Back in the 1790s, the United States was quite a different place. George Washington gave the country’s first State of the Union address. Thomas Jefferson was in charge of the first U.S. Census, which asked a total of six questions. The largest urban area was New York City, with a population of just over 33,000 […]
The doors to the Bellevue store opened and in walked a family — mother, father and three children — absolutely covered in dirt. "Even their car was dusty," says Adam Richey of West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins. "They walked in with these filthy paint buckets in their hands, all of them giddy and grinning."
If you're considering selling your gold, it's not too late. The price of gold remains historically high. Back in 2001, gold was trading at just more than $250 an ounce. In September 2011, an ounce of the world's favorite precious metal was fetching nearly $1,900. It's been an incredible ride for gold investors over the last decade or so, but fluctuations in the price of gold are nothing new.
At West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins, our business is buying gold and selling gold, as well as rare coins, silver, jewelry and antiques. Every day, people come in to one of our three locations with questions about how to start investing in precious metals—or how to turn the valuables they have into cold, hard cash.
Back in December 1904, three years after he took office, Theodore Roosevelt sent a famous letter to Treasury Secretary Leslie Shaw that ushered in a new age of American coinage.
There are some who believe the diamond we now call Koh-i-Noor (Mountain of Light) has been around for more than 5,000 years. Although there's no proof of that, we can trace the enthralling history of this magnificent stone for certain from the 14th century. It was then that the first mention of its curse appeared in a Hindu text: "He who owns this diamond will own the world, but will also know all its misfortunes. Only God, or a woman, can wear it with impunity."
Were you left uninspired by the latest necklaces you saw at your local boutiques? Are you looking for something different, something with a bit more character? Well, West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins have an outstanding collection of heirloom and contemporary jewelry—handpicked from the items we've purchased locally or from jewelers across the country. In addition, many items are rare or one-of-a-kind pieces that come from the huge estate liquidations we've handled for over 30 years.
Produced from one of the world's largest gold mines in South Africa, the Krugerrand is the original and most recognized one-ounce gold bullion coin. First minted in 1967 from Rand Refinery, it was developed to internationally promote South African gold by making it easy for anybody to invest in gold. It's been legal tender since it was created, which means that you can take your investment with you wherever you go—and sell it pretty much anywhere in the world for cash.
The word "bullion" may conjure up images of pirates pillaging treasure chests or the military patrolling the golden bunkers of Fort Knox — but bullion isn't just for the criminal class and the government. In fact, buying bullion is a great way to diversify your portfolio and (often) realize a great rate of return.
Gold is hot these days. Prices are reaching all-time highs, which is why it is a great time to sell the gold jewelry, collectable gold coins or gold bullion you've accumulated over the years. If you've decided to sell your gold and want to get the most for it, you need to understand how the gold evaluation process works.
A friend was recently cleaning out his family home's basement when he came across a locked box that hadn't been opened in perhaps decades. He dusted it off, turned the lock and was surprised to find it contained a cache of out-of-circulation coins.
The story of the U.S. penny begins back in 1787 when the first pure copper half-cent was designed by Benjamin Franklin and manufactured in a private mint. Back then, you could buy a nice plate of eggs and bacon with a few cents, but today a penny doesn't get you much at all. If you're like most Americans, you probably find yourself either leaving your pennies in the "penny dish" at the counter, or taking them home to drop in a jar that you periodically empty into a CoinStar machine.
You can't go anywhere these days without hearing about what a great time it is to sell your gold. With the economy still struggling, more and more people are selling their gold for cash. And it's true that at around $1,700 an ounce, gold prices are near record highs. But you need to be careful when selling your gold.
Recently, it was widely reported that a very rare 1796 U.S. half cent fetched a whopping $357,000 at a European auction held by Wooley and Wallis of Salisbury, England. Also known as the Liberty Cap Half Cent, this coin was certainly a prime offering as there were only 1,390 ever minted by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia.
Gold is a hot topic these days. You've heard about it on the news. Or seen the men waving signs that say, "NOW IS THE TIME TO SELL YOUR GOLD!" Prices are near all-time highs — and that's why it can be a great time to sell your gold. But first you have to figure out how much it's worth.
It's true that gold gets all the glory, but its precious metal cousin silver also deserves your love. Silver's a fascinating metal with a long history of use in royal artifacts, religious rites and wealthy homes. And right now, the silver market is hot, with prices rising to some of their highest levels since the early 1980s.
Haven't we all seen that guy on the beach or in the park — with his socks pulled high and headphones on, swinging a funny contraption over the ground — and thought to ourselves, "That guy won't find anything! What a waste of time!" Well, maybe we've got it wrong.
So we know the proposed $1 trillion coin made of platinum was ultimately rejected by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Treasury. And no, the proposed coin was not going to contain $1 trillion worth of platinum, but let's consider for a moment, what it would look like if it did…
A beautiful diamond can take your breath away, transport you on a flight of fancy, and turn the most grizzled old bachelor into a romantic poet. But when you're buying a diamond, it's essential to keep your head if you want to get the most diamond for your money. Knowledge is power, after all, and if you're thinking about buying diamonds, you need to understand the 4Cs.
Prices for gold are some of the highest they've ever been. In fact, the average price for an ounce of gold has risen nearly 600% over the past 15 years. It's definitely a great time to think about selling your gold. But why are prices so high right now? It comes down to a combination of factors.
Interested in starting a coin collection but not sure where to start or what you should know? Here are some tips from the experienced staff at West Seattle Coins and Bellevue Rare Coins to help you start collecting.
You've probably heard about it on the news. At around $1,700 an ounce, prices for gold are near record highs. Gold buyers are looking for anything that has gold in it — there's never been a better time to trade your old jewelry, dinnerware or coins for some cold, hard cash. The only question is: Where do you start?
This month, Dallas-based Heritage Auctions plans to auction off an extremely rare, 1905 $5 bill from the First National Bank of Fairbanks, Alaska. This item is 1 of 4 national currency notes of its kind ever printed; it dates from Series 1902, has a red seal and features President Benjamin Harrison. The minimum starting bid is $120,000 — and it is expected to sell for $200,000 to $300,000.
