The US Coin Collector

Coin Loupes and magnifiers come is a variety of magnifications from 2x to - 30x, and lens diameters from 8mm to 19.8mm, then you have the different types lighted, folded, free-standing, triple lenses, etc.  So, when searching to buy a magnifier or loupe, it becomes immediately apparent that the choices can confuse the uniformed buyer. However, the correct choice is relatively simpler than you might think, and below are a few tips on selecting the correct loupe

Power Of Magnification: The power of magnification refers to the capacity in the lens to increase the image size. In example, a 10x loupe will magnify a coin 10 times it’s normal size at 1 inch above the coin. A 10x loupe is the choice for dealers, grading companies and jewelers.

Field Of View: The field of view is the amount of area you can see of the magnified coin, and this is determined by two things-the strength of the magnification and size of coin. The stronger the magnification the smaller the field of view, and it depends on the size of the coin your viewing (Obvious that you can see more of a small cent then you can a silver dollar).

Lens diameter is smaller the higher the magnification. A 10x loupe will have a lens diameter of 15.8mm, but some can be as large as 19.8mm. I recommend the largest diameter lens for silver dollar collectors, but it’s not too important considering a collector will be examining a little of each coin at a time anyway.

Lens Quality: Lens quality is how well a lens is made, and this might sound too simple and irrelevant to mention, but far from it. I won’t beat around the bush here. A Hastings Triplet or Jeweler’s loupe are the best loupes a coin collector can buy, it’s what the experts use, jewelers use and is recommended by all experts and knowledgeable coin collectors.

Why? Because most loupes being sold don’t have a well crafted lens and they will distort the details of a coin or any other object with small details. Most magnifiers and loupes for sale at department stores, flea markets, coin dealers and at ebay are not triplet loupes unless the description says it is. If you buy both, you will see the difference.

Conclusion:

Now that we have highlighted the most important aspects of choosing a magnifier or loupe, let’s go over some details. A 10x loupe is an all around perfect choice, and most coin experts agree-if an error or detail can’t be seen with a 10x loupe then it’s not worth much attention.

Find a well crafted lens like a Hastings Triplet Loupe or Jewelers loupe so the magnification is clear and crisp. The lens should be glass because plastic is an inferior material for lens crafting. You will pay more for a jewelers loupe but it’s worth the investment.

Find Jeweler’s Loupes At Ebay

The US Mint begin minting the Roosevelt Dime design in 1946 in honor of the only four term US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, replacing the popular Liberty Head or commonly called ‘Mercury Dime’ that was minted from 1916-1945. And even though Franklin D. Roosevelt was a one of the most respected and honored US Presidents, the dime commemorating his Presidency and accomplishments, has become a less popular coin since the US Mint began producing the dime.

It’s understandable when you consider the design is not exciting and boast mintages in the millions and sometimes billions, and barely captures the life, accomplishments and allure of Franklin Roosevelt himself. Being nothing more than a side-profile portrait on the obverse and a torch flanked by olive and oak branches on the reverse. It seems the Roosevelt Dimes from 1946-1964 are destined for the junk silver designation of lots and rolls, and the clad of 1965-2008 as nothing more than a way to make change in every day transactions.

However, such is not always the case because Roosevelt Dimes do have a chance of becoming valuable and some already are. A select few Roosevelt Dime dates have low mintages and have a chance of gaining a premium in the coming years, and this should not be a surprise to experienced collectors.

In example, a 1998-P ‘raw’ Roosevelt Dime, multiple strike, bonding two coins, mint error, sold recently for $1,700 by Superior Galleries at ebay, and many high grade (MS68), Full Torch examples trade for premiums in the the hundreds of dollars. Also, don’t forget the values for Cameo and Deep Cameo silver proofs and Special Mint Set (SMS) examples, graded so by the top tier companies like PCGS, that trade for hundreds to even thousands of dollars! Read more

Most coin collectors don’t think of terms like “rare” or “valuable” when US Proof and Mint Sets are mentioned, and this wouldn’t be uneducated line-of-thought when you consider that most proof and mint sets dates trade anywhere from less than $10 to under $50 each. However, the most educated collectors know a little better on the subject, and know that valuable and rare coins can be found in mint sets.

The first US Proof Set was issued in 1936 and it’s value has soured to over $6,500 with the 1937 set not far behind in premium. All proof sets from 1955 and back trade for $200 and up, but this is not just exclusive to proof sets, because early mint sets like the 1947 double set can sale for premiums in excess of $1,100. And any US Mint Sets from 1958 and earlier trade for $130 and up, depending on their year.

Of course, these mint sets are rare and often difficult to find, there’s other, more modern, proof sets that bring a premium for other reasons. For example, the 1970-S, Level 7, Small Date Cent can trade for $100 and up and the 1979-S with a Clear S mint mark can trade for similar values, but this is only a sample of the valuable mint and proof sets that can still be “discovered” in common collections.

Not only that, but deep cameo high grade examples often bring premiums in the thousands of dollars, and many collectors search out unopened sets just for this reason. Many valuable Proof, Deep Cameo, Franklin Halve Dollars have been discovered in early proof sets not to mention other denominations.

