Year In Review 2012

The annual summary of my year in coin collecting with some highlights.

Change Finds:
The graph below shows 47 world coins found from 11 countries which is more finds than last year but from less unique countries.
1st Place Canada leading with a record 30 finds.
2nd place is tied Great Britain and Italy with 4 each.
Adding the 36 U.S. finds the total is 83, most ever since I started this blog.

The United States, Canada, Great Britain, Bermuda, and Trinidad & Tobago are my constant finds. Except this year I found no coins from Bermuda breaking another ten year streak. 2010 was the year I found no British coins, then 2011 was the year of no Trinidad & Tobago coins. Now 2012 will be the year of no Bermuda coins.

Oldest United States Find
1928 Nickel

Oldest Foreign Find
1968 Canadian Cent

Most Valuable United States Find (above face value)
1964-D Nickel, Double Clipped Planchet error about $5.00

Most Valuable Foreign Find
2005 10 Yuan China Bill about $1.60

Most Surprising Find
Clad-Planchet Dime

Books: No good reason to upgrade.

Websites: The web is getting better for coin values and information.
NGC.com for world coin values is great although difficult to navigate and the prices are way too high.
Numista.com a coin swapping site that has tons of great up to date information but no values.
Coins and Canada.com a great Canadian coins and currency collecting site with articles, values, and trends.
Coinflation.com a great coin metal value site that has related article links, although they shortened the archives to six months which is sad since the year old article predicted some ridiculous things in the metal and survivalist world.

Equipment: I noticed the need for good lighting so maybe an investment in some dedicated lights and a table for taking pictures is needed. All other coin related equipment like cameras and apps are unremarkable.

Summary:
First time in a long time that my coins have had more value than my currency finds. Found a few silver coins but lower silver prices made them less valuable than error finds. Some great finds this year like a 2012 Chinese coin and that 1990 Canadian cent which eluded me for years. I found myself using less money than ever but encountering more people who were willing to part with their foreign money when I asked nicely (mostly cashiers I already know).

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and change for all

2001 Trinidad & Tobago 5 Cents

Have a coin from Trinidad and Tobago and want to know its value? Leave a comment

Barring some last minute drop from the sky this is my last change find for 2012. Got it as a penny at a local store, did not ask for it just was in my change. Trinidadian coins are not uncommon around NYC since there is a large Caribbean community.

The front has the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago with the national arms. In the arms is the motto says TOGETHER WE ASPIRE, TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE.

The reverse has the bird of paradise and the value 5 cents. It is a bronze coin and even though the exchange rate is less than one cent it should have a metal value higher than three. It weighs 3.31 grams but the purity of the copper is not known, to me at least.

Here's the stats for this coin...
Type/Country: 5 Cents / Trinidad and Tobago
Year: 2001
Mintage: Unknown
Metal: Bronze
Value: $0.05 in F

Some of you may notice that I skipped my newly regular Round-Up this is to cram every last 2012 find before the year ends. I will do my traditional year in review tomorrow so I will postpone the usually currency post.

Do you have a Trinidad and Tobago coin 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.

2008 Italy 10 Euro Cent

Have an Italian coin and want to know its value? Leave a comment

As the year draws to a close I am still finding funny money in my change. Meanwhile Europe is still struggling with the global economic crisis and Italy has the duel issue of a large economy but also large debt. None of the Euro countries will seriously do away with Euro money but they keep it as a back pocket threat.

 

Notice something odd about the mint mark? Could it be repunched?

The mint mark for Italian coins is the R for Rome. It has been on coins for many year and tends to be ignored since it is usually the only mint mark used.

Repunched mintmark (RPM) means that the die had a faded or weak mint mark and they needed to strengthen or redo it. Done right and you would not notice. The coin would just look sharper and more detailed. Sometimes the new mint mark is slightly off and a doubling occurs. The more off its original mark the more value.

Then again the mintmark is slightly flat and it could be simple hub doubling. I cannot honestly tell the difference in this case and I have no other Euro RPM coins to check against. Opinions or links are welcomed in solving this mini mystery.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 10 Euro Cent / Italy
Year: 2008
Mintage: 104,956,400
Metal: Aluminum-Bronze
Value: $0.15 (starts at $1.50 if RPM)

Do you have any Euro from Italy 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.

2000 Pride Canadian Quarter

Have a Canada quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment

This was the premiere millennial quarter for Canada in 2000. It is also the most common. This January 2000 quarter looks like a party as it was meant to look like a New Year's celebration. Some were colorized with a red ribbon and the three smaller maple leafs also in red. Of course I have only found the more common uncolored version.

 

Pride or Fierte (in French) is how the Canadians wanted to recognize the new millennium, although the true millennium was 2001. It is a beautiful coin and the only one I can recall that has confetti.

Some sharp eyed visitors may notice the front of the coin has what seems to be trails and extra metal on the design. There is no good explanation for these trails but die deterioration or some kind of die variety is likely. This error does not really add value although a large community is starting to develop to study and trade trail dies and other "extra metal" varieties. Extra is in quotes as it is not actually extra metal but holes and scrapes on the die.. 

