Like many dealers, we often get inquiries about what old coins are worth. The inquiries are most often about Indian Cents; Lincoln Wheat Cents; Liberty Nickels; Buffalo Nickels; Wartime Steel Cents and Jefferson Nickels; Barber Dimes, Quarters and Half Dollars; Mercury Dimes; Standing Liberty Quarters; Walking Liberty Half Dollars; Franklin Half Dollars; Silver Roosevelt Dimes, Washington Quarters and Kennedy Half Dollars; Morgan Dollars; Peace Dollars and Ike Dollars.  To help answer some basic questions about values of old coins, we have put together this guide.

Opening Cautionary Remarks: People who come across old coins in circulation, attics, storage, family collections, etc. often initially think they have discovered coins of significant value.  While this does occasionally happen, it is rare.  The more frequent result is that the coins are relative low value to to being common dates and/or in poor condition.  While there are some dates ("key dates" and "semi-key dates") that are worth significant amounts in any condition, most dates--even very old ones--found in this manner are typically common dates with high values only if in very high grade (e.g., uncirculated condition).  The rough prices given below are for grades typically seen in such discoveries, collections and accumulations.  While this fits most such coins, the only way to know for sure is to have a professional evaluation.  The prices listed are approximate wholesale prices (what you could expect if you sold the coins to a dealer) for the grades noted.  We have included pictures of high grade pieces to help you identify which type of coins you have.


Indian Cents (minted 1859-1909)--Dates from 1887-1908 are considered common and worth 25c to 50c for coins in About Good condition; 75c to $1 for Good condition and $1 or so for those in Very Good condition.  1879-1886, 1894 and 1909 are slightly better dates with marginally higher values than listed for the common dates.  Key dates to watch for are the 1877 ($550+ in Good) and 1909-S ($300+ in Good).  Semi-key dates (worth $40+ in Good) are 1869, 1869/9, 1871, 1872, and 1908-S.  The S-mintmark on the 1908 and 1909 Indian Cents is on the reverse at 6:00 o'clock between the wreath and the rim.


Lincoln Wheat Cents (minted 1909-1958)--Dates from 1935 to 1958 are considered common.  In circulated (used) condition, the 1940-1958 dates are 2c to 3c each.  The one exception from the 1940s is the 1943 steel cents.  If not rusty, these are worth at 10c to 15c each in circulated condition.  For the 1935 to 1939 dates, the values range from 3c to 10c each depending on date.   In addition, a number of early dates are very common and valued at less than 10c each in Good condition: 1910, 1911, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1919-S, 1920, 1924-1929 unless with a D or S mintmark, and 1930 plain, D and S.  Key dates (with approximate values for coins in Good condition) to watch for are:  1909-S VDB ($500), 1909-S ($40), 1914-D ($100), 1922 plain ($325), and 1931-S ($40).  Other better Semi-key dates worth $5 to $10 each in Good condition are: 1909 VDB, 1910-S, 1911-S, 1912-S, 1914-S, 1915-S, 1922-D and 1924-D.  The balance of the dates are mostly valued at $2 or less in Good condition.  The D and S mintmarks, if present, can be found just below the date.  The VDB on the dates listed above from 1909 is found on the reverse at 6:00 just above the rim.


Liberty Nickels (minted 1883-1912)--Coins dated 1898 through 1912 are common and worth 75c to $1 in Good condition.  Key dates (with values in Good condition) are the 1885 ($350), 1886 ($140) and 1912-S ($75).  Other better dates with values in the $8 to $15 range include 1883 with cents, 1884, 1887, 1888, and 1894.  The remaining dates are valued at $5 or less in Good condition.  Mintmarks were only used in 1912.  If present they can be found on the reverse.  Find the dot between UNITED and CENTS and the mintmark will be between the dot and rim (if present).


Buffalo Nickels (minted 1913-1938)--Common date coins are valued around 40c each and include all coins 1926 through 1937 except for the 1926-D, 1926-S, 1931-S and the 1937-D 3-leg.  Key dates (with values in Good condition) are 1913-S Type 2 ($200) and the 1937-D 3-leg ($325).  There are also two valuable over dates to watch for: 1916/16 and 1918/7-D.  In both cases, two dates can be easily seen with magnification, one date on top of and slightly separated from the other.  Semi-key dates include the 1913-D Type 2 ($60), 1913-S Type 1 ($20), 1914-D ($45), 1914-S ($14), 1915-S ($20) and 1921-S ($35).  The rest of the dates are valued at $1 to $10 in Good condition.  D and S mintmarks, when present, can be found on the reverse below FIVE CENTS. 



Work in Progress.  Other categories coming soon:

Jefferson Nickels (minted 1938-now)--

Barber Dimes (minted 1892-1916)--

Mercury Dimes (minted 1916-1945)--

Roosevelt Dimes (minted 1946-now)--

Barber Quarters (minted 1892-1916)--

Standing Liberty Quarters (minted 1916-1930)--

Washington Quarters (minted 1932-1998)--

State Quarters (minted 1999-now)--

Barber Half Dollars (minted 1892-1915)--

Walking Liberty Half Dollars (minted 1916-1947)--

Franklin Half Dollars (minted 1948-1963)--

Kennedy Half Dollars (minted 1964-now)--

Morgan Dollars (minted 1878-1921)--

Peace Dollars (minted 1921-1935)--

Eisenhower Dollars (minted 1971-1978)--

Susan B. Anthony Dollars (minted 1979-1999)--

Sacagawea Dollars (minted 2000-now)--