Jun 29, 2011

World's Most Faster Cars Top 10 list Prices 2011

World's Most Faster Cars Top 10 list Prices 2011

What is the most expensive car in the world? The 1931 Bugatti Royale Kellner Coupe was sold for $8,700,000 in 1987. However, that car and many alike will not be included in this list because it is not available on the market today. It is hard to imagine someone would actually spend 8 million dollars on a car instead of using it for something more productive. However, if you had the money and opportunity, you would probably spend a small fraction of it on a collection of supercars for your private garage.

Here are the 10 most expensive production cars on the market; we will not include concept cars.


1. Bugatti Veyron Super Sports $2,400,000.

1

This is by far the most expensive street legal car available on the market today (the base Veyron costs $1,700,000). It is the fastest accelerating car reaching 0-60 in 2.5 seconds. It is also the fastest street legal car when tested again on July 10, 2010 with the 2010 Super Sport Version reaching a top speed of 267 mph. When competing against the Bugatti Veyron, you better be prepared!


2. Pagani Zonda Clinque Roadster $1,850,000.

2

One of the most exotic cars out there is one of the most expensive. It can go from 0-60 in 3.4 seconds with a top speed of 217 mph.

We have a tie for 3rd place:


3. Lamborghini Reventon $1,600,000.2-2

 The most powerful and the most expensive Lamborghini ever built is the second on the list. It takes 3.3 seconds to reach 60 mph and it has a top speed of 211 mph. Its rarity (limited to 20) and slick design are the reasons why it is so expensive and costly to own.


3. Koenigsegg Agera  $1,600,000

3

. The Agera R can burn 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 235 mph. It has the parts to reach 270 mph, but the supercar is electronically capped at 235 mph. With the completion of certain paperwork, the company will unlock the speed limit for one occasion.


4. McLaren F1 $970,000.

4

In 1994, the McLaren F1 was the fastest and most expensive car. Even though it was built 15 years ago, it has an unbelievable  top speed of 240 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Even as of today, the McLaren F1 is still top on the list and it outperformed many other supercars.


5. Ferrari Enzo $670,000

5

The most known supercar ever built. The Enzo has a top speed of 217 mph and reaching 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Only 400 units were produced and it is currently being sold for over $1,000,000 at auctions.


6. Pagani Zonda C12 F $667,321

6

. Produced by a small independent company in Italy, the Pagani Zonda C12 F is the 5th fastest car in the world. It promises to delivery a top speed of 215 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.


7. SSC Ultimate Aero $654,400

7

. Don't let the price tag fool you, the 6th most expensive car is actually the 2nd fastest street legal car in the world with a top speed of 257 mph+ and reaching 0-60 in 2.7 seconds. This baby cost nearly half as much as the Bugatti Veyron, yet has enough power to compete against the most expensive car. It is estimated that only 25 of this exact model will ever be produced.


8. Ascari A10 $650,000.

8

This badboy can reach a tested top speed of 215 mph, zooming 0-60 in 2.8 seconds. The British car company plans to assemple 50 of these supercars in their factory in Banbury, England.


9. Saleen S7 Twin Turbo $555,000.

9

The first true American production certified supercar, this cowboy is also rank 3rd for the fastest car in the world. It has a top speed of 248 mph+ and it can reach 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. If you are a true American patriot, you can be proud to show off this car.


10. Koenigsegg CCX $545,568.

10

Swedish made, the Koenigsegg is fighting hard to become the fastest car in the world. Currently, it is the 4th fastest car in the world with a top speed of 245 mph+, the car manufacture Koenigsegg is not giving up and will continue to try and produce the fastest car. Good luck with that!


Jun 27, 2011

Top 10 Best all-purpose laptops|Hardware

Top 10 Best all-purpose laptops|Hardware

These general-purpose laptops are built to go and can do it all, making a great choice for most notebook users

5

It's amazing what you can get for $1,500 these days, or even less than $1,000. These laptops are built for comfort, both at work and play, with fast CPUs and graphics processors, good battery life, and enough room to type comfortably and watch a video without squinting. Audio, video, and screen quality are not always created equal, and some of the units put utility ahead of multimedia. But you'll find most of these units to be affordable, portable, usable, and up to the task.

