US Coin Series Guides

A coin series is a run of coins sharing a design, a denomination, and a set of specifications, struck across a span of years and often at more than one mint. Knowing the series a coin belongs to is the first step in understanding it, because the series determines what to look for: which mints struck it, where the mintmark sits, what the metal content is, and which dates collectors pursue.

These guides cover the US series that make up most of what a dealer actually handles. The Morgan silver dollar is the most widely collected US silver coin, struck in 90 percent silver across several mints and revived in modern times by the US Mint. Pre-1933 US gold covers the $2.50, $5, $10, and $20 denominations that circulated as money before US gold coinage ended in the 1930s. The American Gold Eagle is the modern official US gold bullion coin, and the American Gold Buffalo is its 24-karat counterpart. The American Silver Eagle is the corresponding silver issue.

Each guide sets out the specifications, the design and its designer, the mints involved, the product variants (bullion, proof, burnished), and what matters when buying or selling that series. Where a series has meaningful varieties — such as the VAM varieties catalogued for Morgan and Peace dollars — the guide explains the concept and points to where the detail lives.

Series knowledge is what turns a pile of coins into an inventory you can describe accurately, whether you are buying, selling, or settling an estate.

To talk through a specific series with someone who handles these coins daily, call 855-344-2646.