Old Coins You Might Have… & What They’re Worth

by

Joshua

Coin Values, Hobbies & Crafts

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See how much your old coins are worth here!

It’s really amazing how many old coins are floating around out there.

At least a few times each week, I’ll be asked how much an old penny is worth, values for old quarters, and prices for old silver coins.

There are tons of old coins out there just waiting to be found — in estates, buried in coffee cans, and hiding out in boxes and drawers.

Let’s check out some old coins you may have and see how much they’re worth!

Get out your coin magnifying glass… maybe you have some of these old coins in your possession.

Old Coins You’re Probably Curious About

OK, so you are trying to figure out which old coins you need to be looking for because, after all, it’s always fun to find out how much your old coins are worth!

Of course, it’s impossible to list all the old coins in just one single article.

So, I’ve chosen some of the most-commonly encountered types of old coins that people tend to ask me about…

Old Pennies

There are tons of old pennies out there. People are finding them in penny rolls, coin jars, old storage chests, and drawers hidden away in the attic.

Though I’m including old pennies as a group here, I’m going to break down the values for a few of the old pennies that most people are curious about:

Buffalo Nickels

While stories of people finding Buffalo nickels in circulation have become rare, there are still millions of these coins in collections and hoards. Most Buffalo nickels are considered common coins.

Here’s how much they’re worth:

Mercury Dimes

This coin (often mistaken as showing the Roman god Mercury) has a portrait of Miss Liberty wearing a winged cap. This popular piece virtually disappeared from circulation decades ago!

Most dates in the Mercury dime series are considered common. In worn grades, they are usually worth only a small markup over their base silver value.

  • Mercury dimes (most dates in typical worn grades) $2 to $5

Roosevelt Dimes

Plain and simple, there are very few Roosevelt dimes that can be found in spare change these days that are worth more than face value.

The most readily found Roosevelt dimes worth more than face value are those made before 1965. These have a 90% silver composition and are often found in rolls and hoards.

  • Silver Roosevelt dime (made before 1965 in worn grades) $1 to $2

Washington Quarters & 50 States Quarters

I’m putting both regular Washington quarters and the 50 States quarters into the same group here.

First things first, unless your 50 States quarter is a proof coin or has an error, it’s not worth anything more than a quarter — especially if it’s worn. Period.

The same goes for most Washington quarters made since 1965 — including Bicentennial quarters. Unless it’s a proof specimen, has an error, or is an uncirculated coin, then nearly every Washington quarter you find in your spare change is worth only a quarter.

The only exception to this are 1982 and 1983 quarters, which were not saved when they were first released. In lightly worn grades, these are worth $1 to $5.

  • All Washington quarters made before 1965 contain silver and are worth at least their weight in silver.
  • Silver Washington quarter (most dates, typical wear) $3 to $5

Franklin Half Dollars

These nice old silver half dollars that feature the portrait of a man who invented hundreds of items and helped organize the beginnings of our nation have long been a popular coin series for coin collectors.

Most Franklin half dollar dates aren’t very expensive, and it takes just 35 coins to complete a set!

Here’s how much they’re worth:

  • Franklin half dollars (most dates, typical wear) $7 to $10

Kennedy Half Dollars

While Franklin half dollars are made of silver, most Kennedy half dollars aren’t. In fact, none made for circulation since 1971 contains even a speck of silver. Unless your Kennedy half dollar has an ‘S’ mintmark, is a proof example, or has an error, if it’s made since 1971, it’s worth only 50 cents. That includes any ‘P’ or ‘D’ Bicentennial half dollars you might have.

  • Kennedy half dollar (1964) $7 to $10
  • Kennedy half dollar (1965 to 1970) $3 to $5

Silver Dollars

United States silver dollars date back to 1794. Easily said, any that you have from the 1790s to the early 1800s (that are real) are worth around $800 to 1,000 and up.

Authentic silver dollars made from the 1840s through the 1870s are worth at least $100 and up in worn grades.

Chances are, you have silver dollars made since 1878. If you have one, it likely has either a portrait of a lady with curly hair or what the design looks to be the head of the Statue of Liberty.

These are Morgan and Peace dollars, respectively. Though old, most dates of these coins are actually very common and worth a little more than their silver value.

Right now, a common date Morgan or Peace dollar is worth around $20 and up.

Eisenhower dollar coins are mostly made of copper-nickel clad and are generally worth only face value (some coin dealers now pay $1.10 to $1.25 for worn copper-nickel Eisenhower dollars), unless it’s a proof example or silver version (both have an ‘S’ mint mark).

