5 Rare and Valuable US Coins

Have fun going through your old jars of coins.  You never know what you might find hidden in your collection.  This is taken from an article on www.blifaloo.com   

5 Rare and Valuable US Coins 

1943 Copper Penny

Coin: 1943 Copper Penny
Estimated Value: $10,000 - $100,000+

Background: Most circulating pennies at that time were struck in zinc-coated steel because copper and nickel were needed for the the war.

About 40 1943 copper cents are estimated to remain in existence, and only about a dozen confirmed to exist.

They were most likely made by accident when copper blanks remained in the press as production began on the new steel pennies.
In 2008, Steve Contursi sold a 1943-S authenticated copper wheat penny for more than $100,000 to a private collector. Contursi had bought the coin only a week earlier for about $72,000. 
How to spot it: The easiest way to determine if your 1943 cent is copper (and valuable) is to test it with a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is a steel penny, and not valuable (but still pretty nifty).
If it does not stick, then you might have hit the jackpot...have a expert authenticate your coin, but be prepared for disappointment: there are probably many counterfeits of this coin. More info about 1943 Pennies on Wikipedia

1982 "No P" Dime
Coin: 1982 "No P" Dime
Estimated Value: $100+ (just saw one on ebay for $3000)

Background: Before 1980, dimes minted in Philadelphia didn't have a mint mark. Starting that year, a small letter "P" was placed on Philly dimes above the date.

In 1982 an error occurred when the mint mark was omitted from a small number of dimes, leaving them p-less.

How to spot it: 1982 dime, with no "p" above the date. Of course, this could be easy to fake -- an expert would need to authenticate the coin.

1955 Double Die Penny

Coin: 1955 Double Die Penny
Estimated Value: $300 - $25,000+

Background: Double dies are caused when from a misalignment during the production of a coin.

About 24,000 1955 double die cents were put into circulation.

In uncirculated condition, the 1955 Double Die wheat penny is worth over $25,000. Even circulated versions of the 1955 Double Die are worth $300-$1000+ depending on condition.
How to spot it: The doubling of the letters and numbers on this coin is pretty easy to see. Rare, but not too rare... these pop-up at auction every once and a while.

2001-P Double Struck New York Quarter

Coin: 2001-P Double Struck New York Quarter
Estimated Value: $400 - $3000

Background: The coin is sadistic and is not satisfied being struck once. A production goof keeps the coin in the chamber for extra striking making a very odd looking coin.

How to spot it: Off center image doubling of Washington and the Statue of Liberty.

1965 Silver Dime

Coin: 1965 Silver Dime
Estimated Value: $9000+

Background: The official production of silver dimes were discontinued in 1964.

Beginning in 1965 dimes were made out of copper and nickel. A silver 1965 dime is a mistake (and a rare one).

Only a few have been found, but more are believed to still be in circulation.
How to spot it: The silver coin has a silver edge; the common copper/nickel coin has a strip of brown around the edge.
A silver dime weighs 2.50 grams, while a copper/nickel dime weighs 2.27 grams
 

http://www.bjstampsandcoins.com/

Grading Indian Cents (1859-1909)

Here is another article about coin grading.  We often get questions in the store about the value of Indian pennies.

(This article is taken from the NGC's website.)

The Indian Head cent was an American icon for generations, in rare instances circulating as late as the 1950s. After several decades of relative inactivity, these coins have enjoyed renewed popularity in the past dozen years or so. With greater demand for Indian Head cents has come higher values and greater concern about grading.

In circulated grades, this issue is not so complex, as the descriptions and photographs in The Official American Numismatic Association Grading Standards for United States Coins are clear enough that anyone somewhat familiar with coins can easily interpret them.

The biggest issue is how to deal with coins that have been cleaned or damaged. NGC does not certify coins that bear obvious signs of cleaning, whether chemical or abrasive in nature. Damaged and altered coins likewise are rejected for encapsulation. Still, such coins do exist and will continue to be traded. For such pieces an alternative exists in the form of NCS certification. NGC's companion company will provided either details-only grading, with a notation of the problem condition, or simple authentication at the submitter's discretion.

The values for Indian Head cents are such that many collectors can complete all or most of the set in uncirculated condition. Browsing through certified population figures, it seems that most dates are readily available in the lower mint-state grades. Some factors, however, tend to keep down the population of high-grade pieces, particularly for dates before about 1897. Early Indian Head cents, struck in an alloy of .880 copper and .120 nickel, were heavy and clumsy in their proportions, and their contact with one another often produced dire consequences. Nicks and abrasions are not as big an issue for the later Indian Head cents struck in bronze, since their light weight limited the amount of damage inflicted.

As made, most coins of this type had attractive luster, though some may have lost theirs through prolonged exposure to harsh environments or because of inexpert cleaning. Quality of strike also comes into play for early dates, such as the copper-nickel issues of 1859-64, as well as some later bronze issues after about 1890. This is factored into the grading of these coins, and some allowance is made for dates that typically are a bit softly struck.

Another element in the grading of bronze cents is the amount of mint red color a coin has retained (copper-nickel cents are not distinguished by color, though this can factor into their overall grade). NGC adds to the grade of every copper or bronze coin the suffix BN for "Brown," RB for "Red and Brown," and RD for "Red."

The meaning of these terms is largely self-explanatory, but how and when they're applied is worthy of some comment. BN designates a coin that shows little or no mint red or has a non-red color such as the charming green or blue tones sometimes seen. To be designated RD, a coin must show nearly all of its original color, though this may be mellowed a bit. Those cents which fall between these extremes are labeled RB. While the percentages are subjective to some degree, in actual practice this labeling has proved remarkably consistent.

There's clearly a lot to think about when considering the grade of an Indian Head cent. With the popularity of these coins showing no sign of diminishing, accurate grading will remain a key factor in determining their value and appeal.

http://www.usacoinbuyers.com/

http://www.bjstampsandcoins.com/