Appraising Coins To Find Their True Value: Here Are 5 Things You Need To Know Before Getting Coins Appraised

by

Joshua

Hobbies & Crafts, Rare U.S. Coins

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appraising-coins

Appraising coins can be a serious undertaking.

After all, if you’ve got a lot of valuable coins, you need to have some pretty accurate info on how much they’re worth.

Unless you’ve got a small coin collection and you really know what you have, then getting your coins appraised can be a bit of work.

Here are 5 tips that will go a long way in making the coin appraising process go more smoothly for you…

#1 – Know What Coins You Have

While this may sound simple enough to many coin collectors, knowing something about the coins in your hand can leave some novice coin collectors and most non-coin collectors clueless.

In fact, many people not involved in coin collecting probably wouldn’t know a rare coin if they were holding one!

Buying a standard coin price guide like the Guide Book of United States Coins (also popularly called the ‘Red Book‘) can give you some idea as to what coins are rare and how much they’re worth.

#2 – Separate The Good Coins From The Not-So-Good Ones

When I mention ‘good,’ I’m not necessarily referring to grade — I’m talking about coins that have nice eye appeal and those that are problem free.

You can pretty much expect any coin that has a hole, is bent, or is cleaned to not receive as high a value as similar ones without the problems. So, before getting a coin appraised, it’s going to save you a bit of time if you can separate into at least 2 groups the high quality coins from those that are damaged.

You’ll still want to get all of your coins appraised, but it will be a much smoother process for you if you have the nicer coins separated from the less-desirable ones.

If you’re selling, it can be difficult to sell common, damaged coins individually. You might be able to liquidate them more quickly as a “lot”, however.

#3 – Authenticate Your Rare Coins

If you have any rare coins, your next important move will be to get those rare coins authenticated, graded, and slabbed.

While forgeries and counterfeit coins have always been a concern, they have become even more of a threat as of late. Between a number of highly convincing cast counterfeits and Chinese-made counterfeits entering the market, knowing which coins and avoiding fake ones is more of a concern than ever before.

Many knowledgeable coin dealers can tell a fake coin from an authentic one pretty easily. However, some of the best counterfeit coins still deceive the eyes of even advanced coin collectors, coin dealers, and numismatists. This makes many coin dealers and other weary about buying rare coins that haven’t been professionally authenticated.

What to do? Get your coin slabbed by a 3rd-party coin grading company. They will authenticate your coin, grade it, then place it into a piece of plastic referred to as a slab — for a fee.

The high degree of assurance had with getting a coin authenticated by a major 3rd-party coin grading company is backed up by the cumulative decades of experience held by the staff of these major firms.

#4 – Choose The Right Coin Dealer

When it comes time to get your coins appraised, you’re going to want to go to a coin dealer that does a good job of appraising coins.

Many coin dealers know what they’re doing, but fewer possess the years and years of coin buying experience that goes behind making a really good coin appraisal.

Do some research and look for a coin dealer who has been in the business for a long time.

If you live in or near a big city, finding a professional coin dealer that has been in the coin business for a long time may not be too hard. Still, choose the best of the best. Call around or do some web surfing to get the details of the coin dealer(s) you plan on working with for your coin appraisal.

If you’re living in a small town, finding any coin dealer can be tough enough. Finding one that’s well skilled may be difficult.

There are many major online coin dealers who are quite reputable and will do coin appraisals and buy coins through the mail. The key here (as you’d expect) is to find an online or mail-based coin dealer that does the job well and is honest.

No matter what coin dealer you settle on working with, double check with the Better Business Bureau to find out if the coin dealer has had any complaints (and the nature of those complaints).

You’ll also want to consider doing business with coin dealers associated with respected coin organizations, like the Professional Numismatists Guild, the American Numismatic Association, and the Professional Coin Grading Service.

#5 – Turn Your Coin Appraisal Into A Coin Sale

While many people seek a coin appraisal for insurance purposes, the bulk of those getting their coins appraised do so to find out how much they can sell their coins for.

If you’re getting your coins appraised because you want to sell them, you may want to take the extra steps (and pay any extra fees) to get a second opinion on value — especially if the first appraisal resulted in an appraised amount figuring into the high hundreds or thousands of dollars.

You may wind up getting a second figure that brings a higher value.

Many coin dealers willing to give appraisals are also likely to offer to buy those coins from you.

One key thing to remember when getting an appraisal: there’s the replacement value of coins and there’s the bid value of coins:

  • Replacement value is what it would cost you to literally replace a said coin if damaged or lost due to natural disasters or burglary.
  • Bid value is how much you’ll be offered by a coin dealer to buy a coin — bid value is virtually always lower (by 20% or more) than replacement value.

If you’re interested in selling your coins, you’ll want to call the coin dealer before going to the store to see if they buy coins. There’s really not much of a point in going to one place for an appraisal and another place to sell coins unless you want a party not involved with the coin sale to estimate the value of your coins.

Numismatic Value vs. Bullion Value Of A Coin

Every coin has 2 different values:

  • Bullion value – the value of the metal composition inside the coin itself
  • Numismatic value – the nostalgic value of coin, based on how popular it is as a collectible

Generally speaking, whenever a coin is appraised those 2 values are combined to form the ‘appraised value’ of the coin.

The bottom line is all silver, gold, and platinum coins are worth their bullion value (an amount based on the current price of the metal) plus their numismatic value (an amount based on the collectibility of the coin — independent of its metal value).

The Difference Between Bullion & Numismatics: Bullion is essentially raw gold or silver in a coin or bar form. These items are valued at the spot price, plus a small premium for production at the mint and, most likely, a dealer markup. Numismatics, on the other hand, are collectible coins. Since the collectible value has more to do with nostalgia than the value of the gold itself, it’s highly subjective and much harder to evaluate the market value.

– MyGoldAdvisor

Must read: What’s The Difference Between A Numismatist And A Coin Collector?

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381 thoughts on “Appraising Coins To Find Their True Value: Here Are 5 Things You Need To Know Before Getting Coins Appraised”

  2. Is there any value in taking a picture of a coin(s) before you ship them off to an appraiser?  What benefit would the photo have for me if I believed a coin returned to me was switched?  

    Reply

    • Megoodgal,

      Yes, there is value in photographing your coins because it would show details of the coins you own and can help you compare the appearance of the coins in your legal possession versus those which you claim to be stand-ins.

      Reply

  3. To anyone who can help. My son and I save random coins and change. We came across a very old dime. I looked it up and it’s called a seated half dime dated 1853. Every site I tried to get info from or pictures to compare the coins I noticed the back of the dimes all said half dime where my coin says one dime. Not sure if thats common but cant seem to find any info. Please help.

    Reply

  6. When my grandpa passed away a few years ago one of his posessions I ended up with was a small handful of old coins. He wasn’t a serious collector, and these are worn, and some foreign (France, Russia? China?) from the 17 and 1800’s. I know nothing about coins and don’t have any time to do vast amounts of research, but I am curious how to go about determining if these have any historical or even monetary value. If anyone can give me information I would appreciaTe it. Am also happy to take and send photos.

    Reply

    • Hello, Diana –

      I would be glad to help as best I can. Would you please upload photos of your coins to the comments forum here and I will try to identify and appraise each to the best of my ability, without seeing the coins in-hand.

      Reply

  7. I have a 1484 Tyrol half guldiner Sigismund, how much are they valued at and how to spot a fake from the real? If anyone could help I would appreciate it very much.
    Thanks in advance

    Reply

  8. Mr. Joshua, My Mom passed away in December last year. She was 93. One of the things she left my sons was a whole bank bag of Old Silver Dollars, Half Dollars and some other various coins. 1893 Morgan, Several Peace dollars and 1 BF/ JFK half dollars. Do you have any idea of a place in Arkansas to get them appraised? Or an online appraiser you trust?

    Reply

    • Hi Rick, I was wondering if you ever found anyone in Arkansas to appraise your coins. If you did can you please tell me who it is? I too am needing someone in Arkansas to appraise some coins for me. Thank you! (Kay)

      Reply

  9. I’d appreciate your considered opinion. Should I have these appraised and slabbed? My intent is to sell them.

    Reply

    • Hello Franko,

      From what I can tell, your 1900 half eagle and 1897 quarter eagle appear to be “common” gold coins (though still valuable and worth approximately their bullion value), but if I’m reading the date and mintmark on the one-dollar coin correctly (1851-D), that piece is considerably scarce and you might want to have it slabbed, as it could be worth around $1,200-$1,500.

      Good luck and thanks for your question!

      Reply

          • A local dealer confirmed your appraisal. I am taking the next step to have the coins ‘graded’, costing sixty eight dollars. I guess this assures any potential buyer that the coins are authentic and ranks their quality/condition.

            I learned that the D indicates, Delonaga, was the mint. Like most people I assumed it was Denver.

            What kind of offer might I expect on the dollar coin? Eighty, ninety percent of appraised value? :). Or, fifty percent? 🙁

          • Hello, Franko!

            So glad to hear that your coin checked out. I would hope that you could realize at least 80 percent appraised value. My best advice is to “shop” around the coin for offers among local coin dealers and see what you get. If you’re not satisfied with the offers, I suggest listing your coin on eBay next, where you could get some active bidding.

            As for the “D” mintmark, yes, Dahlonega, GA, had a mint during the nineteenth century tasked with minting gold coins. Here’s some more info on mintmarks:

            https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/mint_marks_letters_on_coins/

            Please keep us abreast of what you find out from the certification service. Good luck!

          • The certification was high on both the 1 and 2,1/2 coins which sold for $2000.00 ea. The other coin sold for bullion value, around $300.

            Thanks again for your input and interest.

          • Hello Franko!

            How exciting! Thanks for letting us know how the coins turned out. It sounds like you’re happy – and that’s fantastic!

            All the best,
            Josh

  10. Hi I have some coins I need to know about if u can tell me they are 1953 s wheat and one silver dd 1963 d dime and a silver 1963 d dime if some one should help please let me know

    Reply

    • Hi Brent –

      A 1953-S Lincoln wheat cent is worth about 5 cents, a 1963-D doubled die Roosevelt dime comes in at around $25 for one that is About Uncirculated grade, and a regular 1963-D dime is worth around $3.

      Thank you for your questions!

      Reply

    • Hi Brent,

      Without seeing a photo of the coin, it’s hard to say for certain. It may be corrosion – a very common cause of red discoloration on older Lincoln cents.

      Please feel free to post pics if you want so we can make a sight-seen determination!