  • Virtually all Susan B. Anthony, Sacagawea, and Presidential dollar coins are worth only $1.

Pre-1934 Gold Coins

Many people come into possession of old gold coins from before 1934. These legal tender gold coins are worth much more than face value.

In fact, any and all gold coins are literally worth their weight in gold!

  • Since gold coin values vary based on their denomination and when they were made, you should check out a website like Coinflation to determine the value of your gold coins — based on the current spot price of the valuable metal.

IMPORTANT: Do You Know The Grade Of Your Coins?

To determine the true value of your coins, you first need to know what condition (or grade) each coin is in.

Grab a coin magnifier and a copy of the U.S. Coin Grading Standards book. Then, watch this video to see how to grade coins yourself at home:

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54 thoughts on “Old Coins You Might Have… & What They’re Worth”

    • David,

      Coins stamped with the same image really can’t happen with today’s modern minting techniques, and are mainly fantasy pieces made for novelty.

      Reply

    • In general, dateless Standing Liberty quarters are worth around $10. Almost all dateless Standing Liberty quarters were made before 1925, when the U.S. Mint recessed the date so the wear would stop eroding away the numerals.

      Reply

    • Hi, Beck —

      Sure thing. The “V” nickel, or Liberty nickel as it is widely known, was minted from 1883 through 1912, with 5 specimens struck in 1913. Most well-worn, common-date specimens of this coin are worth $1 to $3, though some dates, like the 1885, are worth hundreds of dollars.

      Here’s some more info on Liberty nickels: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/liberty_head_nickels/

      Reply

  7. hi can you help me to find how much my 1953 one shilling is worth in pounds. oh and can you help me to find how much my 1935 one penny georgivs V is worth in pounds 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi, Michaela —

      As you may know, old British currency won’t convert in circulation anymore due to decimalisation in 1971. However, the collectible value of your coins is the following:

      1935 One Penny – 65p
      1953 One Shilling – 75p

      The values above are assuming the coins are in worn condition. Remember, also, the prices/values will vary based on the coin dealer.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  8. Hi,england calling,we have in very good condition 3 silver dollars.1 dated
    1799 and 1.dated 1921.also a trade dollar dated 1879.a worn half dollar
    dated 1945.many thanks.robin marks.

    Reply

  9. Good morning;unfortunately I will have to wait until somebody shows me how to put photo’s on the net.1799.Lady with long flowing hair 15 stars.reverse spread eagle on a shield 13stars.Trade dollar 1879.13 stars with lady seated with flowers in her right hand.
    reverse full eagle trade dollar.1921 with 13 stars head only facing to the left,reverse full eagle surrounded by olive branches.Worn half dollar 1945.Many thanks.robin.

    Reply

    • Hello, sir —

      As much as I would love to assist you with this, I am not an expert in ancient coins and would not want to misinform you on matters of value, authenticity, or other relevant details. I do invite any others reading this post to chime in if they have any expertise in the ancient types posted here, though.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  15. Hey I have a question about Canadian money. I just got one from the 1800s and I have not a clue it’s rarity or worth.

    Reply

    • Hi, Carol —

      The coin would need to be weighed, inspected on both sides, and go through a series of diagnostic tests to confirm whether or not it’s authentic. Beware that most Trade dollars that folks come across are counterfeit — many of them quite deceptive. It’s therefore great that you’re aware to ask whether or not yours is the real McCoy.

      By the way, a real Trade dollar weighs 27.22 grams — if you can get this coin on a scale that measures grams by the hundredth of a gram, we can begin really determining whether or not this coin is real.

      Please let me know if you’re able to upload a photo of the coin’s reverse (“tail’s side”) AND can get a weight on the coin.

      Thank you and goodl luck!
      Josh

      Reply

      • Hi, the coin weighs approximately 27.1ghttps://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4b381ba55f0619db7b19cdc0e33e128284a1cce16f5a33906d446da597cc5236.jpg

        Reply

          • Both sides of my coin looks quite similar to the picture you have sent, may I ask the approximate price of the coin if I want to sell it?

          • Hello, Carol —

            Coin prices would vary based on the precise grade and rather or not all diagnostics on the coin check out after an in-hand numismatic evaluation. However, the values of a moderately worn 1876 Trade dollar with heavy toning could be anywhere from $150 to $200. Coin prices aren’t really fixed, and the value I list are only market-influenced suggestions. You might receive more or less based on present demand and whatever buyers are willing to pay.

