Thursday, August 25, 2005

I've found gold...wait, what?

Do you have a weird coin and want to find out its value? Leave a comment and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

I'm sometimes asked about a gold quarter that someone has found. Even a silver dime that is from the 1980's. They want to know is it real or fake. Well most likely both. Here's some examples

split2

splitThe two pennies are covered in a layer of gold the dime is covered in a layer of silver but the copper dime in the holder is not.

The copper dime is genuinely a copper error, what type I don't know yet because I haven't weighed it.

The 1966 and 1968 gold pennies and the 1986P silvered dime were altered outside the mint. THE MINT DOES NOT MAKE GOLD PENNIES! They do make silver dimes and quarters but they are in proof condition and can be seen from from as a brilliant above normal coin.

These coins were made legally as a "collectors" piece or "art" piece by certain coin sellers. It is the same as bronzing your babies shoes, people still do that right. They are so often made that they end up in circulation.

If it was pure gold or silver it would weigh more than a normal penny. I found these three fakes about ten or more years ago.

Value: If it is gold and silver maybe just above face but if done badly then just face. Also altered coins can be rejected by store owners. They have no ¢ or $ value for true collectors.


QVC often sells colorized, plated and hologramed coins. They are real coins that are legally altered for fun. THE U.S. MINT DOES NOT MAKE COLORIZED MONEY, NOT YET.

How to tell if the your coin is plated, easy it doesn't have sharp details, the layer maybe peeling or it is an error that just doesn't make sense and can't be found in coin books.

So gold quarters or dimes, silver pennies and pink half dollars all exist but not from any American mint. Other countries like Hong Kong have done colorized coins and There were some Sacagawea Dollars made in gold but those are exclusive coins.

Update: The copper dime weighed the same as a normal dime. This indicates it may be a sintered coin. Sintered coins are errors of various meanings that must be confirmed by experts.

Do you have a weird coin and want to find out its value? Leave a comment and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

237 dollars worth, for Comments/Questions click here.:

«Oldest   ‹Older   1 – 200 of 237   Newer›   Newest»
Anonymous said...

We have what appears to be a silver penny 1968. It has the distinct "silver" sound when dropped. It is slightly, I guess I would say, blurred or Abe Lincoln is slightly fuller than on a regular penny. Any thoughts would be great.

Man said...

By 1968 most coins were no longer silver so a silver error is not possible. The blurry Lincoln sounds like it was dipped in silver so there is no value above face.

Here a site that has some centerrors you may find more info there.
Link

Anonymous said...

I found a dime from 1968 that is gold, and very light weight but definitely metal, is this a fake?

Man said...

1968 that is gold, and very light weight

Yes it is a fake. The US Mint never made gold coins for small denominations.

This was done by an outside company. They took a regular dime and coated it with real gold. It is an art piece.
The amount of gold is so small that it is hard give a price but generally as art it is worth $2.00-$3.00 it should look nice in a ring or as a pendant.

If it were copper colored it may be an error.

Unknown said...

My family found a Dime that appears to have been mistakenly dyed or made from copper.
I have pictures of it here (compared to a regular dime):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/x1xbbx7x/Dime1.jpg

and

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/x1xbbx7x/Dime2.jpg

Maybe you can tell me a little more about it.

Man said...

Dime that appears to have been mistakenly dyed or made from copper

I doesn't look copper or brown. It looks black meaning this coin sat too long in the annealing furnace and it got burned.
It is called an "Improperly Annealed Planchet Error" or "Sintered Planchet". In half the cases it appears like a dark gray but has coin luster and all the details.

An error like this has to be certified, because it is easy to fake. Yours looks genuine and would be valued at about $50.00.

Unknown said...

Thanks for that info.

I'd like to point out that it was found in our yard. A few people are arguing that they think it has just been weathered to that color.
I think that, even if it were weathered, the effects wouldnt be able to produce such an all over monochromatic color.

Do you think it's possible that it is from weathering?

Thanks again

Man said...

It could be weathering, acid rain does this to modern coins. If it sat in a puddle.

This is why it is very hard to tell and most collectors want certification.

If it was found in the yard I'm leaning towards "Environmental Damage" which is what it may be called. Of course it has no extra value in this state.

Anonymous said...

I have a penny that is just one side of the coin. It appears to be missing the "back" side of the coin. The side that I have is hollowed out and has a fine spiral groove on the inside part. What would be the origin of this half-coin? Thank you!

Man said...

...coin. It appears to be missing the "back" side of the coin. The side that I have is hollowed out and has a fine spiral groove on the inside part.

I have two of these coins I found in my change and the spiral is done by a drill. It is a magic coin or just altered. I found one with a dime in it to look like an error. The other had a piece of steel jammed in to make it float on a magnet. The smaller half is usually missing on these coins.

When real error splits occur it is flat or rough not spiral. It is not against the law to drill coins as long as it is not sold as an error.

It has no extra value.

BlueRose3 said...

I have a 1984 Canadian Copper Dime. It is the same color as a penny. I took a knife and scratched a couple of the ridges on the side and it does not seem to be plated. If this is truly a mistake and this dime was made of copper would it be worth anything? The dime does have wear and tear like a normal circulated penny would have for that date. If needed I could go to my friends and have pictures taken of it.

Man said...

1984 Canadian Copper Dime

This one is tough I've known a few to be made by error on foreign stock for cents. These average $1,000.00 in unirculated.

Yours needs to be weighed and no more scratch test.

I'll keep looking for a definite answer but keep that coin safe.

BlueRose3 said...

Thanks for the prompt reply! I will keep it in a save place and will not do any more scratch test. I did the magnet test and it does not stick to the magnet so I guess it is copper. I brought it to my friends and he weighted it for me. It weights 2.05g I would really appreciate it if you would let me know if you found anything else about it.

