Commemorative Silver Coins

As you know, silver coins are not just used for currency and they are not just issued solely with the thought of giving people something to spend. There are many coins that are commissioned to commemorate important occasions and people. Some gold and silver coins issued by the U.S. Mint fulfill both functions--they honor someone or an event and they are used as currency. Other silver coins are commissioned and issued only as a tangible way to mark an occasion.

Earlier this week, President Bush gave approval for the U.S mint to make a silver dollar to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

Before President Bush signed the legislation, Congress had to give its okay for this new silver dollar and it did not last month. Did you know that Congress does not approve more than two commemorative coins per year?

If you are good at math and know your history, you have likely realized that 2008 is not 50 years apart from 1964, the year in which President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act. Plans have to be put into place years in advance for a silver coin to go into production at a certain time.

The U.S. Mint will make 350,000 of these silver dollars to honor the Civil Rights Act in 2014, but the process has been set into motion now.

Other coins have been issued to mark events such as the Olympic games, the 1994 World Cup soccer tournament and as a tribute to those who fought in the Civil War.

Next year, the Abraham Lincoln Commemorative Silver Dollar will be released since 2009 marks 200 years since Lincoln's birth on February 12, 1809. As you can imagine this coin is illustrated with an image of Abraham Lincoln on one side. The other side of this silver dollar that was commissioned to honor Lincoln bears words from the Gettysburg address.

If you buy silver coins such as the coin to commemorate Lincoln in the near future, you probably will not want to sell these coins right away. However, you may have other silver coins that you have had for a while. If you decide that now is the time for you to sell silver, a silver buyer will be more than glad to take a look at the silver coins you have.