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Comments: OUTSTANDING!! Name: Mateo Email Address: hwstock@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: Please tell me about a medallion I have that is 2 1/2 inches in diameter. The front shows a floating lady with a star over her head holding hands with Christopher Columbus on a ship. The outside rim has a compus look with an N, S, E, and W. From top left of the N going clockwise: Chicago, 21.octbr 1892. The bottm from left of the S reads: Guanahani, 12.octobr 1492. The back has at the top an eagle; ribbon in the beak reads: E Pluribus Unum; arrows in his claws. Rectangle frames these words under the eagle: ESPOSIZIONE UNIVERSALE IN MEMORIA DELL ILLUSTRE NAVIGATORE CHRISTOFORO COLOMBO This back is more decroative than I have discribed but I hope this is enough information that you will be able to help me know what I have. Thank you in advance for your response. Columbian  This medal is from the Italian pavilion at the Chicago, Columbus Exposition
of 1893. The fair was the largest and most impressive exposition and was
a model for modern "World's Fairs". The fair was suppose to open in 1892,
the 400th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of the New World, but was not
completed in time (thus the two dates on the medal).Medals, tokens, coins and entrance tickets and other memorabilia from the show are actively collected. (the US issued its first commemorative half dollar at this show, the Columbian Half Dollar ), Approximate value, depending on grade: $35 - $75. From: Luvchild111S@aol.com Subject: $1000 jauana de asbaje ------------------------------------------------------- On the front of this gold colored coin is man or woman with something on his head,on the back of the coin is a eagle on a catcus with a snake in its mouth, and over the head say estados unidos mexicano, what is this coin and does it have a value in the united states. It also has 1990 under the $1000. Mexico uses a
similar sign for pesos as the U.S. uses for dollars (the
caldaron
).
The origins of the sign are probably Portuguese or Spanish (see the CoinSite
Search tool and search for cifrao or calderon for more information).In the late 1980's and early 90's Mexico suffered severe inflation. The monetary system was resolved after this period and the government simply removed three zeros from the currency. All the old pesos are still legal tender but with three zeros removed so 1,000 pesos translates into 1 new peso or about 11 U.S. cents. From: "Mir Manzurur Rahman" Subject: CoinEvaluation Dear Sir, Is it possible to tell the price of my coin? -------------------------------------------------------
From: RDS Subject: Escudos ------------------------------------------------------- In your answer Archive #8 you said that the Gold 8 and 4 escudos coins have the portrait of Charles IV on the front with the inscription: "CAROL IIII D.G. HIS P. ET IND.R." and the reverse side shows a crowned shield. I have such a coin except that the inscription on the back is; "IN UTRO.FELIX AUSPICI. DEO" around the shield with the #8 on the left side of the shield and the letter S on the right side of the shield. this coin is in very good condition with very little wear but it seems to be bronze not gold. What do I have and what if any is it's value? -------------------------------------------------------
If it is bronze, you have a museum copy, not the real thing.
All 8 escudos weigh 27.06 grams + or - about a .01 grams and contain .875 gold.
This coin comes from an intrinsic money system that relied on the proper
weight of the coin and the metal content for commerce.
From: aramos Subject: $1000 confederate bill number 297 Hello, can you tell me anything about this bill? I will be waiting to hear from you. ------------------------------------------------------- The $1,000 note of the Confederate States of America was
the highest denomination issued and it was printed only in 1861.
Subsequent CSA issues did not include this denomination.
It was printed in New York on high quality bank note paper
that shows red silk fibers. The note itself is Black with green overprint.This was a interest bearing note and is often found with the issue date on the back. The notes were signed at the front bottom center of the note in brown ink by the CSA Treasurers, Clitherall and Elmore. The serial numbers were printed by machine in blue ink. Serial number 297A is an existing note and is one recorded by collectors. Only a relative handful of CSA $1,000 notes exist. Values run from about $5,000+ depending on grade (condition). Many souvenir and advertising reprints are found. These are usually black and printed on yellowed, fake parchment. These have no specific value. Comments: one of the best sites. Great! Name: robert davison ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have 1993 D washington quater. On the back it looks like it didn't fill the die on the outer edges, the eagle is very light in the center and has half wings only the edges of the quarter is OK. Can you tell me what it's worth? I also have a 1958d penny that has the the E Pluribus stamp on the back in fine shape but it looks like the E PLUR are very light the rest of the letters are good the color of the coin is very bright in color. Can you tell me if this is of any value? -------------------------------------------------------
Light or missing sections of a design on a coin can be caused by various
factors. It is possible for a coin to be struck through some foreign
material such as a piece of a rag used to clean the dies, dirt, oil or
grease. Value to a collector depends on the coin, the severity of the
missing design and the type. Values can run from face value to $20 or more.
