An event in history can serve as the basis on which an entire collection can be formed; just as a single photograph can open up a rich research journey.

Francis Scott Key’s “Star-Spangled Banner” is being celebrated on three 2012 commemorative coins — a copper-nickel clad half dollar, silver dollar and gold $5 coin — being released by the U.S. Mint honoring the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

As this month’s cover story shows, a historic event can open up an entire collecting world and result in a rich collection incorporating a diverse range of coins, medals and paper money associated with the event and the individuals that played a part in it.

Creating this type of collection takes a bit of imagination and research, not necessarily a large bank account.

Sometimes just a single image can lead to an interesting research journey. Coin World Paper Money Values editor Michele Orzano came across an old photograph of two men standing in front of a National Bank that intrigued her. She dug a little deeper and researched Elmore National Bank and the gentlemen who founded it.

She told me, “I wondered how an area known at one time as ‘The Great Black Swamp’ would have a national bank — who started this town and formed the basis for what exists there today.” Today Elmore, Ohio, has a population that is slowly climbing towards 1,500.

The bank’s remaining notes are a reminder of the ambition and optimism that characterized its early residents. While today the bank’s notes can be rather pricey, her article is a reminder of how a single object can result in a meaningful learning experience and how numismatic connections can be anywhere, waiting for inquiring minds to discover.

At Coin World, our goal is to help you in your collecting, whether it is to introduce you to new things to add to your collection, teach you new things about objects you already have, or to simply allow you to take a “time-out” from life to enjoy the artistry and history of coins.

Thank you for making Coin World a part of your collecting journey.

Best,

Steve Roach

sroach@coinworld.com

COIN WORLD ... anywhere, anytime!