Man said...

A 1980-1981 Canadian cent weighs 2.80 grams
A 1982-1996 Canadian cent weighs 2.50 grams

Canada produced foreign coins for 77 countries.
The top 3 matching from 1984, Bronze, Circulating are
Israel 10 New Agorot 2.10 grams and 16mm
Papua New Guinea 1 Toea 2.10 grams and 18mm
New Zealand 1 Cent 2.05 grams and 18mm

I believe it is the New Zealand blank because that was a circulating coin and a Canadian Dime is 18mm.

So this means your error is possible and next step is to get it certified.

There are two experts on this you may want to email.
http://www.fredweinberg.com/
http://www.coinscan.com/err/error.html


Still on value I can't guess since I haven't seen a this specific type of Canadian error. I've seen it on the $2.00 coin and pre-1980 but this one is new to me.

Good luck.

BlueRose3 said...

Thank You for the links, I will try and contact them. Once I know more about the coin I will let you know.

Thank you for doing the research and giving me more info. It was helpful. :)

Man said...

I hope someone does confirm it was made on a New Zealand blank no matter what the value it is a cool error.

Anonymous said...

I have a copper dime 1984....it appears someone tried to engrave a large B on it....silver color shows through the "B".....anyone know abything about this copper coated 1984 dime?..please email at pjmcclain@juno.com

Man said...

copper dime 1984....it appears someone tried to engrave a large B on it....silver color shows through the "B".....anyone know abything about this copper coated 1984 dime?

It sounds like a fake someone found it was a fake and scratched it so no one else would be scammed.

JoshuaJon said...

I have what appears to be a 2000 copper dime. How would I go about determining it's makeup before I look into certification? Weight? Magnets? Any ideas would be appreciated.

Man said...

2000 copper dime. How would I go about determining it's makeup before I look into certification? Weight? Magnets?

This is difficult, because the one I found does not seem to measure up but another collector said it could be sintered which only a certification can verify.

Weight if normal should be 2.27 grams. No other test should be done.

Maybe a quick dip in pure acetone(NOT NAIL POLISH REMOVER) would not damage the coin and would erase the color if fake. But this is a extreme chemical and not that safe.

Again weight is the best way if not around 2.27 then you definitely have an error. After that you can research it's composition.

Anonymous said...

i have a 1984 gold dime. its is a bright shiny gold through and trough. is it worth anything?

Man said...

1984 gold dime

Of course it is a regular penny plated with real gold by some private company.

It is nearly impossible to remove the thin layer of gold from the cent.

But it has an artistic value of about $3.95 or less the average cost to buy a new one.

Anonymous said...

I have a 1776-1976 Kennedy Half Dollar that is smooth along it's entire edge. The Half dollars usually have raised/fluted edges. The coin is circulated but not very "worn" What kind of error or cause is there for this and what would its value be?

Man said...

1776-1976 Kennedy Half Dollar that is smooth along it's entire edge.

I don't believe this is an error just worn. No extra value.

I have many quarters that look fine but the reeded edge is gone.

The only way a reeded edge is not hammered on the coin is in a Broadstrike error and the entire coin would be larger then a normal coin of the same type.

Anonymous said...

I have a copper dime from the year 1973. I found it in my back yard, and am not shure if it is just worn down by weather or if it's really copper. I tried to soak it in katchup, and nothing happend. If it is copper, how much do you think it's worth?

Man said...

copper dime from the year 1973

Soaking it in ketchup is a bad idea.

The coin sounds like it has environmental damage. Pure acetone from the hardware store would be better.

Weighing it could give a clue but that may not be accurate for damaged coins.

I can't give a value without seeing it.

Anonymous said...

I have a 1968 golden mint nickel, Do you know if it is real or not?

Man said...

1968 golden mint nickel

It is a real nickel, plated with real gold but holds no numismatic value. This is done outside the mint and at best is art.

If you suspect this is an error it needs to be weighed, because sometimes foreign coins blanks slip into US blanks.

Anonymous said...

I found shiny gold penny that has smooth edges and you can clearly see the details of it. It doesnt bend at all like i can do with other pennies so im wondering is it real gold!

Man said...

shiny gold penny that has smooth edges and you can clearly see the details of it.

It is gold-plated and is done outside the mint. The gold maybe real but in such a small amount that no extra value can be made. This is considered damage or art and generally sell for $1.00 or more as collectible art.

Anonymous said...

thankyou but doesnt 3.26 seem alot for it to weigh.

Man said...

but doesnt 3.26 seem alot for it to weigh.
A regular pre-1982 cent weighs 3.11 grams with a tolerance of + or - 0.13 grams. Add to that a thin layer of gold it is normal.

Assume it's a perfect cent at 3.11 grams and the gold is 0.15 grams and 24K then it would be $4.11 of gold on the coin but you will lose more than half trying to separate it.
Of course change the cent weight or gold purity it will affect metal value.

A solid gold coin the same dimension as a cent would weigh 4.25 grams.

Anonymous said...

I found a gold quarter at a construction site it was larger than a normal quarter. the date on it is 1974 it is flat . but the weirdest thing about it is that it has a head on both sides and it weighs 10.96 grams so im womdering if its worth anything.

Man said...

gold quarter at a construction site it was larger than a normal quarter. the date on it is 1974 it is flat . but the weirdest thing about it is that it has a head on both sides and it weighs 10.96 grams

This is a fake quarter but it could be real gold. It maybe be some type of jewelry charm. If solid gold that is a $300 piece but I don't think it's a coin.
Try a jeweler to test purity. I'm assuming it imitates a U.S. coin and you're positive it's not foreign like South African or Canadian.

Anonymous said...

I went on a trip to rome last month and i went excavating and i found a roman coin i did some searching and i found out that it was octavius and his wife from about 11 B.C. and im seeing if its worth anything.

