Coin Collecting Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Series

COIN COLLECTING BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA MERIT BADGE SERIES

COIN COLLECTING

“Enhancing our youths’ competitive edge through merit badges” Requirements

1. Understand how coins are made and where the active U.S. Mint facilities are located. 2. Explain these collecting terms: a. Obverse b. Reverse c. Reeding d. Clad e. Type set f. Date set 3. Explain the grading terms Uncirculated, Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Fine, Very Good, Good, and Poor. Show five different grade examples of the same coin type. Explain the term proof and why it is not a grade. Tell what encapsulated coins are. 4. Know three different ways to store a collection, and describe the benefits, drawbacks, and expense of each method. Pick one to use when completing requirements. 5. Do the following: a. Demonstrate to your counselor that you know how to use two U.S. or world coin reference catalogs. b. Read a numismatic magazine or newspaper and tell your counselor about what you learned.

35874 ISBN 978-0-8395-3390-0 ©2008 Boy Scouts of America 2013 Printing 6. Describe the 1999–2008 50 State Quarters® program. Collect and show your counselor five different state quarters you have acquired from circulation. 7. Collect from circulation a set of current U.S. coins. Include one coin of each denomination (cent, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar, dollar). For each coin, locate the mint marks, if any, and the designer’s initials, if any. 8. Do the following: a. Identify the people depicted on the following denominations of current U.S. paper money: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. b. Explain “legal tender.” c. Describe the role the Federal Reserve System plays in the distribution of currency. 9. Do ONE of the following: a. Collect and identify 50 foreign coins from at least 10 different countries. b. Collect and identify 20 bank notes from at least five different countries. c. Collect and identify 15 different tokens or medals. d. For each year since the year of your birth, collect a date set of a single type of coin. 10. Do ONE of the following: a. Tour a U.S. Mint facility, a Bureau of Engraving and Printing facility, a Federal Reserve Bank, or a numismatic museum or exhibit, and describe what you learned to your counselor. b. With your parent’s permission, attend a coin show or coin club meeting, or view the Website of the U.S. Mint or a coin dealer, and report what you learned. c. Give a talk about coin collecting to a group such as your troop, a Cub Scout pack, or your class at school. d. Do drawings of five Colonial-era U.S. coins.

COIN COLLECTING 3 Coin Collecting Resources.

Coin Collecting Resources

Scouting Literature Edler, Joel T., and David C. Harper, eds. Collections and Stamp Collecting merit U.S. Coin Digest: A Guide to Average badge pamphlets Retail Prices From the Market Experts. Krause Publications, 2006. Visit the Boy Scouts of America’s Harper, David C., ed. 2007 North official retail website at American Coins and Prices: http://www.scoutstuff.org for A Guide to U.S., Canadian, and Mexican Coins, 16th ed. a complete listing of all merit Krause Publications, 2006. badge pamphlets and other Krause, Chester L., Robert F. Lemke, helpful Scouting materials and Joel T. Edler, eds. Standard and supplies. Catalog of U.S. Paper Money, 25th ed. Krause Publications, 2006. Books Krause, Chester L., and Clifford Mishler. 2007 Standard Catalog of Breen, Walter H. Walter Breen’s World Coins: 1901–2001, 34th ed. Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Krause Publications, 2006. Colonial Coins. Doubleday, 1988. ———. Standard Catalog of World Bressett, Ken, and Abe Kasoff, eds. and Coins: 1601–1700, 3rd ed. Krause comps. The Official A.N.A. Grading Publications, 2003. Standards for United States Coins, 6th ed. St. Martin’s Press, 1996. ———. Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1701–1800, 3rd ed. Krause Bruce II, Colin R., and Thomas Publications, 2002. Michael. 2007 Standard Catalog of World Coins: 2001–Date. Krause ———. Standard Catalog of World Publications, 2006. Coins: 1801–1900, 4th ed. Krause Publications, 2004. Cuhaj, George S., ed. Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: Ruddy, James F. Photograde: A General Issues, 11th ed. Krause Photographic Grading Encyclopedia Publications, 2006. for United States Coins, 18th ed. St. Martin’s Press, 1996. ———. Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: Modern Issues 1961–Present, 12th ed. Krause Publications, 2006.

