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03/19/2024 02:40:15 AM
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Other Legal Tender


Other Legal Tender at Provident Metals

There are more forms of legal tender available to collectors than just gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bullion coins. US legal tender notes are also available that have been enhanced by third-party dealers using proprietary processes. In addition to legal tender notes, there is a range of other collectible, enhanced legal tender items that are now available at Provident Metals. You can learn more about the growing range of other legal tender available in our catalog.

Other Coins

There is more than one way to purchase some of America’s greatest coin designs. While specimens such as the Mercury Dime, Walking Liberty Half Dollar, and Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle command huge sums for existing specimens and the use of these same designs on modern US Mint bullion coins have premiums over the spot price of metals, there are other coin options out there that allow you to collect some of these coveted designs.

Tribute coins are a perfect example of this kind of coining. Standard blanks, often made from cupro-nickel, are produced by private mints with exact replicas of some of the best American coin designs in history. What sets a tribute coin apart from a bullion specimen beyond its metallic content?

  • While tribute coins often feature current and historic coin designs with a noted face value, the presence of an inscription of “COPY” indicates these coins are NOT real legal tender.
  • Tribute coins often have unique plating to give the appearance of actual coins, despite the cupro-nickel makeup of the blank.

Clad Coins

Tribute coins can fall into the category of clad coins, but so too can actual legal tender coins from the United States Mint. Consider, for example, the Kennedy Half Dollar. The last coin the US Mint ever issued into circulation with 90% silver content back in 1964, since 1971 the Kennedy Half Dollar has been produced using the modern cupro-nickel alloy featured on all other circulation currency. Gold-clad Kennedy Half Dollars are standard cupro-nickel 50-cent pieces with a layer of 24-karat gold applied to both faces of the coin. The application of the gold is so thin that it does not significantly alter the cost of the coin, but there is enough gold to create a beautiful, collectible piece.

Notes

Another emerging sector for collectors is the purchase of legal tender notes. Authorized dealers use proprietary processes to recreate some of America’s greatest currency designs on the obverse face of modern Federal Reserve Notes. In most cases, these designs come from forms of paper currency that predate the existence of the modern Federal Reserve Note. Here are some of the more important details to note regarding enhanced legal tender notes:

  • Each note is authentic legal tender in the United States produced for and issued by the United States Mint and Treasury Department.
  • The smallest US notes are often the focus of these replica obverse designs, including the $1, $2, and $5 US bills.
  • On the obverse of each note is a high-definition replication of historic designs such as the female allegories from the Educational Series of Silver Certificates.

The application of these high-definition graphics to the obverse of the bills obscures the images of the US Presidents found on each bill, but it does not impact the legal tender value of the notes. Crucially, it offers collectors an affordable way to capture some of the most beloved designs from history. For example, the 1901 $10 Bison Note is one of the most coveted United States Note designs. However, there are only some 3,500 to 4,000 specimens left that vary in condition because each was used in circulation. The effigy of that same bison can be found on modern notes with these enhanced graphics, allowing collectors to see the note’s original design as it once appeared when used on the United States Note.

Collect Other Legal Tender Courtesy of Provident Metals

Provident Metals is expanding its options when it comes to other legal tender items, giving collectors more options when shopping with us. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Provident Metals’ customer service is available at 800-313-3315, online through our live chat, and using our email address. For questions regarding acceptable forms of payment and applicable minimums or maximums, please reference our Payment Policies page.