Man said...

roman coin i did some searching and i found out that it was octavius and his wife from about 11 B.C.

I'm not familiar with Ancient coins and would advise you post in a coin forum. Generally they're about $25.00.

Anonymous said...

If I have a copper dime from 1998 is it real or done after mint?

Man said...

copper dime from 1998 is it real or done after mint?

First you need to weigh it.
Even if the weight is normal it could be like the one I found and possibly sintered and this can only be known by an expert.

Anonymous said...

its a 1996 penny, can only see silver in front around edges....thanks

Man said...

1996 penny, can only see silver in front around edges

This is a cladding error where the Zinc core is showing through, it has no extra value.

Anonymous said...

i have a 2006 gold dime. it appears to be real? heard of anything like this?

Man said...

2006 gold dime. it appears to be real? heard of anything like this?

It is plated. The government does not make gold dimes instead as a novelty outside companies plate them with gold.
The have no collectible extra value.

lisa said...

Lisa
I have a 1968 silver penny. Its just fun because it weighs less than an actual penny but is silver in color. How did this happen?

Man said...

1968 silver penny

It can happen when the wrong metal blank is accidentally used instead of copper blank.

It must be weighed with a scale that has 0.01 gram accuracy. Only then can the error type be properly known.

Anonymous said...

I was digging through a bunch of pennies and found a silver 1968 penny. it has a small amount of copper on lincoln's right cheeck, right shoulder, and beard. This was prabably an ordinary penny stripped of its color, but I just wanted to make sure. is it fake?

Man said...

found a silver 1968 penny. it has a small amount of copper on lincoln's right cheeck, right shoulder, and beard. This was prabably an ordinary penny stripped of its color

1968 cents were all copper so most likely it was plated with silver and now the silver is peeling off. No extra value.

Anonymous said...

I found an old buffalo nicke, but there seems there is no date at all. the edges are worn away a little and the detail on the head isnt very precise. also, the word liberty can barely be seen. can you tell me the year and about how much it could be sold for?

Man said...

old buffalo nickel, but there seems there is no date at all...can you tell me the year and about how much it could be sold for?

That is nearly impossible to say. There is a product called Nick-A-Date that is basically a weak acid that will reveal dates from worn coins, LINK.

But the cost of that product is worth more than most Dateless Buffaloes which average about $0.50 or less. They are nearly impossible to sell unless you have 100 or more in a bag.

Anonymous said...

I came a cross a 2006 series $1.00 that is miss printed. The front is printed all the way to the top of the bill but the back is correctly printed. Is there any extra value to this bill?

Man said...

2006 series $1.00 that is miss printed. The front is printed all the way to the top of the bill but the back is correctly printed.

This is a Minor Faulty Alignment error, it has no extra value.

Anonymous said...

I have a washington dollar that has a lot of black on the rev. & obv. that looks like it was washed when it was hot and burned on the coin. I'm wondering if the new dollar coins get annealed. The coin also has cracking around the entire outside edge, but not open crackingthat would be found on a clamshell. Anyone else seen this?
P.S. This coin was pulled from a mint set of rolled quarters.

Anonymous said...

I work in banking and Im always on the lookout for strange coin coming in from fed. Today I thought I saw a foreign coin in a fed quarter roll I opened the roll and discovered a 1998 copper quarter. It has sharp detail and a slightly darker "shadow" in a half circle on the eagle side, I've pulled alot of weird coins from fed rolls; but if got to say this is the weirdest.

Man said...

washington dollar that has a lot of black on the rev. & obv. that looks like it was washed when it was hot and burned on the coin. I'm wondering if the new dollar coins get annealed. The coin also has cracking around the entire outside edge, but not open crackingthat would be found on a clamshell. Anyone else seen this?

Yes the coins are annealed.
But what you describe is a coin that was in a fire, no extra value.


1998 copper quarter. It has sharp detail and a slightly darker "shadow" in a half circle on the eagle side

You should weigh it but it sounds like a missing layer error it's about $500.00.

joni said...

I have a 1984 gold nickel. Whats the story on this?

Man said...

1984 gold nickel

Like the article above says it is a gold-plated coin sold as a novelty item, but with no real value.

Mike Richards said...

My daughter found a 1980 US nickel in the cash register where she works. It is attracted and sticks to a magnet. And it has a shiny finish. I cannot find anything on this type of coin. I cannot see how anyone was able to make a coin to be magnetic.

Man said...

1980 US nickel in the cash register where she works. It is attracted and sticks to a magnet. And it has a shiny finish.

It sounds like it was plated with some other metal, which has no extra value.

It also could be a magician's coin which has a magnetic centered drilled in to do trick's they sell for $5.00 in magic shops.

It could be an error but it needs to be weighed to make sure.

Anonymous said...

Hey I got a $20 bill today with an interesting serial number..

IE01444144E
Year - 2006
Good condition

You think this sort of pattern adds any value to the bill?

Man said...

$20 bill today with an interesting serial number...IE01444144E Year - 2006 Good condition

This is not fancy enough to be considered special, no extra value.

Anonymous said...

While going thru a roll of half dollars, we found a 1995 Kennedy half that is copper colored on the face side. It appears to be missing a layer. What do you think?

Man said...

1995 Kennedy half that is copper colored on the face side. It appears to be missing a layer.

These Missing Clad Layer errors start at about $400.00 but this is in high grade.
In circulated grades they go for $100 to $200.

It should be weighed and if a true error it would be about 9.45 grams.

BLBass said...

I have a question about a Kennedy half dollar that we found while looking through a deceased uncles belongings. It is in a coin case and marked as a 1992-d .50, error unreeded edge. I understand that to mean it has a smooth edge. Could you please explain a little about this and give me an estimate on what it may be worth.

Man said...