Apple 15-inch MacBook Pro/2.8GHz

ASUS UL80Vt-A1

Dell Inspiron 14z

Dell Studio XPS 16

HP EliteBook 8440w

HP Envy 13

Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 (2847-22U)

Lenovo ThinkPad T400s

Toshiba Satellite U505-S2940

Toshiba Satellite U505-S2980

Top 10 New This century’s best exclusive cars

Top 10 New This century’s best exclusive cars

Whether it's a hot hatch or a one crore supercar, there are special editions for every budget.

car-0

Thanks to our genetic predisposition to be the best we're all looking for exclusivity. Whether it's a limited edition video game, a T-shirt that only four other people have or even a 'special edition' mobile phone, we're all after something that, by association, will make us and our lives feel a little more special. You know, like those celebrities on TV.

Car manufacturers have cottoned on to this. They know we're all after something special on our drives, or something that other car nuts will look at and appreciate its uniqueness.

With this in mind we've taken a shot at some of the best 'exclusive' cars the 21st century has to offer. Whether it's a revvy hot hatch or a near-as-damnit once crore supercar, there are special editions for almost every budget.


Ferrari SA Aperta (80 made)

1

It's based on a 599, but has no roof and only 80 were made. They were all sold before the car's unveiling at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Up front is a glorious 6.0-litre V12 engine which pushed out 661bhp and 457lb ft of torque. The price wasn't revealed, but it was rumoured to set customers back Rs 2.6 crore.


Lamborghini Reventon (20 made)

2

Lamborghini is known for making crazy sports cars. However, the Reventon is something else. Its design was inspired by the F22 Raptor fighter jet and underneath it was all Murciélago. Only 20 were sold to the public for an eye-watering Rs 6.3 crore.


Citroën DS3R (200 made)

3

The Citroën DS3 has been a huge hit for the company. Its modern looks and 'just-right' amount of power encourage thousands to drive them out of showrooms. However, Citroën thought it could take just a little more power and threw a 200bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol under the bonnet


Ford GT (4,500 made)

4

It may surprise you that only 100 Ford GTs were sold in Europe. Only 4,500 were ever going to be sold worldwide, but in the end 4,038 were made. It's hard to understand how they weren't all snapped up by collectors and the like. Who can, honestly now, resist a supercharged 5.4-litre V8


Pagani Zonda Tricolore (3 made)

5

The Zonda is now gone, replaced by a car that sounds like a sneeze. But the Zonda didn't take its retirement lying down. There were many special editions, one of which was the Tricolore - only three were made for very, very well off people all over the world. The price? Rs 9 crore.


Ford Focus RS500 (500 made)

6

For the few who found the standard Focus RS too tame, the RS 500 was the perfect solution. It came with 345bhp and a 0-62 time of 5.4 seconds. Only 500 were made and it really did look the mutt's.


Audi RS3 (500 made)

7

It's an A3 with a huge amount of power. We're talking so much that it will get from 0-100 kmph in 4.6 seconds. Now, a few years ago that would be supercar pace; today you can get that in a family hatchback? That's progress or... something. It set owners back over Rs 30 lakh and they've all been sold.


Porsche Carrera GT (1,270 made)

8

Produced form 2004-2006, only 1,270 Carrera GTs were made. It came with a 5.7-litre V10 which shoved out 612bhp. That was enough to send it to 100 kmph in an official 3.9 seconds (though it was clocked at 3.5) and on to 328 kmph. Which made it very fast indeed... It was a little bit of a handful though, which made it a car for serious drivers (or collectors) only.


Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss (75 made)

9

What better way to pay tribute to the McDaddy of motor racing, Stirling Moss, than release a speedster version of the SLR? Only 75 were sold, coming with 640bhp and a 0-100 kmph time of LESS than 3.5 seconds. They only went to SLR owners and costRs 4.8 crore. We wonder if Moss himself has one?


Morgan Aeromax (100 made)

10

The Morgan Aeromax was a coupé version of the beautiful Aero 8. Only 100 of the 4.8-litre V8 were made, which made it a truly special car. Owners of note include Paul O'Grady, Rowan Atkinson and Top Gear's own Richard Hammond (much to Jeremy's amusement).


