The Coin Doc's Answers

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Email Address: SLynch5280@aol.com
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Your Name: Stephen Lynch
Your Question: I submitted a 1915 uncirculated Lincoln Cent to ANACS for grading. It received a Net Grade OF AU50 CLEANED. What do you look for if a coin is cleaned. It is a brown coin.

The color of the copper is not an indication of whether the coin has been cleaned only the amount of oxidation that has occurred. Graders look for surface disturbances such as circular polishing marks, large groups of parallel lines that cross over into the coin's devices and subtle color differences that might indicate that a coin had been stripped and artificially colored.

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Your Name: Cindy
Your Question: What year was 5 cent piece with the wreath and a small crown with a picture of the king on the back?

You are referring to the Canadian silver 5c coin of either Edward II (1902-1910) or George V (1911-1921). the George V issues after that year were Nickel and larger in size.

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Your Name: charlotte johnson
Your Question: i have a coin about the size of a nickel that has on it twenty centavos at the top at the bottom it says filipinas and a lady in the center and on the back side is a small eagle standing on a post and it says united states of america the year is 1944. i would like to know what it is worth and it is sliver. thank you

People forget that the Philippines was under United States administration from 1903-1935 and had commonwealth status after that. Only the Japanese invasion in WWII interrupted U.S. control.

The coin you have was minted at the San Francisco or Denver Mint. Look for a small "S" or "D" mint mark. The 20 centavos is .750 fine silver and contains .0965 troy oz of silver. Note that these coins were minted and held in the United States while Japan controlled the Philippine islands. The United States promised that the Philippines would be given independence after the islands were liberated. After the war the United States kept its promise and the Philippines was granted its independence and became The Republic of the Philippines on July 4, 1946.

Though this coin isn't particularly rare or even scarce, there is a rare variety of the 1944 issue that shows a "S" mint mark punched over a "D" mint mark. One in uncirculated condition can bring $150+.

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Your Name: Jeff Harris
Your Question: Hi Coin Doc,
I'm currently researching a stage coach robbery that took place near Prescott, AZ in 1873 the only 700 1873s Silver Dollars minted that year were taken and have never been seen. Do you know what month of the year this took place and any other useful info? Thanks Jeff

This story, though fascinating, is probably is not true. There was quite a controversy at the time involving the value of silver vs. gold coinage. Congress, in its wisdom or insanity, abolished the dollar in 1873 in favor of the heftier Trade Dollar. A year later they demonetized all previous silver dollars. The silver interests and their supporters called the bill the "Crime of '73." (The dollar was restored to legal tender status on 2/28/1878, the birth year of the Morgan Dollar).

Since the 1873-S dollar was no longer current money, standard procedure would be to melt them just like other minor coinage minted prior to 1873. (The silver content of minor coins was increase in 1873, previously minted silver coins were melted as the mints received them. Arrows placed at the date signified a change in the silver content.) In any case, no 1873-S Seated Dollars seemed to have survived.

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Your Name: Kim O'Neill
Your Question: I have in my possession a Canadian 1894 Queen Victoria 50 Cent piece that is in great condition. Could you please approx. how much it could be worth.Thanks

Scarce date, Only about 29,000 minted! The coin is very pricey in high grade. Even a VF graded example would bring US$800-$1000. Uncirculated examples are rare and could bring US$10,000 or more. Send it to get authenticated at the American Numismatic Association or have it graded by one of the 3rd party grading services. See The Numismatic Links Page

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Email Address: Wilsonr@corporate.nylcare.com
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Your Name: CWilson
Your Question: My father had a WEB DuBois half dollar. I can't find any information about it. Please advise. Thanks.

The DuBois family was involved with the Philadelphia Mint from the early days of the United States. You may be referring to William Ewing Dubois who authored Pledges of History: a Brief Account of the Collection of Coins Belonging to the Mint of the United States in 1846. The Dubois and Eckfeldt families were part of the "dynasty" of Mint workers that ran the Mint and sometimes surreptitiously minted coins for their own uses. You may be referring to one of the Dubois, Eckfeldt concoctions or simply a reference in one of their books.

Both William and Patterson Dubois are associated with restrikes of the 1801, 1803 and 1804 dollars and these later fabrications were peddled by Theodore Eckfeldt in 1858. See also: A Manual of gold and silver Coins of All Nations Struck Within the Past Centuryby Jacob Reese Eckfeldt and William Ewing DuBois and New varieties of Gold and Silver Coins, Counterfeit Coins and Bullion: with Mint Values by the same authors published c. 1850.