      Reply

    • Hello there, Brent –

      Thanks for sending a pic of your 1955-D cent. It looks like what happened to it was exposure to some type of caustic chemical. The red is actually a form of corrosion. Several of mine that I’ve found in circulation look the same way and it is usually due to years of exposure to moisture, fumes, and other agents, both natural and synthetic.

      Reply

  15. I have what i believe is a 11 cent peice but not sure it is about the size of a dime on wjat looks to be a dime on the side. It has the signs on the back of it like the front of a dime but back of penny and back of the dime on the front of penny the penny stamp is a little off center as well not sure if it is worth getting appraised

    Reply

  16. Has anyone Seen a ”P Mount Hood Quarter” with these features on it before? I cant find anything like it online can someone help me figure this out I’m going crazy not knowing. Can anyone tell me if its worth anything? It appears to be silver.

    Reply

  18. I have a 1795 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar. I believe that it extremely rare, because it has a minting error. I am trying to get a sense of its value. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply

    • Hi, Leslie —

      This is a most interesting piece. I first thought they might be silver plugs to fill holes that may have been drilled through the coin (known as coin repairs), but clearly see the reverse appears undamaged by any holes. I did some extensive research on this and am not finding any attributed varieties for such a piece; that doesn’t mean it’s not a variety/error, but one would think this piece or others like it would have been attributed in more than 200 years.

      I lean toward thinking the silver globs, which appear to be raised, might have been added at some point later outside of the mint. However, what would need to be done is to check the coin for authenticity (paramount) and then determine, after a coin professional has examined and weighed the coin in hand, what might be going. Weighing the coin to see how much “extra” metal there may be, and what it’s metallic composition is would help us figure out exactly what’s going on here and how much the coin would be worth.

      Good luck,
      Josh @ TheFunTimesGuide

      Reply

    • Hi, Luis —

      There are several things about this piece, including the strike quality, size of certain features on the piece, lettering font and size, and color of the metal that lead me to strongly believe this is a replica of a 1799 Draped Bust dollar. Such replicas are usually worth what the metal is worth, though I would put a basic appraisal of $1 to $3 for a base metal replica of a 1799 Draped Bust dollar.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  20. Hi can anyone help me. I have a sliver 1896 Victoria. Del.gra.britt. regina. Fid.def.ind.imp.
    The date side is a picture of George and the Dragon and the other side is the Queen Victoria so if anybody can help me give me any indication on value I’ll be very grateful.

    Reply

    • Hello, Kerry —

      May I see a photo of this coin so I can identify it please? Many nations subject to the throne had coinage depicting British royalty, so I’ll need to see what nation the coin is from to ascertain a rough value.

      Thanks!
      Josh

      Reply

  21. Hi, hoping you could help me. My Father has a 1907 twenty dollar gold piece. Can you tell me from pictures if it is authentic and about what selling price should be? Thank You.

    Reply

    • Hi, Juanita –

      Based on the images and the appearance of the piece itself, this appears to be a bronze replica (it might be another metal though). I can tell based on the variations in the design of this piece versus the Saint-Gaudens $20 double eagle (size, shape, and placement of the lettering such as “LIBERTY,” etc.). Bronze replicas like this might fetch $1 to $2 at a coin dealer.

      I’m sorry to inform you of this, but I hope it helps you in deciding what to do with this coin. Feel free to get a second opinion if you wish at a coin dealer who can inspect the coin in hand and determine the metal content; perhaps the metal within is more valuable than bronze or brass.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  22. hello I am been researching on a 1887 Morgan Philadelphia I believe to be ms64. it is in great condition, but I keep seeing different values….what is the normal range for this coin.

    Reply

    • Hi, Delia —

      Unfortunately you’re going to find different values anywhere you go online. I normally like to stay on the conservative side to avoid disappointment (because even photos of a coin don’t necessarily reflect what the coin really looks like in-hand and can therefore skew what one might receive for the coin from a coin dealer). Usually, an 1887 MS-64 Morgan dollar will have a value of $55 to $65.

      I hope this helps!
      Josh

      Reply

  24. Hi, I have 2 identical sets of SS Republic Liberty Seated Half Dollar. I am wondering about how much they would be worth and if I should try to sell them together or as separate sets. Thanks for your help! -Josh

    Reply

    • Nice sets, Josh! I’ve seen these coins sell for $400 to $600 each, though I’ve seen some sell for more. At a minimum, I’d suggest the sets would likely sell for somewhere from $1,000 to $1,400 (coin dealers don’t pay retail value). Perhaps selling them individually to two different coin dealers may help increase your price, as sometimes dealers will pay for less for “bulk” purchases.

      Reply

    • Hi, Janet —

      Unless they have some type of error, Sacagawea golden dollar coins are worth face value if worn.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  26. Joshua,
    I have several different coins that I would like for someone to look at. It would be way too many to put on here. I am located in central Texas area. Can you recommend someone in the Austin or Houston area?

    Reply

  27. Hi josh I read your posts every time I get the time to play with my coins. I found a new obsession just last winter during the blizzard. Obviously I am so new to coin collecting that I dont believe anyone would even call my coins a collection YET . That being said, I ran across 2 1958 wheats….of course I was so excited to read all the info onliNE about the two 1958DD. WELL,, AFTER SEEING THE HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY 2 1958 COINS….I GOT EVEN MORE EXCITED….I am sure I am trying to turn my wheat penny fantasy into reality with HOPE and total lack of knowledge….but it is getting to the point I cannot even sleep!!!! Guess its time to put the “dream” to rest for a day or so anyway….can u please gently tell me what I am doing wrong in my wishful wonderland where I have THE HOLY GRAIL of all wheaties…LOL pics to follow!!!!thanks!!

    Reply

    • Hi there, Newby —

      First off, it’s wonderful to have you in the hobby and I hope it’s something you will continue doing during blizzards and sunny days and with valuable coins and common pieces alike. I’m looking at the side-by-side comparison of the two 1958 Lincoln cents in the photos you provided.

      Based on what I can tell, it appears, I do see some surfaces differences between the two coins, especially concerning color, minor strike variances, and wear patterns. This would actually be normal. Over the course of time, each coin picks up dings and hits that will impart some surface differences in the way the coin continues to wear after receiving surface abuse.

      The color of your coins, though different from each other, is normal and actually quite desirable. Seasoned coin collectors are very concerned about the color of their coins, and old copper coins should have the chocolately colors that your pieces display — which is why you should not clean them.

      Other than that, I would say you’re looking for the right types of coins, but you just have to keep it up. There are a lot of treasures in pocket change. If you love collecting Lincoln cents (as I certainly do), I’d suggest checking this article out: “The 43 Most Valuable Pennies” https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/valuable-pennies/

      Reply

      • Josh thank u for taking time for me and putting my far fetched dreams at bay. Lol. So circulation can cause that doubling? I had no idea !! Again another reason I am so thankful that a few peoe like you make themselves available to those of us in the dark. I will continue to try to make my collection and enjoying it more than I ever anticipated. Thanks again for making it so much easier and more enjoyable by sharing your experience and knowledge!!!! When I found that penny I did nt know it was a special date or that such a rare DD could possibly exist…so u can imagine my shock!!!! It was the only double lettered coin I have ever seen and I thought it had to be an error done at mint. If I should ever see that lettering again. How do u know if its wear or a true error? Or is that just something time may teach me?”’thanks again!

        Reply

        • Hi, Newby!

          I wish I could’ve confirmed what your heart had been hoping. Alas, but that doesn’t mean there are doubled dies out there. Detecting a doubled die is actually quite a nuanced process, and the best thing to do early on is to compare any “suspect” doubled die with photos of an actual doubled die for said year/issue online. Each doubled die issue has its own diagnostics, so to speak. For example, in the case of the 1958, the doubling would be very prevalent in the word “LIBERTY,” with the doubled letters askew from the original lettering pretty blatantly, which I do not see on either coin here.

          However, I can see where you may have detected doubling, or a slight shadowing of the letters. This is called “machine doubling” and is caused by wear and tear in the die/striking process at the mint. A doubled die, rather, is caused by doubling of the image on the die itself during the process through which a “hub” (basically, the master image) imprints an image on a die (the piece that strikes designs on coins).

          If you ever see any coin that you think is a doubled die, I encourage you to post photos here and I would be glad to individually look at the coin and see if it appears to be a member of the major doubled die variety from that year.

          All my best!
          Josh

          Reply

          • Josh, you are not only educated and informative but u are also generous with your knowledge . You take your time to try to teach us with patience and kindness and co tinue to answer the same questions over and over like you are really intrigued and never heard it before. You truly have a gift , its a pleasure to chat with you and to watch you with others. People like you change the world. Not by answering our amatuer coin advice…but with your contagious passion in your interests and amazing demeanor which demonstrates how much u enjoy TEACHING us all. You make me want to learn more and not feel intimidated that I began this hobby at 40 yrs old not 8. Thanks for keeping me on the hunt and building drive In Us all. Our children , our future could sure use alot more of you in our public school systems. Thank you as always. You are a gem!

          • Newby,

            I am greatly humbled by your kind words. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to share whatever knowledge I have with others in this forum. I believe that no matter how long one has done something, there is still more to be learned, and I can certainly prove that through my experiences in moderating this forum for nearly a decade.

            I love when somebody, such as yourself, discovers this hobby and begins looking for old, unusual, and rare coins. Coin collecting is one of those hobbies that can be pursued for a lifetime and can travel with you wherever you go — because you can always look for new and interesting finds wherever it is that you’re making cash transactions(!)

            On a side note, I have considered teaching and am even doing a Great American Teach In appearance where I’m from in a few weeks. It would be an honor if my career took me to the point where I could educate the next generation and hopefully instill a love for learning. Perhaps someday!

            In the meantime, I encourage you to keep enjoying the hobby and to feel free to ask any questions you may have. I’m always glad to help!

            Cheers,
            Josh

          • Hi joshua..
            Wanna start by saying I hope u enjoyed your all American teach. Im sure your class did. I wondered if you were educating on youth with your vast coin knowledge?? I sure hope you warned everyone of the wheatie addiction..lol.
            I have been agressively searching change jars of every family member and frie d I have ever met. Although I may now be banned now be from all family functions but it may be worth the sacrifice. Actually, I know it is. I have had a blast. Wish I had done this years ago. I have found 37 new wheats that I gaze at for hours. Wanted to show u a pic of one of mmy favs. Like everyone I am particularly infatuated with finding my first double die
            But everytime I think I have one…it seems to be some rare or non existent year. I have gone over your response to my earlier posts and tried to follow your expertise. Obviously your keen eye is something that u worked.on since 11 yr ols boy and I am having trouble finding approaching 50. I have refrained from sending u pics since last ones so I am trying hard not to abuse your kindness and generousity….but I just had to try to seek leadership d…lol.