Jun 26, 2011

Review: `Cars 2' is a clunker|Entertainment

Review: `Cars 2' is a clunker|Entertainment

'Cars 2' is one thing a family-friendly summer blockbuster should never be: boring.

car

REVIEW

Pixar's track record has been close to impeccable for turning out intelligent, emotionally rich, beautifully detailed animated films, with plenty of humor and heart to appeal to movie lovers of all ages.

But the weak link in the chain, at least from a narrative standpoint, has always been 2006's 'Cars', with its two-dimensional talking autos and hokey, borrowed tale of small-town life.

Sure, it was bright and zippy, which was enough to appeal to the little ones, and it became a merchandising juggernaut. Just try finding a kid who doesn't have some sort of 'Cars' stuff. My 19-month-old son has a Lightning McQueen sippy cup and I have no idea how he got it -- these things just show up on their own. That's how ubiquitous they are.

So sure, why not make a sequel? Trouble is, 'Cars 2' is such a mess, it makes the original look like it ought to rank among Pixar's masterpieces by comparison.

What has set the studio's films apart from all the other animated fare is story: It's paramount. Innovative tales like 'WALL-E' and 'Up' get you choked up just thinking about them, they're that good. 'Cars 2' tries to encompass many kinds of stories at once, none of which is terribly clever or compelling. And the fact that Pixar mastermind John Lasseter is back as director is the most baffling part of all. This is the man who kicked it all off with the soulful and groundbreaking 'Toy Story' back in 1995. This is not someone from whom you would expect empty glossiness.

Here, working from a script by Ben Queen, Lasseter makes a transparent attempt at catering to the ever-expanding global moviegoing audience by having the hero of the original 'Cars', Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), compete in an international grand prix through Japan, France, Italy and Britain. The sponsor is a Richard Branson-type Range Rover-looking vehicle (Eddie Izzard); McQueen's main rival is an arrogant Italian Formula 1 race car (John Turturro).

At the same time, 'Cars 2' panders to middle America by placing Mater, the rusty, aw-shucks tow truck, front and center. McQueen is flashier but this is Mater's time to shine, as it were; Larry the Cable Guy, who voices the character, even gets top billing over Wilson. But a little of the comedian's twangy shtick goes a long way -- for the audience, and for McQueen, who gets annoyed with Mater's boorish behavior in all these refined settings. Still, Mater is there to teach us some lessons about valuing the underdog. Or not judging people because we think they're different or stupid. Or something.

But wait, there's more. 'Cars 2' is also a James Bond spoof, with Michael Caine providing the voice of the elegant English sports car, superspy Finn McMissile. Finn and his rookie sidekick, Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer), run into Mater, who has tagged along with McQueen on this globe-trotting journey, and mistakenly believe he's the American undercover operative they're supposed to meet during their latest mission. This ties into a whole another subplot involving alternative fuel sources and the German villain (Thomas Kretschmann) who has big plans to keep cars reliant on Big Oil.

With all these new characters and various narrative strands competing for our attention, there's not much room for fun. 'Cars 2' is one thing a family-friendly summer blockbuster should never be: boring. Yes, it looks beautiful, lavishing in photorealism as so many Pixar movies do. In 3-D (because of course it's in 3-D), the chase scenes have their thrilling moments, and the many shiny surfaces do have a tactile quality. Young kids -- at whom so much of this material is clearly aimed -- will probably enjoy the bright colours and incessant motion.

But as the structure grows repetitive and Mater's corny puns and malapropisms become tiresome, we -- like the anthropomorphized autos -- feel like we're just spinning our wheels.

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G — General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG — Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 — Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R — Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 — No one under 17 admitted.

Jun 24, 2011

Top 10 Best Insurance Products that Individuals Must Keep|Health&Property

Top 10 Best Insurance Products that Individuals Must Keep|Health&Property

It does not mean that when you start earning and gaining a few bucks each day that the basic need will be sustained. In fact, there are also other necessities in life aside from shelter, food, and clothing, which we also need to include in getting through the unexpected moments, especially in times of emergency. For typical workers and individuals who are just earning a decent amount for daily sustenance, they should start investing on the following insurance, which are the most basic, and worth keeping and maintaining. Insurance will cover what is lacking or inadequate for specific areas, which cannot be shouldered by the salary of the individual alone.