See the CoinSite "What's It Worth?" feature for more information on coin errors. Also, see the CoinSite Search Tool and search for "filled die" to get more information about that error. From: Bilal Subject: CoinEvaluation Dear Sir, It is to inform you that I am resident of Pakistan have some antique Golden coins of Badishah Shahjahan . These are even not available in our National Musuam. Hoping a quick and positive response Thanks Bilal ------------------------------------------------------- Badshah (not Badishah) was the famous ruler of the
Mughal Empire (Islamic India) who was responsible for the building of the Taj
Mahal in memory of his wife, Momtaj Mahal. His complete name was Shihabuddin
Shah "Badshah" Shahjahan and he ruled the Mughal
Empire from AH 1037 -1068 (1628-58 AD). The term Golden coins of Badishah Shahjahan sounds like advertising copy (with a spelling mistake) and is not a description of any specific coin. It is like saying "The Golden Coins of the United States". Other then getting information that we are talking about gold coins, there is no description worthy of an evaluation. Coins of Badshah Shahjahan are offered for sale quite often. You can imagine the popularity of collecting this ruler's coins because of his connection to the Taj Mahal. He was in power long enough to have minted a good number of coins and because of the nature of the contemporary economic system, most exchange had to be in gold coins in order to be acceptable within and beyond the Empire. As in many coin series, there may be rare dates or types and these may be rare enough not to be found in a national collection. A specific rare date or type doesn't make an entire coin series equally rare. For example, just a cursory check of current
list and auction offerings shows the following listing for a gold
Mohur of Shahjahan in EF grade. Note the complete description offered by
the seller:
If you have a rare issue you will have to be a
great deal more specific as to date, type, denomination and grade
From: Bryan Chapman Subject: 1942/1 overdate Mercury Dime There is a set of 1916-1945 Mercury Dimes available on ebay. The person who put this collection online (me) didn't know enough about coin collecting to check out the individual coins. The set includes a 1942/1 overdate Mercury Dime, making the set more valuable. The bid is currently fairly low for the set, especially with the overdate. Because there are already bids on the set, I can't change the description at this point. Here is a picture of the 1942/1 overdate (included in the set):
The coin in your image is not a 42/1 die
error. The coin shown looks like a damaged last digit caused by a counting machine.
Genuine 42/1 -P dimes show the "1" to the left of the "2" where the two is
connected to the "1" making the date look almost like "19412"
Name: Bob Ray Email Address: therayhome@aol.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have a gold coin. On the face it reads, Victoria D: G: Britanniarum Regina F:D: The back reads, dirige deus gressus meos. and is stamped COPY.A number on the coins edge is 04738. Can you tell me where it was minted and its approximate worth? thanks... You have a modern copy of a
1839 Great Britain Commemorative 5 Pound "Una and the Lion". The coin
shows a Young head Queen Victoria (Victoria D: G: Britanniarum Regina F:D:
- Victoria, by the grace of G-d Queen of Britain and Defender of the
Faith) and the mythological Una walking with a lion. This coin is one of
the most beautiful of 19th century issues and is highly sought after by
collectors. It commemorates the ascendance to the English Throne of Queen
Victoria, the niece of the short lived monarch, William IV.
