Value of Old Coins.com

Value of old currency

69 — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:26:29 +0000

This post is about the value of old currency in the U.S. Believe it or not eBay is probably the best place to determine value of currency you have a question about value on. It is likely, assuming the currency you are attempting to put a number on is not extremely rare, you can find a value most recently paid at auction.

Any currency is only worth what people are willing to pay for it. Auctions are good places to establish base lines in value. Auctions are also a great place to find a recent going price for any old currency you may have. Use the search field below for a highly customized search on the value of old currency. Use keywords such as; "old dollar bill value", or "silver certificate values".

The same rules or guidelines that apply to the value of old coins will be true, in general, in determining the value of old currency or paper notes.

Unlike coins with precious metal content paper currencies have no underlying value in content. At one time paper notes were backed by precious metals but this is no longer the case (no matter what people think and say).

As mentioned above, the best place to look for currency to collect or trade is likely, auctions, dealers, and through other currency collectors. The value of old currency can be very subjective. For example some personal collectors enjoy gathering paper money from certain historical periods while others put value on the paper's art and other more graphic values such as colors and uniqueness.

See the links section and also the side banners in these posts for excellent references for helping you with the value of old currency.

Value of old pennies

69 — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:13:52 +0000

Ever wonder about the value of old pennies? Do you recall that first collection of wheat pennies you had? I am in my late 40's and I used to have pounds and pounds of wheat pennies in all minted ages and from every mint. Those pennies were worth at the time maybe twice (definitely 1 cent) and in some rare instances the value of old pennies I had individually maybe 5 or 10 times face value at most.

Old pennies are without a doubt the easiest to collect. Even if you get slightly taken on a deal rarely are you out your life's savings. The value of old pennies will change over time as well. Rare and good condition pennies will appreciate in value in a similar fashion to other coins in other denominations. If you use the custom search box bellow it should help you to find links and resources that can help you determine the value of old pennies. Type-in something specific to what you are looking for such as "1932 penny", or "steel pennies of world war 2" and see what comes up!

I recall reading this post a while back and thought it very funny. It is taken here slightly out of context but still reasonable funny"

"The amount of money you make is irrelevant to whether it is worth your time to pick up a penny. However, other factors may lead you to choose to let the penny remain there. By picking up a penny on a busy sidewalk, you risk being trampled and having to pay much higher medical bills. By picking up a penny whose previous owner you can identify, you may be stealing (at least ethically, if not legally). By picking up a penny on a first date, your date might think you’re cheap, and you’ll miss out on a second date. (Though, if he’s a keeper, he will be thrifty himself and may beat you to the penny.) You may be too tired to pick up the penny; your back may hurt; a child may appreciate finding it more than you would. Any of these circumstances could provide a legitimate reason to let a penny on the ground. “I make too much” is not a good excuse. If you had picked up the penny, you would have made more."

There are some very good resources and links to help you determine the value of old pennies in that giant jar you have under the bed, in the garage, or in that old piggy bank on the dresser. Check that old penny value before passing it up next time you see one on the street.

Buffalo nickel

69 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:38:35 +0000

The buffalo nickel is a favorite and adds much to the value of old coins in a collection. The buffalo nickel is considered to be a work of art with its high-relief images is a favorite of coin collectors of all ages. Minted and circulated in the first half of the 1900's, this coin adds distinctiveness to any portfolio and will add to the value of old coins in your collection.

The famous and well known artist James Fraser created the designs for the new coin. For the front, Fraser sketched a rugged, dignified Indian "head" based on three real Indian sitting models; Iron Tail, Two Moons and Chief John Big Tree. For the "tail" side, Fraser used a real model, namely, the American Bison Black Diamond. Both the head side and the tail side designs take up the entire coin, giving the buffalo nickel its classic look.

The nickel ran into a commercial roadblock which initially delayed it's minting. The Hobbs Company, a manufacturer of coin-operated vending machines wanted to make sure the new nickel worked with its existing machines.