          • Hello, Newby —

            How are you doing? Thank you for asking about the Teach In. I had a wonderful time, and I even gave each of the children (40) Lincoln wheat cents and a Florida state quarter (where the event was held). I had so much fun talking with them and they seemed so engaged. I would love to do similar events in the future.

            As for your penny searches, 37 wheat cents? NICE! They are getting really hard to find these days — and far tougher than when I started looking for them in the early 1990s. It’s very difficult to find doubled die wheat cents in pocket change, though not impossible. You may want to expand your efforts to the 1972, 1983, 1984, and 1995 doubled die Lincoln cents, which are indeed still in circulation, though still a fun challenge to locate.

            I hope you keep on searching for those doubled dies! There are so many neat coins out there, some worth a little money, some worth a lot, all worth your time! Keep at it, and always feel free to ask any coin questions you want!

            Cheers,
            Josh

          • Oh my JOSH!!!

            I think I really have one this time! I took your advice as always!!! Looking for the other dies gave me a better idea of what to look for. Again, this is why u have our favorite coin forum. I hope I am not over confident but I can see the doubling with naked eye. Cannot wait for you to tell me what you know. I wont be crushed if I dont have a true double die. I saw where there are different ones due to a foreman catching the error before all were circulated? Can u explain more and which I have …if either? Well here it is thought my teacher should see it first!!! Hope I dont disappoint…AGAIN!

          • Hello, Newby!

            I’m so glad you’re really getting into coin diagnostics and researching this information so carefully (and am very glad you keep checking back here, too). Yes, I do see signs of what may be doubling. HOWEVER (I always hate using this transitional phrase when answering questions here), the doubling is not the same as seen on the rare variety of the 1955 doubled die cent. What it appears that you have is a machine doubled piece (basically, the coin itself was struck twice, not the die that strikes the coin); these pieces are commonly marketed as “Poor Man’s Doubled Dies” and generally sell for 50 cents to $1.

            I’ve uploaded a partial photo of the famous 1955 doubled die — you’ll see the sharpness of the doubling in the date. Sharpness and something called “spread” (the amount of space between the regular 1955 cent lettering and date and doubled appearance on the doubled die piece) are essential diagnostic indicators.

            I hope this helps. Please keep checking your change! I am quite sure you will find more of these interesting (and more valuable) pieces out there.

            Keep at it!
            Josh

          • Josh
            HI !!!’ Are u kidding? Of course I am keeping up with forum as always ,thank you bunches. Nothing more exciting than an email!!!!’Yes, I am disappointed in the type of doubling I have but still very happy at the fact I even spotted one! That being said I am gonna send a pjc of a 1973 , not my fav wheaties but I got it back as grocery change and noticed something strange in the chest area. I havent looked at the memorial series much at a and I cant find a pic. my usual go to guide does not list as a dd.Just compared to others on hand.
            So happy u enjoyed your class! Still cant believe u gave kids 40 wheat pennies. We asked you to share knowledge…not OUR PENNIES!!!lol. Just kidding and no wonder they were so engaged! Bet that started a frenzy of parents change jars disappearing! So nice to know possibly a younger model of a BIG DREAMER TAMMY getting started on the hunt!!! Maybe even a lil Josh numasist…hehe . Again thanks for getting them on the path and please keep us posted on upcoming events. Would love a good story about collecting. Children are hysterical and I am so glad you are enjoying it. You certainly deserve it too!!
            THANKS JOSHUA

          • Hello, Newby!

            I’m just glad you’re trying so hard to spot these coins and really get engaged with the diagnostics. I know — it’s a bummer when the coins we think are doubled dies turn out not to be (it’s happened to me, too!). The best thing is gaining the knowledge going forward so you’re more attuned to the coins in hand. The best thing to remember is that each doubled die issue has its own unique characteristics. So it’s always better to hang onto a coin “just in case” and get it checked out by a numismatist or a coin dealer. Better safe than sorry, right?

            I really think if doubled dies are your favorite type of die variety to look for, you’re going to have a lot more luck looking among the Lincoln Memorial cents. That’s not to say there are still 1955 doubled dies floating around out there, but I can tell you with confidence that there are many 1972, 1983, 1984, and 1995 doubled dies in circulation right now that most people wouldn’t even know to look for! So these will represent your best bet. Though, by all means, keep checking your 1955 Lincoln cents — you’d probably be surprised to learn that some people don’t even think to check for the doubled die variety.

            If you want another fun coin to search for, keep your eye out for 1982 dimes. Any that DON’T have a mintmark above the date are worth at least $75!

            Cheers,
            Josh

          • Josh
            I cant tell you how excited I am with your response. You keep me in the game and keep it fun. Im off to check my dimes til sunrise and my paying job!! Chat soon I hope!

          • hey josh…wow I missed sharing with you ..and the forum! you guys sure have kept it interesting though!!! Been sick again but gave me penny searching time. Wanted to share my favs…WHEATIES OF COURSE! and hoping to also get some of that awesome OMJ knowledge. lol. I haven’t seen anything lately on your teaching experiences??? Hope u are still at it? minus giving away all our pennies..hehe . kidding of course! Here goes I have a 1911 1931 and a 1919…I THINK. let me down gently if need be…u must know I do keep my heads In the clouds with those big dreams….Thanks joshua!!!! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/447e1b591c6ee5a83be3e33b51643952020a6f770f51d9546cda32b54b499e04.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/067394edec01c12d562a71c3ec7fa979a3fee434d29b876b26a266fcb3126efc.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ce0a6e25ee1c14cee671d610d87152b110ea0fe57160658634169d9009ff483e.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b004c273608978ecc7ed189e1f568a22040f207b76b8c89bcece6f2a4376eccc.jpg

          • Hello, Newby!

            It’s great to hear from you! I am doing well, thank you! Still considering a run for my Ph.D in English, but we’ll see — fingers crossed. I hope you’re feeling better soon. It’s good to know you’ve been using your time wisely and looking for old pennies!

            It looks like you did well. In fact, most of these are quite scarce. I compared the diagnostics to my references and, based on the photos they check out, but the images are a tad blurry up close and the best way to inspect for authenticity is with in-hand inspections. My biggest concern is a possible added “S” mintmark on the 1931, but the more distant shot shows good placement — I just need to see the shape, which is hard to say up close due to the slight blurriness in the image.

            Having said all that, please check out the potential values of these coins below (assuming they are authentic — I’m pretty confident they are):

            •1910-S — $10 to $15
            •1911-S — $35 to $40
            •1919-S — 10 cents
            •1931-S — $60 to $75

            Excellent finds! Keep on searching!
            Josh

    • Hello, Angela —

      That’s a nice-looking 1923 cent with original color. Given the amount of wear it has, it’s worth 15 to 20 cents.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  29. Hi Josh, I have this American Eagle 1989 1/2oz. $25 coin. Can you give me some advice on selling it to a coin shop?
    I noticed it’s valued online at over $1800. How much can I expect to get for it?
    Thanks, for your help.
    Sincerely, Debbie

    Reply

      • Thanks, for your reply, Josh. Would I be correct in guessing you meant to type, $25, not $10 & it was a typo? I did read about the 1989 $25 coin was issued at a lower mintage.
        What would be a good guideline on what to expect a dealer to pay me for it? (percentage-wise)
        I believe there are only a couple dealers near me, but I’ve heard they’re reputable & long-time businesses.
        I will look at the links you provided.
        Thanks, again.
        -Debbie

        Reply

  30. Hello Joshua, I happened across your post here while trying to show my son why this penny is a different color from all the other pennies. i have to say that you area remarkable man, and you are both helping a lot of people on here, as well as encouraging/sparking their interest in coin collecting. Kudos to you for that.

    Reply

  32. Hey Joshua, I just got 2 1 dollar coins 1 is gold colored 1801-1809 and the other one is sliver colored 1980 any ideal on how much there worth?

    Reply

    • Hello, Alexzander —

      You have a 2007 Thomas Jefferson golden dollar (actually a copper-based alloy) and a 1980 Susan B. Anthony dollar (copper-nickel based). The golden dollar is worth face value if worn and $1.25 if uncirculated (no wear). The Susan B. Anthony dollar has a nominal 5- to 10-cent premium if in lightly worn condition, and is worth about $1.75 in uncirculated.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Alexzander —

      Most coins are worth more than their metal content alone. On a bullion basis, each is worth around $6. If you could kindly provide me the dates of these coins, I can tell you more regarding their overall value.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Alexzander —

      A 1972 Kennedy half dollar doesn’t contain any silver; if worn, it is worth face value. 1997 Kennedy half dollars are generally made from copper-nickel, much like the 1972 half and is also worth face value — however, some “S”-mint proofs (the “S” mintmark would be between the date and Kennedy’s head; these show no signs of an orange (copper) edge. 1997-S silver Kennedy half dollars from that year do contain silver and are worth $13 to $18.

      Thank you for your questions!
      Josh

      Reply

  37. Hi josh this is some great info I wanted to know if you could help with an estimated price on an 1889 Morgan dollar in really good shape and an 1885 Morgan with a little more wear and tear??

    Reply

    • Hi, Mark!

      What a beautiful coin! That 1889 is worth at least $22 to $28, though possibly more based on the mintmark on the reverse (tails side) of the coin. What mintmark (letter/letters) do you see just under the eagle and wreath on the reverse? An “O,” “S,” or “CC”? Is there any mintmark there at all?

      As for the 1885, I will need to please know if that coin has any mintmark; that knowledge, plus a photo, could help me provide an approximate value.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  38. Hi Josh, I was hoping to get your opinion on a 1979 Silver Dollar I had found in my coin savings. I do not recall it ever being in hand so assume it was mistaken for a quarter as change when given to me and I had mistaken it as well when putting it away. If you could give me an estimate of value if it has any, that would be great. I live in a pretty small town, so I don’t have very many options, but I am fascinated with finding new things.

    Reply

  39. I have an 1880 o morgan dollar. Flawless with all the details sharp and defined. Has a blueish discoloration from time I would think. I have seen prices all over the board for this. What do you think.

    Reply

    • Hi, Andy —

      Yes, values are definitely all over the board — you’re probably seeing prices for everything from well-worn examples ($25) to mint state pieces worth thousands. The best thing for me would be to see a photo of the coin, because the grade and the appearance of the blue toning will be crucial to giving you a more specific estimate on your coin’s value.