1. Health Insurance

1

Health is indeed wealth of individuals because the daily expenses that a typical household could maintain. However, with unanticipated emergencies and health conditions, surmountable expenses for hospital, medicines, and medical supports will be calculated into one that would exhaust all the major resources and could lead to financial debt. With the right program, it could cover the rest of the family and other beneficiaries for huge expenses in medicine and hospital bills that would eliminate debt in the future.

These are basic types of insurance products that we should secure although some of it applies to corporations and businessmen. They are of high value and importance to keep your lives in order, away from all hassle and bustle of problems that the world gives.


2. Disability Insurance

2

The insurance holders or owners know about the real benefit that they could also get for themselves when natural causes for disability happens to them, which may bring up a few complaints. These are aging, hypertension, and untoward accidents that could happen in the home or outside the home, which could impede them to work if they have not yet arrived at the senior citizen bracket where more assistance and support is needed. This is where disability insurance performs its function and purpose for all who are not able physically and ment


3. Auto Insurance

3

This is automatic to those long-time car owners that have just purchased a new car. This is a primary requirement before issuance of driver’s licenses. This is not just a need but mandatory to all drivers. It is up to you to select the kind of insurance that could create a specific umbrella that you would want to reflect to the kind of policy that you have decided to settle.


4. Life Insurance

4

There is a wrong concept when it comes to an ailment of life insurance. Who is really covered with this program and who would benefit the most? Definitely, your loved ones, particularly with those families who are merely relying financially to the head of the household, are solely working to provide their needs and settle their monthly expenses and obligations. However, if there is sudden loss, that huge responsibility will be extended because of the life insurance. Total protection and financial security is the utmost goal of it for the betterment of the family being left behind.


5. Casualty Insurance

5

This is not part of the typical road accidents that normally happens while on the road but it is in specific scope of political risks and crime insurance. It covers normally losses such as theft incidents, robbery, and embezzlement. Of course, you can seek justice if the person who made the crime will be caught, punished, and imprisoned. However, the demands of the law to pay all the losses are not really in possible terms for full accountability. Hence, with casualty insurance, even during the hours of operation and work where accidents take place, can be shouldered in full amount according to the extent of the results, especially if physical injuries are manifested and gained. This is more on compensation and especially to workers who cannot produce a large sum of money to pay off responsibilities and obligations


6. Burial Insurance

6

Some f us have wished once in our life, because of heavy burdens and problems that we experience each day that we could have our final rest that peace and serenity will be our forever comfort. For you, you could have a final bid but to your loved ones who would receive all the burdens of not just weeping because you have left them but with mountains of expenses associated with death. Are we aware of funeral and burial plans? Is it necessary? Death means also debt to your family who would be losing not just you but money to give you a decent farewell. Plan ahead even if the timetable for you has not yet come where you could leave your family peacefully. Funeral expenses would comfort your family not just once but even years, depending on the kind of plan that they will choose to purchase and maintain.


7. Property Insurance

7

It does not matter if the house that you own is large or small but what really matters is to make sure that this will be kept and protected, especially if you have decided to have few houses that you own to be leased or rented privately. The primary and biggest expense that you could spend is during huge disasters or calamities that could destroy your properties and other assets. Damages and loss could be covered in a full or specific amount if you have a property insurance that would make the difference. You just need to study every insurance company that offer this type of service that would also ensure replacement for worst-case scenarios that could lead to losing your home. Hence, with the right policy and plan, you would be freed from any worries especially that your loved ones could keep the same value if natural disasters strike back.


8. Liability Insurance

8

With the current trend and slope of the economic progress, one could predict that it is still under the recovery process. To those who were affected by the financial crisis that the world had experienced, they could still feel the chaotic effects of it particularly with millions of employees who were working in major financial institutions. Most of them were laid off and retrenched because of the economic condition. This could have been easy if liability insurance is within the reach of the hands of workers everywhere. It would fill all the losses and even damaging effect not just to employees but also to overall operation of the company that would suffer great loss, more than any ordinary employees would. Prompt payment is the solution it gives and it lessens the burdening effect towards employers and employees.


