Decades ago, America made silver coins for use in circulation - dimes (10¢), quarters (25¢), half-dollars (50¢), and silver dollars ($1). The value of the silver eventually greatly exceeded the face value of the coins. This 1963 Washington quarter is composed of approximately 90% silver metal (Ag). Starting in 1965, American quarters were produced using copper and nickel, with no silver content.
Silver is principally obtained by mining acanthite, a silver sulfide mineral (Ag2S). A seconary silver ore mineral is native silver itself.
Tags: George Washington 25 cent cents quarter quarters coin coins silver 1963
This design was used on America's second-ever postage stamp, the 10 cents George Washington issue of 1847 (Scott Catalog # 2). However, these modern reproductions more closely resemble the 1875 reproductions (Scott Catalogue # 4).
Tags: 10 cent cents Washington postage stamp stamps reproduction reproductions block four replica replicas George
This fine impression of the 12 cents black George Washington postage stamp from the 1860s is a plate proof. The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps & Covers defines proofs as "Trial printings of a stamp made from the original die or the finished plate." This proof is from the Second Designs / Regular Issue of 1861 and is printed on "card" (= Scott Catalogue # 69P4).
Tags: Scott Catalogue 69P4 plate proof card 12 cent cents 12c black George Washington Second Designs Regular Issue reprint reprints 1861
This fine impression of the 10 cents green George Washington postage stamp from the 1860s is a plate proof. The Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps & Covers defines proofs as "Trial printings of a stamp made from the original die or the finished plate." This proof is from the Second Designs / Regular Issue of 1861 and is printed on "card" (= Scott Catalogue # 68P4).
Tags: Scott Catalogue 68P4 plate proof card 10 cent cents 10c green George Washington Second Designs Regular Issue reprint reprints 1861
This 3 cents George Washington postage stamp was issued by America in 1868 (= Scott Catalogue # 94). It is part of a set of definitives issued in the 1860s and denominated 1 to 90 cents. The set replaced previous postage stamps that were declared invalid for postage at the onset of the American Civil War in the 1860s. This was done to prevent southern states from making money by selling older stamps.
The earliest varieties had no grills, but in later years, the stamps were issued with grills of various sizes. A "grill" is a grid of tiny punctures in the paper. Grills were intended to prevent washing and reuse, because cancellation ink would soak into the broken paper at the grill points. Seven grill types are recognized, based on size and geometry of the grill points, and are designated "A" to "F", plus "Z". This stamp has an "F grill".
Tags: 3 cent cents George Washington postage stamp stamps 1868 issue F grill grilled Scott Catalog 94