The Coin Doc's Questions and Answers

Name: Kevin
Email Address: pknward@familyconnect.net
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Question: What is the value of a 10 dollar bill that says redeemable in gold on demand at the united states treasury or in gold or lawful money at any federal reserve bank. this bill has light green lettering on it and is dated 1928b

The ability to redeem this note in gold is long gone but the Federal Reserve Note that you have is collectable. Value, depending on Federal Reserve Bank and condition, $15-$50.

Name: Lara
Email Address: cubswin@pangea.ca
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Question: I have a 1792 coin that I would like to know more about. It has the same inscription and picture on both sides of the coin. The inscription is "CAROL IIII.D.G. HIS P.ET IND.R.". The edge is beaded. The coin is about 3 centimetres (just over an inch). Is this a Spanish coin? One side of the coin is in quite good condition and has all the detail. The other side is a little flatter, and some of the detail is lost. Could this be worth anything?

The legend you describe is only on the gold 8 and 4 escudos coins of Charles IV of Spain. The fact that the design is the same on both sides indicate that this "coin" is some kind of token or concoction. Genuine 4 escudos show a portrait of Charles IV facing right and the reverse shows a crowned shield.

Comments: Great so far!
Name: Deidra Ehlo
Email Address: DEhlo@aol.com
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Question: Hello, My question unfortunately doesn't have to do with currency coin, it has to do with MardiGras coins. Many moons ago I was left a Very large and immaculately kept set of MartiGras coins dating from 1966 to 1974. Knowing that these coins are tossed off of the floats, I dont expect them to be worth a fortune but I know many MartiGras fans who marvel at my collection. My question being is there a buyers market out there and if so could I directed that way please.
Curiously waiting,
Deidra Ehlo
There are collectors for these fun tokens. Token collecting goes under the heading of Exonumia. Years ago I purchased a collection of silver versions of many years of the Mardi Gras tokens. It seems that the float team participants were given the opportunity to purchase silver versions of those aluminum examples that are tossed off the floats. There was a catalog of these tokens published privately in Louisiana but I've since lost contact with the author.

Don't think of this collection as being worthless. Imagine trying to put together a collection like you have today. The tokens were "disposable" and generally few were saved. If you'd like to see other Exonumia items, try scrolling through the submissions on Collectors' Showcase

Name: Lawrence Nabozniak
Email Address: Lawrence_n@hotmail.com
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Question: You have a great site, with a well laid out, and informative articles.
I have a question regarding a coin, and its value. I came into possession of two silver coins, one German, one Dutch, both about the size and heft of the old silver dollars.
The German coin is a 5 mark piece from 1902, but what makes it interesting is the inscription on the other side which reads,"Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg" surrounding what I presume to be the coat of arms of the city of Hamburg. Under the coat of arms is the letter "J".
The other coin is a 2 1/2 guilder piece from 1937. Both are in very good condition. Have they any value? Would they be better sold in Europe? Thank you.

In 1902 Germany was still a collection of States that issued their own currency. The State of Hamburg has a long and distinguished history. It was founded by Charlemagne (9th century), was the partner of Lubeck in the famous Hanseatic League. It has had a license to issue its own coins since 1292 AD and it as been a "Free" City since 1510. Hamburg became part of the German Empire in 1871 but it continued to issue its own coins up to World War I. The "J" is the mint mark and represents the Hamburg Mint.

The 1902 Hamburg 5 Mark is a large impressive coin and well liked by collectors. Unabused examples are valued between $10-$300 depending on grade.

The 1937 Netherlands 2 1/2 Gulden is a hoard piece and is usually readily available in the numismatic markets. Values $5-$15.

Name: ATAUR RAHMAN
Email Address: NIO7@HOTMAIL.COM
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Question: WHAT DOES THE WORDS "DECUS ET TUTAMEN" MEAN IN ENGLISH?

This legend,often seen on lettered edges of some English Coins, is Latin for: An Ornament and a safegard. It first appeared on the edge of all early large milled silver coins as a warning against "clipping". It also appears on the edge of current of U.K. and Northern Ireland one pound coins.

From: Bethany Blackburn
Subject: Eisenhower silver dollar
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I have an Eisenhower Silver dollar dated 1971 that has what looks like a bird stamped into the coin right behind Eisenhowers' head. Could you please tell me something about it. I am including a bitmap drawing of the stamp. Thanks.

This kind of alteration is called "punching" or "re-engraving". It is an alteration that was done after a coin has left the Mint and therefore has no official connection to the issuing body.

Altering coins for fun or profit has been around for many years. For example, during the epoch between the turn of the 19th century and the beginning of WW II, talented hobos and others, would artistically alter the Indian or Liberty head on a nickel and trade their art work for food and shelter. A whole genre of collecting was established for "hobo nickels" and for other coins with messages or symbols punched into the coin's surface.