Also, there’s many proof sets that might contain errors, varieties, or other rarities, and no one on knows just how many might still be undiscovered, in collections all over the US. Who knows, there might be a yet undiscovered rarity in a proof set just waiting for a someone to discover it. But for now, below is list that can help you find the rarities that have been found.

Note: Silver proof sets are in red boxes and clad proof sets and mint sets are found in blue boxes from 1999 to the present.

US Proof Sets
1936 $6,500
1937 $3,700
1938 $1,800
1939 $1,700
1940 $1,400
1941 $1,400
1942 $1,200
1950 $ 650
1951 $ 600
1952 $ 325
1953 $ 300
1954 $ 175
1955 $ 175
1970-S Level 7, small date cent $100
1979-S Clear S $115
1981-S Clear S $300
1983-S Prestige Set $110
1990-S No S Cent $6,500
1992-S Prestige Set $120
1995-S Prestige Set $250
1995-S Silver $100
1995-S Silver Premium $100
1996-S Prestige Set $500
1997-S Prestige Set $225
1997-S Silver $100
1997-S Silver Premium $100
1999-S Silver $275
2001-S $125
2001-S Silver $140

Mint Sets
1947 Double Set $1,100
1948 Double Set $575
1949 Double Set $750
1951 Double Set $750
1952 Double Set $700
1953 Double Set $450
1954 Double Set $225
1955 Double Set $140
1956 Double Set $130
1957 Double Set $225
1958 Double Set $130
2004 $60+

Here is a unique website that specializes in PCGS Registry Coins for the PCGS slabbed coin collector. If you are a PCGS Registry Set owner or ever thought of starting one then this is the website that will help you find Registry Quality coins. By the way, it’s a totally free service offered by Registry Collector.

“Registry Collector is a FREE service that enables PCGS Set RegistrySM coin collectors to automatically find the coins on eBay® they need to complete their registry collections. Registry Collector automatically finds just the coins you need for your collection without time consuming searches. Our service not only reduces time but enables collectors to easily review and compare only the auctions that are relevant to the set registry collection needed.”

To check out their service click here Registry Collector

The US Mint reports that 140,000,000 collect the State Quarter series in America, and many of these collectors often wonder if they are worth anything or how much they will be worth in the future. It’s a legitimate line of thought considering the millions upon millions of State Quarters the mint churns out every year. However, there are some ways to consider that could help State Quarter collectors get a return on their investment.

Below I highlight 3 different ways to collect the highly sought after quarters, so the chance for a return on your investment should be greater than just putting a few back out of your pocket change.

1. Buy rolls for face value from your local bank, put them away, and don’t ever touch them again until you ready to sale them. You will get these rolls for face value, and they will be unsearched, and unsearched rolls sale for more of a premium than searched rolls. Just check ebay for unsearched State Quarters rolls to see what I mean.
It’s a win-win situation for the collector because you can always get your money back without a loss, when needed, or wait a few years and make a little return for your “savings”. I just think of this as a savings that I can always tap into at a moment’s notice, or continue to add to it, and make more interest than banks allow me to earn if I just made regular deposits from my pay check.

2. Buy State Quarter Silver Proof Sets (red box) from the mint because these coins are silver, and have a substantially lower mintage than the business strikes quarters mentioned above. It’s usually a good idea to collect silver coins and/or the lowest mintage strikes of any series as they almost always allow for a break- even mark, and a good chance of a future return.
If a collector would have bought as many 1999 Silver Proof Sets they could afford, from the mint in 1999, look at the return they would be realizing today considering these proof sets now sale for $350 and up!

3. Read and learn as much about grading State Quarters, and modern coin grading in general, then buy rolls and bags of State Quarters from the mint and/or at your local bank, search these rolls for coins with the least amount of contact marks, and carefully handle them as you put them away in a safe place.
When you are confident that you grading skills have improved enough, then send a few of the coins off to a top tier grading company like PCGS or NGC and see how well you did.
You might first discover your skills lacking, but after a few submissions you will get the hang of the little coin grading nuances, and begin to amass a collection of high grade State Quarters that are valuable and much easier to sale for a premium.
It might prove to be a bit daunting and costly method at first, but before you ride this off as a “too tedious and expensive of a task”, consider this fact: PCGS reports values, for some State Quarters graded MS and Proof in the top two grades of 69 and 70, anywhere from hundreds of dollars and up into the thousands of dollars. It all depends on the population of each grade.
Many State Quarters dates and states have never been graded the perfect grade of 70, and the value of finding one would net the finder many thousands of dollars on a huge auction platform like Heritage Auctions.
*This method is the most difficult to master and can get expensive if you don’t learn grading, but many experienced collectors do make money using this method.

In conclusion, although no method of collecting can guarantee a return for your investment, these methods outlined above where written considering a few history lessons, and the study of coins values and why certain rolls and graded coins are most valuable.

Disclaimer: The author does not guarantee that any collector will earn any money from the methods in this article, and is not responsible for any monetary losses if your try them.