Here are the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-January Pride / Canada
Year: 2000
Mintage: 50,749,102
Metal: 100% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in EF-40

Do you have a Canadian quarter 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.

2004-A $10 Bill, GF-A

Have a ten dollar note and want to know its value? Leave a comment

Like the 2006 and 2009 ten dollar notes this one is colorized and watermarked. Also just like the next two notes in the series this bill has no real extra value. They are common and can still be found n high grade in circulation.

Last minute Christmas shoppers may want to put aside any new bills or odd change not only for your investment but as gifts to the numismatic (coin or currency collector) in your life. Even if the note has no extra value the person receiving it can always just spend it

Here's the stats for this bill...
Type/Federal Bank: $10 Note- Fort Worth / Atlanta
Year: 2004-A
Printings: 134,400,000
Printed: April 2006
Run: 4th of 15 from GF19200001A - GF25600000A
Value:  $15.00 in CU 

Do you have currency 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.

Coined For Money: Round-Up Dec. 17-23, 2012

The power of coins to influence is strong. Still that does not mean printing money will stop anytime soon.

For 2 weeks girls and boys competed to raise money at a school. Coins were collected and counted but any bill would take away from the final total. Clever coin drive with interesting results as the girls raised less but won.

It might cost Canada about $40 million to redeem those cents over the next 6 years. You can multiply that number by at least 100 if you try to do the same for the U.S. cents.

Coin vs Dollar debate round 211: Making coin dollars will bring jobs to America not to mention the delivery and distribution jobs. It also makes it less efficient assuming the price of gas will continue to rise.

New alloys are being tested at the U.S. Mint for future coins.

The world did not end and to celebrate we enjoyed a silver Mexican coin.

1948 Mexico 5 Pesos

Have a Mexico coin and want to know its value? Leave a comment

If you are reading this then you survived the Mayan calendar ending and have yet to notice that our regular calendar also ends in about 10 days. To celebrate the end of calendars here is some Mexican silver. This coin has the highest silver content of any Mexican coin.

 

When I first got this cinco pesos coin as sort of prize from a collector friend it had a value of about $12.00 back in June 2006. By April 2011 it reached its peak value of about $42.00, today it is worth $25.79. It contains 0.8680 troy ounces of silver which is the most ever used in any circulating Mexican coin.

The most recent change with Mexican money is the ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS which means UNITED MEXICANS STATES (not in order) . They recently started proceedings to drop the United States part in order to seem more independent. Originally they copied America's formal name to get a more respect. Lately some Mexicans feel like they are just a shadow on the world stage and want to be recognized just as Mexico. If this does get passed expect money changes by 2014.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Pesos / Mexico
Year: 1948
Mintage: 26,740,000
Metal: 90% Silver, 10% Copper?
Value: $26.00 in Almost-Uncirculated

Do you have a Mexican coin 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.

1999 June Canada Quarter

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Canadian millennium designed quarters starting in 1999 and were issued monthly for two years. Each of the 1999 series featured achievements, development, discoveries, inventions, and milestones in Canada's history. The production of the quarters had many die problems since the fonts and designs were not standard causing dies to break faster.

Designed by Gordon Ho and engraved by William Woodruff the theme is From Coast To Coast is meant to honor the railroad. The Canadian Pacific Railway was the first transcontinental railroad for Canada in 1885. It was immediately plagued with problems and currently does not reach the Atlantic shore. Still it was a huge step for the transport of goods and troops. 

Here are the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-June, From coast to Coast / Canada
Year: 1999
Mintage: 19,821,722
Metal: 100% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in EF-40

Do you have a Canadian quarter 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.

2006 $10 Bill, IF-B

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Not much has changed in the last few designs of the ten dollar note. It is a common series although there are some star notes that have extra value.

If some of you regular visitors are asking why does he keep showing common bills the answer is simple. I collect one of each. It is a good thing, back in 2008 I took this out of my change since it was crisp-uncirculated in grade. Today it would be more difficult to find such a crisp bill in your change especially since the 2006 series is no longer made.

A suggestion for new collectors is to set aside a new piece immediately. Do not try to wait for a later time since you may have gaps that will be tough to fill for face value. You can try and collect each series and Federal district but having at least one should be good enough for now. Next time you get change see what is new and set it aside because in time passes quickly and it will be an older note in no time.

Here's the stats for this bill...
Type/Federal Bank: $10 Note- Fort Worth / Atlanta
Year: 2006
Printings: 268,800,000
Printed: February 2008
Run: 2nd of 15 from IF06400001B - IF12800000B
Value:  $15.00 in CU 

Do you have currency 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.

Coined For Money: Round-Up Dec. 10-16, 2012

How to handle or not to handle your money. The stories below should have you thinking of how you really want to keep your money.

A woman bought a $1 box that had shredded money and turned into the government and got back a $5,500 check.

Smart traveling advice, exchange your currency before you leave.

Distant relative inherits less than $7.4 million from man's gold coin and home sale.

This quarter I found may have been buried or acid washed but either way it was handled roughly.