Kennedy half dollar that we found while looking through a deceased uncles belongings. It is in a coin case and marked as a 1992-d .50, error unreeded edge. I understand that to mean it has a smooth edge.

This sounds like a Minor Broadstrike error in high grade it may be $75.00 but it should be verified and graded.

Anonymous said...

i have a circulated 1974 half missing clad layers on obverse and reverse and it is also double die, even kennedys ear! think its worth anything?

Man said...

circulated 1974 half missing clad layers on obverse and reverse and it is also double die

I haven't seen any other similar to what you described but on average it would be about $1,000.00 but it must be graded as many fakes exist.

Anonymous said...

I have a 1966 gold penny, a little scratch on it, showing some blackish grey, and looks about the same on the edges. I can faintly see Lincoln in the memorial on the obverse. Thoughts?

Man said...

1966 gold penny, a little scratch on it, showing some blackish grey, and looks about the same on the edges. I can faintly see Lincoln in the memorial on the obverse.

This is a real cent that was plated just like in the above post.
It has no extra value although it is a novelty item.

Anonymous said...

I bought an 1840 C quarter eagle from utah. Everything under a jewelers loop appears authentic. From the wear to the exact location of everything on it. However it weighs 2.6 grams instead of 4.1. It is not megnetic. I suspect it maybe exjewelry and was fitted to a bezel resulting in some missing material. What do you think of this?MCY

Man said...

1840 C quarter eagle from utah. Everything under a jewelers loop appears authentic. From the wear to the exact location of everything on it. However it weighs 2.6 grams instead of 4.1. It is not megnetic. I suspect it maybe exjewelry and was fitted to a bezel resulting in some missing material.

Could be like I said before the tolerance is 0.16 grams this is beyond normal.

Some fakes are so good they can fool experts.
If this was shaved it has maybe 5% extra value above the gold content.

Unknown said...

i have a 1998 gold dime. it feels heavier than a regular dime, and it has not a blemish on it...man?

Man said...

1998 gold dime. it feels heavier than a regular dime

Made outside the mint it is probably plated with a thicker layer of gold but still has n o real value.
It sells for about $3.50 and the gold content is generally less then $0.10.

Anonymous said...

I found a 1995 gold D quarter while getting coffe from a vending machine. Do you know anything about it? Really not sure if it is gold but feel differ from reg quarter.

Man said...

1995 gold D quarter while getting coffe from a vending machine. Do you know anything about it? Really not sure if it is gold but feel differ from reg quarter.

Like the original post said these are just gold-plated coins that have no extra value.
Depending on how they are plated they have different feel and weight, although they sell for $4 to $5 on collectible websites they have no true value about $0.25.

Anonymous said...

I have a collection can you tell me the worth

victoria d:g: britt:F:D 1891

Republic de Honduras 1954 10 centavos

Bolivar liberatador 1956 Estados unidos de velezuela

Jamaica 1959 one penny Queen Elizabeth the second

South Africa florin 1929

South Africa 1934 21/2 shillings

Netherlandse antillen 1G 1952

Anonymous said...

hi

Anonymous said...

coins...

Victoria dei gratia 1890

Canadian dollar silver coin 1966

Georgivs v dei gra britt omn rex on shilling 1915

Victoria dei gratia 1842 Regina fid def britanniarum 1842

Thanks for you time,

Man said...

victoria d:g: britt:F:D 1891
What denomination?

Republic de Honduras 1954 10 centavos about $0.10

Bolivar liberatador 1956 Estados unidos de velezuela
What denomination?

Jamaica 1959 one penny Queen Elizabeth the second about $0.10

South Africa florin 1929 about $6.00

South Africa 1934 2-1/2 shillings about $6.00

Netherlandse antillen 1G 1952 about $2.50

Man said...

Victoria dei gratia 1890
What denomination?

Canadian dollar silver coin 1966 about $11.00

Georgivs v dei gra britt omn rex on shilling 1915 about $2.50

Victoria dei gratia 1842 Regina fid def britanniarum 1842
What denomination?

Anonymous said...

My son found a 1996 p gold dime in our yard is it worth anything.

Man said...

1996 p gold dime

It is plated, just $0.10.

Anonymous said...

I found a 1968 silver penny....it weighs just as much and has all the diameters and dimensions of a penny...is this worth anything??

Man said...

1968 silver penny....it weighs just as much and has all the diameters and dimensions of a penny

This is plated and has no extra value.

Anonymous said...

i found a 1980 gold penny that is very light weight. does this have any value?

Man said...

1980 gold penny that is very light weight

Sounds like a fake, no extra value.

Anonymous said...

i just bought a jefferson 5 gram 2006 .999 24k green gold nickle, did i get ripped off

Man said...

jefferson 5 gram 2006 .999 24k green gold nickle, did i get ripped off

As a coin it has no extra value above $0.05.

The gold on it is so little that it has a value of less than $0.10 at most.

As an art piece, or when used as jewelery they go so $4.00 or less.

Not to be harsh but these coins are scams.

Anonymous said...

i realize you dont know uch about old coins but i have a reasonably small gold roman coin that i cant find anywhere on the inet, its heavy for its size and has a young man on the front and an eagle/ bird on the back thanks

Man said...

small gold roman coin that i cant find anywhere on the inet, its heavy for its size and has a young man on the front and an eagle/ bird on the back thanks

Sorry but without a picture it would be impossible for anyone to guess.

Try an image search using the terms "gold coin roman".

Or take a good pictures of both sides and upload them somewhere you can link to.

Anonymous said...

1998 copper dime ?

Man said...

1998 copper dime

Weight it to know what type of error it is.

Anonymous said...

i have a 1984 gold plated nickle in very excellent shape. is it worth any more than 0.05?

Man said...

1984 gold plated nickle in very excellent shape. is it worth any more than 0.05

As for coin value, no.