9. Credit Insurance

9

When it comes to debt and large purchases using credit cards, risk is found to the lender or credit insurance company who gives a certain or sum of money to credit card holders. Late payments and other penalties are some of the policies that they have established to protect them from delinquent cardholders. Hence, the hassle happens when the person stops paying the interest on the schedule given and allocated. This is the purpose of the credit insurance to save their business from bankruptcy and at the same time, protect their assets to settle those obligations that should have been paid by the card users


10. Risk Insurance

10

This comes into many forms that involve different types of accidents, which are not just subrogated and included in typical car insurance package. Some of the unknown and unnoticed hazardous locations and situations could be in the form of public transportation or travel insurance. It also covers title insurances for real property and other mortgages that have something to do with public records or documents. Some of the insurances under this category best serve on the kind of occupation that an individual holds like to those who are involved in media, banks, and government.


.

Jun 22, 2011

Top 10 Best Canada Day Gifts|Greeting cards,Fridge magnet for wife

Top 10 Best Canada Day Gifts|Greeting cards,Fridge magnet for wife

Hey Guys, so it’s Canada Day near and I have this amazing list about the top 10 gifts that you can give to your family and friends this Canada day. Canada Day is the day full of love, joy and patriotism. And when you have your family and friends not just around but far away then you can be together by sharing small gifts to remember them on the Holiday.
So let me proceed with the list, I am sure you will like it

T-shirts

t.shirt 1
Flag painted t-shirts or different things painted on a tank are perfect gifts for this particular day. The t shirts especially designed for the event no doubt look awesome. Even baby t shirts are also available in which they look adorable.


Badges

2
Badges are one of the traditional ways of celebrating a patriotic and joyful day. So you can gift a Canada Day badge to your family and friends on this Canada Day


Self-made cap

3
You can knit a perfect cap or can purchase a cap with Canada’s flag painted on it. It also looks cool and is among the perfect options for Canada Day


Greeting cards

4
Either you can send a purchased greeting card or you can make a handmade greeting card this Canada Day. Your loved ones will love it!


Fridge magnet for wife

5
Fridge magnets are always a best way to say things to your wife, well you can get a fridge magnet especially for this holiday for your wife.


Personalized mug

6A mug with flag or anything related to this particular event will be a great option for a gift which is not expensive but of a great use.


Key chains

7
Key chains with Canada’s flag can be a reasonable gift for this particular event.


Hand bags

8Hand bags are of a great use, but if you gift a handbag particularly for the Canada Day, then it will be an awesome gift which can be used in our daily lives.


iPhone 4 Case

9You can now gift an iPhone Case especially for this particular day, the person you gift it will surely love it!


Family hangout at an event

10There is not any gift that one can give other than a family get-together, you can hang out and enjoy the events and fireworks of this holiday together and make it memorable.


Jun 21, 2011

Top 10 Best American Valuable Coin Designs|Mercury” dime,

Top 10 Best American Valuable Coin Designs|Mercury” dime,

10

While it’s true that beauty is often in the eye of the beholder, it’s also true that there can be a consensus where beauty is concerned. Few people, for instance, consider a Rembrandt or Michelangelo’s David to be eyesores, so judging beauty is not nearly as subjective as one might imagine. This is as true for the designs on coins as it is for famous works of art, bringing me to my latest top ten list-in this case, the top ten best or historically significant American coins ever designed. (Of course, I realize there are also beautiful coins from other counties, but since these are probably less well-known to most readers-and I only collect U.S. Coins myself-I thought it better to concentrate on the American designs. Perhaps foreign coins could be the subject of another top ten list in the future, however.) Many readers will recognize that most of the coins on my list are not currently in production, having been otherwise replaced with more contemporary (read boring) designs over the years. That’s not to say there may not be some degree of intrinsic aesthetics in some of today’s modern designs, only that the coins of the past—many of which were designed by some of the most famous and talented sculptors and engravers of their era—leave many of their modern compatriots in the dust. Of course, not all older coins were great works of art either, but some of them are so historically significant I felt compelled to include them in this list. And so, without further ado, here are my nominees for the best designed or most historically significant coins in American history

