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Coin errors always fascinate coin collectors and non-collectors alike.Error coins are relatively uncommon. And while many error coins aren't very valuable, some are.All error coins are popular.Let's look at a few particularly odd and interesting coins... Godless DollarsWhen the United States Mint began striking Presidential dollars in 2007, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST was, for the first time, placed on the edge of a coin.Many people protested the absence of IN GOD … [Read more...]
It's really amazing how many old coins are floating around out there.At least a few times each week, I'll be asked how much an old penny is worth, values for old quarters, and prices for old silver coins.There are tons of old coins out there just waiting to be found in estates, buried in coffee cans, and hiding out in boxes and drawers.Let's check out some old coins you may have and see how much they're worth.Get out your magnifying glass... maybe you have some of these old coins … [Read more...]
OK, here's the short list of the top 5 categories of valuable coins you should be looking for in pocket change, old jars of coins, inherited coin collections, and other places where you'll have the chance of easily finding old and valuable coins: All wheat-back Lincoln cents (Before 1959) All nickels before 1960 Any dimes and quarters before 1965 (these are silver) All half dollars before 1971 (these are silver) Any coins that appear to have mistakes -- such as doubled … [Read more...]
Minding the budget while enjoying coin collecting can sometimes be a challenge. However, it's possible to still enjoy the hobby of coin collecting while paying careful attention to how much money you're spending. Building a short set is a common way of rounding out a coin collection while not spending a fortune to complete an entire date-and-mintmark run of coins. What's a short set and what are some common coin short sets? Let's look at 10 popular coin collecting short sets... … [Read more...]
You’ve probably heard about the 1909 VDB wheat penny. You know -- the coin that you've heard is worth about $1,000 and up. The only problem is you're not sure if you have the vdb penny everyone is talking about... In fact, it takes more than just seeing VDB on your penny for it to be rare and expensive. It also takes an S on your coin, along with the VDB, for it to be the key coin that is worth $1,000 and up. But what does the VDB and the S mean on the 1909 Lincoln cent? The VDB … [Read more...]
Now that summer's here, it's time to start thinking about some coin collecting goals that you might be able to start and finish before the leaves begin turning red, yellow, and gold in a few months. If you can put away just $5 a week this summer, here are some coin collecting goals you'll be able to meet before Labor Day: A collection of about 20 different Mercury dimes An entire collection of Lincoln Memorial cents (no proofs or varieties) A complete Philadelphia and Denver mint … [Read more...]
Collecting old proof sets is both challenging and rewarding. Offering old silver coins that have been rising in value over recent years, buying proof sets from the 1950s and 1960s is one way to easily assemble a collection of old U.S. coins. The 1950 U.S. proof set was the first proof set made by the U.S. Mint since 1942. With about 51,000 produced, the 1950 proof set offers these coins: 1950 Lincoln wheat cent 1950 Jefferson nickel 1950 Roosevelt dime 1950 Washington quarter … [Read more...]
A lot of people call themselves coin collectors. But what’s the difference between collecting coins and hoarding coins?Everybody has their own definitions of what coin collecting means versus what coin hoarding is.However, I have a few of my own opinions on what coin collecting is versus what coin hoarding is based on my observations of numismatics and what trends the hobby has seen since the 1800s.While you may or may not agree with these definitions, you may find a little more … [Read more...]
You've probably heard about the rare Lincoln wheat cents that many coin collectors call key dates. The most popular Lincoln penny key dates are: 1909-S VDB 1909-S 1914-D 1922 plain 1931-S … [Read more...]
Many of us are used to seeing Lincoln wheat cents in worn grades and often in dirty shades of brown.So it may come as a surprise to some new coin collectors – and is always a delight to seasoned coin collectors – that the United States Mint made many proof Lincoln wheat cents.In fact, the earliest proof Lincoln wheat cents date back to 1909 – the first year of the Lincoln cent.While there were several breaks over the years of proof wheat cent production, the great thing … [Read more...]
