Every day we are asked which coins to look out for and my answers is usually the same: “You want to look out for certain date ranges” and “here’s a list.”
You want to keep an eye out for:
CENTS: 1958 and earlier
Nickels: 1938 and earlier PLUS 1942-1945
DIMES and QUARTERS: 1964 and earlier
HALF DOLLARS: 1964 and earlier PLUS 1965-1970
DOLLARS: 1935 and earlier
An honorable mention must be given the Eisenhower Dollar. Minted from 1971-1978. These big dollars are very popular, but not worth a whole heck of a lot more than face value (with silver exceptions that we will discuss in a later post that will be linked once it’s written). We kept if off the main list because we typically only buy them for face value and give them out in change. If you like like Ikes, come down and we’ll sell you one for a dollar. 🙂
This is the basic list of coins to watch out for. If you have ANY of the coins listed above, we will pay you more than face value for them. To determine if they are rare, bring them in (at least until we’ve written the post about specific dates. 🙂
What about error coins? Yes, there are some error coins worth more. However…
Here is a short list of things that are not errors:
DAMAGED COINS: coins that have gashes, or dents are typically not mint errors. Even if their are errors on the coin, they become more difficult to discern when there is damage present.
WEAR on the COIN: Many times (such as in the case of the Lincoln Cent) the rim of the coin will be worn into The L of “LIBERTY.” This is typically not an error. If the date is difficult to read or is completely absent – it’s likely due to wear of the coin and not a mint error.
DRYER COINS: If you look at enough coins, eventually you’ll come across a coin where the outer rim of the coin is completely flat causing a large, even rim around the coin. This is caused by the coin rolling around in a dryer for a time. It’s an oddity, but it’s not a mint error.
BUBBLED COINS: Typically, bubbled coins are caused by heat damage which can be brought on by a clogged dryer vent. There is a version of a bubbled coin that is a mint error – so never mind – bring that on in and we can see.
We will continue to add to this list as we come across them, and we’ll add photos along the way. Of course, we are here to answer any questions you may have.
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