It is considered damaged and the gold is too little to change the value.

Anonymous said...

i HAVE A DIME THAT IS SILVER ON BOTH SIdES AND A DARK METAl IN THE MIDDLE. mAY BE 1995 D Could you tell me it's value?

Man said...

DIME THAT IS SILVER ON BOTH SIdES AND A DARK METAl IN THE MIDDLE. mAY BE 1995 D

Just $0.10

Anonymous said...

I have 1 silver dime 1952 (s) under torch; 1 silver dime 1944 (w) above date and a copper 1995 dime with (p) above date. Is there any value to them?



Curious

Man said...

dime 1952 (s) under torch about $2.25

dime 1944 (w) above date about $2.25 that is not a mintmark it is initials, the mintmark is still on the reverse but the value is the same for all.


copper 1995 dime with (p) above date if you mean all copper then this is some type of error that needs to be weighed first.

dave said...

I have a year 2000 dime. The front is normal looking to me. The back is normal except there is a raised "nipple" on top of a "flange" a little bigger than the width of a pen tip. Any ideas? If needed I could try to take a picture.

Man said...

2000 dime. The front is normal looking to me. The back is normal except there is a raised "nipple" on top of a "flange" a little bigger than the width of a pen tip. Any ideas?

Sounds like a Cud or Die Break error, if large enough it may have some value.

It depends a lot on eye appeal and how much design is missing. Post pictures somewhere the link them here if you can.

Anonymous said...

I found a 1976 dime among my loose change that looks different form other dimes. It is very thin and has a groove around the side where i would think the ridge would be. It has no distinguishable "copper" line like my newer dimes, however, It is very worn. I can not determine if the mark on the front is a W or D. Any information would be welcome.

Man said...

1976 dime among my loose change that looks different form other dimes. It is very thin and has a groove around the side where i would think the ridge would be. It has no distinguishable "copper" line like my newer dimes, however, It is very worn. I can not determine if the mark on the front is a W or D

Just damaged sounds like something happened that the copper was removed.
No extra value.

Anonymous said...

my 1965 dime has no reeded edge, you can see the color silver on top an copper on bottom thats it.
this dime is the same size an shape as every 1965
dime until you turn it over an the see rhe edge

Man said...

1965 dime has no reeded edge, you can see the color silver on top an copper on bottom thats it.
this dime is the same size an shape as every 1965
dime until you turn it over an the see rhe edge


Common it happens because of wear and age, no extra value.

Unknown said...

Hello.
I am in the sane situation as a few other posters in that I have found a "copper" dime but dont know the best way to get an answer about what if its real vs only damaged value. I have found articles about coins being struck with the wrong planchet in the die, lamination errors and cladding mistakes. Is the only option to get a coin graded that might only be worth what the cost of grading it was? Hopefully you know a better way.
Oh btw, 1995 copper dime.
thanks

Man said...

"copper" dime but dont know the best way to get an answer about what if its real vs only damaged value. I have found articles about coins being struck with the wrong planchet in the die, lamination errors and cladding mistakes. Is the only option to get a coin graded that might only be worth what the cost of grading it was? Hopefully you know a better way.
Oh btw, 1995 copper dime.


Just like me. Here is what I did.
1. Weigh it. If anything other than 2.27 grams it could be a off-metal or missing clad error.

2. If it weighs nearly 2.27 grams or exactly it may be a Improperly Annealed error or copper wash, these have to be verified by an expert. Check the edges if you see some silver color it may have been a plated and worthless.

3. Have it graded.

My find weighs 2.30 grams and could be a copper wash but I am unwilling to shell out $50+ to have it graded since it may be a fraud.

I will wait until I find a coupon for PCGS or get enough money where spending $50 is no big deal or until a good test for copper wash errors is posted online.

Mary Lang said...

i have a 2005 gold penny made in Denver and i can tell it is not copper

Man said...

2005 gold penny made in Denver and i can tell it is not copper

If you read the original post you probably can figure it is a plated cent with no extra value.

That said you can always weigh it to see if it is an error. A normal cent is about 2.50 grams +/- 0.03 grams, anything else maybe be an error.

Anonymous said...

My mother-in-law passed away recently and I came into possession of a 1968 dime which has been in circulation but was put away. After looking at it long and hard I realized there isn't a mint mark on it. Is it worth value?

Man said...

1968 dime which has been in circulation but was put away. After looking at it long and hard I realized there isn't a mint mark on it

Normal, it was not until 1980 until all dimes were required to have mint marks.
No extra value.

Anonymous said...

i found a gold dime that is from 1989 at my grandmas that has been closed up in a container!! idk if it is real or not it shows all the detail like a new dime!

Man said...

gold dime that is from 1989

Plated dime, no extra value.

Anonymous said...

I have A 1907 Indian head penny.A 1904 V nickel A 1936 buffalo nickel.all in good shape are they worth any thing.thank you.

Man said...

1907 Indian head penny about $2.00
1904 V nickel about $2.00
1936 buffalo nickel about $1.00

Anonymous said...

I have a US 1968 D dime that has a grove around the edge circumferentially. It appears this is the way the coin was made. Is this an error and worth anything. Thanks,
Steve

Man said...

US 1968 D dime that has a grove around the edge circumferentially. It appears this is the way the coin was made.

If you mean like a sandwich that is missing the meat then it is damaged and has no extra value.

If you mean it is like a step or shelf then it is a partial collar error starting about $25.00 but can go up/down depending on eye appeal and condition.

Anonymous said...

Ive found a quarter and on one side it was gold (the side with the head) and on the other side it was silver whats the price it seems real.oh yeah its made in 1995.

Man said...

a quarter and on one side it was gold (the side with the head) and on the other side it was silver whats the price it seems real.oh yeah its made in 1995.

Plated coin, no extra value.

