What is My Coin Worth?

Mark my words, you are going to drive yourself nuts trying to figure out what your coins are worth by looking on the internet. I get calls EVERYDAY from people just like you trying to figure it out. The prices you find on those coin certification websites and coin values websites DO NOT REFLECT REALITY. Literally, every few days someone tells me “Google says…” My reply is simple. “Sell it to google then.” Or “I saw this coin on You-Tube and I have the exact same coin.” 103% of the time (Yes I said that) they did not listen to the details. I have even had people list their coin on eBay for a ridiculously inflated price, print off their own listing, and then come in to sell the coin referencing their own (unsold) eBay listing. Believe it or not, eBay and a couple other coin auction sites are good references for what coins sell for, BUT YOU HAVE TO SEARCH FOR THE ACTUAL SOLD PRICES and NOT THEIR ASKING PRICES. Anyways, back to why you are here. The following reflects the reality of coin values.

A few simple concepts first.

If the coin can be found in change, that is very likely all it is worth.
If it is a circulated foreign coin lacking any silver, gold or platinum and was produced after World War I it is likely bought and sold in five-pound bags. Obviously, there are exceptions to this and if you have one of those ‘modern’ rarer pieces or die varieties we will find it and pay you accordingly for it.
Just because someone, or Google, or eBay, or You-Tube, told you your coin is rare doesn’t necessarily mean it is. We specialize in Cherrypicker’s pieces and rare die varieties for every series of U.S. Coins.

Now, let us get started…

Every series of coins has Key Dates,even Roosevelt Dimes and Kennedy Halves. Key Dates are the year and mintmark combination that have a much lower mintage than all the other coins in a series or sought after die varieties within virtually every series of U.S. coins.

Here is a list to get you looking. Don’t get discouraged. If you don’t have these dates and mintmark combinations you may still have something special. This is just a brief synopsis of the BEST in each series and some GENERAL prices to get you started. Obviously, prices change with condition, supply and demand.

CENTS

Did you know that the United States does not make pennies? Try to find the word penny on a U.S. Coin. It isn’t there. We make “cents”. The word penny is a holdover from Great Britain., which makes pennies.

Half Cents: Culls to Almost Good (AG) are $3 to $5 each. All others have collectible premiums based on condition and variety.
Large Cents: Culls to AG are &5 to $8 each. All others have collectible premiums based on condition and variety.
Small Cents (Flying Eagle Cents): Cull to AG are $3 to $5 each. All others have collectible premiums based on condition and variety.
Small Cents (Indian Head Cents): Cull to AG are $0.50 each at best. Good and better common dates are generally $0.75 each. All 1859 through 1878 and the 1908-S and 1908-S are numismatic pieces and all “Cherrypicker’s” pieces command premiums:
1877- $500
1908-S – $75
1909-S – $300
Small Cents (Wheat Cents circulated common): Average dates are worth about 3 cents each.
1909-SVDB -$500
1909-S – $150
1914-D – $50

1922 – $100
1931-S – $40
1955 Double Die Obverse – $800
Small Cents (Memorial Cents): Most are face value or just a bit more. However, there are several semi-key dates and varieties which can carry appreciable numismatic premiums:
1960-D Small Date over Large Date
1970-S Small Date
1972 Double Die Obverse
1983 Double Die Obverse and Double Die Reverse
1984 Doubled Ear
1988 Wide AM with Flared G initial on reverse

1992 and 1992-D Close AM
1995 Double Die Obverse
1996 Apparent Wide AM
1997 Doubled Ear
1998-2000 Wide AM
2009 LP2 Sitting on a Log Extra Thumb varieties.

