The Coin Doc's Questions and Answers

Comments:        Very interesting, the best information on the web for non-U.S. Coins.
Name:        John Morrisey
Email Address:   webaholic@mindspring.com
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Question:        I have an 1821 8 Reale coin it is in very mint condition. Across the back it says has a dot folowed by Hispan folowed by a dot ET IND, dot, REX, dot, Z:8r, dot R, dot, G dot. On this side there are 2 Pillars with a crown and a shield. On the front side it has a headshot of Ferdinand VII and says DEI, dot, Gratia, dot, 1821, dot FERDIN, dot, VII. Could you value this coin, again it is readable, no wear and tear in great condition. Thanks.

You have a 1821 Mexico 8 Reales struck at the Zacatecas Mint, the assayer's initials are "RG". This coin was struck during Mexico's War for Independence against Spain. Zacatecas was a mining area rich with silver ore, an appropriate place to build a Mint as well as a military prize. Zacatecas changed hands between the Royalist and the Rebels several times during the war. The last Ferdinand VII portrait 8 reales was struck there in 1822.

The coin shows the draped bust of King Ferdinand VII of Spain facing right. The Latin legend, FERDIN*VII*DEI*GRATIA 1821, is around (Ferdinand VII, By the Grace of G-d). The reverse completes the legend around a crowned shield between the Pillars of Hercules, HISPAN*ET*IND*REX*Zs*8R*R.G. (King of Spain and the Indies, Zacatecas Mint, 8 Reales, Assayers initials).

There are two varieties of the Zacatecas 1821RG 8 reales. One showing the lower rear arc of the crown (inside oval). Examples with no trace of wear (mint state) are rare and depending on the quality and variety bring approximately US $250 - $1,000.

Comments:        i'm new at this commputer and i'm very confused with trying to get information, hope i'm at the right place this time
Name:        karen brown
Email Address:   kbcq@sunfirstfcu.net
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Question:        1778 paper 20.00 dollar value, issued by the congress at phill on sept 26,1778   to be redimed for gold or silver. printed by hall and sellers in 1778.i believe its a serial no 270350. it is signed but i can't decipher the hand writing It has a leaf or tree on back on front a fieldin a circle and says on outside of circle vi-concitata. on outside of front it says continental currency both edges. thank you for your time karen

Continental Currency was authorized by the Continental Congress to finance the American Revolution but also was to serve as a convenient medium of exchange. Continental paper money was a financial disaster and by 1780 was devalued, by inflation, to about 1/100th of its face value. (Thomas Jefferson reported that it took a wagon full of this money to buy a suit. He may also have coined the phrase "Not worth a Continental") . It was also the first decimal currency in the Americas and was the transition to a single, viable monetary system.

The "dollar" was based on Spanish Milled dollar or 8 reales. During the late colonial and confederation period a confusing array of coins circulated in the Thirteen colonies:

One dollar = 6 New England Shillings=8 New York Shillings= 7 1/2 Middle States Shillings=6 Virginia Shillings=8 Carolina Shillings=32.5 Georgia Shillings.

After 1789, when the United States Treasury was established, a decimal monetary system was in place but was still based on the Spanish 8 Reales (still legal tender in the United States up to about 1858):
1 Dollar= 100 cents
12.5 cents = 1 real (pronounced ray-ál)
1 Dollar = 8 Reales (ray-ál-ace)

There were eleven issues of Continental Currency and all were printed by Hall & Sellers in Philadelphia. Your note is from the 10th issue of
September 26, 1778 which consisted of the denominations of 5,7,8,20,30,40,50 and 60 dollars.

The $20 note was printed on thin white paper with black ink. The front of the note shows the Latin motto VI CONCITATE (Driven by Force) on an emblem showing the wind blowing. Back: a Buttercup leaf

Value depends on grade (condition). Approximate range: $15 - $120 (replicas exist printed on fake, yellowed parchment,- these are worthless).