Anonymous said...

i have a 1984 gold penny. feels like it weighs more then an average penny and has no voisible scratches on it. the edges are smooth. do you know what its worth?

Man said...

1984 gold penny. feels like it weighs more then an average penny and has no voisible scratches on it. the edges are smooth.

Either some type of fake or an off metal error.
Weight to find out.

The U.S. government has never made a gold cent so it could also be a private art piece.

Unknown said...

I've found what looks like a copper dime. Year is 1998 & on my scale it says its 2.3 grams...has someone messed with it or what? If its a true error what MIGHT it be worth?

Man said...

a copper dime. Year is 1998 & on my scale it says its 2.3 grams...

It should be 2.268 grams but if your scale only is 0.1 grams accurate then the weight is normal.

It could be a improper annealing error caused by improper heating of the original blank.
Only an expert can tell this in hand.

If real it starts at about $20.00 but the market is not big or stable since many fakes exist.

Anonymous said...

My dad came back from work today with a gold QUARTER. it has zero flaws, its a perfectly normal quarter, its just that the quarter is GOLD in color. It was made in 2004, if that is any help at all.

Man said...

a gold QUARTER. it has zero flaws, its a perfectly normal quarter, its just that the quarter is GOLD in color. It was made in 2004

Fake.
A real quarter plated in gold so thin that it has no extra value. Although they sell for $3.00 as art pieces.

If you read the original post the U.S. government has never made gold quarters, sorry.

Anonymous said...

I have kept a dime for many years from the 1980's that looks just like the one in your picture. Do you have any updates on this coin. I have never seen another one like it. It looks copper to me? I have tried looking it up over the years, but, this is the first time I have ever seen the type of coin that I have.

Man said...

dime for many years from the 1980's that looks just like the one in your picture. Do you have any updates on this coin. I have never seen another one like it. It looks copper to me?

Since my last update that I posted at the end of the original blog I have not found out anymore info.
I know it is of normal weight and it may have got a "copper wash". Meaning to make the nickel stick better they dust the blank and then heat it up again to then lay the nickel layer or press the coin into shape the add more nickel.
This one may have not heated completely.

If you weighed yours and confirmed it is normal dime weight.

At this point the only way to make certain is to pay $50+ to have it graded and honestly I don't think it is worth it.

Anonymous said...

today i found a 1965 dime that if completely smooth on the edge and was wondering if that was normal

Man said...

1965 dime that if completely smooth on the edge and was wondering if that was normal

Yes, often the on older coins the reded edge gets worn away first even if the rest of the coin is sharp.

No extra value.

Anonymous said...

I have an 1836-2003 D ARKANSAS QUARTER BUT it is not like a quarter. It appears to be completely copper -- not shiny reddish like a new penny, and not Dark brown like a really old penny, but brown.

The colour appears to be the same on both sides, however, if you look at the EDGE of the coin, all the way around there is a very slight rim that is not copper coloured on the obverse side... This appears to only affect the rim and the entire rest of the edge appears old brick colour

Is this a Copper Quarter??

If so, is it a special one from the D mint??

Or Is this an error???

Is it worth anything????

If so, how much approx??

I do not have a scale for coins -- but it does not stick to a magnet.

Please advise at argosdeb@hotmail.com

Man said...

Is this a Copper Quarter??
--Probably not, the edge tht still has nickel suggest this coin maybe damaged. That said it is possible that this is a partial missing clad error. Unfortunately weighing it is the best way to find.

If so, is it a special one from the D mint??
--D means Denver and that may change value as sometimes Denver errors are seen less often.

Or Is this an error???
--I do not think so, sounds rusted.

Is it worth anything????If so, how much approx??
--If real about $800.00, if damaged no extra value.

Anonymous said...

My husband received a gold (or gold colored) 1982 Liberty Washington quarter. Is this worth anything or did someone just color it? Thank you.

Man said...

gold (or gold colored) 1982 Liberty Washington quarter

Probably a gold plated quarter, these are plated outside the mint and have no extra value.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I have a 1968 olympic gold coin from mexico with nude man throwing a disc on the obverse and a guy squatting next to olympic rings on the reverse. I can't find any info on this coin anywhere. Do you know what it is? I can send pictures if you wish.

Man said...

1968 olympic gold coin from mexico with nude man throwing a disc on the obverse and a guy squatting next to olympic rings on the reverse.

Unless you see a denomination it is not a coin and probavly some type of metal, value is dependant on metal content.

Upload the picture somewhere for free and then drop a link here.

Melinda said...

I found a 1998 quarter looks like a regular quarter except it is the color of a penny. The outside edges are the same color as well. Is this worth anything?

Man said...

1998 quarter looks like a regular quarter except it is the color of a penny

Sounds like a Missing Clad error they are worth hundreds but it should be weighed to make sure.

Anonymous said...

hello I have found a golden nickel that was made in 1968 and it was made in the united states but on the top it has "E Pluribus Unum" is this real or fake gold?...I've had this for a while now but i keep it shiney just in case.

Man said...

a golden nickel that was made in 1968 and it was made in the united states but on the top it has "E Pluribus Unum" is this real or fake gold?

America never made gold nickels, so fake.

It is probably like the ones from the above post just gold-plated and with no extra value.

That said you should weigh it just in case it is an off-metal error.

Anonymous said...

i have 1923 peace dollar in exellent cod what is it worth

Man said...

1923 peace dollar in exellent cod about $29.00

Anonymous said...

i have a roll of 1943 uncirculated that look steel or zink or something i know they made steel pennies i have all 3 but these are different

Man said...

roll of 1943 uncirculated that look steel or zink or something i know they made steel pennies i have all 3 but these are different

If you mean you have all 3 mint marks...
1943 about $1.00 each
1943-D about $1.50 each
1943-S about $2.00 each

They are Zinc-coated Steel.

