Numismatic News – August 25, 2026

Summary

Foreign coins circulating in the US, the Morgan dollar's second chapter and the future of physical currency lead the August 25, 2026 issue of Numismatic News (Vol. 75 No. 23, $7.99) — with the Heritage Auctions Platinum Session at ANA Dallas (September 2-6) dominating the cover, featuring an 1884 Gold Dollar MS69 PCGS CAC and an 1837 GR-4 Half Dollar MS66 PCGS CAC from the Pogue collection.

Foreign Coins Circulating in the U.S. (page 8) examines which non-US coins appear most frequently in American pocket change and why. The Morgan Dollar, Part 2 (page 20) continues the series on America's most collected silver dollar, covering the later mint years and branch mint varieties. The Future of Coins (page 28) debates whether the US will follow Sweden and Canada toward a cashless society. Coronet Large Cents (page 38) offers a collector's guide to the 1816-1857 series. The Heyday of Counterfeit Coins (page 40) examines the peak period of 19th-century American counterfeiting. The Heritage Auctions cover promotes the Platinum Session in Dallas with the Black Cat Collection and the Reno-Carson City Collection including multiple CC-minted double eagles.

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Content Guide

▸ Features

p.08 · Foreign Coins Circulating in the U.S.
Canadian, Mexican and Caribbean coins appear in American pocket change more often than most collectors realise, and this feature explains why — from cross-border tourist spending to coin-return sorting errors at coin-counting machines. Keep any non-US coin you find in change; most are worth face value or less, but pre-1967 Canadian silver coins carry a melt premium.

p.20 · The Morgan Dollar, Part 2
The second instalment of the Morgan dollar series covers the later mint years (1880s-1904) and the branch mint varieties from New Orleans, San Francisco and Carson City. The article identifies the key dates within this range and their current market values across circulated grades. New Orleans Morgan dollars in MS-60 or better are the most undervalued entry point into this series.

p.28 · The Future of Coins
A debate-driven feature asking whether the US will follow Sweden (cash transactions below 10 percent of retail) and Canada (penny eliminated 2012, nickel under review) toward a cashless society. The article examines the Fed's digital-currency research and the lobbying power of the coin-operated industry.

p.38 · Coronet Large Cents
A collector's guide to the Coronet large cent series (1816-1857), covering design variations, the transition from the Classic Head, and the key dates that command premiums. The series offers one of the last affordable entry points into 19th-century US coinage for budget-conscious collectors.

p.40 · The Heyday of Counterfeit Coins
The peak period of 19th-century American counterfeiting — the 1850s through 1870s — is examined through specific counterfeit coins, the men who made them, and the detection methods that eventually shut down the major operations. The same period's counterfeit detection guides are now collectible in their own right.

▸ Market & Auctions

p.XX · Heritage Auctions — Platinum Session, ANA Dallas, September 2-6
Cover-featured auction highlights include: 1884 Gold Dollar MS69 PCGS CAC, Ex: Bender; 1851 Humbert Fifty Dollar .887 Thous., Lettered Edge AU58 PCGS CAC, Ex: Liberty Collection; 1839 Seated Half Dime No Drapery MS68 PCGS CAC, Ex: Pogue; 1837 GR-4 Half Dollar MS66 PCGS CAC, Ex: Pogue; and highlights from The Black Cat Collection and the Reno-Carson City Collection (CC-minted double eagles).

p.XX · Dealer Price Lists
Retail listings from Steven Musil Rare Coins and other national dealers.

▸ Regulars

p.XX · News
Mint production data, upcoming show schedules and industry personnel moves.

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Editor's Take

The Future of Coins (page 28) is the issue's most thought-provoking feature — the Sweden-under-10-percent-cash figure and the Fed digital-currency work give it a time horizon that every collector should consider, even if the conclusion is that physical coins are not disappearing in the US anytime soon. The Morgan Dollar Part 2 (page 20) is solid series content that fills a genuine educational gap — most Morgan coverage focuses on the early years, so the 1880s-1904 treatment is welcome. The Heritage Auctions cover promotion is essentially an ad, but the specific lots named (Pogue collection half dime, Black Cat Collection double eagles) give readers useful pre-sale market intelligence. The weakness is the Heyday of Counterfeit Coins (page 40) — a fascinating topic that gets only two pages when it deserves a full feature with specific examples and detection photography. Dealer price lists again dominate the back half. This issue suits the Morgan dollar specialist and the collector following the ANA Dallas auction season.

Strengths
• Future of Coins debate with Sweden and Canada data points
• Morgan Dollar Part 2 covers the underserved 1880s-1904 range
• Heritage auction preview with specific Pogue and Black Cat lots

Weaknesses
• Counterfeit Coins feature is too short for the topic's depth
• Morgan coverage is part 2 of a series — new readers need part 1 context

Verdict: Selective read — The Heritage auction preview and Morgan dollar feature serve their audiences well; the rest is standard price-list content.