I can't tell you what the specific meaning of the stylized bird is but punched and reengraved coins have been used for advertising, membership cards, awards and security devices. Discovering the meaning of the alteration is the fun part of collecting these interesting coins. Let me know if you find the meaning of this symbol.

From: swkbama
Subject: My paper money question!
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I have become very interested in Southern state currency--not state bank or confederate. I have purchased several reference books, but I can't find a price guide. Do you know of one? Thanks!

There are State issues from 1776 - the Civil War. The latest price guide though not complete but a good general reference is the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money Volume I, specialized issues. This is the famous Pick Specialized catalog. The 8th edition recently was released and will at least give you a general idea of prices.

You will also be interested in private bank issues of the Jacksonian era and beyond (1830's to the Civil War and after). These issues are under the heading of Broken Bank Notes.. The best way of getting current prices is to subscribe to auction houses that sell U.S. And obsolete paper money. See the Bank Note Reporter for lists of current auctions and whom to contact. You can ask for a sample issue or a subscription at:

Bank Note Reporter
700 E. state Street
Iola, WI 54990-0001
1-800-258-0929

Comments: Excellent, I am a Banknote collector and found some articles fascinating.
Name: Gary Grayson
Email Address: gary_grayson@hotmail.com
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Question: Hi, I have recently acquired an old 1920 ENGLISH check made out for the amount of 154,730 pounds Can you give me a rough guide how much that would be worth today ? Is there a site on the web you know of where this kind of relative information is available ? Many Thanks in anticipation

Guttag's Foreign Currency and Exchange Guide from published in 1921 list a British pound at about US$4.87. In U.S. funds your check would have represented US$753,535.

Comments: The coin site is great! I visit it almost every day!
Name: James Cheshire
Email Address: OWL85@juno.com
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Question: Dear Coin Doc, I am a young collector, aged 13, and I have just started in coins. I have a question about an old half dollar I have. On one side it has a bust of lady liberty, and on the left side of her are 7 stars, and on the right side there are six. The rim of the coin is not reeded and says: Fifty cents One half dollar. On the other side is a picture of an eagle with its it's wings spread and it's head turned to the left, holding arrows and olive leaves. The eagle also has a shield shaped breast plate with American stars and stripes on it. The date is 1827.
Thanks,
James

The Capped Bust, Lettered Edge half dollar was minted from 1807-1836. John Reich, a German immigrant who first came to the United States as an indentured servant, became an engraver for the mint and designed this interesting coin. The strong European Influence is apparent in the style of Ms. Liberty. A great deal of controversy surrounds this coin's design including prejudicial and unfair ridicule of John Reich. The coin was remodeled in 1809 with a slightly thinner looking Liberty and a stronger, more detailed eagle on the reverse.

There are many varieties of these coins since the dates and lettering were struck by hand into the working dies. The change in 1836-37 to a Reeded edge coincides with the development of the Steam Press.

There are many collectors that specialize in Capped Bust half dollars. If you wish to learn more, find a copy of Early Half Dollar Die Varieties 1794-1836 by Al. C. Overton.

Comments: Cool site! I've already learned more than from my own library.
Name: Mike Quezada
Email Address: qdaddy@mindspring.com
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Question: I have found a 1939 Mercury Dime but the mint mark is on the front next to the neck. I am confused as according to this site the mint mark is supposed to be on the back. Thanks in advance for any help/suggestions.

The "W" to the right of Ms. Liberty's neck is the initial of the coin's designer, Adolph Alexander Weinman. The mint mark always appears at about 6:30 on the reverse. Philadelphia Mint issues have no mint mark.

Comments: nice layout, easy to navigate
Name: steve bender
Email Address: sjbender@sjbender.com
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Question: i was working arond my house the other day building a stone wall. when i was finished i had alot of leftover stone parts left but as i was cleaning up the leftover i notice a coin mixed in with it. i looked at the coin which appears to be german. one side has deutschs reich along the top and reichspfennig along the bottom and a 1 in the middle. on the flip side it has what looks like a bundle of wheat tied together and the date of 1928. under the stalk there is a faint A stamped. the condition is good to me, im not a collector, but you can see each line of the wheat stalk and it really doesnt show and worn areas. thought maybe you could tell me what this is and any value it might hold?

Though the coin doesn't have much monetary value, your story about how you acquired it is interesting. One wonders how the coin got mixed in with your stone. The coin is from the Weimar Republic (1919-1933) the German entity that just barely kept the country from falling into chaos. Germany was already devastated by its loss in WW I and the heavy reparation required by France and England. The bronze Reichspfennig (100 Reichpfennig= 1 Reichsmark) was minted from 1924-1936 The letter "A" is the mint mark and represents the Berlin Mint.