 

1. Saint-Gaudens Twenty Dollar Gold Piece, 1907-1933

1

The product of one of the premier sculptors in the world at the time, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, this coin—often referred to as a Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle—is considered by many to be the most beautiful American coin ever designed. The design shows a highly idealized Lady Liberty surrounded by a sunburst—a theme which is carried on to the back of the coin and illuminates an oversized eagle in mid-flight. This coin also had the distinction of being the only American coin in which the date was rendered in roman numerals (though this was only for a few months immediately after its release in 1907, after which the date reverted back to Arabic numerals). Another interesting feature is that it has a star for each state on the front running around the rim-minus Hawaii and Alaska, of course, which didn’t become states until after the coin went out of production. It’s also one of the most valuable U.S. coins as well, with high quality examples of some years going for upwards of half a million dollars. (In fact, the only known example of a 1933 Saint-Gaudens double eagle sold at auction a few years ago for a whopping 7.6 million dollars!)  All-in-all, one of the most collectable and sought after coins in American history—at least for coin collectors who can put down a cool half million for a high grade example.


2. Liberty Walking Half Dollar, 1916-1947

2

In 1916, major changes were not only taking place in American culture, but in American coinage as well. In a desire to not only replace the dated 19th-century designs of James Barber but to be more prominent on the world stage, the Mint was commissioned to come up with new and exciting designs that could compete with their European counterparts, the result being one of the most artistic coins ever to be stamped out of a coin press. This incredible design by German-born sculptor Adolph A. Weinman—a student of the famous Augustus Saint-Gaudens (see entrée no. 1 below)—managed to get just about everything right. For the obverse of the design, Weinman chose a full-length figure of Liberty striding toward the dawn of a new day, clad in the Stars and Stripes and carrying branches of laurel and oak symbolizing civil and military glory. The reverse depicts a majestic eagle perched on a mountain crag, wings unfolded in a pose suggesting power, with a sapling of mountain pine symbolic of America springing from a rift in the rock. These strongly patriotic themes resonated perfectly across a nation then preparing (knowingly or not) to enter World War I, (ironically against the land of Weinman’s birth). While the coin ended production in 1947—being replaced by the forgettable Franklin half dollar design—it’s dramatic obverse can still be seen on the one ounce bullion silver coin, slightly larger, but every bit as spectacular as when it appeared on the smaller half dollar almost a century ago.


3. “Mercury” dime, 1916-1945

3

Possibly one of the most famous of all American coins, this design by the busy Adolph A. Weinman (who also designed the Walking Liberty that same year-see entry 2) started out life being misnamed. Though called the “Mercury” dime, the one thing it does not depict is Mercury, the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology whose wings were attached to his feet. The portrait is actually that of Liberty wearing a winged cap, which supposedly symbolizes freedom of thought. Thus, the coin more properly is known as the Winged Head Liberty dime, but the misnomer “Mercury” was applied to it early on, and after many years of common usage, has stuck. Whatever it’s called, this dime represented a welcome change when it made its first appearance in 1916. Indeed, it served to symbolize more than freedom of thought: it was also a symbol of America’s new spirit, an exuberance reflected in the freshness and vitality of the new U.S. coinage as a whole in the early 1900s. The coin it replaced, the stodgy Barber dime, was rooted in the 19th century, a time when American life was more rigid and formal, making this new coin was a breath of fresh air. One especially interesting tidbit about this coin is the design on the back, which depicts the fasces, an ancient Roman symbol of authority, with a battle-ax atop it to represent preparedness and an olive branch beside it to signify love and peace. Unfortunately, it later turned out the fasces was also the symbol for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s Fascist Party, making it strange when during the Second World War, American coins bore the symbol of one of its enemies. I suppose it’s a good thing Weinman didn’t decide to put a swastika on the back side. That might’ve been overdoing it a bit.