      Thank you!
      Josh

      Reply

  40. Have a coin a lady gave to me, I thought it was just a zinc penny and told her I like finding coins ,never seek them out. Just get them by luck usually. When I finally got a chance to look at it closer when I got home ,it seems to be a penny on a dime Blanchet I think it’s called. Any feedback would be awesome. Thanks Jason

    Reply

    • Hi, Jason!

      Interesting find. It looks like the copper plating was removed with a strong abrasive, then it was machined using centrifugal force to squash the diameter down. Many coins are physically altered in a similar fashion in clothes driers, which can spin a coin on its edge so quickly that pure gravitational force pulls the edge of the coin inward (which is why it looks like the rim is encroaching on the letters).

      Though it isn’t worth anything from the numismatic standpoint, I’d still hang onto it anyway.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  41. Hi josh, I was wondering what your opinion is on my 1923 silver dollar, it’s in wonderful condition, I actually have 3 the other 2 are just not in as good of shape.

    Reply

  42. Hi josh, I was wondering what your opinion on my 1923 silver dollar is, I have 3 but this one is in wonderful shape, what do you think it’s value is and what would one be if it wasn’t in this good of shape?

    Reply

    • Hi, Rob!

      Peace silver dollars are classic coins! Your 1923 Peace dollar is worth around $15 given current silver values.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Tommy —

      It would be important to know what the mintmarks and condition are for each of these coins to give you more accurate values. Also, there are two types of 1921 dollars, so I would need to see what type you have (one is worth $20-ish while the other is worth clear over $100).

      If you want to post clear photos of your coins here, please feel free to do so!

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  44. I have a 1916 “Tang Chi Yao” Yunnan Province China .50 cent silver coin. All info I can find on it says its rare. What is your opinion on its condition and value?

    Reply

    • Hello, Keith –

      It looks like you have a nicely circulated 1967 Kennedy half dollar, though I do see some signs of damages (parallel scratches) around the 1 o’ clock position on Kennedy’s head. The notable thing about this piece, as you may be aware, is that it has a 40% silver composition and is presently worth around $4.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

      • Its not scratchs That’s the hair accent believe it or not just the dark makes it pop . The back side where the bird is at the spot that looks like a stain is lifted so I don’t know what or how it got under the stamp of the coin, I can tell it’s under the stamping ,pics aren’t showing well

        Reply

        • Hi, Keith —

          Lighting really affects photos like these, given both the macro settings and the reflective surfaces of the coins!

          As for the stain, if it’s “lifted” it’s likely a spot of residue. If the dark spot is sunken, it might be a lamination error of some type, but I would need to see a blowup of that section to provide a more certain assessment.

          Best,
          Josh

          Reply

          • It almost looks like it was stamped over and the access metal got smeared oh yeah and it has a doubling on the top of the ear, zoom up by the 9 and look on both sides of it. I’ll try to get better pics

  46. Hi Josh,

    A nice and Informative blog you have here. I am total novice to numismatics and want to start somewhere (just to know my own collection). Would you be kind enough to recommend a reliable/exhaustive coin catalog for Indian/British-Indian coins? Is Red Book a good information source for US coins?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Thank you for your kind words, sir!

      There are several books and auction catalogs out of print that might provide scholarly information, but the most readily available guides (and my personal favorite for info on coins from Europe/Asia and beyond) would be the Standard Catalog of World Coins. To cover British-Indian coinage, you would need both the 1801-1900 version and 1901-2000 edition. These are readily available at U.S. bookstores and on Amazon.

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

      • Thank you for the detailed response, Josh!

        Standard Catalog of World Coins did turn up highly recommended in Google search but it was unclear to me which version/edition covers British-Indian coinage. The information you provided is quite helpful to get me started with correct version/edition!

        Cheers!
        Yashesh

        Reply

        • Hello, Yashesh!

          Actually both the 1801-1900 and 1901-2000 versions are the ones you want; the Standard Catalog of World Coins covers coins from virtually ALL nations and has several pages of listings for the British-Indian coinage.

          Good luck!
          Josh

          Reply

  47. Hi Josh

    I have a 1935 Buffalo Nickel. I am just starting out my coin collection, and I want to know if I am starting on the right path. Can you advise me on this rare find and if it is worth anything in its present state?

    Robin J

    Reply

    • Hi, Robin —

      The right path is dependent on what types of coins you wish to collect, but I’ll tell you this — I think a nicely circulated 1935 Buffalo nickel is a great addition for any collector who appreciates U.S. coins from yesteryear! Your piece is worth around $1 to $1.50.

      Great find, and keep checking your change. Always feel free to ask us any coin-related questions you may have!

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  48. Hi I have a 1879 Morgan silver dollar? Not the coin type of person was given to me an was pretty interested what it’s worth if anything just cool having something that old.

    Reply

    • Hi, Zack —

      An 1879 Morgan dollar made at the San Francisco Mint (see the “S” mintmark under the eagle?) is worth about $20. It’s a classic American coin and a neat collectible! I’d leave this coin just as it is — don’t clean it it or anything. It’s gorgeous.

      What a wonderful piece of Americana!
      Josh

      Reply

  49. I have an 1852 large cent braided Liberty Head, with reverse rotation error. It has been in the lockbox at the bank since 1960. I have not had it certified or graded by a professional, but have emailed to get a quote from Heritage auctions. They responded that it was probably worth $15 to $20. My question is I have done a lot of research online about this coin and I have found that it can be worth anywhere in the low hundreds to the thousands of dollars when looking through the auctions of several different places Heritage included. Can you give me some input on this.

    Thank you very much and look forward to

    Reply

      • Hi, Teresa —

        I would have to see the rotation error to opine on that (I know you tried to upload the reverse image — thank you!). This piece has nice design details but does have a few rim bruises, which are very typical for a copper coin of this age. It also has a very nice, original chocolate color. I would suggest that a circulated specimen like this is worth around $20.

        The pieces that you say you saw selling for hundreds on Heritage Auctions are likely uncirculated specimens with “red” (mint color) toning and exquisite surfaces. Those are indeed worth hundreds of dollars and are quite scarce.

        I hope this helps explain the value difference between your piece and some of the more expensive pieces you’ve seen online.

        Personally, I quite like the circulated relic you have and hope you hang on to it!

        Best,
        Josh

        Reply

    • Hello, Tina —

      Your 1922 Peace dollar was made in Philadelphia; if it’s worn, it’s worth around $17 given current silver melt values.

      Thank you for your question!
      Josh

      Reply

        • Hi, Tina —

          The high-relief 1922 Peace dollars were struck in very small quantities as matte proof coins. These have distinctive diagnostics, including a squared-edge rim, and sharper strike in lettering and design elements; for example, the inscriptions on the high-relief version are especially bold and stand out as dramatically sharper than the typical, low-relief details on business-strike pieces typical of 1922 Peace dollars.

          Best,
          Josh

          Reply

  51. Hi my nephew found a 1852 wells Fargo & co. gold looking coin.The picture has the two founders on it it & a wagon with the horses. We were wondering if it’s worth anything?

    Reply

    • Hello, Amy!

      The 2002 Wells Fargo 150th Anniversary medal is worth about $12. There is some degree of demand for these medals, with some older Wells Fargo medals selling into the hundreds of dollars each; the 1902 Wells Fargo 50th anniversary medal is listed for more than $1,000 on eBay and has active bidders and watchers. Perhaps you will want to hang onto this piece and see if it’s worth more in the future.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, CR —

      The next thing to do is see if your 1943 cent sticks to a magnet. If it DOES, then it IS steel and worth about 10 cents. If the coin does NOT stick to a magnet AND weighs about 3 grams or more, please post again about this and let me know!

      Thank you and good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

  53. Hello I was going thru some things of my grandfathers and found a 1943 wheat penny, I read online about the magnet thing and tried it out and it did not stick, saw your reply to an earlier question about the same type of coin and you said something about 3 grams, I don’t really have anything that would be able to weigh something that small, what steps should I take to see what I have found..

    Thanks,
    Aaron

    Reply

    • Hi, Aaron —

      The weight test is pretty crucial, so if you’re unable to find a scale that will provide an accurate measurement down to the gram (and, ideally, down to the hundredth gram) threshold, you might consider either submitting the coin to a third-party certification firm or having a reputable dealer examine the coin.

      Bear in mind, even if your coin does NOT stick to a magnet, there’s a very good chance it is still altered (perhaps, for example, a 1948-dated cent with an altered fourth digit in the date). Therefore, you might spend the, say, $20 for certification and find out the coin is not what you had hoped it to be. Or, maybe it would — the story you told me is exactly how many people find great heirloom rarities. So, there is hope your piece would check out.

      Here is more info on third-party coin grading firms: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/slabbed_coins/
      And here is a searchable (but not exhaustive) list of highly respected coin dealers: https://png.memberclicks.net/find-a-png-dealer

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Tasha —

      What nation produced this gold coin? The United States didn’t officially strike gold $5 coins in 1925, so I’m not sure what this coin is without a few more details, please.

      Thank you!
      Josh

      Reply

  57. Hi, Tasha —

    The photo is a little fuzzy. Are you sure that’s 1925? Or is it 1926?

    Thank you,
    Josh

    Reply

    • Hi, Darian –

      Both coins appear heavily toned. The 1921 Morgan dollar is worth about $15 and the Adams dollar, which appears worn, is worth face value.

      Cool coins!
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Karla —

      Unfortunately, this 1962-D Franklin half dollar appears to have been cleaned, but it would still be worth about $7 to $8 given current silver values.

      I love these classic coins!
      Josh

      Reply

  61. Josh,
    My father passed recently and in going through some things I found 2 2 1/2 Gold dollars. 1 0f them is dated 1845 and the other is 1847. The 1845 is in nearly new condition and the other is in good condition. How much would they be worth. I can not find mint marks on them to tell where they made.

    Reply

    • Hello, William —

      My condolences regarding your dad… I hope you will be consoled to know that each of the coins is worth at least $250 to $300 given current gold values. If you do see a mintmark on either coin (the mintmark would be on the reverse or “tails side”), the values could be $1,200 or more each for a “C” (Charlotte) or “D” (Dahlonega) mintmark.

      Take care,
      Josh

      Reply

  63. Hi Josh , I have 21 buffalo nickels, the earliest one 1913-1921, 1923-1930, 1934-1937. Wondering what they are worth. Thanks Teckie

    Reply

    • Hi, Teckie —

      I will kindly need more information than this please to help you regarding the values of your Buffalo nickels. Every date is worth a different value, and values also depend on the existence of a mintmark (or not) under the words FIVE CENTS on the reverse of the coin. The condition of the coin is also important in factoring in values.