Name:        Betty Linegar
Email Address:   elinegar@roadrunner.nf.net
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Question:        I am looking for some information on a brasilian coin dated 1936. On one side is a sword handle with 2000 going through it and rs below it. on the other side is a picture of a man which looks like a general with a small crown beside him and groups of letters which are ca, xI,as, with a c below the as. The coin is gold colour and is the size of a canadian dollor. I would apprecate any information you can give me. Thanks

You have a 1936 Brazil 2000 Reis (1000 Reis= 1Milreis). The portrait is that of the Duke of Caxias. Approximate Value range in average circulated condition: US $1.

Name:        Ralph Murphy
Email Address:   rmurphy@gl.umbc.edu
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Question:        Doc,
I appreciate your site and most of all the quizzes. However I do have one problem with it, you don't give the answers after a quiz is finished. How can someone learn more about coins after they take one of your quizzes without knowing what they got right and the answers to what they got wrong. I wonder about children taking your quizzes, how can they improve their knowledge and interest in coins/currency without knowing what they "know".

The CoinSite quizzes are kind of a "self discovery". You can take them over and over again and psyche out the correct answers. Each question is a puzzle in itself that can be figured out if you take a bit of time to think about the answer choices. You can always try the quiz again until you figure out all the answers and get a perfect "10".

Comments:        well laid-out site, easy to navigate, and to search. That it had nothing about my coin intrigues me.
Name:        Mark Bell
Email Address:   hegelian@hotmail.com
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Question:        HI! I've recently acquired three Vittorio Emanuele 100 lira gold coins dated 1939 -- bearing the mark "x-ef" below the date on the reverse, and, of course, VEIII on the obverse. The reverse has an image of a rather large breasted woman standing on the prow of a boat, holding what looks to be a sheaf of grain and a hammer in her hands. I've searched COINSITE, as well as other sites, but can't seem to discover anything about it. Can you help?

The coin you have described was struck from 1931-1933, weighs 8.799 grams of .900 fine gold (.2546 troy ounce pure gold). The bust of Victor Emanule is facing left, VITTORIO*EMANVELE*III*RE, is around (King Victor Emanule III). The reverse shows a female figure on the prow of a boat to left. ITALIA is at left. L100 193_ _X -E-F is below the date. The IX is year 9 of the Fascist Dictatorship(1931) of Benito Mussolini. The subsequent coins are labeled X (1932) and XI (1933).

You report that the coin shows X-E-F, which would indicate a date of 1932. A "Roman"style 100 lira was produced in 1936 (XIV) in very small amounts (812 pieces) and a reduced weight piece of yet a different design, 5.19 grams, was produced in 1937 (XVI), 249 pieces.

There is no 100 Lira that was produced in 1939 even as a pattern (prova). Only two pieces were produced with the date 1940.

Value of 1932 100 Lira depends on grade (condition). Approximate value range: $100 - $500+

Name:        Michelle
Email Address:   Edminney@tasc.com
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Question:        Who were the only two Americans to appear on a U.S. coin who were not presidents?

It was public policy not to put portraits of real people on U.S. coins. That ended with the Columbian Exposition half dollar in 1892 which featured Christopher Columbus. The first American to appear on a U.S. coin was Abraham Lincoln, on the cent in 1909. As far as Americans that were never elected president of the United States that also appear on U.S.coins, there are many.

Here are a few:
Susan B. Anthony dollar (1979-1999),
(you can't count the Buffalo Nickel, since the Indian is a composite of at least three people).
Benjamin Franklin graced the half dollar from 1948-63.
William Wyatt Bibb, first governor of Alabama and T.E. Kelly - on the Alabama Centennial half dollar (1921)
General McClellan and Lee on the Battle of Antietam half dollar (1937)
Daniel Boone on the 1934-38 Daniel Boone Bicentennial half dollar
P.T. Barnum on the Bridgeport half dollar (1936)
George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington on the 1951 Carver-Washington half dollar
Stephen Foster on the Cincinnati Music Center half dollar (1936)
Moses Cleaveland on the Cleveland Great Lakes Exposition half dollar
Captain James Cook on the Hawaiian Sesquicentennial half dollar of 1928
Senator Carter Glass, former Secretary of the Treasury on the Lynchburg Virginia Sesquicentennial half dollar
Senator Joseph T. Robinson on the Arkansas Centennial half dollar (1936)
Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee on the Stone Mountain Memorial half dollar (1925)
Dr. John McLoughlin on the Fort Vancouver Centennial half dollar (1925)
Lewis and Clark dollar (1904)