Name: Adam Berus
Email Address: aberus@ovnet.com
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Question: I have a piece of Colonial Currency for Maryland dated in April of 1774. for the amount of 1/6 of a Dollar. It is in good to fair condition. I am trying to find out how much it is worth so I can appraise my collection. Please help. I can't seem to find a price guide on the web. Thank you.

The note is dated April 10, 1774, Maryland 1/6 dollar. Similar notes were issued in various colonies to alleviate the shortage of coins. The notes before 1730 are rare but the later Revolutionary period issues seem to be in abundant supply, especially in average or lower grades. Value in Good: about $10-$14.

Comments: hope you are the best coin specialist among the Doctors and the best Doctor among the coin specialists.
Name: pinkert andy
Email Address: pinkert@netvision.net.il
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Question: I own a silver dollar 1884 and would like to know its value. thanks

You don't mention the Mint or grade so pricing the coin is difficult. For example the common 1884 Philadelphia issue in average circulated grade might bring $7 or so. The same dated coin with a San Francisco Mint Mark(s) in Choice Uncirculated condition might bring $20,000 or more. There also exists a New Orleans and Carson City issue of this date.

Name: JD Moss
Email Address: jd.moss@trw.com
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Question: I have three small gold tokens that I am not sure what are or where they are from. I also don't know where to take them to be evaluated. The coins each have an indian head with bonnet on the fron of it, each has a date of 185X on it. The larger of the 3 has "California Gold" across its back top with 1/2 in the center with what appears to be a bear on the bottom and stars around it outside.
The 2 smaller ones have the same words, but no number or animal on it. In place of the number is a star. I have been told that they are possibly "fantasy tokens". Can you provide any assitance or direct in the right direction? I am located in Tucson AZ. Thanks- JD Moss

The California tokens with "bears" are modern private issues. Many of these are not gold at all but brass or gold plated brass. Many of the dated fantasy tokens use the date 1851, one year before the fractional issues in California began to be produced. All genuine California Fractional gold coins, dated 1852-56, have denominations of 1/4 dollar, 1/2 dollar or 1 dollar. There are issues after 1856 that were made by jewelers that may have also circulated as money up to around 1915.

Name: Steve Sudranski
Email Address: nysss@yahho.com
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Question: I want to know if a copper looking 1973 nickel (same color as a penny but the same markings as any other common nickel)is a gag or was such a coin minted?

Nickels are 75% copper and 25% nickel and under some circumstances, probably in the presence of some oxidizing chemical, the copper color can prevail.

It's also possible for a nickel to be struck on a cent copper or copper-plated zinc planchets though the coin will usually be incomplete or distorted.

Comments: Your site is amazing. I particularly like the images of the different coins.
Name: Robert Bentley
Email Address: sparq@bellsouth.net
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Question: I found a coin that I have done a little research online to find to be a $20 St. Gardens. The date is 1907 (in Roman Numerals). The coin is about 3 inches in diameter. All the info I've found doesn't specify the size. Is 3 inches the right diameter for this coin?

More like 3 centimeters (actually 34mm). A 3 inch diameter coin would be enormous! If you have a High Relief St. Gaudens $20 gold piece, it is quite valuable, only 11,250 pieces were minted. You say you "found it"? That would be an interesting story in itself.

Comments: Cool very cool
Name: RYAN SPENCER
Email Address: rs38buddy@hotmail.com
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Question: I have a rare 1854 Napoleon III dix centimes and i was wondering what it was worth so if you could find out and tell me that would be great. Thank you

The rather large, almost 3 cm across, bronze, French 10 Centimes of Napoleon III features his head facing left, with an eagle with outstretched wings on the reverse. Just below the eagle's perch is one or two letters which is the mint mark that represents the Mint's location. values: US$1-US$50 depending on grade.

Name: KEN KELPS
Email Address: dkelps@citynet.net
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Question: I would like information on a coin/token dated 1837. One side of coin has a picture of a running donkey/horse. With the phrase, "I follow in the steps of my illustrious predecessor." The other side has a picture of a turtle with a chest on its back. On the chest is "SB Treasury". Under the turtle is "fiscal agent e________ e_______. Can you give me some idea what this is or where it came from?

The period between 1832-1844 was a turning point in the history of the United States and centered around the controversy over whether public funds should be kept in a privately controlled institution. President Andrew Jackson began the controversy by vetoing a bill in 1832 to continue the existence of the private Bank of the United States passed its charter expiration in 1836. An economic depression began in 1837 when even state banks proved to be unworthy places to keep the country's funds. A whole category of collecting centers around the "Broken Bank Notes" of this period.