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Your Name: Mary Hanser
Your Question: HI, What is a ha-penny and where did it originate? What is the oldest one and what is it worth? What years were they made and by who? Thank you for taking the time to read and answer my questions. Mary

The English money system was heavily influenced by Ancient Roman and grew into an non-decimal, multi-tiered currency. The base unit was the Penny (240 to an English Pound) which had fractional units of 2 half-pennies or 4 farthings. The modern half-penny survived from 1672-1967, but the denomination can be found in English History as early as c.890 AD. Values for this coin can range from a few US cents to many hundreds of dollars depending on type, condition, rarity and collector demand.

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Your Name: Aidan
Your Question: What was the currency used in Wales during the late 1300's. Because I'm doing a Social's project which is due soon and I need to know the currency during that time.

The dominant circulating coinage would have been English. During the reign of Edward III,1327-1377, metal content was changed and new denominations were issued. Below is a compendium of Edwardian coinage:

• Silver Pennies, Halfpence and Farthings
• Gold Florin, also called the Double Leopard (valued at 6 shillings).
• Gold Half Florin or Leopard
• Gold Quarter Florin or Helm (probably called that because of the helmet design on the coin)
• Gold Noble (1344-46) (valued at 6 shillings and 8 pence)
• Gold Quarter Noble
• Quarter Noble (1351-61) struck in France
• Various other Noble denominations struck in France after 1361

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Your Name: don jacks
Your Question: is a 1974 aluminum penny worth anything. In 1975 it was selling on the market for 30000.00 to 35000.00 is there any value today

Due to a rise in copper prices in 1973 the mint resolved to do away with copper cents. 1.5 million aluminum cents dated 1974 were produced by the Philadelphia Mint. Opposition by the vending machine industry caused Congress to change its mind. All the aluminum cents were ordered to be recalled, counted and melted. None were released to the public. Only 12 examples remain unaccounted for, not counting one example in the Smithsonian. Several Congressmen and other government officials who were recipients of this experimental issue either claimed the pieces were lost or refused to return them.

If one of these coins was offered for public sale the government would most likely confiscate it, as its legal existence is questionable. Any surviving pieces must be melted by law. Even a sale outside the United States might not work if you follow the precedent of the 1933 St. Gaudens $20. That coin was removed from the King Farouk sale in Egypt in 1950 and recently, another (or the same) example surfaced and caused great legal grief for the owners.

There certainly is contradiction in government policy. Why is it legal to own 1913 Liberty Nickel, a coin made surreptitiously by a mint employee but a 1974 aluminum cent, made officially, is outlawed?

Email Address: scole@carolina.net
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Your Name: Steve Cole
Your Question: I have a dollar silver certificate with Martha & George Washington with a series date of 1896 in average condition. What is the value of this certificate? Thanks

This note is part of a beautiful short lived series that only lasted from 1896-98. The face shows "History instructing Youth", actually a reclining female figure with her arm around a small boy pointing to the Capitol and the Washington Monument. A picture of the Constitution is at right with the names of famous Americans on the top and side borders. The back shows Martha Washington to the left, George Washington to the right and a large number "1" in the center.

Legend says people objected to the design because no one ("1" ) should stand between George and Martha Washington. (Boo) Scarce and in demand even in average circulated condition. $100+ even for average (no tears) notes, much higher for VF and above grades.

From:JHIXON@mail.kytc.state.ky.us (Hixon, James (KYTC))
I was given a 1859 California Gold, I presume Token since there is no amount on coin. It is about the size of the 0.25 fractional gold piece of the same era. What can you tell me about it or where could I find more information? Thank you. * James Lee Hixon

All of the small California gold coins that are contemporary with their dates were minted between 1852-56 and were privately made by jewelers. The purpose of these coins was to alleviate the acute coin shortage, especially of small change that existed in the "Gold Rush" era in California. The coins were slightly underweight in relation to their face value. This fact was ignored since the need was so great and the alternative was to use unreliable gold dust.

Nearly all the 1852-56 coins are signed by the makers by an initial punched into the die. They come in 1/4, 1/2 and 1 dollar denomination which are part of the reverse design, usually placed within a circular beaded border. The coins come in octagonal and round shapes.

We know from publications of that time that these small coins were used as money and the "souvenir" tokens of 1870 to about 1915 were probably used as money as well as jewelry items. Don't confuse these pieces with the modern (c. 1960 or so) brass or 9 Karat gold imitations that plague the unknowing in the numismatic market place. See the following sources:

• Kagin, Donald, Private Gold Coins and Patterns of the United States NY Arco 1981
• Adams, Edgar H., Private Gold Coinage of California 1849-55 Its History and its Issues 1912 (reprinted fairly recently)
• Doering, David and Susan California Fractional Gold, 1980 Santa Monica California
• Kenneth W. Lee California Gold 1979 Kolbe Publications
• Walter Breen and Ron Gillio California Pioneer Fractional Gold, 1983, Pacific Coast Auction Galleries, Santa Barbara, CA.