"Dirige deus gressus meos" is Latin for "May G-d direct my course" and this legend is exclusive to the Una issue. Only 400 pieces were minted and they are quite rare and expensive. Brass copies exist in large numbers and have no specific value. I have never seen a copy in gold but I have seen dangerous counterfeits (without the word COPY of course). Gold copies, if they exist, would be worth at least their gold content. Original 5 pound coins contain 1.1773 troy ounces of pure gold but this weight standard may not apply to a souvenir as you described. Comments: Great site. Name: Wendy Coffman ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I recently found a 1943 1 Franc. It is in good condition. This coin seems very lightweight. Do you know what this coin is made of and how many were made of that year? Also, is there any value to this coin? There are four aluminum issues of a 1943 France, 1 Franc:1. Occupied France - Legends on the reverse read Liberte-Equalite - Fraternite. Mintage: 4,400 - Approximate value depending on grade - US $1,000 - $5,000. 2. Vichy France - Legends read: Travail - Familie - Patrie. No Mint mark (Paris). Mintage: 205,564,000. Approximate value depending on grade and type: US 5 cents - $2.00 3. Vichy France - same legends as above. Mint Mark: B-cornucopia (Beaumont). Mintage:68,082,000. Approximate value: US $3.00 - $60 4. Vichy France - same legends as above. Mint Mark: C (Castelsarrasin) ( Mintage:74,859,000. Approximate value: US 10 cents - $3.00 From: JLaibe@aol.com Subject: 17thC Royal Wax seal ------------------------------------------------------- I know you do not collect Royal wax seals, but can you help me determine who this seal may have belonged to? It reads as follows: ** Iosephvs d gel roimp semp avg Germania Hvngaria Bohemia 7C Rex Archid AVSI LVX BVR Zc CotyR CZ. It is a red seal, approx 4" diameter with a natural wax ring. It has silk cording which fastends the seal to a wood piece. The whole item is encased in a round wooden box with a glass front. Also any web sites you might direct me to would be most appreciated. Many thanks. J. Laibe You have a seal of Joseph I of Austria (1705-1711).
It is usual fare for rulers to insert all of their titles on coins and seals.
Latin was the international language and an
abbreviated code developed over time to accommodate ruler's titles.
Your seal reads:Iosephus DG Ro Imp Semp Avg Germania, Hvungaria, Bohemia Rex Archid Avsi Lux Bvr....... Roughly translated: Joseph, by the grace of G-d, King of the Romans (refers to the Holy Roman Empire which all the rulers in Europe claimed title.), King of the Germans, Hungary, Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, Bavaria etc...etc...etc. I can't tell you whether your seal is authentic or a copy (sometimes copies were made for decoration in the 19th and even in the 20th century) but only what the seal represents. Name: victoria Steen Email Address: harleyd2@shtc.net ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have a quarter that has a dime head stamped over the quarter head. What is the value of this coin? I also have a double faced dollar bill. It has the presidents head on both sides. What is the value of this dollar? A dime struck on a quarter is physically impossible considering that
the quarter would be too big to fit in a press set up to strike dimes. You
most likely have a dime struck INTO a quarter. This is done with two blocks
of wood, a dime and a quarter. The dime is pressed into the quarter by
either using a vice or a mallet. The image of the dime is impressed
into the quarter. The image of the dime is retrograde
(backwards).Your "double headed" dollar note is most likely an "offset error". Please see the CoinSite's What's It Worth? feature for an explanation, prices and images of offsets and other paper money errors. There is also a simulated "error" with no part of the reverse design visible. This is created by pasting two one dollar notes together back to back. Name: Eric Holmberg Email Address: EHolmber@OS.DHHS.gov ------------------------------------------------------- Question: 1) Have you heard of any 1963 series United States Notes $5.00 denomination with a yellow seal? 2) Have you heard of any bicentennial half dollars (silver clad - no mint mark) from the Philadelphia mint?
1. Yes, this is done by treating the note with bleach. Sorry, no cigar.2. U.S. coins prior to 1981 do not have a Mint mark if they were struck at the Philadelphia Mint (an exception is the War Nickels from 1942-1945). Name: jeff gates Email Address: misanthropist@sbcglobal.net ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have an 1808 East India Company coin. It was apparently recovered from a sunken ship and then sold by "The American Historic Society" encased in plastic with a certificate of authenticity which states that the "cash" coin was recovered in 1985 from the shipwreck of "The Admiral Gardner", a 145 foot long three decker built in 1796 which sank in the English Channel during a storm on Jan 25, 1809. On the reverse is inscribed in Persian, "Ten Cash are equal to Two Falus" and "X .CASH." Can you tell me if it has any value? Thanks.
The copper cash from the shipwreck, The Admiral Gardner, were found
in huge numbers and marketed by various promotional companies. There is
no such official organization as "The American Historic Society". They are
a marketing company. These coins can be readily purchased at a coin show
for between $3 -$12.