Emotions ran high and as the economy worsened, the population hoarded gold and silver. Small transactions became difficult. The government hadn't the capacity to supply copper coins to substitute for the hoarded money. Hundreds of large cent size tokens began to appear to take the place of small silver coins. These tokens had advertising messages or political statements as their themes.

Your Hard Times token, know as "Jackass running" is one of the first instances of the symbol of the "Democratic party" of Andrew Jackson. The issuer is critical of the policy of eliminating the Bank of the United States (I FOLLOW THE ILLUSTRIOUS STEPS OF MY PREDECESSOR). The obverse legend says: 1837 EXECUTIVE EXPERIMENT, and above FISCAL AGENT referring to the tortoise. On the tortoise's back is a treasure chest, representing the funds of the United States and on the chest is SB TREASURY, which refers to the independent "sub-treasury" system that the government established.

I guess the tortoise represented what the critics thought the government would make out of the economy, slow. The critics were nostalgic for the high flying boom that was fueled before 1832 by worthless paper money and overextended credit.

Many changes, most for the good, came out of the Hard Times Period.

The government took control of the monetary system. Only gold or silver was good for payment for public lands.
The government changed the ratio of gold and silver finally bringing gold coins into circulation instead of fodder for the melting pots of Europe.
The hundreds of tokens produced became a communication and propaganda device stimulating discussion about topics such as suffrage and slavery. The tokens might have contributed to the change from voting for president by state legislators to the present system of direct vote.
The tokens were successful communicators and became the forerunners of campaign buttons and pins.

Name: Bruce McCall
Email Address: brmccall@yahoo.com
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Question: How do you authenticate a rare coin such as a Brasher Doubloon?

The characteristics of the coin are well known. These include weight, method of striking, die characteristics and number struck. The key to authentication and counterfeit detection is to know the real coins first.

Comments: You provide a great service!
Name: Rafael Cuesta
Email Address: ricuesta@yahoo.com
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Question: I haven´t see the answer to may question about the Ecuadorian coin.Does the 1928 1 "CONDOR" KM74 have a coin or a medal rotation?
Thanks,
Rafael

I don't know off hand but I think the one condor was struck at the Birmingham mint in England. Most English coins are in medallic rotation, which means that both sides of the coin are "upright" if you rotate the coin from right to left. U.S. coins, for example, are "coin rotated" meaning you have to flip the coin from top to bottom to see the other side in an upright position.

Because of the nature of how dies are constructed, the die pairs can only be placed in the press one way. That means from one pair of dies it is not possible to have some coins medallic and others coin rotated. This last statement only applies to modern coins. In the middle 19th century and before, of all types of rotations were possible in some coinage. Even then, countries such as Great Britain were quite meticulous in keeping coinage errors at a minimum.

Comments: i'll let you know it i get a response to my query
Name: matt riccelli
Email Address: tropmat@aol.com
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Question: i have a silver quarter. its a bicentennial is that possible, how much is it worth?

Yes, there were bicentennial coin sets, in both mint and proof, issued by the government in 40% silver. They were collector editions and consisted of a quarter, half dollar and dollar. They are still available in quantity and their price tends to fluctuate with the price of silver.

Comments: If you can answer this question, I'll be very impressed because I've looked in a number of books and other sites to no avail. I can't find the history of that side of the coin. Thanks for whatever you can do.
Name: Ellie
Email Address: Elkazuk@aol.com
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Question: What is the significance of the torch, olive branch and oak branch on the Roosevelt dime?

I've answered this question before but it is interesting. So here it is again:

The Roosevelt dime's reverse was an evolution of the Winged Liberty Cap dime (commonly called the Mercury dime). The Mercury dime design was created just before the United State's entry into WW I. The reverse design shows the Roman faces which consists of an executioners axe bound to a bundle of rods or sticks. The symbol represented the power of life or death and was a strong, belligerent statement very much like "Don't tread on me" or "Beware enemies of Liberty".

In Ancient Roman times the faces represented the power to kill mercifully by the axe or slowly and painfully by the rods. Unfortunately, the faces symbol also became the symbol of the Italian Fascists, The Blackshirts, in the 1920's. Americans seemed to have missed this association and the Mercury dime stayed unchanged until 1945.

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed away, he was commemorated on the dime and his bust replaced the Winged Liberty motif. It was also an opportunity to eliminate the faces in favor of a Liberty Torch with the bundle of rods making up the base. The vegetation is an olive branch representing peace.

