Wrapping up 2024!
What a year for collectors! So many extraordinary coin designs. They honored important events and cultural touchstones. And, they gave enthusiasts at every level an amazing variety of choices to collect or give in appreciation. Here are a few that attracted my attention.
The Lustrous Shimmer of Silver
The appeal of mythical beasts that symbolize wisdom and strength remains robust. The hit HBO medieval fantasy series Game of Thrones (2011-2019) made such an impression that it prompted a prequel with a third season expected in 2026.
With 2024 also the Lunar Year of the Dragon, interest in these winged serpents remains at an all-time high. Littleton Coin has no shortage of choices, starting with this dramatic cut-coin necklace. But it’s the sinuous serpent gliding across a fractional coin set that’s led many traditional collectors to put this stunner in their shopping carts.
A dramatic dual design of the American bald eagle also caught the eye of patriots and birdwatchers, alike. Chosen to represent our nation for its impressive natural power, the eagle also symbolizes the tenacity of those colonial settlers who fought for independence nearly 250 years ago. If you’re starting to build a coin collection of raptors, take a quick read of this 2022 blog to see what else you might add.
Having had a father who was born in 1905, looked for work during the Great Depression, and served in World War II, I’m particularly interested in the designs that illustrate the Greatest Generation’s grit, civic sacrifice, resilience, and successes. For his great-grandchildren who came along too late to know him, I’m looking at Littleton’s exclusive 10-coin set as a way to connect our family’s generations. Were Dad still alive, I’d gift him this commemorative WWII dollar.
Interest in Indigenous History & Culture Intensifies
I’m a big fan of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. It’s on my bucket list to visit. If any of you have toured this Smithsonian branch, feel free to offer tips in the comments section below.
Did you know there’s a link between the 15th coin in the U.S. Women Quarters series and this year’s Native American dollar? Check it out! Author, composer, poet, political activist Zitkala-Ša was one of the driving forces behind passage of the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act.
Thanks to playwright William Shakespeare’s ability to deliver us so many quotable lines, every coin collector is familiar with the phrase All that glitters is not gold. (The play was The Merchant of Venice, btw.) I’m applying that line to the glimmer of big, bold copper issues, such as this one of the Indigenous People’s origin story that’s beautifully rendered on a five-ounce coin. Using mythical animals for moral instruction, the Algonquins understood the complex layers of evil used as the motif on this shimmering copper dollar.
What were the coin designs that caught your eye this year?
