In another twist to this remarkable story, the first “1804” silver one dollar coin was actually minted in 1834. This came about because the US Department of State wanted to organise a “gift” for Asian leaders when it was organising a trade mission.

The silver spot price is quoted in US dollars – to find the local spot price this dollar rate is simply converted into the local currency – whatever prices silver price is quoted in, it is always for one troy ounce of .999 fine silver.

Back in 1921, the world was a different place. America only ended World War I with Germany, that year, by signing the Treaty of Berlin – until then it was still, officially, at war.

The cost of that war was astronomical – and this affected the American economy – not even the 1921 silver dollars escaped these effects.

To coin collectors of United States Mint official coins, silver quarters hold a special place. Iconic is an overused word these days, but for the series of silver coins released as quarters it is the perfect description.

All US silver dollars have what is known as a, “melt value”. This is simply the sum that would be paid on the open market for the weight and purity of silver contained in that particular coin.

Canadian coins are renowned for their quality, purity, and inherent value. The stability of the Canadian Maple Leaf series makes them an amazing investment.

Straight off the bat, rare coins fetch big money – but, equally, they cost big money. Here are some of the prices that rare coins for sale have fetched at auction in recent years:

Foreign coin values and rare coin values are best left to experts in their particular fields. It is very difficult for amateurs or people with no experience of dealing with such scarce pieces to determine the value of coins or give accurate coin valuation