Comments: I'm back. I must like this site. Very well done.
Name: Kav
Email Address: kavinkeegan@geocities.com
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Question: Thanks for your reply to my previous questions. The 1965 dime turned out to be just a very shiny dime. I checked it with a voltmeter and drop of water and a piece of brass. It produced .075 volts. I tested a real 1963 silver dime. It produced about .220 volts. I also compared the weights.
I have two more short questions - I found a 1995 penny that has the "L" in "LIBERTY" punched thru as a hole about as big as a regular letter "L". It goes about 1/4 way thru the penny. It looks like this occurred during manufacture. Are errors of this type worth anything?
I also found several pennies - that have "God We Trust" on them due to printing errors. The "IN" part is stuck VERY weakly and has a line thru it from the rim of the penny. Dates are 1984 and 1989 and 1990. On several of the pennies the word "LIBERTY" looks more like "IBERTY due to the "L" being struck so weakly near the edge.Are these likely to be worth anything? Thanks for your time.

Sounds like your punched "L" was done outside the mint. Many times dirt, pieces of cloth, or stray hunks of metal can create havoc on coins while they are being struck. It's not likely that an exact piece of metal the size and shape of the "L" would come between the die and the "L" If the "L" had fallen out of the die because the die was broken, coins struck with the broken die would have a raised blob where the portion of the die was missing.

Weak strikings are common, especially at the end of the useful life of a die. I think the error gets interesting, when the design is altered dramatically by the damage to the die. A good example of a worn die with a bit of improper repair work is the 1937-D three legged Buffalo Nickel.

Comments: First time to use this, but I hope I can get the info that I request periodically.
Name: James Willson
Email Address: dianibjgw@hotmail. com
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Question: History of the Maria Theresa 1780 'thalla' in Ethiopia.And its use as an ornament. Please.
Here another oldie by goody:

The most famous of the Austrian Thalers is that of Empress Maria Theresa, 1740-80. It was so popular as a means of exchange along the North African coast and in Turkey that the coin was produced throughout the nineteenth and 20th centuries in Mints outside of Austria. It is still being produced today, mostly in Turkey, with the same date, 1780, with an "X" next to the date. It is a popular international trade unit. The coin is valued for it's silver bullion value and contains ¾ oz troy of pure silver.

Like any Thaler or other large silver dollar size coin, it was often worn as a talisman to ward off bullets and arrows in wartime. Of course if you lived through the battle, you could chalk it up to Maria (or to whoever was on the coin, religious figures were best). If you died in battle then I guess you'd never know that the coin didn't work.

Comments: The site is fantastic...It's a great place for the common collector to obtain valuable information.
Name: Brian Leonard
Email Address: Brilnard@us.ibm.com
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Question: I have just obtained a 100 dollar bill from circulation that caught my eye...It is a series of 1934 bill and has a GREEN seal. I guess what caught my eye was the light green color of the picture of Independence Hall on the back . Is it of ny value other than the face value.

The 1934 $100 Federal Reserve Note were printed until 1950. Yes, the ink is a recognizably different shade of green. The value depends of which series letter accompanies the date, the signature combinations, the Federal Reserve Bank that issued the note and, of course, the condition. Values range from: face value to $250.

Comments: An excellent site. Great teaching aid for adult or young person.
Name: Phillip de Blieck
Email Address: pdeblieck@jps.net
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Question: What is a 1945 "thick" penny??

I never heard this term used with a United States 1945 cent. Since the flans are uniform and rolled out and cut from the same sheets, it would be difficult or even impossible to find one flan thicker than another. There are a couple of errors that would make a flan SEEM thicker than another:

Brockage - This is caused by an flan getting stuck to a die. As it is struck over and over again the edge of the flan would come up creating a "dish" effect. (Coins struck with this stuck coin will show a mirror image of the side of the coin facing the blank).
Multiple Strikes: - Caused by a finished coin going back into the press and getting struck again. The coin design is usually partially or totally obliterated and the dish effect can be present too.

Comments: Great site...very helpful!
Name: Ron
Email Address: Ronsell@aol.com
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Question: I am interested in ancient coins, particularly Greek and Roman, but I am concerned about counterfeits. Is it true that it is much easier to produce counterfeit ancient coins as opposed to modern coins? And are there any major clues that I can look for to determine whether ancient coins are counterfeit or genuine? Thanks!

I think that a high quality counterfeit of any coin is dangerous. The purpose of counterfeiting, after all, is deception. It may be harder to produce passable ancient coins because one has to reproduce the characteristic flaws, such as flan breaks and shape, well enough to fool an expert.

The key to authenticating ancient coins is to know the stylistic considerations, that is how and when a coin was minted, what tools were used and how the dies were made. Deviations from the norm require further investigation and may cause suspicion that the coin is counterfeit. There have been some genius counterfeiters that have fooled even the best. Carl Wilhelm Becker was a early 19th century counterfeiter whose work was so good that his counterfeits are collected today.

