Money Museum receives large donation of gold, silver coins
Collection of U.S. gold and silver coins was donated by the estate of Gerry Hansen

A donation of United States gold coins and Morgan silver dollars from the estate of Gerry Frederick Hansen will significantly enhance the collection held by the American Numismatic Association's Edward C. Rochette Money Museum.

The gold coin donations include 29 Double Eagles from 1900 to 1927; 24 Half Eagles dating from 1842 to 1926; two $3 gold coins from 1854 and 1874; and four Quarter Eagles from 1852 to 1928. Of the 24 Half Eagles, 13 were minted at the long-defunct United States Mint branches in Charlotte, N.C., and Dahlonega, Ga.

"The Hansen gold coins, especially those from the Dahlonega and Charlotte mints, will greatly enhance our ability to tell the story of the U.S. Mint and the various branches it has operated across the nation, especially the two key southeast branches that operated in the 19th century before the Civil War," explained Douglas Mudd, Money Museum curator.

Of the silver coins donated, 57 are Morgan silver dollars and include an 1889 Carson City coin graded AU55 by NGC and an 1893 San Francisco graded XF by PCGS.

"The Morgan dollars will enable us to expand the collection used for Summer Seminar classes and increase the number of Morgan varieties that we have available for education," Mudd said.

The ANA will exhibit the gold coins from the Dahlonega and Charlotte mints as part of the Museum Showcase at the 2014 National Money Show, to be held in Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 27 to March 1, 2014, at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

"Donations such as this are the bread-and-butter that has allowed the ANA to grow its collection over the years into the world-class collection it is today," Mudd said. "This improves our ability to fulfill our educational mission."

Collectors interested in donating numismatic artifacts to the Money Museum are encouraged to contact museum staff at 719-482-9834 or email museum@money.org.