Name:        Edward F. LaBruyere
Email Address:   lab4287@home.com,LAB4287@aol.com
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Question:          I'm trying to find out the origin of a coin. The coin has FORINT 10 on one side and on the other it has, MAGYAR KOZTARSASAG on it. Can you help me? Thanks.

You have a 10 Forint coin from Hungary minted between 1956-1989.(100 filler=1 forint)

Name:        Ron
Email Address:   Rg2005@hotmail.com
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Question:        Ok it is time to ask someone else this question, seems to me that i can't get a answer so far. I found a 1947 Canadian penny, which is missing a mint mark. The coin that year had a mint mark which is a small maple leaf right next to the 7 of the year. Well I found one of these coins without that mint mark. I remember from when i started collecting that i found a book that told about this coin and the missing mark and the value of it was incredible. Now i what I want to know is if the coin is worth anything of is the 1989 book that i looked at to old and is just wrong or not.    Thanks a lot i hope you can help

Not a mint mark but maple leaf to indicate that the coin was "special". Normal Canadian cents dated 1947 have no mint mark. Coins with the maple leaf by the date was struck in 1948 with the date 1947. Canada was waiting for new dies that reflected a new legend sans "ET: IND:IMP (And Emperor of India), since India had received its Independence.

Canada was suffering from a shortage of coins and in 1948, minted coins with the maple leaf and the date 1947 as a marker as they waited for the delivery of new dies. 1948 cents were struck with the new royal legend. There is little difference in value between the 1947 and the 1947 maple leaf cents.

Substantial differences in value begin with the 1947 plain dime, the 1947 "Dot" quarter, the four varieties of 1947 half dollar and the three varieties of 1947 dollars.

Comments:        Great site!!! I like having some much information in one location!!
Name:        Catherine E. Reavis
Email Address:   headelf@telocity.com
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Question:        Hi...I'm a new collector of United States paper money. My husband collects coins and has the benefit of using the PCGS Population Report to see how many coins exist of a particular grade, according to PCGS. Is there a population report for paper money? If so, where do I obtain it? Thanks for your help!!!

There are no population reports of U.S. paper money by grade. The reason is that only one grading service currently exists that grades and seals U.S. paper money. Most paper money is graded by the seller. It is a great deal easier to ascertain the grade of paper money than of coins. The characteristics are quite objective, where the nebulous mint state grades for coins are subjective.

Coin population reports are suspect and should not be used as a factor in purchasing coins, only as a reference. The reports only show the number of coins in a specific grade. It does not report how many time the same coin might have been graded. Though the grading services ask that the inserts be returned if a slab is opened, this is often not done. In the case of some extremely rare pieces, there are more graded than actually exist.

The reverse can also be true. I once observed a telemarketing company touting PCGS graded common date U.S. $10 gold Liberty Eagles in low grade as rare and referred to the population report as evidence to this fact. The truth is that rarely does one send coins in for grading where the coin's value is close to melt value, unless it is for the above sales pitch.

Comments:        I like the site because its easy to get to where you want
to go.
Name:        Rin
Email Address:   Rintin1015@aol.com
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Question:        I have a coin that is dated 1808 and says "East India Company" on the front. It has what looks like 2 lions on either side of a crest holding flags. On top of the crest and in between the lions there is what I think is a knights helmet with a small lion on top of it. On the reverse side is writing that is in a language I dont know. The coin is about the size of a silver doller. Do you know where it came from or what its worth?

The East India Company was established after a naval victory over Portugal on December 24, 1612 by England Further rights were established, first by the dowry given Charles II, who married Catherine of Braganca, Princess of Portugal, that included Tangier and Bombay (Bombay Presidency) and later from local authorities East India (Bengal Presidency) .