Your best source of authentication is a reputable dealer. He often has regular contact with authentication resources such as the British Museum or the American Numismatic Association. All reputable dealers will guarantee the authenticity of their coins.

Name: David Edge
Email Address: dave.edge@nsmg.seagatesoftware.com
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Question: I recently purchased an 1881-S $5 gold piece. I have since discovered it to be an S/O mintmark, as described in the Breen encyclopedia. I have been unable to find any more information on this coin, or its value. Breen lists it as rare. Can you provide more insight on this coin?

This interesting repunched mint mark was discovered by Jay Miller in 1982 and is a curiosity as well as rare. The dies for coins were manufactured in Philadelphia and distributed to the branch mints. The punch for that mint was located at the branch mint whose workmen would stamp the mint mark into the dies by hand. It seems that a New Orleans punched die found its way to the San Francisco Mint and the "S" mint was stamped over the "O". Possibly San Francisco needed another die and New Orleans had and extra one. Dies were very expensive to make. I am only speculating but it seems to be a plausible story.

You will have to place the coin in a prominent auction to determine what the current market is for this rare coin.

Comments: found it to be very interesting
Name: Kay
Email Address: szahm@ibm.net
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Question: My question concerns a Medal (not a coin) from the Columbian Exposition. It is 3" in diameter and possibly made out of bronze. On the front shows Columbus and on the back is Printed "Worlds Columbian Exposition in commemoration of the four hundredth anniversary of the landing of Columbus MDCCCXCII MDCCCXCIII to L.J.Farmer." At the very bottom is the name C.E.Barber. Do you have any idea what this was used for in conjunction with the Columbian Expositon and how many were made. Also why is there a name engraved on it??

There were exhibits at the fair, very much like you still see at a county fair. I assume that the medal you have is an award for an exhibit and the winner's name was engraved on the medal.

Charles E. Barber was the United States Chief Mint Engraver at the time and he obviously designed the award medal. I don't know how many were struck, but yours may be the only one engraved with that particular name.

Comments: Probably the best coin site I have ever seen.
Name: Joe Kennedy
Email Address: joejkennedy@yahoo.com
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Question: I think I may have a Continenal Currency coin. On the reverse the n in "american" is a small n with a period underneath it. How can I tell if it is original or a fake?

Many of the early prototype Continental Currency prototypes exhibit a small "n" with a dot under it. There are prototypes of "pennies" and "Dollars". There are numerous copies, souvenirs of the Centennial Celebration in 1876 as well as outright fakes.

These coins were really patterns or proposals for coinage for the fledgling United States. It would be many years before a real circulating coinage was struck and even until the 1850's the United States still relied heavily on foreign coins to supply the needs of commerce.

Since identifying, typing and authenticating Continental Currency requires some expertise, I suggest that you contact the American Numismatic Association (see the Links page on the menu below). They can authenticate and attribute your coin. All genuine pieces are quite rare and valuable.

Comments: This is the first time I have accessed this site, therefore, I cannot answer this question.
Name: Chandra
Email Address: garrisch@icc.it.cc.mn.us
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Question: I have a coin dated back to 1792 with George Washington on it. My coin only has 12 stars on the back of it, whereas, the books I have seen have 13. I will be having this coin appraised sometime in the future. If it is real, how much money is it worth? The books I have seen doesn't give a value.

The United States quarter that was introduced in 1932 is the only United States circulating coin with a portrait of George Washington. There are many medals. In fact, George Washington probably holds the record for the most medals struck with his portrait. There are official Mint medals and lots of privately issued medals too.

The 1792 date was often used. It was the year of the French Revolution and the philosophical ties between the Americans and the French was very strong. After all, they were our chief ally during the War For Independence.

There are lots of varieties of these medals and a great deal of collector interest. Original 1792 medals can bring $100 or a lot more depending on type and grade. There are also copies and fakes of these early pieces. These are worthless. Electrotypes and casts made by enterprising individuals for the Centennial in 1876 are collectable but at much lower prices.

Name: A.Richard
Email Address: richarda@birks.com
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Question: What is the value 1849 gold coin the size of a 5 cents. One side says (1849 victoria dei gratia )the queen looks 20 years of age on other side (Britaniarum regina fid:def:) and coat of arm lower right 3 lions lower left a lire upper left 3 lions upper right a framed lion. ps. I can send a digital image if you wants

You have a Great Britain Shield Sovereign (Pound). The portrait is of a Young Queen Victoria who was in her twenties when this coin was minted. Like all coins, grade is extremely important to determine value. Range: Bullion value (.2354 troy ounces gold) to about US$500 or so.

Name: Joan
Email Address: JoaninCa1@AOL.com
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Question: I am interested in finding out about the new individual state Quarters. I just received one labeled Pennsylvania, & understand that each state will have one made for it. Can you tell me something about these - how many will be made, how long, etc. Are they worth collecting?

