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Coin Tips & Advice

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The History of Plated Coins

As long as coins have been minted, there have been plated coins. Early Greek and Roman coins were called “fourrées,” and they were designed to deceive the recipient. (Today, of course, plated coins are more for aesthetics, though there are some plating scams you should beware of). Gold plated coins were not the only type of fourrées. Others were silver plated over copper coins, gold over copper and gold over silver.

The first production of fourrées can be traced even further back, to the 7th century BC in Asia Minor. The goal, obviously, was to create a coin that seemed to be worth more than it actually was.

Counterfeiters have always been around! The difficulty for coin collectors is determining which of the above minted a fourrée. While these coins may have been worthless as currency in ancient Greek and Roman history, they prove to be valuable to collectors today.

Some examples of early fourrées are:

Roman

  • Under the rule of Augustus: Fourrée denarius – circa 27 BC
  • Under the rule of Augustus and Tiberius: Fourrée denarius - 13-14 AD
  • Under the rule of Brutus: Fourrée denarius circa 54 BC
Greek
  • Larissa: Fourrée drachm - 400-344 BC
  • Persian Empire: Fourrée siglos 450-330 BC

Add Fun and Magic to Your Coin Collection

Take a break from Lady Liberty and the American Eagle in favor of a little Disney magic! In the 1980s, seven Disney silver coins were released, to celebrate Disney around the world. Each 1 troy ounce coin features a different Disney scene, and is a commemorative proof.

The first of the seven features all of your favorite Disney characters holding hands. This “Disney Around the World” coin features:

  • Minnie Mouse
  • Mickey Mouse
  • Goofy
  • Donald Duck
  • Daisy Duck
And on the back:
  • Pinocchio
  • Peter Pan
  • Snow White
  • Dopey
The rest of the set features one or two of the characters on their own coins.

Happy Birthday Mickey: Another noteworthy collection of Disney silver coins is the 60th anniversary of Mickey Mouse set. This set of seven coins depicts different eras in Mickey’s life, starting at his birth in 1928 as Steamboat Willie.

There’s Happy, and Dopey, and…Snow White even has her own coin set, with each of the dwarfs featured on eleven coins (including one for Prince Charming, the Wicked Witch, and the Hunter and Queen). These come in either silver or gold.

Gift Cards Worth Their Weight in Silver? And last but not least, Disney issued collectible gift card coins in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Each came in a fold out card and featured a different Disney scene.