Nickels

Shield Nickels: Cull to AG are $2 to $4 each. All Good and Better Shield Nickels have collectible premiums based on condition and variety.
V-Nickels (Liberty Nickels): Culls to Almost Good (AG) are $0.15 each. Common dates in Good or Better are generally $0.25 each.
1885 – $100
1886 – $75
1912-S – $100
Buffalo Nickels: Culls to AG are $0.10 each. Good and Better w full dates are $0.25 each.
1913-S Type 2 (Flat Ground) -$50
1914-D – $75

1921-S – $50
1937-D Three-Legged Buffalo – $350
Jefferson Nickels: There are no real rarities in this series. However, there are some dates and mintmarks and a few varieties to look for. Separate these out as they are worth a little premium (1938-D, 1938-S, 1939-D, 1939-S, all war nickels and 1950-D). During WW II (mid 1942 through 1945) nickel was needed to support our war efforts and was replaced with 35% silver. The mintmark on these ‘silver’ nickels was moved to the top center of the reverse above the dome. A roll of war nickels (40 pieces) amounts to 2.25 oz of actual silver weight. There are a few key varieties to look for too:
1939- Double Die Reverse – $10
1943/2-P Overdate Variety – $30

1943-P Double Die Obverse – $20
1945-P Double Die Reverse – $20

Silver coins

All have an intrinsic metal value for the silver contained within them. One dollar in face value of 1964 and older dimes, quarters or halves or any combination of them is 0.715 troy ounces of silver. With silver at $18 per troy ounce that works out to $1.29 per dime, $3.22 per quarter or $6.44 per half dollar.

Silver dollars

Those old Morgan and Peace dollars have 0.773 troy ounces of silver in them. At $18 per troy ounce that works out to an intrinsic metal value of $13.91 each. Common circulated Peace dollars do not command much of a premium. However, all Morgan dollars do carry a collectible premium unless they are culls to Almost Good (AG).

Dimes

All Dimes pre-dating 1892 will have a collectible premium unless they are culls to AG.

Barber Dimes:
1893-O – $30
Mercury Dimes:
1916-D – $400
1921 – $30
1921-D – $25

1942/41 – $200
1942-/41-D – $200
Roosevelt Dimes:
1950-S – $8
1982 Missing Designers Initial or mintmark – $5

Quarters

All quarters pre-dating 1892 will have a collectible premium unless they are culls to AG.

Barber Quarters:
1896-S – $300
1913-S – $500
Standing Liberty Quarters:
1916 – $2000 (NOT a typo)
1918/17 – $1500 (Not a typo)
Washington Quarters:Look for Doubled “IN GOD WE TRUST” on 1934 through 1943 quarters.
1932-D – $50
1932-S – $60
Several varieties starting at $20 and up
State and National Park Quarters: SHQ’s and NPQ’s are generally face value or slightly more unless they are in original U.S. Mint wrapped rolls and are fromone of the following: PA, TN, IL, USVI. All uncirculated S-Mint National Park Quarter rolls and individual Westpoint mint National Parks quarters carry a collectible premium.

Half Dollars:

All half dollars pre-dating 1892 carry a collectible premium unless they are culls to AG.

Barber Halves:

1893-S – $60
1914 – $40
1915 – $40

Walking Liberty Halves:

1916-P/D/S – $30
1921 – $80
1921-D – $150

1921-S – $30
1938-D – $50

Franklin Halves:

Most early dates have “Bugs Bunny” varieties to look for which carry collectible premiums.

Kennedy Halves:

All 1964s are 90% silver. 1965 -1970 are 40% silver. DO NOT TAKE THEM TO THE BANK! Business strike 1971 to present are generally face value.

1964-D Repunched Mintmark – $15
1967 Quadrupled Obverse Die (Look at the base of T in LIBERTY. – $15
1972 Missing Reverse Designers initials – $5
1982 Missing Reverse Designers Initials -$5

Silver Dollars:

Trade dollars and all Seated and Bust silver dollars predating 1878 have collectible premiums well above their intrinsic metal values. There are a lot of counterfeits out there. The Trade dollars should weigh approximately 27.1 grams while the older seated dollars should be 26.8 grams. Any coin off by more than o,3 grams is likely a counterfeit.

Morgan Dollars:

ALL CARSON CITY Mint Morgans carry appreciable collectible premiums. Morgan Dollars are the most studied series of U.S. Coins. There are numerous varieties in pretty much every date and from every mint that carry collectible premiums. Additionally, there are several other normal Morgan Dollars with hefty premiums such as:

1893-S – $2000
1894 – $600

1895 Proof – $25,000
1903-O – $200