            Good luck,
            Josh

    • Hi, D —

      I’ll need to know not just the specific dates but also the denominations and their nation of origin to really be of any help concerning the value of these coins, please.

      In the meantime, you might want to check this link out for more info on values: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/us-coins/

      Thank you for your question,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hello, Dawn!

      This is a fantastic-looking 1892-CC Morgan dollar. As you may know, CC-mint Morgan dollars (those struck at the Carson City, Nevada, Mint) are relatively scarce, and such is the case with your dollar coin. Your piece seems to appear authentic based on the images, though with any scarce coin I always recommend an in-hand inspection and/or possible certification by a 3rd-party coin authentication firm to verify.

      Assuming your coin is authentic, it appears to grade around Very Fine-20 and should be worth about $225 to $250.

      Here’s more info on Morgan silver dollars: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/morgan_silver_dollars/
      And info on 3rd-party certification companies, if you’re interested: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/slabbed_coins/

      Thank you for your question and images… nice coin!

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

      • Thank you so much for the info, it was actually given to me by my step dad. And you are welcomed I love reading this little blog!!

        Reply

    • Hello, Maura —

      Wow, there’s a classic coin! I’m trying to see what letter that mintmark is under the eagle. It looks like an “S,” no? Or is it by chance “CC”?

      If it’s an 1873-S (arrows at date), it’s worth about $20 to $30 in this condition. An 1873-CC (with arrows) quarter is worth a whopping $3,500 to $5,000 in this condition. So, by all means, if you can provide more details on the mintmark I can better assist in explaining what this coin’s value might be.

      Best,
      Josh

      Reply

  22. hello!! my name is paul, but my friends call me Paulie! i have a 1922 morgan, i mean i’m assuming its a morgan! LOL!! on both sides of the coin are the two identical females, one side is immaculate, with the exception of the word “COPY” located just above the words “in god we” just in front the face.. The other side is marred with gouges or slits ranging from an 1/8 of an inch to just over a 1/2 an inch. the eyes are gouged with what looks like a obvious “X” !! have you had any other such coins shown or viewed by you or others in your field??

    Reply

    • Hi, Paul — or Paulie! I would need a photo to confirm the identity, but it sounds like you’re describing a replica piece. These are usually worth only the value of the metal, though some folks spend a few bucks on buying such coins (a 1922 “Morgan dollar” is a fantasy coin — one that doesn’t really exist) for their exonumia collections. Here’s more info on exonumia: https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/tokens/

      If you still want to send a photo or two of the coin (both sides, please!) I’d be glad to provide further comment on this piece.

      Best wishes,
      Josh

      Reply

    • Hello, Heidi!

      You and your boss have two very popular US dollar coins from the 1970s. The large one is an Eisenhower dollar, and they were made from 1971 through 1978. In 1975 and 1976, they were dual-dated 1776-1976 on the head’s side (known as the “obverse”) to mark the nation’s bicentennial and have a special design on the tail’s end (“reverse”) incorporating the Moon and Liberty Bell.

      The smaller dollar coin depicts Susan B. Anthony on the obverse and the Apollo 11 insignia on the reverse. Interestingly, the Eisenhower dollar also normally carries the Apollo 11 design on the reverse, but the one you photographed has the special bicentennial design. Susan B. Anthony dollars were minted from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999.

      Of course, the big question probably is what are they worth? Unfortunately, neither contains any precious metal (they’re made from a copper-nickel clad composition), so they don’t have any significant metal value. And so many millions of these coins were minted that, unless they’re in the best of mint condition, they’re generally not worth more than face value. Looking at these two coins, the most these would be worth is about $1.10 for the Eisenhower dollar and $1.05 apiece for the Susan B. Anthony dollars.

      I wish I had better news for you, but tell your boss to give you a raise for popping by here and asking some great questions!

      Cheers,
      Josh

      Reply

  25. Hello, I am just alittle curious and have a question about a quarter I have gotten. I know there is a lot https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/419316cba7ae2ffea7f7b3844b42cf5fe99563e7e345873799c00cfc01bf3e0b.jpg of error coins and it may be hard to keep up with all of them but this quarter I have I don’t know if it’s an error or if it’s something someone tried to do to it. I tried to look it up and see if I could find anything about it but wasn’t successful. Can u tell if it’s an error? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hello!

      What you have here is a quarter that saw extensive post-mint damage. It appears someone may have sanded it or that it was heavily abraded in another way. The right side of the coin as seen here is so worn that the internal copper core is exposed!

      Thank you for reaching out,
      Josh

      Reply

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