All 50 states will be represented and issued in the order that they became a state. Each year 5 coin designs will be issued. I think it is a great deal. A set of coins for $12.50. For 1999, the following quarters that will be issued:

Delaware - Caesar Rodney on a galloping horse. He was the tie breaker on the vote for the Declaration of Independence.
Pennsylvania - Features the state motto and the statue "Commonwealth" that appears on the top of the Pennsylvania Capitol building.
New Jersey - George Washington crossing the Delaware.
Georgia - Georgia peach and a border of oak sprigs and the state motto.
Connecticut -"The Charter Oak" where patriots hid the colonial government charter from the British in 1687.

All the coins will have a modified bust of George Washington on the obverse. Try to get uncirculated examples for your collection. The Mint will also be selling proofs of all the new coins as well as mint sets. Of course, you can get the coins from circulation also. You can contact the United States Mint on the Links page on the menu below.

Name: Andy Dalton
Email Address: adalton@mts.net
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Question: What is the "Winnipeg Mint Mark"? Where can I learn about the different mint marks for Canadian mints?
Since January 2, 1908 all Canadian coins have been struck at the Ottawa mint. The Hull Mint, established primarily to strike collector issues was established in 1965. The Winnipeg Mint opened in 1975. Mint marks do not appear on any coins issued at these Mints.

Name: Heathe Champion
Email Address: tiatukia@camtech.net.au
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Question: I have found two coins, with the date inscription of 1371. They have the Words MAROC located at the top of the coin. 50 Francs located in the middle of intwined squares. On the other side is the Empire Cherifien. these are bordered by what seems to be Arabic writing.

You have an Aluminum-Bronze 50 Franc coin from Morocco. The date 1371 is the Moslem date. It is equivalent to the year 1951.

Name: Richard Livitski
Email Address: trubeliever@webtv.net
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Question: Dear Doc, As time has gone by I have been buying coins graded by PCGS and had the following questions...
1. Are there any guidelines I should follow in order to determine weather I'm paying a fair or too high a price for a coin?
2. When going to sell a coin, any tips on how to determine a coins value? 3.Any tips on how to get as much as possible when selling a coin?
The reason I'm asking these questions is because I'm finding prices vary wildly. Even when consulting recently purchased grey and blue sheets, prices vary wildly on these sheets as well, thus adding to my confusion... Help me Doc! Help!

Check sources such as Coin World. They run a price trends section in their weekly newspaper. They don't list all coins every week but they rotate through all U.S. coins and even some Foreign coins over the course of several weeks. The listing is a general survey of retail prices. Wholesale, or what a dealer would we willing to pay if he has a ready client, is about 20% lower.

Not all coins are equal even in the same grade and packaged by the same grading service. Sometimes coins with no patina are stronger sellers and at other times, attractively toned coins are more in demand. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but everyone hates ugly coins, even if PCGS grades it MS65.

If a dealer has many examples of a common coin he may not purchase more unless he buys it at a discounted price. He hedges on the price because he may have to keep that item for a long time before he can sell it. Tying up capital is costly. Attractive, rare and in demand coins may bring more than listed prices because of their scarcity and their easy salability. Try to remember that coin dealers are running a business and are not required to "redeem" your coins.

If you want to make money collecting coins than you will have to invest in a considerable amount of numismatic education but that's what makes it interesting and fun. It helps if you know about your hobby. You'll find that the people who make out the best are those that learn what and how to collect, buy and sell.

Comments: After I get a answer I will be impressed. Especially if its rare.
Name: Gary Stookey
Email Address: gsmfg@budget.net
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Question: I found a coin with one side "ANDUM.NEWENGLAND 1652 XII" on one side and "MASATIHVSETS IN" on the other. its in very good condition. Its heavy and non magnetic, maybe copper, or silver tarnished. I may clean it up and see. I am curious about it and its value. Thanks Gary

Your coin sound like a New England Shilling that's missing some of the lettering (from wear, most likely). Genuine examples are quite rare and valuable. There are two Pine Tree Shillings and an Oak Tree Shilling on the Image Gallery here on CoinSite that might be similar to the design that you have. Other types exist.

If you clean the coin, you will substantially reduce its value. The American Numismatic Association can authenticate your coin, see the Numismatic Links page to log on to their web site.

Comments: Enjoy reading all of the Coin Doctors comments.
Name: Jane
Email Address: jzieman@home.com
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Question: I have a foreign coin about the size of a penny and looks to be copper. The date of the coin is 1899 and is in good condition. On the face of the coin in the center it looks to be a church steeple, and around the outer part is written MAGYAR KIRALYI VALTOPENZ. On the reverse side of the coin in the center is a large 2 and below the 2 are the letters K.B.. Around the outer area there is a wreath. I would appreciate if you could advice me if the coin has any value. I wrote once before on this, but I am new to the computer, and believe that I did not get it properly sent. Thanks for your help.