Comments: A great place to find answers to previously unknown questions!
Email Address: AStrick9@juno.com
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Your Name: Andrew Strickland
Your Question: Hi Doc! Help! I've got several gold coins that are extremely small. Three are octagonal in shape. One of these has an indian head with 13 stars dated 1852 on one side and the words "California gold," a picture of a bear and 1/2 on the other. The other two have 13 stars, the bust of a man with curly hair wearing a hat, one dated 1855, the other dated 1853. The other side of the smaller 1853 coin only has one star and "California gold" on it. The other three coins are round in shape, two with the indian head and one with the bust of a man in a helmet. The indian head coins each have 13 stars, one dated 1856, the other dated 1854. The 1854 coin has 1/2, a bear and "California gold" on the back. The 1856 coin, smaller in size, shows 1/4 and "Calif. gold" The coin with the man in a helmet has "eureka" above it with 12 stars on one side and "California gold," a small bear and flowers on the bottom. These coins were left to me by an uncle and I've been wondering for years if they have any real value. An extreme thank you for any help! Andrew

None of the original California gold coins have bears as a design device. Your tokens are modern replicas. Though most are brass or gold plated and some are minted in 9 Karat gold, their numismatic value is nil (See the above message for more information and sources regarding California gold coins).

Email Address: dpwdave@javanet.com
Your Name: dave gagnon
Your Question: found coin could be commemorative type james buchanan picture and old buck name on one side description of james buchanan life accomplishments does this coin have any value? thanks

'Not a coin but a token. Something similar was made in the 1950's by Shell Oil. They gave one out with each visit to purchase gas at Shell stations. They were minted in aluminum, I think, and a board was provided with spaces to place each president's token. It was the McCarthy era. I guess Shell Oil wanted to show they were patriotic. It could also be from other similar sources.

Email Address: satom@makani.k12.hi.us
Your Name: Vince S
Your Question: Coin Doctor, I was wondering if you could answer a question that I have been dying for about two weeks to find out. Well I just noticed 2 weeks ago that the heads of the quarter, dime and the nickel all face to the left. I am very curious on why Abraham Lincoln is facing to the right on the penny while the presidents on the quarter, dime, and nickel face towards the left. I would like to know if there is something significant about Abe Lincoln that the coin makers made him face to the right on the penny while the other head figures on the other coins are facing to the left. Thank you for your time and help.

Europeans generally reversed the facing position of the bust of the Monarch when a new one was installed. This tradition has its root in Heraldry and had an influence on United States coinage as well.

The U.S. did not start using real people on coins until the Lincoln cent of 1909. The previous design showed a bust of an Indian facing left so the tradition dictated that Lincoln's bust should face right. The tradition is more apparent on the nickel as it began with a bust of Liberty facing left in 1883, was replaced by a Indian's bust facing right in 1913 and was replaced by Thomas Jefferson's bust facing left.

You can trace alternating bust designs from the Draped Bust dime of 1796 (facing right). When the bust design changed in 1809, the bust reversed direction (now facing left) The format is interrupted by the Seated Liberty design (1837-1891) but when the Barber Dime replaced it in 1892 it again featured a bust that now faced right, exactly in sequence with the previous bust design. The tradition continued with the Mercury dime (bust left) but is broken by the Roosevelt dime (also bust left). The reason for the change might have to do with the desire to synchronize all the bust coinage to face in the same direction.

There is a similar heraldic experience with the quarter and half dollar. I guess if the cent is every replaced by another bust device it will face left.

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Your Name: arthur straub
Your Question: would like to know the value of a 1982 dime that has no mint mark and the value of a 1852 large penny. would appreciate any help that you can give me. thanks!

The 1982 error dime without a mint mark is valued at about $100+ in uncirculated condition. The 1852 large cent-from about $5 and up depending on grade.

Comments: This is a super site. I'll be back!
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Your Name: Brian Emery
Your Question: We have a coin in the family that supposedly was made from the former cannons of the USS Constellation. Its quite large, bronze, with the picture of a sailing ship. I can't remember anymore detail. Any value or know of anymore information on this? Thanks!

I'm not familiar with this medal. Here is a chance for our readers to do some research!

