The Capped Bust Silver Quarter was the immediate successors of the equally rare draped bust silver quarters which started minting in 1796. These silver quarters were first minted in 1815 and count among the rarest coins ever minted in the United States. These two particular silver quarter types were minted as a replacement for the Spanish two-reales coin circulating in the Americas at that time, by the fledging U.S. government.

The Capped Bust Silver Quarter carried the same design as the other coins, like the half dollar, minted during that time. Production of these quarters went on until 1838, and these coins together with the draped bust quarter, have been named by numismatists as the “Early Quarters” commanding premium prices among coin collectors.

Other key years to look out for when scouting for the Early Quarters are 1823, 1804 and 1796. Notably from 1804 onwards, the reverse side of the Early Quarters sported a bigger, “heraldic” eagle, suggestive of strength and power that collectors and numismatists appreciate over coins of earlier vintage which had smaller eagle designs.

It is a sound advice that before buying a Capped Bust Silver Quarter or any of the Early Quarters, the buyer must have an assurance that these items have certification of authenticity from reputable numismatist groups or associations like the ANACS, NGC, PCGS and ICG. Another is to deal only with reputable dealers.

A useful website for reference on the capped bust silver quarter can be found in the net. This site carries a legitimate eBay auction listing of Early Quarters and their key dates. Through this listing, a prospective buyer could check the trend of the pricing, and compare various price levels within years, comparative data that are useful to the serious collector or dedicated numismatist.

The Barber Silver Quarter coins are so valued by collectors because these are vintage editions. It is named after its designer, Charles E. Barber. These coins are also called the Liberty Head quarters which were first minted more than 100 years ago.

Consider yourself lucky of you have an 1896-S mintage of this quarter, for this is the most valuable of the lot. Still luckier are those who could get their hands on the Barber Dime which is one of the most treasured coins ever minted in the USA where but 24 coins were struck. There were only nine left of these very rare dimes which fetched for a whopping bonanza of close to 2 million US dollars in a fabled transaction two years ago.

There were 74 regular issues of the Barber Silver Quarter, none of which have the same reach as the pay-scale classification of the Barber Dime because the quarters offer no significant variations. Nevertheless, these quarters pose as a challenge to collectors because of the scarcity or low mintage of some coins that were struck in a particular year.

The quarters 1913-S mintage stands as among the most distinct with its 40,000 quarters issued, which went on the record as the lowest regular silver coin issue for the 20th century. The Barber Silver Quarter has a classic design which was drawn from ancient Greece and Rome inspirations. A Liberty head sporting a cap and wreath of laurel leaves is featured in the quarters obverse side.

The “Liberty” inscription in the images headband, which could rapidly wear out with handling of coins in circulation, is often the numismatists basis for determining the condition and intrinsic value of the circulated coins. The USAs original 13 states are honored in this quarter, represented by seven stars on the coins right and six on the left, with the ever-familiar “In God We Trust” motto appearing above.

The Australian Silver Kookaburra should enchant both the coin collector and numismatist alike. Collectors who look upon birds as their theme specialty will be happy to know that this silver coin conveys the image of the local Australian bird kookaburra furrowed in relief.

This bird is a land-based member of kingfisher family which is classified under the genus Dacelo. This large kingfisher is most peculiar for its loud bird call akin to good-natured human laughter. This pleasant disposition of the bird plus the fact that it is found only in Australia are perhaps the main reasons why the Perth Mint in Australia decided to honor the Kookaburra in a silver coin.

The Australian Silver Kookaburra first came out of the Perth Mint at Western Australia in 1990. An introduction which many numismatists must have already taken careful note of as this coin is already nearing its 20th year continuous mintage. The Kookaburra is minted in four sizes with its 32.5 oz. (1-kilo) version consider as one of the largest government-issued silver bullion coins in the world. This coin, which also comes in sizes of 10 oz., 2 oz. and 1 oz., is legal tender, with the 1-kilo size having a face value of 30 Australian dollars.

The Australian Silver Kookaburra has 32.151 troy ounces of silver of 99.99% purity, making it a prized addition to coin collections. Characteristic of Australian bullion coins, the image of Queen Elizabeth graces the head of the Silver Kookaburra. The design of the Kookaburra featured on the reverse side changes every year of minting, a subtle theme variation that should whet the interest of many coin collectors. The 2007 Silver Kookaburra, for instance, has already won the affection of many avid numismatists.

This one features the amiable kookaburra hovering over a twig half-sunken in water, one artistic rendering that should enhance the coins value year after year.