Your Hungarian coin is fairly common. It is a bronze 2 Filler (100 Filler = 1 Korona). The letters "K.B." are the mint mark, that is, the place where it was minted, in this case, Kremnitz. Values are from about $1 to $10 depending on grade.

Name: Gayle Ryan
Email Address: ryanj@worldnet.att.net
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Question: I heard that there was a defect in some of the 1995 pennies.

Billions of cents are struck each year and many dies are manufactured to mint the large number of cents required. There is one 1995 cent die that shows doubling of the letters in LIBERTY, on the obverse of the coin. This kind of error is called a doubled die and occurs when a die is improperly manufactured. Every coin struck from this die will show the exact same doubling. Value: about $25-30 in red uncirculated condition.

Comments: very interesting,really enjoy.
Name: oscar Luther
Email Address: jellybean@dixie-net.com
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Question: I have two Washington quarters,one is a 1943, pure silver, in very good condition, the other is a misprinted 1998 quarter that only has been silvered on back,front were washington's face is ,is only coppered,what happen to the silver top,like most normal quarters? It should have been silver,copper,and then silver back?

U.S. silver coins were NEVER pure silver. They were made from an alloy of 90% silver and 10% copper. From 1965 to the present, all circulating quarters have been minted on blanks consisting of an outer layer of a copper-nickel bonded to a inner core of pure copper. There is no silver in current circulating quarters.

Your coin is missing the outer copper-nickel layer. This defect is called a Lamination and is caused by gas or dirt coming between the layers as the coin strips are rolled out. The coin's condition and how much of the outer layer is missing will determine its value. Full lamination copper-nickel quarters start at about $10.

Name: TOM DANIELIDIS
Email Address: lyndagod@microtec.net
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Question: I HAVE A $20 BILL(US) THAT IS NOT PRINTED ON THE BACK.THE BILL IS IN UNC. CONDITION.I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS WORTH,COULD YOU PLEASE HELP?
I AM FROM CANADA,AND WHEN I ASK DEALER'S HERE I GET A DIFFERENT PRICE FROM EACH OF THEM.I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE BILL IS WORTH BETWEEN($30-$150).IM CONFUSED...HELP

U.S. currency is printed in three stages. The notes are printed on sheets. The backs are printed first, allowed to dry, then the front is printed and allowed to dry. The last stage prints the Treasury Seal and serial numbers on the front of the notes.

Your note is missing the first printing. There are several events that might cause this error.

two sheets got stuck together and went through the first printing. One sheet is missing that printing
A sheet was folder over, not allowing some of the notes to be printed on that side.
Major screw up by the BEP workers. They never printed that side.
The sheet went through but there was no ink on the plates, that printing will now be blank.

"Blank Backs" are rarer than "Blank Fronts". You didn't mention what series the note was, though a good guess is 1988, they messed up a lot in that series. Values: $150-$200.

Comments: no comment keep up the good work
Name: rc rivera
Email Address: curbies@hotmail.com
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Question: help!!! hi i have a coin that was given to me but i dont know what it is. It says "$2500 bahamas coin" please help, thanks R.C.

Nice Gift. You don't mention what year but these large and heavy gold coins not only contain slightly more than 12 troy ounces of gold, but were minted in tiny numbers. Values between $5,000-$10,000.

Comments: INFORMATIVE
Name: john putnam
Email Address: jputnam@access.k12.wv.us
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Question: I HAVE A PIECE OF VIRGINIA COLONIAL CURRENCY OF A FACE VALUE OF $250.OO. IT IS DATED MARCH 1781. IT IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. IT IS SIGNED BY THREE PEOPLE WHICH I WOULD LIST BUT I AM AT WORK. I AM NOT A DEALER OR COLLECTOR. CAN YOU GIVE BE A BALLPARK FIGURE OF WHAT THIS MIGHT BE WORTH OR WHERE I COULD FIND OUT? I HAVE NO PRICE GUIDES OR ANYTHING. WHERE COULD IT BE SOLD?
JOHN PUTNAM

This post colonial Virginia issue is the First issue 1781, the only one with the denomination of $250 = 75 Pounds. The date of the note is 1.3.1781. It is seen with DOLLARS misspelled as DOLLAR8. The note was printed on either very thin or thick laid paper, never on parchment which is orange and crinkly. The fake parchment examples are play money made in the 20th Century. Values for genuine examples, depending on State of preservation (grade): approximately $40-$400.

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