Comments: very useful. even better if I can get the answer for my question very quickly.
Email Address: kunil@canacad.ac.jp
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Your Name: kuni Labrecque
Your Question: What is the plant printed on Japanese 1 yen coin?

I'm not sure but I think that from 1948-1950 the 1 Yen in brass shows lotus blossoms and from 1955-1996 a stylized small oak tree.

From:cj3t@sprintmail.com (Jim Toth)
the exact coin ( token? ) that was described in your pages i have found, "blake & co. assayers, 20" in middle; other side "california gold,20 dolls, s.a.c., smv .900, 1855" with a picture of a press....there was no information in soapbox...do you have any additional information on this coin? thank you, jim

Gorham Blake was a gold dust buyer for Wells Fargo. He went into business with John Agrell assaying ores and stamping ingots. When Agrell died, Blake continued his business as Blake & Co. Since there were constant coin shortages caused by repeated closings of the San Francisco Branch Mint Blake thought to make private issue coinage as other similar companies were doing to alleviate the shortage of money. Blake was a little late in beginning and by the time he created his first coins the era of private coinage in California was about over.

This coin is actually a gold ingot with the denomination punched in by hand. The chances are that there is only one of these coins remaining in existence. As this example is accounted for, your piece is most likely one of the brass copies sold in souvenir shops. If you think it might be genuine you can weigh it. It will weigh 32.9 grams and will be made from .900 fine gold and have a reeded edge.

Comments: I don't know much about coins, but I find this site quite informative.
Email Address: andys@telplus.net
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Your Name: Andy Smith
Your Question: hi. Recently a bunch of old currency came into my possession, and I don't know too much about this area. I was wondering if you could provide me with some information about their worth (or where I could find a site that would tell me) or some historical information.
1) A common (star) wealth massachusetts cent (1788)
2) A ten "silver" dollar bill dated 1891, series E
3) 50 cents paper bill series of 1875, "fractional currency"
4) One dollar bill series A, 1896 with George Washington & Martha on the face
5) Two "silver" dollar bill, 1809
6) A gold 1912 ten dollar piece with an indian head, and an eagle on the other side. thanks. andy Blake

All of the coins and paper money above have been addressed on this column or other pages on this site. Use the CoinSite's Search Engine to locate the answers to your questions.

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Email Address: prolo@jps.net
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Your Name: Matt Prolo
Your Question: Is a 1968 United States Half-Dollar coin solid silver?

The half dollars from 1965-1970 are 40% silver and contain .14792 troy oz pure silver.

Comments: so far looks excellent
Email Address: tlindgr@aol.com
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Your Name: tim lindgren
Your Question: i need the name of an honest, easy to deal with coin appraiser in the atlanta area. i have a few coins that were left by my father. indian head pennies, canadian coins, a silver certificate and a one dollar "hawaii" silver certificate.

We don't recommend specific coin dealers but you can contact the American Numismatic Association on the Numismatic Links Page to recommend qualified dealers in your area.

Email Address: kerr@cybcon.com
Your Name: michael meyer
Your Question: I just received several silver dollar coins dated from 1878 thru 1925 the question is do i clean them or not? and if so with what. some are very tarnished, i tried the cape cod soft cloth for cleaning metal. ive used it on jewelry and had no problems. i tried it on one of the more worn coins, and it brought out alot of the fine details that were not visible before. ive been told that you do not polish or clean coins. i know that tarnex is the death knell for old silver, and removes all value from them, any products that you can recommend would be wonderful thank you michael meyer

I wouldn't use any of the products you listed above. Cleaning the coins doesn't make them more valuable, besides the products you have listed above do their stuff by moving or removing part of the surface. There are procedures for special cases such as coins that have been in the ground or under water but these techniques are best left to a pro.

Email Address: dgnibal@netvision.net.il
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Your Name: Danny Inbal
Your Question: Hi
I have a few gold coins and I would like to get a rough idea of their value. Could you help me with that? I shall describe them: On one side there is a portrait of a king and it says "EDWARDVS VII D:G: BRITT: REX F:D:IMP on the other side there's a mythologic figure on a horse fighting a beast. Some of the coins are dated 1907, others are 1902, 1906 1911, 1917 The weight of each coin is 0.2354 Oz. Thanks Danny

All are British Sovereigns and are mostly valued for the gold content (multiply .2354 x gold price=approximate current value) The 1902, 1906 and 1907 shows a bust of Edward VII, the 1911 and 1917 shows a bust of George V. See other articles in this column for information on St. George and the Dragon. The only coin that may have numismatic value would be the 1917 if it is London Mint (no mint mark on the base below the dragon) Value in average circulated condition-about $4,000.