Anonymous said...

no i have all 3 mint marked cent then i also have a rool of steel zink planchets
also have 1884 morgan dollar no mint 1885 morgan dollar no mint

Anonymous said...

these are 1943 d really light no copper aty all uncirculated dingy not shiny

Man said...

no i have all 3 mint marked cent then i also have a rool of steel zink planchets
--If you mean you have blanks Zinc-Coated Steel cents then they would be about $40.00 each.
But I am confused, I am not sure what you are asking.

1884 morgan dollar no mint about $29.00
1885 morgan dollar no mint about $29.00

Man said...

1943 d really light no copper aty all uncirculated dingy not shiny

Again about $1.50 each.

Anonymous said...

i found a 1970 dime with no mint is it true it could be worth money?
thanks in advance

Anonymous said...

how can you tell if a coin is presseed in a different planchet

Man said...

1970 dime with no mint just $0.10

Man said...

how can you tell if a coin is presseed in a different planchet

If you mean an Off-Metal error just weigh it and compare to the official weight of that particular coin.

Anonymous said...

i have a 86 d penny with double 8 would that be worth anything
thank you for your service it has really been appriciated

Man said...

86 d penny with double 8

This is not listed in any of the true Doubled Dies, also doubling just on the 8 suggest it is just strike doubling that has no extra value.

Anonymous said...

I have a 1968 dime with no mint and is a copper/silver color

Man said...

1968 dime with no mint and is a copper/silver color

Wait do you mean on the surface some copper is peaking through?

If so this is Missing Clad error if less than 50% of the surface it is about $10.00.

If you mean something else just describe in more detail.

Anonymous said...

I have what appears to be a 1984 gold nickel. It has Jefferson's face and the Monticello. Can you tell me if this is real or fake and how much it would be worth??

Man said...

1984 gold nickel. It has Jefferson's face and the Monticello. Can you tell me if this is real or fake and how much it would be worth?

It is a real nickel that was plated in gold by a private company.

There is too little gold to add any real value, and plating the coin is considered damage.

So it has no extra value.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I have a penny from 1990 that is silver in color. It looks like the color of a dime or nickel not copper. Also, no mint mark such as S or D. Thanks for your help. Have you heard of such a thing and can you help me determine its value.

Man said...

penny from 1990 that is silver in color. It looks like the color of a dime or nickel not copper. Also, no mint mark such as S or D.

Possibly a plated fake with no value over $0.01.

But it could be a valuable Off Metal error. It must be weighed to find out using a 0.01 gram scale.

Anonymous said...

i found a 1943 penny how do i know its fake or real?

Man said...

i found a 1943 penny how do i know its fake or real?

It should be have a steel core and stick to a magnet.

anjelik1993 said...

2004 copper dime. Rossevlt

Man said...

2004 copper dime. Rossevlt

You have to weigh it with a 0.01 gram scale to find out what type of error it may be.

Anonymous said...

i have a 1991 nickel with a copper face and on the back the print is missing all around the rim. how much is this coin worth

Man said...

1991 nickel with a copper face and on the back the print is missing all around the rim.

Sounds damaged.
A U.S. nickel is a blend of copper-nickel and would never show pure copper even if cut.

I think someone tried heating the coin.

That said if you think this is a true error you need to place good pictures online somewhere and copy & paste the link for others to judge.

Anonymous said...

Recently found a dime with a thin copper/zinc-penny colored coating on one side. There is a chip in a small part of it, but it doesn't look like paint. Any ideas?

Man said...

dime with a thin copper/zinc-penny colored coating on one side. There is a chip in a small part of it, but it doesn't look like paint.

Sounds like a Partial Missing Clad error about $90.00 if 90% copper and a high mint state.

Anonymous said...

Very exciting! Thanks. :D

Anonymous said...

I found a dime iny change today and it is clearly mid marked. The edges are perfect, but around the top also got hit so it has an edge pattern going around the top of the dime. Is it worth more that a dime to a collector? I am not spending it. It's very co just to keep if it isn't valuable. I have a picture, but not sure how to upload it.

Man said...

but around the top also got hit so it has an edge pattern going around the top of the dime.

This could be damage or a misalignment error which has no extra value.

That said use a free photo site like picasa or image shack to upload and then copy and paste a link here.

Anonymous said...

i found a gold looking dime that is a 1970 there is no letter next to the year but looks very very similar to the pic on your page info please?

i also have a two ounce .999 fine silver copy of what from my research is a st gauden coin that was a 20$ any info on this?

Man said...

gold looking dime that is a 1970 there is no letter next to the year but looks very very similar to the pic on your page info please?
--No extra value, the plating is so thin and done outside the mint that is is considered damage.

two ounce .999 fine silver copy of what from my research is a st gauden coin that was a 20$ any info on this?
--Just a replica it could be done by some private company worth it's weight in silver about $62.00.

Anonymous said...

wow thank you..

luli said...

how much is a 2000 nickel about 30% off center and completly missng n god we trust on the front worth ?

Man said...

2000 nickel about 30% off center and completly missng n god we trust on the front

About $5.00

Michelle said...

I have a 1996 P dime that looks like it is copper. I haven't been able to find anything about it online. Any ideas of what it is and it's worth? I can email a pic.

Man said...

1996 P dime that looks like it is copper.

First it needs to be weighed.
Pictures will not help.

It could be a missing clad error or off-metal error. Only weight will tell.

It could also be Improperly Sintered error but that must be verified in hand and would weigh the same as a normal dime.

Michelle said...

Thanks. I weighed it on the only scale that I have and it was 2.2 g. I will have to find a scale with .01 capabilities and will get back to you.

JHortin said...

I found a 1984 Gold quarter. It was minted in Denver and other than being gold, there is nothing out of the ordinary. It is heavier than a normal quarter but I have never seen anything like it before. Any thoughts?