      Perhaps this link may help you find a bit more info, too: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/buffalo_nickels_value/

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

  64. Hello Josh,
    I have a 1776 Continental Curency coin in what appears to be pewter, it was passed down to me in some items that I inheirited from my grandfather when he passed. I have read that there were some counterfit and replicas made of this coin, was wondering if you could look at the images I have of this coin and tell me if you think it has any qualities of being authentic? And if not, could you point out what about the coin would identify it as a replica or such? I’m just going off memory here, but I think I weighed it at approximately 20 grams and is 40mm in diameter. If you need better quality images let me know, I had to lower the quality for file size under 2MB. Thanks for any info you can share with me! – Tina

    Reply

    • Hello, Tina —

      The width sounds correct but if 20 grams is what the weight is then it sounds a bit heavier than normal. I’m also a little concerned about the quality of the surfaces, strike, and some design diagnostic issues. Do you see a seam around the edge of the coin by chance?

      Based on what I see, I feel safe (unfortunately) suggesting this is a replica, but I don’t want to call it without the coin being weighed on perhaps a more precise scale. These should weigh between about 15 and 18.5 grams.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  65. Hello Josh,

    I have a Buffalo Nickel from 1913, no mint and I think its type 2. I want to get appraised but I think I’m going to get ripped off. I think its worth around $300.00. I have a large collection, maybe around 200 coins. Is it worth trying to get the whole collection appraised or should I try to get a round-about price on the collection?
    Megan

    Reply

    • Hi, Megan —

      You say you’re getting the collection appraised — is that with the aim of selling it, insuring it, or something else? If you would like to submit a photo of your 1913 Buffalo nickel here, please feel free to do so and I’ll be glad to identify what type it is.

      If you’re concerned about getting “ripped off,” you can avoid that by going to a reputable coin dealer, of which there are very many.

      I suggest you check out this searchable (but not exhaustive) list of reputable coin dealers to find one near you: https://png.memberclicks.net/find-a-png-dealer

      Here are some general tips on finding good coin dealers: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/coin_dealer/

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  66. Hello
    I have several rare coins, that I would like to know there valve. However, I have 1
    1776 Curency Continental that I really would like to know more about.
    Please help

    Reply

    • Hi, Millie —

      You have a 2007 Presidential dollar that honors George Washington’s terms as president from 1789 through 1797. If you found your coin in circulation, it is worth face value.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  68. I have an 1873 S trade dollar. I put on ebay, it was bid at 104$ then ebay took down my post because it was a replica. How do i know if its fake?

    Reply

    • Hi, Azep –

      There are several diagnostics that one can use to decipher an authentic Trade dollar from a replica, though in many cases it takes years of basic knowledge in studying real coins and fakes to learn the differences. Unfortunately, some of the replicas these days look very convincing, thus making it harder to tell the good coins from the bad.

      Trade dollars are notoriously faked, and more than a few longtime dealers have quipped that there are more fakes than their are real ones. If you would like to post a photo of your piece that was flagged, I’d be glad to point out a few things about the coin that would be giveaways of it being a replica.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Terry —

      Given current market values and silver bullion rates, you should count on at least $14.50-$15 for the Morgan dollars (pre 1922 in this case) and $14-$15 for the Peace dollars, which are dated 1922 in the photo.

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

  70. I’ve had a penny sitting around for a couple years. My son and I saw a video last week in regards to “mistake” coins so we dug it out. It appears to be only faintly stamped on one side. I cannot see the year. I’m assuming that this is a rare little find. Info?

    Reply

    • Hi, Audrey —

      Great find! It appears that this coin is a uniface or capped die anomaly; in simplest terms, the coin was messed up during the striking process. Values for such pieces vary widely, but they are usually somewhere in the $25 to $100 range — sometimes higher or lower based on the individual demand for said coin.

      This is an excellent discovery! Congratulations.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  71. Hello. I have a standing liberty quarter that is in at least good condition. There is also no date . . I think it’s a 1916 or 17 coin. Can you tell me how I can tell for sure 2what year it is and maybe estimate a price it could sell for?

    Reply

    • Hi, Donna –

      I think you’ll want to check this link out for info on the diagnostics between the 1916 and 1917 dateless quarters: https://www.slqcoins.us/educational.html

      Generally speaking, if the coin is a 1917 Type I Standing Liberty quarter (no stars below eagle, dateless), it’s worth about $10. A dateless 1916 Standing Liberty quarter could be worth $400 and up.

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

  72. Hi I have a 1902 O morgan silver dollar. it looks to me to be in very good condition.. sadly I just want to get rid of it.. but I would love to know how much it’s worth.

    Reply

    • Hi, LuAnne —

      There appears to be a die crack on the reverse of your 1902-O Morgan dollar. Between the die crack and the coin’s overall condition (it appears to have little wear), this coin could be worth around $30 to $35.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  73. Hi Josh!

    I have a 1923-S Peace dollar. I am seeing a huge spread of values online and I was hoping you could steer me into the right ballpark. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hello, Anna —

      I totally understand how difficult it can be to find accurate coin values online, especially when some sites provide crazy price spreads for pieces in “worn” and “perfect” condition. Your 1923-S Peace dollar is a nice, circulated specimen that appears to have its original color and is in Very Good to Fine grade. Given that information and current bullion values, I would say your piece is currently worth right around $20.

      I hope this is the info you were looking for! Please feel free to ask any other coin questions in the future!

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hello, Ted —

      It’s hard to tell with the lighting whether this piece was cleaned or is in fact showing original mint luster, which usually looks orange-red on Lincoln cents of that era. If it’s cleaned, the coin is worth only about 3 cents. If the coin has mint luster (I think it may given how little wear the coin has) this piece is worth closer to 25 to 50 cents.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hello, Ted —

      Thank you for sending along the broader image. I can’t find any information on a 1967 doubled die Lincoln cent that seems to match the exact diagnostics of your coin; I have a feeling this is machine doubling, but I want to make sure… I think what you should do is get this piece inspected in-hand by a coin die variety expert. I suggest sending it to John Wexler, a well-noted numismatic expert: https://doubleddie.com/

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Ted —

      Would you please also submit a photo of the entire coin, too, please? I’ll need to see the whole design to see if it matches die doubling diagnostics for any other 1967 Jefferson nickels.

      Thank you so much!
      Josh

      Reply

  79. I think I might have asked you before but I think I got something here too it’s like it looks like there’s a face inside of a face kind of

    Reply

    • Hi, Ted —

      These are some pretty dramatic-looking post-mint gouges. This piece is worth about three cents, but the story it could tell I’m sure would be worth much more!

      Thank you for your question and great photo!
      Josh

      Reply

  81. I have some silver dollars that I want to get appraised. Various years ranging from 1878 to 1928. Some with letters and some without. What is the best way to get these appraised or valued to put up for sale or who do I contact that might buy them all? I have no idea how much it would even cost to get them appraised

    Reply

  82. I have some rare Morgans (under 1 million) left to me that I have been told have been cleaned more than 30 years ago. Therefore, their value is significantly lower than the MS60+ value would have been if uncleaned. Is there anything I can do to get more than a fraction of the uncleaned value for a legitimate rare coin? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi, Jim —

      The only thing that may help a bit is assorting them into sets — sometimes people will pay more if they see the completion of even a partial set.

      All the best to you,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hello, Angelica —

      I totally understand how hard it is to part with these coins, though perhaps you may be glad to know you have at least $200 worth of silver dollars here and potentially much more if any of the Morgan dollar coins (the ones that were made in 1921 or before) have a “CC” under the eagle on the reverse (tail’s side) of the coins. In fact, if you want, please upload another image with the tails sides showing, too, in the same order as the coins in this image?

      Thank you for your question and photo,
      Josh

      Reply

      • Thank you so very much for the prompt response. I genuinely appreciate it and you!

        I’ve uploaded the reverse side of the coins as specified, as per your request.

        In addition, I have so very many more vintage national coins as well as foreign currency (most of which are dated pre-1980, most of them pre-1950) that I’d like to sell or put up for auction…. maybe you’d be kind enough to point me in the right path so I may convert these into money I https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5d7d2da1a9cad319e7db00bc850b4b496a271b80ae4e819c699e9ad401b348ad.jpg ‘m able to use for bills accrued by one of my parent’s.

        Reply

        • Hi, Angelica!

          It is my pleasure to help. What I was looking for on the reverse side were the condition of the coins and any the presence of any mintmarks, which indicate what mint made each coin. The conditions look good, but I can’t tell if there are any mintmarks on the dollars farther from the point of view. They would be under the wreath between the “D” and “O” in “DOLLAR” on the Morgan dollars and under the “O” and “N” in “ONE on the reverse of the Peace dollars. So far, I can tell these should bring you at least $200 from a coin dealer.

          Indeed, you should take these to a coin dealer. Not a jeweler or a pawn shop, but a coin dealer. They will pay the highest prices for your coins and really know what they’re looking at. I recommend you check out these two links:

          5 Surefire Tips for Finding A Good Coin Dealer: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/coin_dealer/
          Nationwide Search of PNG-Member Coin Dealers: https://png.memberclicks.net/find-a-png-dealer

          I would go to one of the coin dealers nearest to you who is listed in the PNG search and see what they offer you for your coins.

          If you would like some help on the United States coin values, I recommend you check out this link and the links within this story: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/us-coins/

          If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

          I’m wishing you all the best!
          Josh

          Reply

    • Hi, Richard —

      I’d be happy to help if you’d post your questions and coin photos here in the comments forum! I look forward to assisting.

      All the best,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Kara!

      Welcome to the hobby! It looks like what actually happened to this penny is that it was struck by another coin outside the mint. Likely, another penny was offset atop this one and was hit with a hammer or another source of heavy force, causing the rim of the other coin to impress itself on this coin. The post-mint damage means this coin is worth face value, but it’s good that you’re keeping your eyes out for unusual coins, because that is exactly how you will find true errors and die varieties.

      Here’s some more info on error coins: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/error-coins/

      Please check back whenever you wish to ask coin questions, share your finds, or provide comments in general!

      Happy collecting,
      Josh

      Reply

  86. Good morning,

    Thank you for your willingness to help others!

    I was Very Very fortunate on my first solo metal detecting hunt to dig up a Large cent….. I dug up with out damaging it (although it is really rough) from an old Tobacco Farm.. I could not make out the reverse side and only the Right facing figure I assumed was a male. To my joyful surprise it is not a male and I quickly realized what it was. 1793-1807 🙂
    How can I go about cleaning or preserving this Large Cent if possible now. I used peroxide on it and now I really REALLY regret it.. It did however allow me to date it and see detail that I thought was lost forever. . 🙂

    Thank you for your time and input!