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Your Name: JJ
Your Question: I collect BU world silver coins (US half dollar or larger) on a budget.
My budget is $10 per coin max, $3-$5 ideally. Can you recommend some reputable dealers? Thanks,

Silver crown collecting used to be a popular hobby that got interrupted by the gold and silver boom of the late 1970's and early 1980's. It spawned such books as the Davenport series on German and Austrian Thalers and Wayte Raymonds popular "The Silver Dollars of North & South America". There are still lots of dealers out there that specialize in world silver. Contact the American Numismatic Association on the Numismatic Links Page to get a list of dealers that can serve your interests.

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Email Address: gillf@persetel.co.za
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Your Name: Gill Freemantle
Your Question: I have a large 1965 coin with a Churchill head on the one side and a following wording on the other: "ELIZABETH 11 DEI GRATIA REGINA F.D. 1965" I was wondering what this coin is currently valued at and whether it is a collectors item or not. Please could you let me know.

This was a large issue for a copper-nickel coin that really didn't circulate. 9.64 million were produced. There value is about US25 cents and they are no longer legal tender. There are a much smaller number of specimen strikes with a satin-finish. These coins are in higher relief and have a much different look than the regular issues. Value: about $300.

Comments: So far it is very good and very informative. Great Site
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Your Name: Pam Zenna
Your Question: Dear Doc
can you please tell us anything you know about the St. Louis, MO. Coins and Currency Shows. I understand they have very big auctions there. Do you have any data as to when these shows..actually called (Currency Paper Money Shows) come to St. Louis for the big money auctions? We would appreciate any data you have on this or where to find such info.

You might try the 13th Annual National and World Paper Money Convention, Thursday-Sunday, October 22-25, 1998. It will be held at the Henry VIII Hotel, 4690 North Lindberg Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri. This is a great show with a great auction If you need more information, contact Kevin Foley, Bourse Chairman at (414) 481-7287.

Comments: Grateful to find your site. Hope you can help us.
Email Address: mor.ness@nf.sympatico.ca
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Your Name: Morgan and Vanessa Raffay
Your Question: We have recently acquired an eight reales silver cob. It also has the words "peso bout barre d'argent" on the front. There is no bust on this coin but a crest on the reverse side with a cross in the middle. We cannot find a date on this coin. And it isn't quite round. It seems to be hand- minted. We would welcome any information about our treasure. Sincerely, M & V R

You don't have a eight reales silver cob. You have some kind of modern replica that as the French you quote above translates as, "peso made from the end of a bar of silver".

That is exactly how the original cobs were made. The Mexico Mint recently made a similar replica of an 8 Reales silver cob in the style of the silver coins of the Atocha. The source of the silver was from actual silver bars found on that wreck.

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Your Name: Harvey Pogoriler Your Question: We were given an Italian coin (not rare), but we are puzzled about the image on one side. The coin is Italian, for 5 lira(?), issued in 1955. On the side with the "5" is what appears to be a whale or dolphin. On the other side is the mysterious object, sort of like a bottle with a long handle at the top. I tried searching the web to get some info on Italian coins to see what the object is, but could only find info on rare or old coins. If you can tell us what this is, we'd appreciate it.

Try a rudder. All the minor coins of this era show either agricultural, corn, plows, bees or nautical symbols.

Comments: I don't know much about coins. Nice to have an easy way to find out what I may have stumbled upon.
Email Address: shelly@kityhawk.com
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Your Name: Shelly
Your Question: I recently acquired a coin by trade and have no idea what it is. It is a large silver coin with a gold George Washington on one side and gold double eagles on the other. It says 250th anniversary 1732-1982 and is dated 1982. It also has starts and a ww, but has no monetary denomination marked anywhere. Is this a silver dollar or merely a commemorative token of some kind? What is its value?

It is not the official commemorative of George Washington's 250th birthday. That coin was a commemorative half dollar in 90% silver produced the Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco Mints. It shows Washington seated on a horse and the reverse shows the eastern facade of Mt. Vernon.

Your piece is a privately issued medal and as such is valued primarily for its bullion value.

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Your Name: Robert Piacentini
Your Question: When in Indonesia a few years ago, I was approached in Sulewesi by someone who showed me a 1876 Trade Dollar. I bought it because it looked like it could be very valuable. He said that it belonged to his grandmother. I think I paid the equivalent of about 3 or 4 dollars for it. You can clearly see the detail on both sides of the coin, but it is somewhat worn on the high spots. I was just wondering how many were made and how rare a coin like this is?
Now I wish I would have bought the rest of the coins he was selling, but I was a bit worried that they may have been counterfeits. I can see now that they were indeed real. Thanks for your response! Sincerely Robert Piacentini, Portland Oregon.