Buffalo nickels wear well physically due to the high relief of the artwork. parts of the coin that take the most wear are the mint marks or the letter designations that indicate where the buffalo nickel was minted. Otherwise, it is still relatively easy to find nickles in Very Good and Good condition in everyday pocket change. Go find that prized buffalo nickel and add it to the value of old coins in your collection.

Coin grading

69 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:36:44 +0000

Coin grading. Likely the most important thing to get straight if you are collecting coins for the value or trying to determine the value of old coins in trades, barter, or cash. Highest grading as in the table below is reserved for museums and institutions. The value of old coins in this category are of course the highest but that is not to state that any coins in this grading are the rarest. The coin grading has little and nothing frankly to do with the coins rarity; this is an important point, consider it’s meaning carefully.

We recommend you have any coins that you think may have a particularly high value be appraised. There are many very good books on the subject and you can find the best of these coin grading books and links to on this page.

Do not be concerned if the bulk (or your entire coin collection or portfolio) is made up of coins in the lowest grading category. Keep in mind coins in the highest grades are extremely expensive, you cannot handle them much or even expose them to the air we breathe, and not very tangible; what fun is a coin that you cannot touch? These upper grades represent the top value of old coins and offers descriptions.

Highest Grading

Gem Uncirculated MS-69
Gem Uncirculated MS-68
Gem Uncirculated MS-67
Gem Uncirculated MS-66

Popular Collector & Investor Grading

Choice Uncirculated MS-65
Choice Uncirculated MS-64
Uncirculated MS-63
Uncirculated MS-62
Uncirculated MS-61
Uncirculated MS-60

Choice About Uncirculated AU-58
About Uncirculated AU-55
About Uncirculated AU-50
Extra Fine/About Uncirculated XF-45
Extra Fine XF-40

Lowest Grading Primarily for Coin Hobbyist

Choice Very Fine VF-30
Very Fine VF-20
Fine F-12

Very Good VG-8
Good G-4
Barely Recognizable

Morgan silver dollar

69 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:34:46 +0000

The Morgan silver dollar (aka the 'Buzzard Dollar" or " Liberty Head" dollar) is a very popular coin among collectors. The Morgan Silver dollar has a wonderful history and is a personal favorite. They were minted from 1878 to 1904 and then again (and for only one year) in 1921. The Morgan Silver dollars have a silver content which roughly comes to 0.84 ounces of silver per coin.

To find great resources on the Morgan silver dollar use the search field below. We have customized the search already. Use keywords such as; "Morgan dollars", or "Morgan silver dollars".

George T. Morgan used Anna Williams as the model who sat for her portrait to be taken, and she became famous as 'Miss Liberty'. On one side of Lady Liberty's neck, Morgan's monogram can be seen. etched into the coin On the tail side of the coin is the likeness of an eagle which is holding olive branches and arrows in its feet. Olive branches are a symbol of peace, arrows a symbol of war, and both symbols combined depict a new age (at the time). The term buzzard dollar was put to the coin becuase many people thought the eagle looked more like a vulture. There was much controversy about this when the coin was first released.

When the coins were first minted only about 1/2 million of them were released to the public. The balance of all the minted coins were held in the U.S. Treasury and not immediately released. During the silver shortage of 1904 about 200 million of the coins were melted to make silver bars. This practice lifted the rarity of the Morgan silver dollar. The coin was very popular and was used around the world not just in the U.S.

Value of Morgan dollars centers around the mint locations as well as the quality of the coin itself. No mint mark means the coin was minted in Philadelphia otherwise a "D" or an "O". Coins minted in Nevada are the scarcest. 12,000 dollars were said to be minted but only 800 coins were recorded as being actually minted. What do you think happend to the rest? Were only 800 actually minted? The Morgan silver dollar.