4. Buffalo Nickel, 1913-1938

4

Easily the most quintessential of all American coin designs, this design by James Earle Fraser, a former assistant to Saint-Gaudens and a prolific artist best known for his monumental “End of the Trail” Indian sculpture, created a truly unique design for the new nickel designed to replace the staid Liberty “V” nickel of the nineteenth century (No. 10 above). Up until that time, most “Indians” portrayed on U.S. coins were primarily Caucasians in an Indian headdress. Fraser’s design, however, accurately portrays Indians as they look, with the Indian on the front being a composite of three chiefs that had posed for him. Keeping with the distinctly American theme, he also decided to put an American bison on the back, and in so doing created a masterpiece that is one of the most recognizable of all American coins even today, over seventy years after it went out of production. As a result, it remains one of the most popular coins to collect, with complete collections in higher grades (condition) worth thousands of dollars. Attempts to reintroduce the classic over the years have repeatedly ended in failure, though the coin had a comeback of a kind in 2006 when a modified version of the design was used on a $50 gold bullion coin. Still, I would have loved to have seen it replace the boring Jefferson nickel that has been such a mainstay of pocket change for the last seventy some years.


5. Standing Liberty Quarter, 1916-1930

5

1916 was a big year for coins,  with a wholesale redesign of nearly every major denomination being undertaken, thereby forever changing the landscape of American coinage. Among the lesser known but still aesthetically pleasing designs to come along was the Standing Liberty quarter, the brainchild of noted sculptor Hermon Atkins MacNeil. Well known for his works dealing with Indians and American history, particularly on public buildings and monuments, what Hermon came up with was a real eye-catcher: the front of the coin features a frontal view of Liberty, a portrayal reminiscent of ancient Greek sculpture, with an olive branch of peace in her right hand. Her left arm is raised, holding a shield in a posture of protection. The reverse, as mandated by law, depicts an American eagle in full flight, again making it very American in nature. But this coin was not without scandal. It seems that Mr. MacNeil left Lady Liberty’s right breast bare in his original design, creating something of an uproar in polite society and forcing him to do a quick redesign in an effort to cover up the offending protuberance. By the next year, Liberty was properly attired once more and crises was averted. It’s a good bet that most Americans who don’t collect coins are unfamiliar with this particular coin, as it didn’t last long. It seems it went out about the time the Great Depression hit, only to be replaced in 1932 by the familiar Washington Quarter we know today, which seems something of an affront to a gal who was willing to bare all for God and country.


6. The Morgan Dollar, 1878-1921

6

Everyone has seen one of those old Westerns in which some gunslinger decides to demonstrate his shooting skills by throwing a silver dollar in the air and drilling it with his trusty Colt revolver. If you ever wondered, like I did, if A: the coin was still worth a buck with a hole in it and B, what kind of coin they used, wonder no more. The gunslinger doubtlessly used one of the venerable Morgan dollars—the one coin that better than any other symbolized the Old West. Designed by a talented British engraver named George Morgan, the coin features the profile of a rather plump—bordering on the pudgy—Lady Liberty on the front and what many consider to be a rather scrawny eagle on the back (which resulted in it being sometimes derisively referred to as the “Buzzard” dollar by some). Regardless, the coin turned out to be one of the most enduring designs of all time and remains among the most popular coins to collect for numismatics (coin collectors) to this day. What’s especially interesting about this design is how well Lady Liberty—with her flowing hair and flowery swirls—so well reflects the art nouveau movement so popular in art in the late nineteenth century (though it actually preceded it by a good decade or so, demonstrating that Mr. Morgan was nothing if not a visionary.)