The purpose of the United States Trade Dollar was to compete in the Orient with other, mostly British, coins used to trade for goods in that part of the world. The coin had more silver than the normal silver dollar (420 grains vs 412.5 grains) so it would match the British coin. It is not unusual to find them in the Orient since that is where they were used. However, most of the pieces that did circulate in the Orient are found "chop marked". These are small symbols hand stamped into the coin that represented the mark of a banker and a declaration that the coin was genuine. It is not unusual to find many chop marks on Trade Dollars. Though I find chop marked Trade Dollars fascinating, they are valued less by collectors who are looking for pristine pieces. Genuine 1876 Trade Dollars in average circulated condition bring less than $100.

Comments: This is my first attempt to get information. I just found some old Israeli coins I bought as a boy and would like to both learn about the and their value. Such as the 6/1967 victory coin, the 1969 shalom coin, the1966 (18th) independence day coin and a few others Thank you very much. J.Ross Email Address: jem6@frontiernet.net
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Your Name: Joseph Ross

The government of Israel has made it a habit to record the history of this very young country on its coins. There seems to be a collector renaissance developing after a good many years of disinterest. It may because of Israel's 50th Anniversary. The prices are still low but the gold 1967 and 1969 100 Lirot commemoratives bring about $250 each in the market. The silver 1966 5 Lirot brings about $5 for the uncirculated and $6 for the proof issue.

From: HAbrams493
I read that if silver is $4/oz , 90% silver are worth about 3x's their face value. My question is when silver goes to $5/oz (or whatever amount)how do I calculate (do the math) to see how much mt coins are worth. I hope you can answer this it is important to me.
Thank You Very Much

Pre-1965 90% silver coins are traded in "bag" quantities of $1000 face value. The prices of these units have a bid/ask wholesale price just like any other bullion item. The buy or sell prices are usually a small percentage above or below these prices depending on whether you are buying or selling. Though the bag price is related to the silver price, the premium varies with market demand as well as the price of silver futures (one of the sources of the quoted price of silver you hear on the radio).

What does the price represent? The quoted silver price is a survey of what 1000 troy oz Comex deliverable silver bars are trading for in the market not the price of worn silver dimes. Interestingly, the dime often brings a higher price than its silver content.

Below is a listing of the silver content of U. S. silver coins that are sold in bag quantities. Multiply the decimal number against the price of silver to get the value of the metal content.

• War Nickels (large mint mark above Monticello 1942-45) - .05626
• Dimes (pre 1965) - .07234
• Quarters (pre 1965) - .18084
• Half Dollars (pre 1965) - .36169
• Half Dollars (1965-70) - .14792
• Silver Dollars (1878-1935) - .77344

Email Address: ron_victor@cohr.com
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Your Name: Ron Victor
Your Question: I have the following coins and would like to get a sense of their value. I do not know anything about coin values and do not want to get ripped off. gold 1915 10 dollar, gold 5 dollar 1886,gold 2 1/2 1913 dollar, gold 5 dollar1912,. All are sealed in plastic cases and appear to be in mint condition. Help, Ron

You are going to need the actual grades of the coins in order to even approach determining a value. If they are mint state, the difference in value from one grade to another can be vast. For example, an 1915 $10 Indian in the grade MS60 might bring $300 but the same coin in MS66 would bring $5,500+. My suggestion is to get them appraised by a trained numismatist or send them to one of the third party grading services for evaluation (NGC, PCGS or ANACS). There are published bids for coins graded by these services. Click here to go to the Numismatic Links Page and check out the grading services and their requirements.

Email Address: bobp@sover.net
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Your Name: Bob Pitlak
Your Question: I have a registered, sterling silver proof set of the Danbury Mint "Men in Space Series" These are 21 half-dollar sized coins commemorating the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo flights. How much can I expect to get for them?

I personally like to collect these sets. I think that the Danbury Mint does a good job. However, I buy my sets in the secondary market (coin shows, coin dealers etc) where they trade fairly close to their silver content. Unfortunately, these promoted sets are contrived and though they depict historical events these medals weren't part of that history. It is the historical perspective that creates interest. Ironically, The Danbury Mint has produced many wonderful, collectable, historical medals but they were commissioned by other institutions FOR an historic event.