    TG

    Reply

    • Hi, Nick!

      I’m not an expert on ancients, but I’m sure somebody else reading this is…

      So please, anyone out there scrolling through, please feel free to help Nick identify the coins in the photo he so kindly posted here.

      Thank you!
      Josh

      Reply

  88. I have 18 blue folders of coins from morgan dimes in 1890’s to Washington head quarters and many in between. What’s the best way to get appraisal?

    Reply

  90. Hello,

    These are part of my collection from when I was a kid. I can not figure out what the 2nd from left side coin is but I distinctly see a human figure with a Roman nose. Third one has what I believe to be an air bubble that happened in minting, If it did occur in minting, how cool is it that it en on the eye. The last Coin, last image, and on the left of its darker and younger version, has been mis-stamped and so hard that the portrait figure is coming through on the other end. Any thoughts? Are they worth sending off for appraisal? Thanks for any help in advance Guys!

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images
    /0d26bceaca3e8bf7c57702a44e02e12a71606b94cebe50b8395964575aaac74f.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9e4a26a23086827e240ea5223544fc5c3af9e3bd7fa6bab8161d5c584e04bfad.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/453d4f937cb4c7db50be7b99f9ad9eb24a87575b6faa6b2f276a46bb690cfd43.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2735a9cd1b51bc8d271c13b915a964b62c270bbbe5fb94d61db7e6076024b6d2.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3fbd21556469a7567a2f713923b801fa8384e210cefb74e955c21b7ef72c403b.jpg

    Reply

    • Hi, DeoGee Girl!

      While my expertise is mainly in U.S. coins and I can tell you that both the Swiss (hole) and British (blunt shear damage) coins have post-mint damage. The other coin appears to be a copper piece but beyond that I unfortunately don’t recognize it.

      All my best,
      Josh

      Reply

  92. I’ve been going through my grandmothers old coins, and I ran across this penny. I cant find much info on it really, but I do understand there were many mint mark error pennies that hold value today, It looks like a letter imprint (D?) under liberty along the edge. Would you be so kind as to take a look and let me know if there is anything worth grading here? In advance – thank you so much for your advice! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d8cca1db9d31e73cbda385d7f5f0fd9130d54095235d09bc0563e81c777d0cbe.jpg

    Reply

    • Hello, Lindsay —

      Can you describe the D-shaped clunk of metal under LIBERTY, please? I’m trying to see if this is raised metal, sunken, or of the outline around that area is raised or sunken. This information will help mea littler further.

      Thank you for your question and image!
      -Josh

      Reply

  93. Hi, Lindsay –

    I like your imagination! The raised metal isn’t a slipped mintmark of some sort, but rather is indicative of post-mint damage, given your description of the sunken border around the “D.” As you’d guess, I’d prefer to suggest this only after an in-hand inspection to make sure (which I unfortunately can’t provide), but I’m pretty confident this is the case given the photo and your information.

    Even still, your coin is worth two cents for its intrinsic copper value.

    I hope this info is helpful! Thank you for your question and photo!

    Best,
    Josh

    Reply

  94. Hello, My name is Angelique. I am looking for an appraisal on a coin that I have had passed down to me.
    The coin in question is a 1854 San Francisco California Twenty D.
    I have looked it up and from what I gather this coin has been minted two ways, the original and as a copy. With the copy coin it says that the word copy will appear stamped on the reverse side of the coin. As it so happens the coin I have doesn’t have copy stamped on the coin. I would really like to get more information on this coin and it’s value. Please help if you can thank you.

    Reply

    • Hello, Angelique —

      Such a coin could be worth many thousands but it would have to be authenticated, as unfortunately many forgeries exist without the word “COPY.” Would you please post a photo of this coin here in the comments forum? If so, I’ll see if I can give you some good advice on how to proceed…

      Thank you,
      Josh

      Reply

  95. Hello, I have two $10.00 Liberty Gold coins dated 1903 O. Someone said only have them graded if you plan to sell them. One of the coins look to grade MS65 or better.

    Reply

    • Hi, Tom –

      It’s very possible that one of your 1903-O Liberty eagles is an MS-65, and I hope for your sake that it is. While certification can certainly help in getting a better price when you’re selling a coin, it’s important to look at this beyond the element of dollars and cents alone. If you’re curious in what your coin grades according to the experts at a major grading/authentication service by all means spend the money on getting it done. It will help answer your question, help preserve the coin in a safe holder, and ensure that when or if the time comes that you want to sell the coin you should have an easy transaction and make as much as possible.

      Do yourself a favor and only use one of the major services, such as PCGS, NGC, or ANACS. Here’s more info on certifying coins: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/slabbed_coins/

      Good luck
      Josh

      Reply

  96. Do you know the worth of the President William Henry Harrison coin dated 1841 but printed in 2009?

    The William Henry Harrison Dollar was officially released on February 19th 2009, and was the ninth release in a series of Presidential Dollars depicting passed heads of state.

    The ninth President of the USA , Harrison came to office in 1841 and was the first American President to die while still in the White House. Famously it is perhaps his cause of death, rather than his term in charge that he will be most remembered for.

    Delivering his inaugural speech during a rainstorm, he unfortunately developed pneumonia and died 30 days later as a result of an extended exposure to the harsh elements.

    The William Henry Harrison dollar was launched on the Berkeley Plantation, Charles City, Virginia. The occasion was presided over by US Mint Deputy Director, Andrew Brunhart, and included a ceremonial coin pour, tours of the plantation’s 18th Century manor and a free presidential dollar for all the children who attended the ceremony.

    The coin itself features a portrait of Harrison, designed by the sculptor Joseph Menna, it is inscribed with the words William Henry Harrison and ‘In God We Trust’.

    On the reverse side of the coin is the Statue of Liberty, a design used throughout the series.

    Do you know the worth of the President William Henry Harrison coin? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Tiffany

    Reply

  97. Hi I am from the US but now live in the UK. I have a Liberty Eisenhower bust/eagle silver dollar 1974. The rim is slightly coppery looking. I remember someone telling me years ago it was minted with less than 100% silver. What can you tell me about the possibilities for valuation of this coin. The eagle on the back has the it’s left wing pointing up ward and the right wing is pointed down and touches the branch the feet are sitting on. There are 13 tiny stars encircling the eagle. Just curious is it has much value beyond face value. Thanks, Tina

    Reply

  98. Hi, I came across 36 silver dollars ranging from 1878-1934. Can you help figure out the value or refer me to someone in th Denver, CO area that can do a appraisal?

    Reply

  99. Hi Joshua, I inherited a small collection of old and new international coins and I would like to know if among them there is anything valuable. I have group pictures front and back of my coins. Do you know where I can post them to receive comments about their value? Obviously I am ready to reward who will help me, with a percent of the selling price. Thanks and kind regards, Mauro

    Reply

    • Hi, Mauro —

      Hmm… let’s start by looking at a few selections of what you have. Based on the sample I could suggest tips for finding the right kind of dealer for a sight-seen appraisal…

      Thank you for reaching out,
      Josh

      Reply

      • https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/028751576a58b654ed665cf04686571c87292bf53983dd1886de9a7c92fd3fe1.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/12bba6a986755ec21e48780ee0dff3e643a89f04e2d2936d308886060fd46868.jpg

        Hi Joshua,
        I really don’t know if there’s anything special in my collection but your expert eye will surely help me a lot. As said I have made group pictures at 600dpi front and back but they are pretty heavy in bytes so I will upload scaled down pics to stay within the 5Mb limit. Sorry if the coins appear with no specific order but due to quantity I had to choose a method, so I only considered the available scan area, trying to fill it with as many coins as I could.
        I’ll post the first two and you can tell me if I am allowed to go on and keep posting the rest.
        Thank you very much for the prompt reply and congrats for the contents I’ve read with much pleasure and interest. Cheers,
        Mauro

        Reply

        • Hi, Mauro —

          Thank you for your photos. Based on what I see in these two photos, if the coins here are representative of the others you have, it looks like you have a diverse bunch of interesting coins that are largely considered common in the scope of world coin collecting. Dealers do buy these coins, but often at only a few cents each. The reason? There is a general interest among US collectors to acquire world coinage, but building sets that requires any specific pieces is very niche, with the exception perhaps of some Canadian and British series.

          Your best bet would be if your foreign coins contain precious metals such as silver and gold. Many world governments haven’t issued circulating silver coins since the early 1960s and gold coins since the 1920s and 30s.

          I hope this info is somewhat helpful to you moving forward!
          Josh

          Reply

          • Hello Joshua,

            thanks for your time spent scrolling among my casual mix of coins in these two pics, I really appreciate.

            I am not sure if these pics are representative of the whole collection but unfortunately I am not able to spot the special coins among the rest so I mixed all up. I could try to put the oldest together leaving the newest out but I don’t want to take advantage of your kindness since it wouldn’t be polite nor correct.

            Maybe in few days, reading something more about coins, I’ll be able to submit some special piece (if there’s any).

            Until that day, I thank you again and present my kindest regards,

            Mauro

          • Hello, Mauro —

            You’re welcome. I can tell you that, among the coins I saw in these photos, nothing stood out as numismatically significant. They are all really cool coins and I personally enjoy collecting all types of world coins, but min terms of dollars and cents, if you brought these coins to a coin dealer, you would most likely be offered at best 3 to 5 cents for each of them. Again, if you have others you want to post, you’re always invited to do so here at The Fun Times Guide!

            Best,
            Josh

  100. Hi josgua I have a silver coin that I https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6152cbd773c675cf4aa0228b886a46f0ba9630a5b161472a2ef3d1c160bf2d13.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7d506213f48303c538b359bfae876f2eefedbd7f9692bfe7f714cdb7356b660b.jpg would like help with the value and finding a appraiser here in bradenton florida ive had it appraised before and have seen a few just like it sell for a few grand ill upload a photo of it here so you can see

    Reply

    • Hi, Joseph!

      Very nice! If you’re looking for a coin dealer in your region of Florida you might try the searching the Professional Numismatists Guild list of dealers. Simply input your city, state and/or zip code and you’ll find dealers near you who might be able to help.

      Here’s the link: pngdealers.org

      For more info on finding a good coin dealer, check out this info: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/coin_dealer/

      Thank you for your question and photos,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hello, Misty —

      You have a very nice, moderately circulated 1886-O (New Orleans) Morgan silver dollar. In this condition, it’s worth about $40, more or less (it would need an in-hand inspection to determine the exact grade due to lighting needs, looking at the coin at different angles, etc.) If the coin is cleaned it will be worth only half the value mentioned here, so it’s best to leave the coin in the original condition found here.