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Slabaugh, Arlie R. Confederate The Numismatist (monthly) States Paper Money. Krause American Numismatic Association Publications, 2001. 818 N. Cascade Ave. Yeoman, R. S. A Guide Book of Colorado Springs, CO 80903 United States Coins, 60th ed. Website: http://www.money.org Whitman Publishing, 2006. /publicationsdept.html World Coin News (monthly) Periodicals Krause Publications Inc. Bank Note Reporter (monthly) 700 E. State St. Krause Publications Inc. Iola, WI 54990 700 E. State St. Website: http://www.worldcoinnews.net Iola, WI 54990 Website: Organizations and Websites http://www.banknotereporter.com American Numismatic Association COINage (monthly) 818 N. Cascade Ave. Miller Magazines Inc. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 4880 Market St. Website: http://www.money.org Ventura, CA 93003 American Numismatic Society Website: http://www.coinagemag.com 96 Fulton St. Coin Prices (bimonthly) New York, NY 10038 Krause Publications Inc. Website: http://www.numismatics.org 700 E. State St. Federal Reserve Districts Iola, WI 54990 Website: http:// Website: www.federalreserve.gov/otherfrb.htm http://www.coinpricesmagazine.net National Numismatic Collection Coins Magazine (monthly) National Museum of American History Krause Publications Inc. Smithsonian Institution 700 E. State St. 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Iola, WI 54990 Washington, DC 20560 Website: http://www.coinsmagazine.net Website: http://americanhistory.si.edu Coin World (weekly) /collections/numismatics Amos Press Inc. Society of Paper Money Collectors P.O. Box 150 P.O. Box 117060 Sidney, OH 45365 Carrollton, TX 75011 Website: http://www.coinworld.com Website: http://www.spmc.org Numismatic News (weekly) Society of U.S. Pattern Collectors Krause Publications Inc. Website: http://www.uspatterns.com 700 E. State St. Iola, WI 54990 Website: http://www.numismaticnews.net

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U.S. Bureau of Engraving Photo and Illustration Credits and Printing 14th and C Streets, SW Board of Governors of the Federal Washington, DC 20228 Reserve System, courtesy—page 45 Website: http://www.moneyfactory.com George Cuhaj, courtesy—pages 10 U.S. Mint and 11 Customer Care Center Krause Publications, Iola, Wisconsin; 801 Ninth St., NW and Stack’s Rare Coins, New York, Washington, DC 20220 New York, courtesy—pages 16 Website: http://www.usmint.gov (bottom six), 17 (all), 20 (all), 21 (bottom), 23 (all), 25 (coins), 26 Acknowledgments (all), 27 (coins), 28 (coin), 30–31 The Boy Scouts of America thanks (all), 32 (bottom two), 33–34, 35 George Cuhaj of the editorial staff of (both top), 39, 41 (both), 51 (both the Standard Catalog of World Coins top), and 55 (all) for his assistance and dedication in updating the Coin Collecting merit ©Photos.com—cover (gold bars and badge pamphlet. Mr. Cuhaj serves as loose coins on right), pages 2, 3, 6 chair of the American Numismatic (coins), 7–9 (all), 15 (top right), 18, Association’s Boy Scout Merit Badge 21 (top), 22 (all), 24 (background), Committee, and has organized the 25 (top), 27 (map), 28 (left), 35 ANA’s participation in the Merit Badge (bottom), 38 (all), 43, 44 (bottom), Midway of every BSA national Scout 49 (all), 50 (top), 51 (hands), jamboree since 1981. He has been and 57 (inset) actively associated with the American Numismatic Society and Stack’s Rare United States coin production images Coins (New York) for many years. provided by the United States We also extend thanks to the Mint—cover (coin hubs), pages American Numismatic Association, 12–14 (all), 15 (top left, bottom), Stack’s Rare Coins, and Krause 16 (both top), 24 (all foreground), Publications, and to individuals David 29 (all), 36 (both), and 37 (all) C. Kranz, Thomas Michael, Lee Hartz, Wikipedia.org, courtesy—page 40 Tom Casper, and Bill Hodges for their contributions to this pamphlet. All other photos and illustrations not Thanks to the United States Mint, mentioned above are the property of in particular Angela Hicks, for the use or are protected by the Boy Scouts of their images. of America. The Boy Scouts of America is Brian Payne—cover (both); pages 4, 6 grateful to the men and women serving (main), 54, and 60–61 on the Merit Badge Maintenance Task Force for the improvements made in Randy Piland—pages 51 (Hornaday updating this pamphlet. medal), 53, and 57 (background)

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