Email Address: NHGRANITE@WORLDNET.ATT.NET
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Your Name: Abigail Smith
Your Question: I found a coin on the sidewalk, and my brother thinks the writing is in Latin. On the back there's a thing with four leaves, they almost look like oak leaves. It's about 2 millimeters wide. On the back underneath the leaves, it says L-20, and a little underneath that is a "R". The inscription on the front says "Repvbblica italiana". I'm guessing Italian Republic? And there's a picture of a woman on the front, she looks kinda like she's supposed to be a Goddess. Do you know what it is, and the value of it? Please give me your opinion.

The coin's legend is Italian and yes, it is from Italy. A 20 Lira to be exact minted in Rome ("R" mint mark). The bust on the obverse is "Roma" and is like the allegorical Liberty Head used on U.S. coins. This is a current coin, that is, if you were living in Italy you'd have this coin in your pocket. Only the 1957-1959 issues have numismatic value and then only in uncirculated grades. It is a very small amount of money. It would take about 85 of these coins to equal US$1 so the value is slightly more than one US cent.

Email Address: cgoddard@sad50.k12.me.us
Your Name: Craig Goddard
Your Question: I recently found a 1 cent canadian coin. It was different because instead of the normal maple leaf on the back it had a pig! It was a 1970 and for some strange reason it had the word BERMUDA on the face side. How much do you think it is worth?

Your coin is a current Bermuda 1 cent. All British Commonwealth countries portray the Monarch on one side of all of their coins and this might be the source of your confusion.

Email Address: griffitt@micron.net
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Your Name: Alan Griffitts
Your Question: I have just obtained two coins and am interested in what value they may posses. Coin #1 is an 1884 US Dime. It has been well circulated and worn. I do not know how to classify this coin only that it appears to have stalks of wheat on the back and what appears to be a man sitting on stone with a liberty shield on the front. What is this called? Coin#2 is an 1858 US penny with a flying eagle on the front. It is also well worn. What is this penny classified as and what is the estimated value. Thanks for your time. Alan Griffitts

Your first coin is a Seated Liberty Dime. The obverse design consists of a depiction of Ms. Liberty seated on a rock, holding a Liberty Cap on a pole in her left hand and holding a shield with her right. On the reverse, the words ONE DIME is in a wreath with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around. Value in low grade: less than $5.

The Flying Eagle cent was the first small size cent produced by the Mint. Its debut was in1856 but this date is more of a pattern than a production piece. The Flying Eagle cent was much maligned and eagle was compared to a turkey or a buzzard. The mint replaced the Flying Eagle with the Indian cent design in 1859. Value in low grade: less than $15.

Comments: Very informative and it is a good display.
Email Address: aliphat@auracom.com
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Your Name: Juan Aliphat
Your Question: Hi just recently my son found a hand full of american pennies in the play ground here in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada it got my attention that they where pre 1957, here is the list:
1937,1939,1940,1942-D (2), 1944, 1945-D(2) 1945 (1), 1946-S, 1947, 1948 (2), 1948 (2), 1950-S (1) 1950 (2), 1952-D (2) 1952 (1), 1953-D (4) 1953 (1), 1955-D (2), 1956-D (5), 1957-D (7), 1958-D(2) 1958 (1).
I told him that they might have some value, I do not Know anything about coins and hope you can help me. Thanks for all the help you can give me
juan aliphat
PS Can you reply to the e-mail address, yes you can publish this letter.

All of the coins listed above would be common in circulated grades and not of great monetary worth but what a great start on a coin collection. It is good practice to take coins like the above and use them to learn how to care for coins. Go to your local coin shop to find supplies and books and a source of future purchases.

Comments: I've been searching for a while for a web site like this. It's great! I found it by searching keyword on Lycos. Didn't find it on Alta Vista.
Email Address: alien75761@aol.com
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Your Name: Sandra Skalba
Your Question: My sister-in-law has acquired by accident what looks to be a copper U.S. dime with the date 1994 imprinted on it. She says it is copper like a penny, but it is a dime... Have you ever heard of this? Is it worth anything? I would appreciate your help. Thanks.

All currently minted dimes, quarter and half dollars are minted on blanks that have an outer layer of copper-nickel bonded to a core of pure copper. For various reasons sometimes the outer layer doesn't bond correctly and the struck blank might only remain with the copper core. The Mint tries to catch these errors but some get out anyway. The coin is desirable by error collectors and has a premium of about $10.

From: PAT_MOORE@MILLIKEN.COM (PATRICK D. (PAT) MOORE)
Can you tell me if 1oz gold coins are minted in Cuba, Morocco, and Japan. If so what would be the cost and where could I purchase them?