Name: Wes Email Address: fluke@bakterium.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: i have a coin from 1830, a woman's head with "liberty" written on a "crown" type thing, 13 stars surrounding her head. On the back the coin say's United States of America. The peculiar thing is the coin says "One Cunt" on the back. how could i tell if this is an actual misprint, or just some backyard forgery?
This type of alteration of a large U.S. cent was common in the 19th century
and there seems to be many available. The alteration was done with a tool
called a "graver" that is used in carving designs in printing plates. The
metal is moved around by the tool to alter the "E" into a "U". These large
cents are often seen at shows and are sold as a novelty. Value: about $5.
Comments: great site! Name: sasha obad Email Address: sash@intergate.ca ------------------------------------------------------- Question: Hi there, I found this indian head penny in a roll my mother gave me. This one is unusual because of the 1888 stamp on it. Can you tell me what is it's significance and/or value?
Name: George Balkus Email Address: georgeandbrenda@pahrump.net ------------------------------------------------------- Question: i have come across a 1964 jefferson copper nickel have you ever come across one having trouble finding information on it any help would be helpful thanks All 5c nickels have
been struck in a copper-nickel alloy from 1866 to the present. They were
never struck in 90% silver. (The only exception to the copper-nickel alloy were
the .350 fine silver-manganese emergency nickels struck from 1942-1945. They
are identified by a large Mint Mark over Monticello on the reverse.)Since 5c pieces are 75% copper and 25% nickel, it is not unusual to find nickels having a copper look to them, especially if they have been in contact with a strong oxidizer. You can check your 5c nickel by weighing it. All standard 5c nickels weigh 5 grams. Name: Jim Wiedl Email Address: jwiedl@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have an 1886 Canadian nickel. Is it worth anything?
1886 Canada 5c pieces were struck in silver and are smaller than a U.S.
dime. Composition: .925 silver. Diameter: 15.5 mm Weight: 1.16 grams. They
were struck under the Dominion of Canada before Canada became independent
from Great Britain. Values depend on grade (condition) and variety.
Approximate value Range: USD $5 - $600+.
Comments: I can appreciate the research time the CoinDoc must have taken to become so knowledgable in all facets of money. Name: Jef Newman Email Address: jknewman6@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have a 1996 Twenty Dollar bill with an oddity. On the face of the bill, the serial number on the right is green, while the serial number and treasury seal on the left are blue. The bill face is also white compared to the typical green/black tint on all bills I have compared it to. Is this a common oddity or do I have a bill I could sell to a collector?
I like to wash my money in Cheer with a tad of bleach. It brings out
those colors just right.
Comments: This site is wonderful for beginners like me. It gives me resources to get started. Thanks. Name: Sue Price Email Address: Suezprice@aol.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have, what I think is a token from the state of Missouri. It has the imprint of the state of Missouri in the middle, with a number 1 inside the state. The words: "Missouri Sales Tax Receipt" surrounds the coin. Do you know when this token was issued, and what people did with them? I can't imagine the entire state of Missouri turning these in to Uncle Sam at tax time, as proof of tax! Thanks so much for your time.
Because cents were valuable in the Depression years of the 1930's, Some
States issued sales tax tokens either in fractions of a cent or mills (1
mil=1000th of a cent). Since Sales tax would be exact and there were no
fractional cents to give change, the final price of an item was rounded up
and the difference paid back to the customer in sales tax tokens. These
tokens could be used to pay all or part of any sales tax at the time of
another purchase.
Comments: Great web site and information source! Name: S Hinson Email Address: shinson@vnet.net ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I have purchased a 1932-D Washington Quarter in VF condition. The mint mark actually looks somewhat like an "S". I am told by the seller that it is actually a "D", and that all real 1932-D quarters have the "filled mint mark", unlike a 1944-D or 1964-D. Is this correct?
Genuine 1932-D Washington Quarters have distinct serifs with die polishing
under the mint mark. The inside of the "D" is often filled but the outside
serifs are usually visible giving the mint mark a rather square, blob like
appearance. Since the mint mark sits in a depression on this coin, the "D"
is easily discernable even in low grades.I suggest having any 32-D quarter authenticated by a third party grading service, especially if you have no training in counterfeit detection. See the CoinSite Links page for links to NGC, PCGS or ANACS for more information. Comments: I think the site is great. It helps the average person like myself, gain the information and the knowledge that may be very important to them. It was a great help, thanks again Tony. Name: Tony Della Vecchia Email Address: Topgun41nj@aol.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: Doc. My question is, I have an old five dollar bill, the series is 1929. The bill has four big black (B) on the front,and on the left the inside of the bill it says, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The five dollar bill seems to be made differently than all the others. It's seems to have been made on a cloth material instead of paper. The bills printing is very dark, it does not look or feel like any of the other bills. I just cannot get over how the bill feels like it was made out of a cloth material, it looks important, is it? Do I have anything important? Thank you for your time sincerely Tony.
