What the Blankety Blank?

Do you have an error coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

I bought this error coin from eBay for $2.04. It is a type 2 clad quarter blank planchet. It has no reverse or obverse but trust me I did flip this coin over for a second scan.

If you're wondering why this isn't just a slug is because this is not a fake coin. It is clad quarter that escaped being struck by the die. It is from 1965-2008, weighs 5.67 grams, you can clearly see the copper on the edge.

The type 2 or type II refers to the rim. A type 2 means that the rim was upset or formed. If the rim was not there it would be type 1 or type I, these are worth twice as much. Sometimes the type 2 coin have the edge reeded in quarters and those are worth a little more. This on here has a smooth edge.

These errors are found most often in new fed bank rolls and mint bags. I've never found any in change but I know some people who found them and passed it on thinking it was a slug that is worthless, ugh.

Here's the stats...
Error: Blank Planchet Type II
Type/Country: 25 Cents/United States
Year: Unknown(1965-2008)
Mintage: N/A
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $6.50 in VF-20

Do you have an error coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

Dollar Days

Do you have a dollar coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

While I've been good about collecting the statehood quarters it has been more difficult to collect the presidential dollars. Why? Simple they're dollars. I only get them in change when I buy Metrocards with large bills.

Another reason is because the get so ugly so quick. Even though they adjust the washing and minting process a little they still do not hold up well.

In the past week I got my hands on a few and kept only those I don't already have.


All the reverses are the same so I only needed to show it once. The John Quincy Adams and the Thomas Jefferson dollars have the edge lettering facing up or normal when the president's bust is on top.

The James Monroe dollar has the edge lettering upside down when the president's face is up.

This is not an error. The edge lettering was never meant to face any particular direction. The explanation giving by the mint is that when the coin gets the edge lettering it is thrown in randomly either face up or down. It is not even considered a variety by most collectors since it was done on purpose. Plus the normal or upside down version run about 50%-50%.

Here is the schedule for public release courtesy of the U.S. Mint website.

Presidential Dollar Coin Release Schedule

Year		President	Years Served	Release Date
2007	1	George Washington	1789-1797	February 15
	2	John Adams	1797-1801	May 17
	3	Thomas Jefferson	1801-1809	August 16
	4	James Madison	1809-1817	November 15
2008	5	James Monroe	1817-1825	February 14
	6	John Quincy Adams	1825-1829	May 15
	7	Andrew Jackson	1829-1837	August 14
	8	Martin Van Buren	1837-1841	November 13

Here's the stats but be aware all mintage's are estimated and it may takes years to get an accurate count...
Type/Country: 1 Dollar-John Quincy Adams/United States
Year: 2008 P (Edge normal)
Mintage: 57,540,000
Metal: 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, and 2% Nickel
Value: $1.00 in G-4
Type/Country: 1 Dollar-Thomas Jefferson/United States
Year: 2007 P (Edge normal)
Mintage: 100,800,000
Metal: 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, and 2% Nickel
Value: $1.00 in F-12

Type/Country: 1 Dollar-James Monroe/United States
Year: 2008 P (Edge upside-down)
Mintage: 84,560,000
Metal: 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, and 2% Nickel
Value: $1.00 in F-12


Do you have a presidential coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

A Slice of Sicilian

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I got this coin and it's my first non-English ancient coin, thanks Kiefer. Here is a quick scan because my photo skills gets worse each day.


Here are two better images by the original owner.

The top image is of a cross pattée with pellets at end of each serif and the edge has written, +•SICILIE•.

The bottom image is of the letter M and the edge has written, +•AyNFR’REX.


I'm not that familiar with coins that are 750 years old but I've been trying. I got a Spinks book for my English coins but nothing for this Sicilian type. I know that it's about 16mm and 0.61 grams.

This is a Mandfredi type because Manfred was crowned the ruler of the kingdom of Sicily on August 11, 1258 and died in battle on February 26, 1266.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: Denaro/Sicily
Year: 1256-1266, Messina Mint
Mintages: Not known
Metal: Taris 16 & 1/3 carats, Billon Denari, and Oboli 1/48 fine(2.08 Silver)
Value: $15.00 at least that is what the tag says

I had to do quite a bit of searching Coin Directory to find this information.