Though none of countries mentioned in your note make bullion coins. They have minted commemoratives of varying gold weight over the last few years that sell or sold at a significant premium over their metal value. The premium usually doesn't hold up well in the secondary market as they are non circulating coins and are manufactured simply to make money for the issuer. See your local coin shop for sources of these modern issues.

From: warreng@hypermax.net.au (WARREN GREEN)
Please help us identify this coin. This is what is written on the front CONFCEDERATIO HELVETICA *1934* On the back it has a 10 surrounded by a wreath The coin is a circle shape and it is silver. It has a diameter of 14mm. Kind Regards Warren

You have a 10 Rappen from Switzerland (100 Rappen=1 Franc)

Email Address: gasmith@wlgore.com
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Your Name: Dustin Smith
Your Question: I received a two headed 1974 half dollar, is it real?
and
Email Address: MKCAV@aol.com
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Your Name: Mark Caviness
Your Question: Dear Doc,
What's the rough market value of a 1974 US quarter with an obverse view (Washington) on both sides of the coin? Condition is OK; it's been in general circulation. Many thanks for your response, Mark Caviness
and
Comments: NICE SITE. VERY USER FRIENDLY LOTS OF INFO AND CONNECTIONS. Email Address: jayd2@hotmail.com
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Your Name: CHIP GRIFFITH
Your Question: I HAVE A PENNY WITH TAILS ON BOTH SIDES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS WORTH OR IF IT IS WORTH ANYTHING. PLEASE RESPOND AT YOUR CONVENIENCE.

More "magic" coins. These are made from two coins. See other articles in this file and the archives for more answers about these coins or use the Search tool on this site and search for MAGIC.

Your Name: Rebecca Houston
Your Question: What was the first president to appear on a coin?
What 1964 coin did many Americans tend to save rather than spend?
The answers are: Lincoln and Kennedy half dollar.

Comments: This is a very interesting site.
Email Address: maxt@ansinet.net
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Your Name: Max Taylor
Your_Question: I recently found a 1936 Canadian Penny but I can't locate information regarding its value

In average circulated grades the coin is worth less than US 10 cents but there are two famous varieties. One is a business strike with a dot below the date, this one is unique. There are also four specimens of the same variety. These are classic Canadian rarities.

Comments: I think this is a very useful site.
Email Address: lulezama@adinet.com.uy
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Your Name: Agustin Lezama
Your Question: Could you send me information about mint marks in swiss and german coins?

German Mints and their mint marks are:

• A- Berlin
• D-Munich
• E-Muldenhutte (only until 1953)
• F-Stuttgart
• G-Karlsruhe
• J-Hamburg

Switzerland Mints and their mint marks are:

• Paris
• AB or BB-Strasbourg
• Bern
• BA-Basel
• S-Solothurn

Comments: Great.
Email Address: haifagirl@aol.com
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Your Name: Rob Walls
Your Question: Hi, Can you please tell me what is the story with Accugrade coin grading service? Are the coins they grade considered "truly" accurate vis-a-vis PCGS or NGC? Thanks

Grading is an art not a science. Its up to you to determine if a coin is accurately graded. There is an advantage to using PCGS or NGC as there are published buy/sells for coins graded by these services. Because of marketing hype or for other reasons the public and the industry has settled on these two services as having created the most easily tradeable product.

Comments: Like your site, but it would be easier to go thou your FAQ if you could put coin & paper money & foreign money in def. sections.
Email Address: rider@eagnet.com
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Your Name: D. White
Your Question: Someone I know has 6 cards with a small gold coin on them. 100 th COMMEMORATIVE PURE GOLD ROOSEVELT DIME. i FOUND NOTHING ON THE web,can you help?

The U.S. government never made gold coins of any of the regular issues. There is no gold Roosevelt dime. I've seen gold plated pieces used for promotion but these were plated outside the mint. It would be illegal to strike United States dimes in any metal as this would be considered counterfeiting.

I have seen "miniatures" struck by promoters that duplicate the design of U.S. gold coins but on tiny flans. The work is crude enough to escape prosecution and the coins don't show a denomination. I suppose that other denominations could be used for the same purpose.

Email Address: paul@compwiz.demon.co.uk
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Your Name: Paul Mainstone
Your Question: I have a small grey coin dated 1945 german with an eagle over a swastika. I would like to know its history and what it is made of.

The coin was minted under the Third Reich. You don't mention the denomination but the "grey" coins with this design were minted in zinc on the 1 reichspennig from 1940-45 and in Aluminum-bronze alloy on the 2,5 and 10 reichspfennig from 1936.