U.S. paper money is printed on a blend of cotton and Linen not paper. There
is certainly differences between National Bank notes of 1929 (Brown seal)
and the currency we use today but the stock is pretty much the same.Notes for circulation are not printed individually but on sheets of 36 subjects (though 18 subject sheets were tried once). There are three printings (back, front and Treasury seal and numbers). The dry, completed sheets are stacked on other sheets. The scheme allows cutting vertically so the numbering is consecutive in vertical stacks of 1000 notes. There are instances of notes printed on improperly made stock. These notes can be very thin or double thickness. These notes are considered errors and bring premiums of varying amount depending on the grade (condition stated as term of the universal paper money grading standards) of the note. Interestingly, standard stock U.S. paper money after 1928 weighs exactly 1 gram. If the note was made out of some other material, or was double thick, it would weigh more or less than the above. So there is your test. If you wish to have your note authenticated and graded you can contact a third party grading service such as CGC From: CHARLIE STEWART Subject: North Carolina Statehood quarter ------------------------------------------------------- I recently emailed you about a North Carolina statehood quarter to find an estimate of its value. You suggested I send a scanned copy to you, so here it is.
Name: Bradley Brooks Email Address: mythrind@aol.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: Will the us mint ever produce a silver or silver content coin again? I metal detect and the clads that have been produced come out of the ground completely useless.I just don't see coin collecting as an option for future generations with the valueless coins being produced today.
The mint does currently produce collector
versions of proof sets and commemorative coins in both silver and
gold but circulating issues will remain in base metal since coins are essentially
tokens.The collector value of coins is not dependent on the whether the coin is minted in precious metal but the rarity, condition and collector interest. Some of the most desirable coins in the United States are the colonial issues. Some of these coins are extremely valuable though most were struck in copper. Some modern clad coins in gem condition will become valuable because few were saved and collectors will need them to complete their sets. From: jj tt Re: Medal ------------------------------------------------------- Can you identify this medal?
Comments: I appreciate the site it has provided me with a way of determining the worth of the coin a grandparent of mine has given me. Name: Shad Twist Email Address: cross_777@yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: You seem to know a lot about Reales so this should be easy. Face : Dei Gratia 1809 Ferdin VII Back (pillers) : Hispan ET IND REX M 8R T H I am sure it will be easy and also it was certified by the Washington Mint issued by J. Richard Bergland. The condition is you can still fully see the eyes and the face and back aren't really worn at all there is only 1 small knick on the left side (maybe a check for quality). Curious what the coin may be worth.
Your 1809 TH Mexico City Portrait 8 reales can be worth from approximately
$8 - $100 depending on the actual grade (state of preservation stated as a
term in the international grading system)."TH" is are assayers' initials, in this case: Tomas Burton Miranda and Henrique Buenaventura Azorin. Note that the "Washington Mint" is a private promotional company and has no connection to the United States or any other government. Since grade is so important to value, the attribution should have included a statement of grade. Name: david perry Email Address: dnjantiques@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------- Question: I recently found a 1943 Walking Liberty Half with very clear distinct doubling on the obverse (pup = In God We Trust). It is not machine doubling. Any idea of the approximate value & possible designation if this is a known variety(fs# or possible #'s). Coin grades MS63 (came out of an old pcgs 63 holder). Any help would be appreciated.
Since die doubling occurs when the hub is slightly rotated as it is striking
and creating a die, it seems that other elements would be doubled as well
not just the motto. Check the date and the skirt lines for additional
evidence of doubling.I suggest submitting the coin to the ANA or one of the third party grading services for confirmation that the coin was struck from a doubled die. I know of no examples of 1943 Philadelphia WLH doubled dies though 1943 Denver and San Francisco examples do exist. For it really to be a doubled die, other examples would have to exist as many other coins would have been struck from the same die. |
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