Check out our coin guides on ebay Ebay Guides

I have read several stories of people accidentally finding buried or hidden coin stashes in their house walls, cellars, and in their backyards. One story I recall from a friend is he was digging footers for a new barn where an old barn used to sit. As he dug along a corner of where the old barn use to sit, they dug up a mason jar of old silver coins.

Another story is closer to home because it involves my dad and when I was a child. He new an old man and his family, and the old man buried and hid coins in Mason jars all over his property. He made a map of each location and left it for his children when he died.

His children found almost all of the stash, but couldn’t find the jars buried in the backyard. So they called my dad (He is a local coin dealer) to bring his metal detector and try to find it. They said they where selling the house and he could keep anything he found because they new he and their old man has many dealings together.

Dad was allowed a viewing of the map, and the next day commenced detecting. He got several reads, but each time he dug, he kept hitting metal pipes. After an hour or so of futile digging he gave up. Later, a bulldozer uncovered the remaining stash as it went below the pipes to remove the old plumbing. The dover clipped the tops off of several jars filled with silver coins!

If you find this story interesting then you might find this blog post I found in interesting also. Blog

Have you ever wanted to design your own US Coin, or a coin in honor of a special occasion? Well, it’s a fact that you can, thanks to a company called coinable.com, and you don’t need to know how to draw or learn anything about coin designing either!

They provide a Power Point coin template that you can easily download, providing you have Power Point software, and you can choose the size, color (gold or silver finishes) and use your own logo or picture. Of course, they can design the coin for you or help you with a design. All you do is send them an email or call them on the phone with your details.

They have three sizes to chose from: 1 9/16″ (40mm), 1 3/4″ (44mm), 2″ (51mm), and several metal finishes to chose from: Antique Bronze, Antique Copper, Antique Silver, Shiny Silver, Matte Silver, Antique Gold, Shiny Gold, Matte Gold, Matte Nickel, Black Nickel, Rhodium, and Imitation Rhodium.

If that’s not enough already, you can chose several other features from this list:Heat changing paint, Glow in the dark paint, Glitter paint, Transparent paint, Pearlescent paint, Two-Tone Plating, Laser engraving/Edge text, Sequential numbering, Sandblasting, Cut-outs, Diamond cut edge, Twist, Flat or Weave, Reeded edge, Epoxy, Silk-screening, Photographic printing, lithography printing.

I was personally amazed at the different possibilities of coins I could have them make. I could have coins made with my children’s picture on them, my own fantasy, copper, reeded edge coin, or my own version of a US Silver Dollar, or make coins for a special occasion, or even a mood coin.

The only drawback is you must order at least 100 coins, but with an order of 300 coins the die cost drops, also different finishes and features have additional costs. But if one just wanted a simple copper coin, fantasy piece, it wouldn’t break the bank.

Also, Susan Headley, of about.com guide to coins, reports on her blog of an Austalian mint that will mint your coins on demand. Read this

Recently, Heritage Auction Galleries released an interesting top ten list for the highest valued US Coins sold by Heritage with a details grade of AG or lower. (For collectors that don’t know, a coin assigned a grade and details like “AG details”, for example, is a coin that would grade AG but it has been cleaned or has an altered surface.)

The ten highest valued US coins sold by Heritage with a details grade of AG3 or lower:

1802 H10C NCS. AG Details, sold for $25,300.
1797 50C Fair 2 PCGS, sold for $20,701.
1794 1C Starred Reverse. S-48, B-28, R.5. AG3 NGC. Good 4 EAC, sold for $20,700.
1794 1C Head of 1794 AG3 PCGS, sold for $19,550.
1796 1/2 C With Pole AG3 PCGS, sold for $16,675.
1849 $5 Oregon Exchange Co. Five Dollar Fair 2 PCGS, sold for $14,950.
1796 1/2 C With Pole NCS. Fair Details, sold for $12,650.
1796 10C Fair Details, NCS. JR-7, R.8, sold for $11,500.
1802 H10C AG3 Details, NCS, sold for $10,350.
1802 H10C Fair Details, Net Poor 1, sold for $10,062.

Some photographs are posted under the Fair Use doctrine of Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. ? 107 for the purpose of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.

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On September 22, the United States Mint gave collectors and the public a glimpse of the four different Lincoln cent reverse designs which will be used in 2009. Not only does 2009 hallmark the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, it also marks the 100th anniversary of America’s most popular and favorite copper coin - the Lincoln cent.

The Lincoln cent coin has circulated throughout this country for almost a century. We have all spent or received this coin in change at one time or another and that would include our parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so on. In a few months, the defining moment will come and we will all have the opportunity to handle the new, redesigned Lincoln cents.

The U.S. Mint has not only successfully redesigned America’s most popular copper coin, but it has also strategically been able to introduce and redesign the coin in significant years - 1909, 1959 and now in 2009 - signifying important milestones of the coin and Abraham Lincoln himself.

The first of the four different reverse Lincoln cent designs will be released on February 12, which happens to be Abraham Lincoln’s birth date. The remaining three designs will subsequently be released throughout 2009. All four designs will display images of significant moments in Abraham Lincoln’s life. For more information about the new redesigned Lincoln cents you can log on to the U.S. Mint website at www.USMint.gov.