Silver dollar coin value

69 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:32:15 +0000

History is rich with information on silver dollar coin value. I recently came across a link that is very interesting for time line value:

LINK

I hope the link still works and I will check on this post frequently to make sure it does. The precious metal content and percentage of precious metal to total metal in the coin typically baselines silver dollar coin value typical in determining value of old coins. Follow the history trail and read some of the links on the time line. Some of the information is truly amazing.

Coins with the highest percentage returns over time are rarities held in high regard by generations of coin enthusiasts and coin collectors, and have transcended precious metal booms, market shakeouts, and collecting fads. Proven steadfast demand is the cause of these consistently good returns, and is the best indicator of a glossy future.

In addition to Peace silver dollars for example, Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters, Walking Liberty half dollars, and Morgan silver dollars all show positive trends in silver dollar coin value over time ahead of inflation for example.

Rare coin values

69 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:29:43 +0000

What is the best way to determine rare coin values? Where do rare coins fit in when trying to determine the value of old coins? The best way is to have them appraised by a professional coin dealer or a professional grading service. There are many resources in the links section of this website and you can use the custom search below which has been preloaded with appraisers and those resources that can best assist. Many coin dealers, will usually review and offer appraisal on your coins for no fee if you want to sell them. Professionals typically charge a fee for grading your coins, but it may be well worth it depending upon what your coin is worth. How do you know if you are getting an honest appraisal (especially when there is no fee)? The way to answer this is by getting multiple free evaluations or simply paying a professional his or her price for the evaluation.

Use the custom search field below to help you find the best resources in valuating your rare coins. Use keywords for your coin or currency followed by "value", "values", "prices", or "appraisals". For example; walking peace dollar values.

For a new coin and being general in this remark, the coin's condition will be the most important factor. In older coins the date or age of the coin is the most important factor, and the coin grade is less important. Major factors in determining rare coin values are:

The coin's condition. What shape is it in?
How many were minted? How many are accounted for?
How old is the coin? What date was it minted?
Do coin collectors or investors have demand for the coin?
Emotion. Is this an important coin for reason not easily explained by facts?

Scams. There are plenty of them out there so be very careful. Do your research. If you take your coin to someone insist that they do the inspection in your eye view; do not allow them to take your coin out of your site under any circumstances.

Coin price guide

69 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:22:27 +0000

Look here in the links and side bars for a good coin price guide. A good guide is key to those wanting to learn relative values amongst currencies as well as speciifc values in coin types, dates, and precious metal contents. Every collector should have a well written guide by a respectable author/collector or curator of a collecting institution.

There are guides covering all types of collecting. If you specialize or tend to have a favorite collectible type (Morgan Silver Dollars for example) then look for a specialist coin price guide covering the type of coins you collect most like silver dollars, dimes, etc. Use the search field below for a highly customized and powerful search to help you locate the best pricing guide for your needs.

Use a keyword that describes the item you are looking to get price guidance on. For example; "Morgan dollar price guide", or "Buffalo nickel pricing guide".

Sometimes you can find a really good coin price guide that is old, full of information, but out of date. These guides can be very useful for doing research and for learning about collecting and valuations but will have little value helping you determine current values of you r items.

Here is a link to some great coin price guide selections from a trusted source:

Silver coin values

69 — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:18:51 +0000

Pre 1964 U.S. silver coins contain about 90% silver. Silver coins that have little or no collector value are often referred to as "junk silver" meaning they are good for metal content only. If you are going to deal in silver this way then you may as well stick to stock shares in silver companies or trade the actual precious metal as a commodity or via solid silver bars.

We mention this beacause we do not consider silver coin values as bulk metal here. As collectors what is important to us is the artwork, the history, and the trade-ability of the coins themselves. There is nothing fun about trading coins for bulk.

If you intend to buy a rare silver coin the chances are you will almost certainly improve the value of your coin simply by holding on to it and reselling it at a later date. Rarity is probbaly the most important pressure on silver coin values. Silver coins in collections rarely change in condition; get my point? Silver content is not a factor in most of these collectable silver coins.