As the Company prospered the owners sought further concessions causing both military and diplomatic conflicts. Eventually the East India Company was given the right to make Mughal type coinage.(The language is generally Arabic and English on these coins) . By the turn of the 19th century most East India Company coinage was struck in Bombay. Many denomination of this coinage feature two Lions on either side of a British shield and banners.

Except for a rare pattern, none of this coinage is the size of a silver dollar. There are U.S. half dollar size pieces of 20 Cash, (XX. CASH on the coin's reverse). Many of these were salvaged from the Admiral Gardner shipwreck and are commonly seen and heavily promoted. Approximate value range in the grades usually seen: $40 -$60.

From: "Al Kaminski" Kaminski.Al@basco.com
Subject: Penny
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I've been looking for info on thin penny ..... they are minted at 1.55 mm .... what can you tell me about ones at one millimeter thick with no discernable wear to make it that way ?????

You are measuring the rim which can vary depending on striking pressure. The real test is to weigh the coin. A "thin" cent would weigh significantly less than a standard flan (3.11 grams for a copper cent 1982 and before and 2.5 grams for the post 1982 copper plated zinc cents.

From:connie morales
Subject: Gun Money
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Hi I am looking for some information on this coin I have. I know that the name of it is called gun money because it was made with old cannon balls. The date on the coin is 1678 (not really sure) some of the information is rubbed off. My son found it under our house. Can you help me out? If not can you tell me who can? If you need more specific information let me know and I will get the coin out and give you the information.

"Gun Money" refers to the emergency issues of James II during his campaigns in Ireland to recover his throne. The coins were struck between 1689 and 1691 and were made of brass mostly derived from melting old guns. Denominations of the crown, half-crown and sixpence were issued. Crowns similar to the half-crown "gun money" were struck in Pewter.

The most common design shows the royal bust on the obverse and on the reverse, a crown supported by two scepters separating the initials J & R.

Comments:        WONDERFUL : )
Name:        LINDSAY LEWIS
Email Address:   QU2LI@HOTMAIL.COM
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Question:     Recently on the local nyc news was an article about the 1965 us dime being of some possible worth because it was made of silver; but from research I am finding that only up to 1964 are the dimes are made of silver. who is correct? and what is its worth?

The 1965 silver dime is an error. Only a few have been found. You can tell a silver dime from a copper-nickel clad dime by weighing the coin (get the specs from the CoinSite FAQ ). Also, you can see the copper core on the edge on most clad dimes.

Comments:        Great, this is the first time I have had to ask a question, most of the time I find an answer with a simple search.
Name:        Andrew Schreck
Email Address:   aschreck@pitt.edu
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Question:        I have inherited an odd coin from my mother who inherited it from her mother. On the obverse are 5 dice each showing five holes and the dice are arranged as a cross: X
XXX
X

And it has the words REPVBLIC PORTVGVESA 1945, I would guess the Republic of Portugal(?) On the reverse it is marked XX CENTAVOS with two berry yielding sprigs with long, slender leaves beneath the wording. I have not been able to find out just which country (or holding) this coin originated from or why it has the odd dice motiff, can you help identify this coin?

Not dice, but a modern interpretation of Portugal's Arms. The design goes back to Catherine of Barganca, the daughter of Portugal's King John IV, who married England's Charles II (1660-1685). She took as her Arms, the five shields. The exact heraldic description is: "Five shields azure, each charged with five bezants in cross within a border gules, charged with an orle of castles".

Though the castles are missing from the example of 20 centavos you have, they are apparent on other coins of Portugal where the whole shield is displayed. The dots that you see on this coin, clearly become part of a cross and each square is an oval shield.

Comments:        This site came up #1 when I started my search. It is the first time I've tried this and the site looks very informative. I hope you can help me. Thank you
Name:        Paul
Email Address:   bluemist@auracom.com
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Question:        I have a coin, French I believe, Head to the right with LUD.XV D.G.FR ET NAV.REX the other side has 4 crowns arranged in a circle with 4 double L's (one forward the other backward) separating them. SIT NOMEN DOM (upside down) 'T' BENEDICT 1724 with a little leaf after it. The coin is silver.

