Worth Its Weight

Weekly Weigh-In: November 13, 2026

Why won't Americans embrace the dollar coin? This week, Caroline and Caleb investigate the economics, politics, and lobbying behind America's enduring preferenc

Who Designed the Purple Heart?

Who designed the Purple Heart?  On the eve of Veterans Day, Caroline Turco explores the medal’s journey from George Washington’s Badge of Military Merit to today’s symbol

Numismatic Innovators with Dr. Donald Kagin | Episode 1: David Hall and the Birth of PCGS

Numismatic Innovators with Dr. Donald Kagin | Episode 1: David Hall and the Birth of PCGS How did a coin in a little plastic holder change the rare coin market? In the p

Political Pocket Change: When Campaigns Get Dirty

Think today's political campaigns are nasty? America's politicians have been slinging mud for centuries—and sometimes, they struck their insults in metal. From

Weekly Weigh-In: October 30, 2026

Coins in Costume: Hidden Identities & a $93,000 Silver Eagle | Weekly Weigh-In, October 30, 2026 Some coins have been keeping secrets beneath their costumes. In this Hal

The Blood Countess or Blood Money?

The Blood Countess or Blood Money? A souvenir banknote. Two rival rulers. Hundreds of "victims." What can money reveal about the so-called Blood Countess, Elizabeth Báth

Weekly Weigh-In: October 23, 2026

Cigar Box Gold, Medieval Kings & D. B. Cooper’s $20 Bill | Weekly Weigh-In A gold coin hidden in a cigar box brings $97,600, newly reported dollar errors send collectors

Haunting Notgeld

A headless rider guarding a lonely cross stone. Witches flying across the Brocken on Walpurgis Night. A mysterious piper abducting a village's children. In the year

The Witch-Hunting King: James VI and I

In 1590, King James VI of Scotland became convinced that witches had tried to kill him by summoning storms at sea. What followed were the infamous North Berwick witch tri

Weekly Weigh-In: October 9, 2026

Coming up: a familiar collector tradition gets an unfamiliar price tag, new research revisits a famous coin’s ownership history, and a supposed rarity proves disappointin

A Coin to Die For: EID MAR with Shanna Schmidt

Spooky season at Worth Its Weight begins with a killer coin. Shanna Schmidt joins Caroline Turco for a conversation about the EID MAR and the ancient coin industry, conne

Weekly Weigh-In: October 2, 2026

A growing hobby doesn’t always mean rising prices—and that can be good news for collectors. This week, Caroline explores the distinction between enthusiasm and value, fro

United States, Divided Interests

America's Founders warned against political parties. Then they helped create them. They questioned each other’s motives, accused their opponents of endangering the

Weekly Weigh-In: September 25, 2026

What draws people into coin collecting—and what makes them stay? Host and Curator Caroline Turco and The Numismatist editor-in-chief Caleb Noel explore the many routes

A More Perfect Dollar

What if one dollar were worth 1,440 units? Before the United States could place its ideals on its coins, its founders had to answer a deceptively difficult question: Wha

September 18, 2026 Weekly Weigh-In

Host Caroline takes a quick look at what’s making news in numismatics this week: The Federal Reserve raised interest rates—and gold apparently didn’t receive the memo. A

B. Franklin, Printer

Before Benjamin Franklin was on American money, he made it. Literally. We remember Benjamin Franklin as a Founding Father, scientist, inventor, diplomat, and statesman.

September 11, 2026 Weekly Weigh In

Hosts Caroline & Caleb take a quick look at what’s making news in numismatics this week: Two American silver coins cross the million-dollar mark, gold and silver are cli

The Labor of Money: The Hardest-Working Coins in History

Which coin worked the hardest for its place in history? In this Labor Day episode of Worth Its Weight, we’re clocking in with five of history’s hardest-working coins—fro

September 4, 2026 Weekly Weigh In

Hosts Caroline Turco & Caleb Noel take a quick look at what’s making news in numismatics this week: Surprise coins from the U.S. Mint, counterfeits convincing enough to