Man said...

1984 Gold quarter. It was minted in Denver and other than being gold, there is nothing out of the ordinary. It is heavier than a normal quarter

The U.S. never made gold quarters for 1984 so it is either a fake or plated.

For a gold plated quarter, it has no extra value because the gold is thin.

The extra weight may be something else but an exact 0.01gram scale is needed.

Anonymous said...

i have a 2 cent coin from 1864 its in great shape whats the history and value with it?

Man said...

2 cent coin from 1864 its in great shape about $40.00 for Large Motto.

There are a Large and Small motto varieties you should Google that to see which one you have.
Small Motto is about $400.00.

Unknown said...

Hello, I found a 1974 "Gold" penny today and the weight of it is a little bit heavier than a normal penny. Not by much but definitely noticeable. Is this a fake or plated? Thanks

Man said...

1974 "Gold" penny today and the weight of it is a little bit heavier than a normal penny. Not by much but definitely noticeable. Is this a fake or plated?

Plated, the amount of gold is too small and not pure to add any value.

Anonymous said...

i found a what im guessing is a 1965 gold plated penny but the edges have a greyish steel color to them and i can pick it up with a magnet...would this be worth anything?

Man said...

1965 gold plated penny but the edges have a greyish steel color to them and i can pick it up with a magnet

No extra value, it sounds plated with cheap gold or mercury.

That said try weighing it with a 0.01 gram scale in case it is some other type of error.

Anonymous said...

Very informative site!

I bought a 1967 Kennedy half (40%)from a pawn shop, great glossy detail, and it's a Sintered Planchet. (Learned that from you) What type of premium would be added to it's value, if any?
Thank you

Man said...

1967 Kennedy half (40%)from a pawn shop, great glossy detail, and it's a Sintered Planchet.

Also known as Improperly Annealed about $75.00.

Unknown said...

I have a 1901 gold $10 liberty head eagle that has the reeding on edge but has grooved waves of the metal pushed slightly out at regular intervals around the entire coin like waves. Is this a real error and if so what is its worth? Also there are no marks below the eagle claws.

Man said...

1901 gold $10 liberty head eagle that has the reeding on edge but has grooved waves of the metal pushed slightly out at regular intervals around the entire coin like waves. Is this a real error and if so what is its worth?

It sounds like fake but it could just have been damaged since gold is so soft.

It is not an error but needs to be verified as real.

About $800.00 if real.

Anonymous said...

we have a very old hammered silver coin. on one side is a Florenzada Cross with a castle emblem in the top left and bottom right sides of the cross and a lion emblem in the top right and bottom left sides of the cross. on the other side it has what appears to be a tic tac toe type thing with the vertical lines looking like spears w the spears points on top with L 8 M P V A 7 I 2 one in each of tje nine boxes. with 3 wavy lines under it in wave form. both sides have a circle of dots all around it and i cant make them out but right on the edge there are letters if n e one can help pls email me at blue_eyes_angels_touch@yahoo.com and i will try to email pictures of it.

Anonymous said...

I have a gold 1996 penny. It feels lighter than a regular penny and has no mint mark. I can scratch it with my finger nail though which is strange. but it seems like a legit penny not a fake... What can you tell me about this penny?

Man said...

Florenzada Cross...

Unfortunately I am not an ancient coin expert so pictures maybe needed.

Man said...

gold 1996 penny. It feels lighter than a regular penny and has no mint mark. I can scratch it with my finger nail though which is strange. but it seems like a legit penny not a fake

Gold plated outside the mint, no extra value.

Anonymous said...

My boyfriend was going to pass off this coin because he said coinstar always gives it back to him. I curiously snatched it up to do some further research and found your awesome blog. The dime is 2001, the tails side is clearly a dime, the ridges and head look like a dime but are colored like a penny. Is this a missing clad? I am not sure of the weight but it looks and feels slightly thinner when compared on a flat surface. Not sure if it is just me but sounds different depending how it falls.

Man said...

dime is 2001, the tails side is clearly a dime, the ridges and head look like a dime but are colored like a penny. Is this a missing clad? I am not sure of the weight but it looks and feels slightly thinner when compared on a flat surface.

Sounds like a Missing Clad error and yes the best way to test is using a 0.01 gram scale.

Also both sides should be clear and sharp, because some people use acid to fake the error and it make the images blurry.

It would be about $25 if only one side is copper and $50+ if both sides are copper.

Anonymous said...

Thanks 'Man'...the details are very clear and sharp (compared to another 2001 dime). I will have to get a scale and weigh it now! I appreciate your quick and honest answer on this.

Anonymous said...

I JUST FOUND A DIME IN MY DRYER oops, anyway its got normal torch e pluribus on one side, the other side is blank. the blank side has a small circle and a spiral of fine grooves. also looking at it from the skinny side the blank planchet side is tapered out from the torch side... is it worth anything?

Man said...

FOUND A DIME IN MY DRYER oops, anyway its got normal torch e pluribus on one side, the other side is blank. the blank side has a small circle and a spiral of fine grooves. also looking at it from the skinny side the blank planchet side is tapered out from the torch side... is it worth anything?

No the grooves are a sign it was drilled. No extra value.

Anonymous said...

Hello-

I found a gold 1977 quarter with no mint mark. It looks like maybe it was dipped or plated as the grooves on the edge are noticeable, but not as pronounced. Other than that, it looks like a normal quarter and in very good condition. Thanks for you help.

B

Man said...

gold 1977 quarter with no mint mark

Plated outside the mint, no extra value.

Deshawn said...

I have a 1996 P copper dime mint condition how much is it worth?

Man said...

1996 P copper dime mint condition

Depend on error type but they average about $20.00 - $500.00.

But many times acid damage or heat also causes copper dimes and that has no value.

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