. It can be purchased in bulk from a vendor, or, sometimes, found “in the wild.” But some coins bear an extra value, above and beyond their silver content. Keep an eye out for these significant quarters. Barber Quarters 1900– There’s…
More Than Your Average Junk Silver: Valuable Dimes
Junk silver is a great addition to any investment strategy, as it includes not only easily recognizable pieces for use as trade items in a crisis, but it also is affordable to buy and possible to find in everyday transactions. Some pieces of junk silver are particularly valuable because they also have a numismatic appeal…