      Nice coin!
      -Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Peewee —

      Unless they have some type of design variety or error, these are worth face value if worn.

      Thank you for your question,
      Josh

      Reply

  106. I have 10- 1986 liberty silver dollars, who would buy them from me, they are in plastic holders, given to me by my uncle back in 86, never been touched

    Reply

    • Hi, Kathy —

      Are these Statue of Liberty silver dollars or do they show a design with Miss Liberty walking across the coin? Either are valuable, though the latter type (known as American Silver Eagles) are presently more valuable than the others. 1986 Statue of Liberty commemorative dollars are worth around $14 to $16 each, and 1986 American Silver Eagles should sell for as high as $20 to $25 because 1986 ASEs are considered scarcer than more recent silver eagles.

      You can sell them through eBay or to a coin dealer. Here are some tips on working with a coin dealer: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/coin_dealer/
      And a searchable list of coin dealers who belong to the Professional Numismatic Guild: https://png.memberclicks.net/find-a-png-dealer

      Best of luck!
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Chuck —

      Nice woodgrain penny! The photo is a tad fuzzy, but I think it’s a 1940-S Lincoln cent. Because of the fuzziness of the image on my end, I can’t really make a statement on the grade, but I do know woodgrain pennies in any condition have a following, though there is no set book value, per se, to suggest a value. Your best bet, if you want to sell it, is list it on eBay, where many folks who buy these types of toners will look for the next great buy.

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Bridget —

      This is a copper 1982-D Large Date and it appears to be uncirculated, so it’s worth about 5 to 10 cents. The Small Date penny would show the tops of the “9” and “8” along the same plane as the tops of the “1” and “2.”

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hello, Bridget —

      The 1947 and 1953-D wheat pennies are worth about 3 to 5 cents each and the 1959 pennies are worth 2 cents each. You’ll notice the 1959 pennies have the more familiar Lincoln Memorial reverse design. That was the first year that design went into official production. Here’s more interesting info on those historic 1959 pennies: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/1959-penny-value/

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Bridget —

      These pennies are each worth 2 cents. By the way, all pre-1982 Lincoln Memorial cents are worth hanging on to because they’re made from copper, a metal whose value has risen over the years and in a penny is now worth about twice face value.

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

  112. Hi i ran into a coin a few years back and going threw my change i just notices its a 2012 dime but it seems unfinished. The edge of the coin seems like it was never pressed down The How mucho would that be worth ?

    Reply

  113. Hi Joshua, I have a bunch of old coins a guy I used to work with would give me each year for my birthday. So i was looking at a website and just from first glance most of them seem to be selling for a few hundred dollars. However, I came across one which seems to have various different version, ranging from about $4000 up to $20,000. I would like your opinion on this coins value, obviously just a guess, I know these coins need to be appraised based on condition, etc. Thanks
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0cd2a40c98d3935c56d302749991bf905cff8402c1267949b3890056c1781013.jpg

    Reply

    • Hi, Jonathan —

      VERY nice 1878 Morgan dollar. I’ll need to please see a photo of the reverse (or “tails” side) of this coin to check for its mintmark and how many tail feathers the eagle has — both are huge factors in how much this date is worth.

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      P.S. In case you aren’t aware of this matter in the hobby, I strongly recommend you do NOT clean your coins – this will halve of further decrease their value.

      Reply

      • I did read on one of your post about cleaning the coins. I almost cleaned them because they looked kind of dirty. Obviously I am not very big on coin collecting, just have about a dozen coins and looked them up on an auction site to try and determine the value.
        I have attached a photo of the back of the coin. Thanks for your opinion, I appreciate it. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/19646d6b57067a547c6bd1850b3d3b35489c55d26ff5911e1211793fd6cae84c.jpg

        Reply

        • Hi, Jonathan!

          Well, I’m very glad for you (and as a collector!) that you chose to keep your coins in their original condition. It looks like what you have here is a Mint State 1878, 7 Tail Feather Morgan dollar struck at the Philadelphia Mint (there is no mintmark, which in this case means it was struck in Philly). These pieces, in uncirculated condition (which it appears yours is based on the high details seen in the photo) are generally worth $100 and up. Actually, it appears the surfaces of your piece are rather exceptional. It would take an in-hand evaluation to know for sure, but if your piece grades in the middle Mint State grades, its value could be closer to $200 to $300, even more.

          If you’re interested in getting your coin certified, consider sending it to one of the third-party coin grading companies listed in this article (I have no personal connections to any of them — they’re just the top ones in the field): https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/slabbed_coins/

          Super nice coin,
          Josh

          Reply

          • Thanks Josh, what is the deal with all the similar coins on the websites I saw selling for loads of cash? I saw some that were listed into 5 digits.

          • Hi, Jonathan —

            I’m not sure what websites you’re talking about specifically, but I know some websites that use the price for a top-grading specimen (the kinds that may have only one or two similar pieces in existence) an they display THOSE prices. Here at TheFunTimesGuide, we tend to use more conservative pricing for the types of pieces most folks will have (average circulated, in most cases) an generally err on the side of dealer buy prices — closer to the amount you might be offered by a coin dealer for such a piece. This tends to lessen the reader’s disappointment if they decide to sell their coin.

            Now, having said that, your 1878 Morgan dollar looks very nice and chances are the photo does not do it justice. If it were graded at, say MS-65, it could be worth $750 to $1,000 — it would have to be a spectacular piece with few contact marks under 5X magnification, but it could grade that high.

            I hope this better explains the pricing differences between TheFunTimesGuide and “the other guys,” so to speak.

            Best wishes,
            Josh

  114. Hello Joshua…my mother in law recently passed away and gave these coins to my wife…said they may be worth something…we have no clue about coin collecting….. I read lots of crazy numbers on the internet about the 1943 1 cent coin…but we are very skeptical about it. Any information you have would be greatly appreciated https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9d4a2d0ff30697a3d8676b48e867f789bd9b4c405b0175d1a1ee2e574f3430ba.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/267a71b0b919c9e85310810eceffd02ccb9e5cdd26aba5c72e2853fb4077ff64.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7f077515c02a82545a450ee48e54717dcf47bd6924bf6cc18f9a3f326b6e5220.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/322b56de4aa795300b3c78d06ef1e5808fec77c288084af9b74ed535a36397b5.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2887b82523f2e20019d0aa42b563c3a699941492db0abe9ada418996979510be.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/27f2386187fb0a33607a8009836deeff42d9132431c0187b72dc84556205fbf7.jpg

    Reply

    • Hello, Billy —

      I’m sorry to hear about the passing of your mother in law…

      You’re correct about the 1943 cent and the “crazy” numbers. The 1943 penny was largely minted as a steel coin to help save copper for ammunition shells during World War II. However, a few were struck in bronze by mistake — THOSE are the ones worth $100,000 and up.

      There are a few ways to determine whether you have a common 1943 steel cent worth about 10 cents or rare 1943 bronze cent with a value into the six figures. The steel cent STICKS to a magnet, the bronze one does NOT. A bronze cent weigh about 3.11 grams, whereas the steel cent comes in at around 2.7 grams. Also, you could pay $15 to $30 to have a major coin authentication service such as Numismatic Guaranty Corporation authenticate the coin — you would need to do this anyway if the coin passes the other two tests I had mentioned.

      Your 1943 Mercury dime is worth about $2 for its silver content and the British coins have a collective value of about $10 or so. The 1965 Washington quarter is worth face value.

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

  115. Hello its me again (Sharon) I have a Washington gold dollar that has his face in silver and the Statue of Liberty on the opposite side is in silver. Is this good or bad?

    Reply

    • Hi, Marjorie —

      This is a genuine 1992 Washington quarter that was cross-hatched by someone outside of the Mint. This is therefore not a Mint error but rather post-Mint damage. It is still worth face value — but probably worth more as a conversation piece!

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Marjorie —

      This is a 1786 Mexican 2 reales coin, which widely circulated in throughout the Americas, including the early United States. Assuming this coin is authentic, it would probably sell for between $20 and $40 in this condition.

      Really cool coin!
      Josh

      Reply

  119. Hey Josh,

    Thanks for the article. My dad actually gave me two coins he bought for me around 20 years ago. I was wondering if you could give me a rough estimate on the value? and if you believe I should get them authenticated. One is a 1903 20$ Gold Coin and the other I believe is a 1892 20$ gold coin S. Thanks for your time!

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ab6b9f45fefd92dd294f1827db97fc720fcda600553bee8427242094cf4fdca4.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9af54b54a87ec7c3a62a0e9c950f5366eee404ec549889a950c072ac69aa58b2.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/222570e033a010f786921d0d86105dd6337632405217a11edb22281456ccfd94.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/526ec2eb2693d55bc8459fdb7a2cc302d61daf4b1ba8ff7ea48a54921ea71a58.jpg

    Reply

    • Hello, Jarid —

      Wow, nice $20 Liberty double eagles. It’s hard for me to tell the grade, but the 1903 looks uncirculated. The 1892-S look only lightly circulated… Very nice. From what I can tell in the photos, both coins look authentic. At a minimum, with gold prices standing at about $1,220 per ounce, each should fetch right around $1,200 apiece. The 1903 might command just a few bucks more if it checks out as uncirculated.

      Super coins,
      Josh

      Reply

  120. My father passed in 2012, upon closing his safe deposit box we found a couple of bags of 1979 and 1980 $1.00 coins which came directly from different mints. I believe they are uncirculated. Do they have any value beyond face value? Are they more valuable left in the sealed bag (stitched closed at the mint)? A bag of 1987 Susan B Anthony dollars was only fastened with an elastic tie, looking at those makes me think they are uncirculated.

    Reply

    • Hi, Morhillj —

      Without seeing what you have, it indeed sounds like you have mint-sealed bags. The value for these is a bit greater in the bags mainly because of their “unsearched” value. That is, there may be some really nice pieces in there or perhaps some varieties (such as the 1979-P near date) that collectors value. The only way this lot would be worth more than face value is if you happen to have any of those pieces. Unless you know your way around Susan B. Anthony dollars well or have the time to look for these die varieties or super-nice specimens, I believe you may make more from these if you try selling them in their mint-sealed bags. Values vary, but I see many mint-sealed bags of Susan B. Anthony dollars trading for about 1.75 to 2 times face value. Not too shabby…

      I hope this insight helps you… Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

  121. If someone has an error coin, from a low mintage set, say a silver set, and it is the only error for the denomination for the entire mintage, what would you speculate it’s value might be. To be more specific, out of 225,000 dimes struck, one of those had an error and in all your searching online, you don’t see another one with an error – what are your thoughts?