7. The Peace Dollar, 1921-1935

7

In 1921 the country was still basking in the glow of having finally ridded the world of war forever by blasting the Kaiser’s army to smithereens and decided to celebrate the achievement—as well as to help out silver financiers—by producing a replacement for the dated Morgan dollar. The result was the short-lived but cheerfully optimistic Peace dollar—a coin that easily captured the Art Deco movement of the twenties. While offers to design the new dollar were extended to such successful designers as Victor D. Brenner, Adolph A. Weinman and Hermon A. MacNeil, all of whom had designed previous U. S. coins, the winner turned out to be a young Italian immigrant named Anthony de Francisci, whose finely chiseled portrait of Liberty was modeled after his wife. The reverse of the coin shows an eagle in repose atop a crag, peering toward the sun through a series of rays, with the word PEACE superimposed on the rock. No other U. S. coin produced for circulation ever bore that motto before or since, possibly because it seems foolish to carry around a coin that has “peace” stamped on it while fighting World War Two. There is an interesting side-bar with the coin, however. It seems that the Peace dollar was very nearly resurrected in 1964—nearly thirty years after its early demise—when Congress authorized production of 45 million new silver dollars, apparently in an effort to serve the needs of Nevada gambling casinos.  After the Denver Mint produced just over 300,000 of the coins—each dated 1964—in May of 1965, LBJ decided the coinage appeared to be catering to special interest groups and he rescinded the order, resulting in an entire warehouse of the coins being melted down and used for something more useful—like tea sets. However, there were rumors—many of which persist today—that a few of the 1964 dollars might have survived and are now being held incommunicado in private collections. (If true, they are likely to remain hidden as it is technically illegal to own one).


8. The Indian Head Penny, 1859-1909

8

While not all that big an artistic triumph, the much-beloved Indian Head penny has remained a favorite among collectors for over a century and, like the Buffalo Nickel (see no. 4 below) it is the quintessential American coin of the nineteenth century. Designed by Chief Engraver James B. Longacre at the behest of the Mint director, Longacre came up with the portrait of an Indian girl—or, actually, a Caucasian wearing a feathered headdress—for the front. (The oft-repeated story that Longacre modeled the “Indian” after his young daughter, Sarah, proved to be untrue, but it still makes for a great story anyway.) On the back he placed a simple laurel wreath and shield with the bare bones ONE CENT inscribed in the center, demonstrating that Longacre was nothing if not to the point. In any case, the Indian Head cent won immediate and enduring acclaim from the American public and remains one of the coolest, if simplest, coins ever designed.


9. The Kennedy Half Dollar, 1964-present

9

Though perhaps not the most artistically beautiful coin ever produced, the wildly popular tribute to the late president holds the record for being the most quickly designed coin in American history. When one considers that fewer than nine weeks passed between the president’s death and the minting of the first Kennedy half in January of 1964, one can begin to appreciate the speed at which the bureaucracy of government can move when it wants to. Fortunately, the elements that make up the coin already existed: the profile used had already been designed for the Presidential coin and the presidential seal used on the back had been around for decades. This made producing the overall design, getting it approved (Mrs. Kennedy and brother Robert Kennedy being in on the final okay), and creating the coin dies much quicker than would have been possible otherwise. The Kennedy half also holds the record for being the most hoarded coin in American history (especially those first minted in 1964 in 90% silver) and it remains a popular collectable today. What’s especially remarkable is that despite the fact that half dollars have generally fallen out of use today,  the government continues to stamp out millions of them each year, demonstrating that its continued production—much like the embargo of Cuba—remains as more a legacy to a slain president than an economic necessity.


10. (Tie) The Liberty “V” Nickel, 1883-1912

10-0

Okay, not a great design, but a coin that captures the essence of the Victorian-era and has a cool story to go with it to boot. The coin itself—designed by the same guy who brought you the later and forgettable Barber dime, quarter and half dollar series (1892-1916)—is pretty simple: a profile of Lady Liberty on front surrounded by thirteen stars and a giant Roman numeral “V” on back surrounded by a flowery wreath and all kinds of clutter. The only problem was that Mr. Barber forgot to put the word “Cents” beneath the “V”, resulting in people of less than sterling character electro-plating the coin in gold and passing it off as five dollar gold piece (a substantial sum at the time). This forced a hasty redesign on the part of the embarrassed engraver and the rest is, as they say, history. (Makes one appreciate the importance of proofreading, doesn’t it?) Another little anomaly with this coin was that despite the fact it went out of production in 1912, the dies for 1913 had already been made. Before they could be melted down, however, some mint officials—perhaps having participated too liberally in the new year’s libations—decided to stamp out five nickels with the 1913 date on them as souvenirs. Today, all five nickels are in private collections, each of them worth well in excess of one million dollars apiece, making them the most valuable coins ever produced on a whim.


LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...