You have a 1724 France silver Ecu, "T" mint mark (Nantes-located on the West coast of France). The obverse show the laureate bust of Louis XV. Around is the Latin legend, LUD.XV D.G.FR ET NAV.REX (Louis XV King of France and Navarre).

The reverse shows 4 crowns alternating with mirrored "L"s making
a stylized cross, fleur de lis at center. The Latin legend around is, SIT
NOMEN DOM(ini) BENEDICT(um) (Blessed be the name of the Lord).

The monetary system was non-decimal and depended on subsidiary
denominations:

3 deniers=1 liard
4 liards = 1 sol or sou
20 sols = 1 livre
6 livres = 1 Ecu (silver)
4 Ecus = Louis D'or (gold)< /li

Collector value depends on grade (condition). Approximate value range: $50 - $900.

Comments:        very helpful site
Name:        Jessica Linko
Email Address:   javlinko@hotmail.com
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Question:        I have come across a coin that is, on one side the word pennia, the number 20 and a tree and on the other side, the date 1965, a lion with a sword and the phrase soumen tasavalta. What is it and is it worth anything?

You have a 1965 Finland 20 Pennia (100 pennia=1 Markka). More than 5.7 million pieces were struck in 1965. The coin is still current though not made since 1990. It has been replaced by a 25 pennia. A Finnish Markka is 15 cents in U.S. dollars making 20 pennia worth about 3 cents.

Comments:        Very well organized.
Name:        Henry Baron
Email Address:   ccsbaron@aol.com
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Question:        This is an odd question, but... I'm having a heckuva time trying to locate newly minted "shiny" pennies for a giveaway promotion. I bought $50 worth several years ago from a local bank and they've lasted me until now. Now my bank can't get them anymore. I've tried several bigger banks - no luck. Do you have any idea for a source for new, shiny pennies? At face value would be great. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Try Brinks. They roll new coins for the banks. You should also be able to order a bag of new cents ($50 face) or any other new coins from the branch where you have an account. See a bank officer or the head teller. The CAN order you a bag if you are assertive (they just don't want to be bothered).

Name:        Nick
Email Address:   manick69@hotmail.com
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Question:        I have a 1951 Lincoln head cent. The only error I can find wrong with it is that the 1 in the date is severely slanted. I do not know what caused the error, and I was wondering if there was a price for such an error.

This is a common effect of damage from the device that pulls coins through a counting machine. The metal is actually bent at the surface by the tongue that moves the coin. This damage does not constitute an "error" nor does it increase the value of the damaged coin.

Comments:        I think this site is great, I came here for information on one specific coin, yet am leaving with a plethera of knowledge about other coins that popped into my head while trying to search. Thank you for your site
Name:        John
Email Address:   fastashl@msn.com
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Question:        My aunt showed to me a coin she holds close to her heart because of the memories it holds. On a trip to her house today she relayed her story to me, and she was given this 1937 lost colony half dollar by her father in 1937 at the play the lost colony, and I am curious, for my aunt as well as myself, what the history of this coin may be and what a possible value may be. I must add that it is a beautiful representation of Virginia Dare and on the obverse, Sir Walter Raleigh.

The Roanoke Island, North Carolina half dollar was part of the United States commemorative half dollar program that began in 1892 and continues today. The coin was first issued at a celebration at Old Fort Raleigh in 1937 and commemorates the 350th anniversary of Sir Walter Raleigh's "Lost Colony" and the birth of Virginia Dare, the first Child of European extraction born in British North America.

The coin was designed by Baltimore's William Marks Simpson and shows a bust of Sir Walter Raleigh facing left and on the reverse, a standing figure of Ellinor Dare holding the baby Virginia Dare. The Philadelphia Mint struck only 29,030 pieces. It is a popular coin among U.S. commemorative collectors but the major demand is for uncirculated examples. Depending on grade (condition), Roanoke Island commemorative half dollars bring approximately $75 - $250.

