How much is my coin worth?

A coin is valued by demand, condition and mintage in that order.

If there is a high demand for the coin the value will rise until the demand for the coin is satisfied. The state quarter series is an example of pure demand driving up the prices of the coins. The shear magnitude of the numbers of state quarters being produced does not support the prices some of the quarter series may be selling for and eventually the prices will drop. As of 9/1/07 the prices of State quarters has dropped, including PCGS graded coins which can be found for under $10.00.

The condition of a coin is always important in determining the value of the coin. The higher the grade the more valuable a coin can be. Some coins like the Standing Liberty Quarter gain significantly in value from the lowest grades to the highest grades. A grade of MS66 could command a value in the thousands of dollars, while a grade of good will fetch a few dollars.

The amount minted will play a large roll in a coins value provided the coin series is popular. A 1916-D Mercury dime with a low mintage of 264,000 can be valued over $2,000, but a Large Cent dated 1857 with a mintage of 333,000 is valued at only $65 in extra fine condition.

The age of a coin has nothing at all to do with the value of a coin. Some of the oldest US Coins are available for the collector under $50 in the best grades, while newer dated coins can command much higher prices.

Basically, a coin value is determined by the demand for the coin and the numbers of the coin that exist in the premium conditions.

There are many books and magazines that you can purchase that purport to give you a coins value. No one coin guide ever seems to zero in on the exact prices for coins except the one that dealers use to trade with.

The popular blue book has coin values that are generally far below the true value of your coins. This book has out lived its usefulness with the advent of ebay and premium on-line auction houses. No coin should be sold for the prices shown in this guide.
Why? Because the blue book is used by many coin dealers to buy coins from the general public and those that choose to sell at these prices are missing out on obtaining a far greater value on eBay or at other auction sites.

The red book is  a book that is designed for the coin dealer to sell coins to the general public. These prices are generally much higher than your coin is worth. Like a car dealer's price, once the coin leaves the lot in dealers show case the value of the coin usually drops significantly. Yes, there are always those few coins that may sky rocket in value, perhaps enough to cover the original cost. These coins are few and far between and generally they are the ones that the average collector can not afford.

Coin magazines are no different in skewing the value of the coins they price and for the most part, none of them agree in pricing.

So where do you get a realistic price? You can subscribe to the gray sheet and pay $200 per year or you can simply purchase the white book. The white book was written by S. Whitman and it contains coin values that are guaranteed (or we will buy the coins) to be the price that you can obtain on ebay or any other auction site. This book has been compiled from national auctions, coin dealer trading

We will offer you free coin values for your coins. Simply write: USCOINBOOK@aol.com to ask any question about coins.

TV Advertisements

The most disappointing sales are from Television advertisements. Coins not produced by the US Mint are not of coin collecting value. Some of these people claim that they were authorized by the US Mint to produce a coin as a gimmick to get you to buy. Coins sold on TV will never increase in value because no collector is going to buy them in the future.
I especially like the gold and silver investment ads on TV. Prices have never been higher and in the last year prices have not increased enough to make a purchase from a TV seller worth any investment you make.

Question and Answers

Question: How much is a 1941 Lincoln cent worth?

SMCcoins: A 1941 Lincoln cent circulated condition is valued at the copper market price. Today a wheat cent is valued at $.015 each. Unless you have rolls of wheat cents, coin dealers will not purchase common dates.

Question: I have some proof sets and I wonder if it is worth sending the coins to PCGS.

SMCcoins: Unless your proof sets are dated before 1960, you should keep them in their original state. Generally, nothing is gained by the expense of sending coins to PCGS. Coins graded "PR" for PROOF are not always sought by collectors for a premium.