Do you have a coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

Speak The Gospel

Do you have an odd coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

Gospel coins are not coins but religious materials. They been around for centuries and can't be considered tokens because they're not for trade or service. They are medals because accroding to Answers.com; they are pieces of metals stamped with a religious device, used as an object of veneration or commemoration.




Gospel coins have been in the newspaper lately and recently I got this one from a "believer". If you recall some marine got in trouble in Iraq for forcing Iraqis to take these non-coins at a checkpoint. While I find no offense in the coins I do think some soldier shouldn't be handing out religious items while on duty. If he was doing it on his free tie it would be fine.

Also forcing people to take it is ridiculous. I occasionally buy at stores whose owners are Muslim and if before leaving they forced me to take a Islamic coin I'd be mad...I'd take it because I'm a collector but I shouldn't be forced.

I prefer what the blogger at The Hills are Alive... does because they just leave the coins in random places. It is like holy surprise for whomever finds one.

Here's the stats...
Obverse Inscription: Thousands died for My Freedom.../...One died for My Soul
Reverse Inscription: "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved..." Acts 16:31
Year: Not Known, most likely after 2001
Mintages: Unknown they're sold by the thousands.
Metal: Cheap aluminum
Value: $0.10 is the average cost some go for $0.35 but the would not have any real numismatic value

Do you have a coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

2009 Coin Books

Do you have a penny and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

Yes it's that time of year when I get new coin books and update all the prices in the post of this blog. Note I can't update values quoted in the comments but judging by the date of the comments you can figure out what the current value will be.

The first book I will review is the Krause 2009 Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000 36th edition with DVD included. Ordered through Amazon for $37 this with the discount but added sales tax for NY.

2009 World Coins Book Cheapest Place to Buy

Here is what the DVD looks like in the book.

The DVD has the following contents all in PDF format:

• Smaller Catalog Files
• How To Use This DVD
• Marshall Islands
• SCWC 1901-2000 Complete Book

The Smaller Catalog file is broken down to these, again in PDF formats:

• SCWC 1901-2000_0001-0022
• SCWC 1901-2000_Afghanistan-Chile
• SCWC 1901-2000_China-German East Africa
  
• SCWC 1901-2000_German States-Malta
  
• SCWC 1901-2000_Martinique-Samoa
• SCWC 1901-2000_San Marino-Zimbabwe

The book itself got slimmer with the deletion of Marshall Islands, it now tells you to go to the DVD for the values.

The first set of files are free to print and copy; for personal use of course.
The second set of files are heavily protected.

I put a copy on my older desktop but it is kind of slow compared to just picking up the book and reading. After a while of searching different coins I get values or info in 10 seconds by the book and 15 seconds by DVD.

As for 2009 United States book it is about the same. Few changes except for the added piece about the upcoming 2009 Lincoln penny change and the 2009 Quarters for the U.S. territories.

Mine was a hardcover-spiral bound which is more expensive but I treat the book rough. I sometimes enjoy the books more than the coins. Over then next few weeks I'll post some world coins I have and use the DVD to post information. Lets hope it's faster.

Do you have an United States coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

1940 Wheat Cent

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

In 1940...

• The year began with Britain rationing meat, sugar, and butter.

• By the middle of the year the United States sells surplus war material to Great Britain.

• By November President Franklin D. Roosevelt gets elected to a third term over some Republican.

All that time these little cents were being made. (Note I took these with my camera not the usual scanner and the reverse came out very blurry.)

There are varieties to this coin that involve minor Doubled Dies on the reverse but this isn't one of those.

Type/Country: 1 Cent/United States
Year: 1940
Mintages: 586,810,000
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Value: $0.15 in G-4

This was just a simple end of the day find in my change. I'm not sure what store I got it in but even to find something is nice.

Do you have a penny and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.