    Reply

    • Hi, Robert —

      What kind of error is it? Do you have a photo of it?

      Unfortunately not all rare errors are valuable. Value also depends on the demand for the coin. I’d love to see a photo of your coin to see what kind of error it is and provide you with an approximate value estimate if I can get one for your coin.

      Thank you,
      Josh

      Reply

      • Thank you Josh. Here is the coin. From a 2018 San Francisco reverse proof silver set. A dime. I show you this image, because you can see the error better. NGC did identify it as a REVERSE HIGH WIRE RIM ERROR, and I did get it graded, they gave it a pf69 – nice 🙂

        Notably, from what I’ve seen on ebay, the only errors from this set seem to be limited to the kennedy 50c coins, where they found some to be a “light finish” error – almost like a bad spray paint job in the frosted areas. There are many of those. But, I have not seen a single dime (or other coins from the set) listed / identified with errors.

        Look at the right side of this coin – as imaged, you can see the rim rise up, then fall. NGC was able to slab the coin just fine.

        Please advise.

        https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/16130174ea1cb9015fc8f6756084f43ca06f77869a4ff8d275b3bb2ae2d1e502.jpg

        Reply

        • Robert,

          That is one NICE error! I can’t seem to find any pricing for the dime on eBay or any of the major exchanges. However, judging on similar errors I would believe the value must be somewhere in the $25 to $50 range, maybe higher. A lot of this is dependent on demand, of course.

          At any rate, it looks like you made a very good find and I’m hoping it pays off for you if you decide to sell it!

          Best,
          Josh

          Reply

      • Hi Josh,

        if you search ebay for “2018 Reverse Silver Proof Set” you will probably get hits on all the coins as a set or individual. going rate for dimes (pf70) are 44-ish today. They were around $80.00-ish a few weeks ago. People are going bonkers for this set. Supposedly the first reverse silver proof set the mint has created, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the San Fran mint. imagine the reverse proof penny selling solidly for $100-ish, beautiful coin for a modern coin.

        Personally I like the Jim Thorpe reverse proof, just stunning, and in my opinion, the best looking Native American clad coin ever minted –

        as far as “worth” for this set or any given coin, well, who knows. It’s a seller’s market at the moment.

        Reply

  123. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/14a2df814267bc0a01d302aa0ade1ca9bdf7d17660c3bd9481de9058fe5ba4f7.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/355015675770c81aa76a65e2aa4295e0d6e03eb92762e65f46e19c450c7343fb.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4367009af07af968cd919444efd1163f15d79252f65c92243ee8001a093081e5.jpg Hey Josh. I received this nickel in change a long time ago. Always wondered if a mint mistake or someone modified later. Hopefully the photos are attached.

    Reply

    • Hi, Jeff!

      From what I can tell this looks like a clipped planchet error! It would probably need an in-hand evaluation to confirm but assuming it is — and it certainly looks like it is — it could be worth a good $10 to $20, maybe even a tad more.

      Really neat find!
      -Josh

      Reply

  127. I have a 1923 silver dollar In pretty good shape. Is it worth much? Should I keep it for 3 more years when it is 100 years old before trying to sell it?

    Reply

  129. i have a 1979 Susan B Anthony dollar with what i think is the one with no mint letter, marking just a little blob, i have seen the value of those anywhere from $10 up to an unbelievable $30-40K. I can’t tell the difference from any of the photos i have seen. how can you tell? the border or edges appears to be different width as well. it definitely appears to be flawed. i can send a pic once i figure out how to add a pic to this posthttps://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0807ff986b08bf75ecf974c2cd04539f62f529cc95fe11856c9380a5e0a74d92.jpg

    Reply

    • Hi, Carmen —

      You have a lightly circulated 1979-S Susan B. Anthony dollar… Because these are very common coins and yours is circulated (has wear) and is absent of errors, it’s worth face value. The super-high prices you see for similar coins are generally those that are at the top end of mint (uncirculated) condition, and pieces like that are extremely rare.

      All my best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

      • thanks for the info. I figured it was too good to be true. just so i know how to check in the future, Where is the S mint marking? i guess i just don’t know how to tell. I cannot find a “S” mint marking on it at all.

        Reply

        • Hi, Carmen!

          The P, D, and S mintmarks on the Susan B. Anthony are on the obverse (head’s side) on the lower left side of the coin, just above Anthony’s shoulder.

          Best,
          Josh

          Reply

    • Hi, Lucy —

      The VDB normally appears on the front, or obverse, of the Lincoln cent under Lincoln’s shoulder. That is where the VDB initials have appeared on all Lincoln cents struck since 1918. If this does not describe what you see, please post a couple clear photos of your coin so I could help you further.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  131. Hello Josh, I have a 1942 wheat penny, I don’t see a mint on it, but it looks strange and I haven’t been able to find one like it online. It is pretty worn, doesn’t stick to a magnet, and there are 2 Lincoln faces. Have you seen or heard of this? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/578cfc4c2263b44a137c12c64ca9e0d0006d09188de60f36ce3486e3e1ebe544.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/34d06c722389f36386e427cc2e5d03bde0f75aaa8b6dfb7c5bc317d2503c65bc.jpg

    Reply

    • Hi, Erin —

      I’m not sure either… The reverse (back) is definitely well worn but the obverse (front) looks like it may have been altered. No other parts of the obverse show doubling — just Lincoln’s bust. I’d suggest running this by the folks at CONECA online, as they officially attribute errors. While this piece may not be an error, they may have seen other examples of this and can determine what’s going on, as I have never seen such a piece before. It is neat and I hope you can get a determination on what’s going on here!

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Betty —

      It appears your 1964 Kennedy half dollars are uncirculated, and such pieces trade for around $6 each. At that rate, minus perhaps a small amount for bulk quantity, you should currently be able to sell these to a coin dealer for around $105 to $115.

      I hope this info helps,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Mary —

      While I would normally need to see a photo of your coin to be of any help here, I can unfortunately share that only 15 genuine 1804 Draped Bust dollars were made and all have been accounted for. What you have is a replica piece.

      Thank you for reaching out,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hi, Robert —

      Congrats on the discovery!! Market conditions are always tough to determine on such a new piece and also when there is no existing (yet) market demand to build on.

      One thought might be to reach out to both NGC and PCGS for current population numbers to see if any others have been graded and also to contact the folks at variety group CONECA (varietyvista.com).

      You may decide that if the coin is rare and significant enough it would be worth listing with a major auction house if you want to sell it… The big houses have outstanding market experts on staff. Get their thoughts on what market pricing could be. A lot of new varieties have been sold that route… Some have brought disappointing numbers and others have exceeded presale estimates by exponential figures.

      I wish you much good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

  135. Hello Josh I believe I have a SAINT-GAUDENS DOUBLE EAGLE GOLD COIN although this is just a guess I don’t know very much about coins but I can’t seem to find much information on this particular coin

    Reply

    • Hi, Michael —

      What you have here is a replica of a Saint-Gaudens coin… It would be worth its melt value, though without having it examined in-hand for its metal content it’s hard to say what that would be.

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

  137. What about just getting my constitutional silver weighed? Instead of a full appraisal, just get the weight. Won’t insurance go with that?

    Reply

    • Hi, David —

      “Constitutional silver” is just an advertising term to describe regular 90% silver pre-1965 United States dimes, quarters, and half dollars.

      You can use a free silver counter tool like that at Coinflation; simply count how many dimes, quarters, halves, etc. of each type you have an input the totals on the site’s multiplier to arrive at the approximate silver content, by weight, of your coins.

      Here’s the Coinflation silver counter address: https://www.coinflation.com/coins/silver_coin_calculator.html

      Hope this helps!

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

  138. My boyfriend has got a 2016 Theodore Roosevelt p error quarter. He is saying it is worth alot and is so excited. I am helping him find someone to help us learn more about this coin. I honestly don’t believe it is worth what he seems to think it is. -Ashley, the concerned girlfriend of John
    Email- artcanfr33dsoul@gmail.com
    John’s phone- 256-630-0654

    Reply

    • Dear Concerned Girlfriend,

      It’s possible the coin is a bona fide error, though perhaps not one that will pay off the house… Would you mind uploading a couple clear images of the quarter in question here and I’ll do my best to allay concerns!

      Fingers crossed,
      Josh

      Reply

  139. I have a 1918 no mint wheat penny and a 1944 no mint wheat penny, and a 1964 no mint Lincoln Memorial penny.. Circulated but decent condition.. Could I sell as a package deal or individual?

    Reply

    • Hi, William —

      Assuming your three pieces are in average circulated condition, they’re worth about 10-20 cents for the 1918, 5 cents for the 1944, and 2 cents for the 1964. Your best bet might be to sell them individually on an auction site like eBay where people are looking for individual coins to fill slots in their collections. Chances are you could get stronger bids, too, especially if you get competing bidders.

      Good luck!
      Josh

      Reply

      • Thank you very much. I look at the sites like eBay and such. Some of the ones I have to for quite a bit.. Is it just a ploy? I guess I’ll have to find an appraiser for them. I appreciate the help either way.

        Reply

        • Hi, William —

          The value of a coin is dependent on not just the date alone, but also its condition and if there are any errors or other unusual attributes present. This is why some of the nicest of all coins, say 1919 pennies, 1944 pennies, etc., legitimately sell for hundreds and even thousands of dollars at auction.

          However, you need to also be aware that some unscrupulous people are posting common, circulated examples of coins for thousands of dollars on sites like Etsy, eBay, etc. It doesn’t mean those coins are necessarily SELLING for those prices, but some nevertheless some individuals are trying to move them at gouged levels. Again, the prices I suggested to you yesterday (?) are on the assumption your pieces — like most examples from those dates — are in average circulated condition. Of course, if yours are in pristine condition that’s a different story. But circulated, cleaned, or damaged examples of those dates are common and generally sell for the prices I quoted.

          I hope this explanation helps a little!
          Josh

          Reply

  140. Hello, I have a 10 year old granddaughter she is into all this coin collection she has found a 1944 penny without any letter but it has 2 noses on it. Is that normal?
    Thanks. STORMIE

    Reply

    • Hi, Stormie —

      It appears there may be some light machine doubling evident on this coin, which isn’t an error but rather a result of the coin shifting upon strike and/or deterioration of the die. It’s still neat to look at, though!

      Thank you for reaching out!

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

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