About us
Welcome! We are Peter and Christine Goyette, one happy couple, doing the things we love! We are Of Coins & Crystals. This site enables us to share with you our passions - an eclectic assortment of handmade jewelry, Herkimer diamonds and early U.S. coins.
We love gems & minerals! Chris began making jewelry at an early age. As each stone has its own unique personality, so does our jewelry. No two pieces are the same, right down to the earrings. Styles range from dainty and delicate, polished and professional, to loud and large statement pieces. You are sure to find a piece that speaks to you.
Pete began collecting coins as a young boy. His love for half dimes created an obsession to find and complete a collection of his own. Worthy of note, it took him 35 years to assemble the complete set, which is continuously being upgraded. In contrast with modern "Presidential" coinage, early U.S. coins were works of art. Each die hand engraved. The details on the early coinage are remarkable. Pete got Chris involved when they first met. Her collections include Mercury dimes and Peace dollars. She will only accept the cream of the crop worthy of her collection, so it is a work in progress. We offer here the best of the best coins in price ranges to meet every budget. Pete carefully grades and offers his honest assessment of each raw coin. Details are meticulously verified using the ANACS grading Guide. We also offer professionally graded and slabbed coins, although more difficult to photograph. The grades assigned by PCGS, ICG, ANACS and NGC speak for themselves. We are constantly working to upgrade our photos of the slabbed coins.
What can we say about mining Herkimers? We love it! Even the days when we find nothing, but move a heck of a lot of limestone! We have a claim in Fonda, New York. Every Saturday, in good weather, you will find us in our claim..digging. Heck, Pete goes even in the rain! A truly sad weekend is when we can't go mining. Fresh air, sunshine and lots of hard work; swinging the hammers and breaking the rock, keeps us going. The joy of opening a pocket to reveal the beauties inside is incomparable to anything else we do during the week.
Occasional blog posts will keep you entertained, while we post tales of mining (with photos), WIPs, or shows. We live in an old farmhouse, (endlessly) being restored, with Oliver (our digger dog), Wilbur, and our grandpup, Sophia.
