U.S. Coin HELP! Blog

Archive for the ‘United States Coin Help’ Category

Compare and learn Draped Bust and Flowing Hair U.S. Coinage grades with our full color pictures for each grade. We add new grading charts each week and will eventually have all coin type respresented. To check them out CLICK HERE

Our Peace Dollar photo-grading chart is a useful tool to help coin collectors compare the grade or get an idea on how to grade Peace Dollars.

CoinHELP! also offers photo-grading and grade comparison charts for Morgan Dollars, Buffalo Nickels, Walking Halves, Lincoln Cents, Barber Coinage and Seated Coinage.

Here’s the link to view these charts Photo-Grade Comparison Charts, more photo charts will be added weekly so bookmark this home page for easy access.

We recently revamped our Morgan Dollar Grading Guide, and added Barber Type to our ever growing list. CoinHELP! visitors will see many new additions to our photo grade and grade comparison charts in the next couple weeks. Visit Morgan Dollar Grading Page

U.S. Post Colonial Issues are among the most diverse and misunderstood period of American Colonial Coinage. Many designs where copied, with little variation, and used by different states. It’s a period that spans from 1785-1791, and in this short period, many different coinages where minted and used by the States.

It was an attempt, buy the newly formed U.S. and The State’s Government, to provide a viable currency for the citizens. It eventually ended as 1792 saw the construction of the Philadelphia Mint Facility, and the Federal Government’s Proposed Coinages of 1792. And by 1793, Mint production began and was the catalyst that put an eventual end to the Post-Colonial Era.

However, this Era provides the coin collector a cornucopia of selections to collect, from the odd, to the popular, and some that are too rare for even the deepest pockets. So check out our Post-Colonial Pages to identify, and learn about these magnificent coins.

If you need to know how many gold coins of each date where minted or how much they are worth, then look no further. We just finished are gold coin picture guides, to help collectors learn what they have and how much it’s worth. U.S. Gold Coin Guides

While you’re at it, check out our other coin pages offering a wealth of important and much needed information. Plus, it’s all FREE and always will be! U.S. Coin Pages

Here are some exampltes of  the Lincoln Cent design reverse for 2010.

“In its meeting of 16 April, the Commission of Fine Arts reviewed reviewed the proposed reverse design for the Abraham Lincoln one-cent coin to commence in 2010. The Commission members recommended alternative #18 depicting the sheaf of wheat; they requested that the phrase “One Nation” be omitted for clarity and the one-cent denomination be spelled out, such as by using the text format of alternative #3. They also commented that the depiction of the eagle in alternative #17 is exceptionally well rendered and could serve as a model for a future coin submission, preferably for one with a larger scale.”

I’m not sure how Congress will react to this choice, but it would be bice to hear what you think about this desicion.

As we all are familiar by now, counterfeiting has become a major problem in the world of Numismatics. Another problem is alterations of a genuine coin to make it appear to be a rare or valuable date, which can be complicated, but, well worth the extra work, because of how much more a collector is willing to pay for these minor types.

The varieties, although popular, have not been widely altered, nor counterfeited, with the exception of major varieties such as the 1922 “No D’ cent, the 1955 double die cent, and the 1972 double die cent. It is generally considered a safe series to collect, and, often not meriting authentication, as verification of the variety and the grade assigned professionally is seen as more important by many.

That being said, they do indeed exist. I found this on eBay.  The sellers claims it’s the ultra-rare inverted mint mark variety, but, if you look at the filed surrounding the “Mint mark”, you’ll see that it is a rather crude alteration attempt. The mint mark is not like that used in 1928. It is a circa 1964 quarter dollar mint mark that was added to the coin. Also, notice the triangular field around the coin, which automatically condemns this coin as an altered mint mark. It just goes to show that these scam artists are more complex than ever before, and, always looking for new ways to scam the trusting public. It is proof that we can not just assume that a coin that is a variety are authentic anymore. We must now have our variety coins authenticated, as, it not only ensures value, and grade, but, authenticity. I am lucky enough to own a genuine example of this rare variety, and, I can gleefully confirm that the mint marks are not even similar to what they should be for a 1928-S quarter dollar.

That is a good opportunity to bring up an excellent manner of authentication for all coins. Always have an unquestionably genuine coin on hand of that year (Or a photograph of one), and compare it to the suspect coin. It is foolproof.  We must be on our guard now, and this is the purpose of this article. Take this information. May it serve you well.

The photograph below is of the altered coin. Notice the discrepancies noted above.

Please feel free to copy this information in full or part for any purposes, but, please give credit to COINAUCTIONSHELP, DANIEL MALONE, and ISAIAH BARRETT.