Comments:        Excellent web-site!
Name:        Randy Hiles
Email Address:   budoka@webtv.net
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Question:            I recently found an Australian Half Penny in my yard with a metal detector. In search of info. on the coin, I e-mailed a guy in Australia whose web-site I had found(Australian currency). He said that he thinks that the coin was minted in San Francisco in 1943, but is not sure. Do you know anything about this matter, Coin Doc? I have found a lot of Australian Half Pennys on the net, but none with the markings on this coin. Any info. will be appreciated.

The San Francisco and Denver Mints were contracted to make coins for Australia during the years 1942-1944. 3 pence, 6 pence, shillings and florins were struck but not half pennies.

As far as the "markings" on your coin, you didn't describe what those markings might be that differentiate your Australia half pennies from the ones struck at the Perth, Melbourne or Bombay Mints in 1943.

Comments:        A valuable and time saving one stop.
Name:        Lynwood Johnson
Email Address:   saxeljay@hotmail.com
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Question:        I need info on a Roman bronze coin. The emperor depicted on the face is Maximus II.It dates from approx. 305-314 A.D. I am interested in the value range of this item. Thank you.

You'll have to be more specific on the actual denomination and the description. You are probably referring to Maximinus II (309-313) not Maximus (235 - 238) or Maximus (409-411).

You would have to be more specific on the denomination (size in mm), legends and design as there are more than one bronze coin that exist. The easiest coin to find of Maximinus II is a follis (24-27 mm). Value range: US $3 - $50.

From:MICHAEL_DARDEN
Subject:money
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I have 2 one dollar bills that I found in my wife's purse and they are real they have never been separated and I wonder how much they are worth together. The number sequence is K 99434068 A with the plate position number B2, and the other one is K 99534068 A and its position number is F2. I don't know where she got it from but its pretty neat, and I think it may be worth something to a collector.

These would be joined side by side and are from a 36 subject sheet of $1 FRN. B2 and F2 come from the 3rd from the bottom row. See the CoinSite FAQ article, coinsite.com/content/faq/1$FRNPlatePos.asp to see how the position numbers are arranged. You can purchase full sheets from the United States Bureau of Engraving in Washington D.C. Someone cut up a sheet and left notes attached as a gag. (We use to buy 4 subject sheets of $2 notes at major coin shows and spend them in the hotel bar - same gag).

Actually sheets of notes are stacked and cut vertically, not out of a sheet. The vertical stacks are in numerical order. Have fun spending your notes.

Name:        karin szuter
Email Address:   kszuter@yahoo.com
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Question:        i have a silver grosso 1192-1205 of enrico dandolo,doge of venice and am trying to find more info and value. thank you

Venice was a "City Republic" at the close of the 12th century and issued its own coins. In 1192 the Venetian denarius was supplemented by the "matapan" or "grosso", called so because of its larger size. The obverse shows St. Mark presenting a banner to the doge (mayor). There is a circular inscription that includes the name of the doge, H. Dandolo S M Veneti and the word "Dux" is vertically inscribed alongside the banner. The reverse shows Christ seated, the initials IC -XC on either side of his head.

Value depends on grade (condition) and type and whether the coin has been clipped (a common but illegal practice of clipping off a tiny bit of silver from any coin that one came in contact). Approximate range: $35 - $250.

Name:        vince
Email Address:   vincentj@alaska.net
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Question:        How much was the English pound worth in American dollars in 1850? Thanks

19th century monetary systems were intrinsic, that is they were based on coins and the precious metals they contain. Therefore, the precious metal content is the point of comparison and the answer to the question of comparative value.

There were four crowns to a British pound. Each crown contains .8409 troy ounce of pure silver x 4=3.3636 troy ounces of pure silver to £1.

A U.S. silver $ contains .7736 troy ounces silver. The amount of pure silver in ounces in a £/ The amount of pure silver in a U.S. silver $= The number of dollars required to intrinsically equal 1£. 3.3636/.7736= $4.35

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