Copper Quarter, Acid Wash

Do you have a quarter and want to know its value? Leave a comment

At first I thought this one was damaged, then I thought it was an error, and now I am sure it was corroded by some type of acid. It could have been water but with a high pH since it still can cause this type of damage. I show this because many people find copper quarters and think it is some type of error.

The first thing I always advise is to weigh it. That is generally good advice but if the coin is acid washed then it will weigh less. A normal quarter weighs 5.67 grams but this "copper" quarter weighs 5.32 grams. Since nickel makes up 8.33% then any quarter missing both clad layers would weigh less than 5.20 grams. That is a good guess although variants exist.

This one also has other clues that is not a true error. For one thing it is not sharp. All the details are obscured and fuzzy. Even being old it would have greater detail if struck on copper. Second it is very dented and scratched which could be an attempt to clean it. Third is that the rim still shows hints of the silver colored copper-nickel clad layer.

Errors are very cool but sometimes an obvious damaged coin is just that. Even if it was an error most of the value is gone due to the terrible condition.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents / United States
Year: 1965
Mintage: 1,819,717,540
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.25 because it is a quarter

I doubt this would make it through any vending machine but I will not test that theory.

Do you have a quarter from America 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.

1985 Canada Dime

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This dime is common and I found several before. Add to that it has no real extra value. Still it has to be featured since it was the last foreign coin I found recently.

It is a bit depressing that the year is almost over and I have not found any Bermuda coins. Sure there has been plenty of Canadian coins in my change but usually there is at least one Bermudan coin. For the last decade I have always found a Bermuda coin, usually a cent. For some reason I have not found any this year despite the fairly light hurricane season. I can only guess Bermuda was not as popular this year because of the people flocking to the Olympics in England.


Here's the stats...
Type / Country: 10 Cents / Canada
Year: 1985
Mintage: 142,800,000
Metal: 100% Nickel
Value: $0.12 in G-4(Mostly for the nickel value.)

Do you have a Canadian coin 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.

2009 $10 Bill, JH-A

Have a ten dollar note and want to know its value? Leave a comment

The latest series for the ten dollar notes although 2009-A notes exist so far they have only released hundred dollar bills and nothing less. Probably soon they will issue new ten dollar notes but now is your opportunity to get high grade crisp tens from your change at face value.

As you can see below the security strip and the watermark are on the right side. Those are just two of the many security features common on modern notes.

Orange sherbert is what first comes to mind when looking at these notes. The back has a light orange hue and a white spot for the water mark and it reminds me of the orange Popsicle with the cream center.

These ten dollar notes are not rare but are often made in lower amounts than most other notes. I have heard of certain ATMs in Brooklyn that gives out $10 bill but I have yet to confirm it. Still the notes are quite useful since ATMs mostly give out twenties then if you need change buying some one dollar item will mainly result in a having a ten a five and four ones. Always needing more ones I often ask for the five to be ones but maybe I should start changing the ten. Oh well I tend to cashless these days.

Here's the stats for this bill...
Type/Federal Bank: $10 Note- Fort Worth / St. Louis
Year: 2009
Printings: 44,400,000
Printed: December 2010
Run: Not yet known.
Value:  $15.00 in CU 

Sidenote: Is it just me or does the water mark look like a young Gary Busey.

Do you have currency 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.

Coined For Money: Round-Up Dec. 3-9, 2012

Holidays are here. Hanukkah has started and Christmas is just a couple of weeks away. For that numismatist in your life you can either buy them a coin or coin book, search in cupboards, or just pull something out of you pocket. Here are some good articles to inspire you.

For the first time in over 30 years the $100 bill is being printed more than the $1 bill. The use and printing of dollar bills continue to fall as the population goes cashless.

Rare American coins were found in homemade cardboard cupboards in a British home. Estimated value £30,000 (~$48,000) at auction. 

A nice Coin Week blog post reminiscing on the joys and regrets of coin collecting especially during the Christmas gift giving season.

Finally found a 1990 Canadian cent in my change, which is a great gift for myself. At least that is one less person crossed off my list.

1990 Canada Cent

Have a Canada cent and want to know its value? Leave a comment

After 22 years of intense searching I finally got a 1990 Canadian Cent in my American change. As I pointed out earlier this year I found nearly every Canadian cent from the 1950s to now, except for 1990. Most 1990 Canadian coins were made in lower amounts and also hoarded so they are relatively rare in circulation.

Normally cent mintage averages 700 million and for 1989 they boosted the production to over a billion. For 1990 they changed design and lowered the mintage to just over 218 million. That is not rare or scarce but hoarding and low circulation made them tough to find in your change. Many were graded so the average coin holds no extra value.

The 1990 Canadian cent featured a brand new portrait of Queen Elizabeth designed for the first time by a Canadian, Dora de Pédery-Hunt. This design lasted until 2003 when they updated her portrait again. There was much pride in having a Canadian design the obverse for the coins of half the world. It was probably because of this that people kept this first of its kind cent.

Here's the stats...

Type / Country: 1 Cent / Canada
Year: 1990
Mintage: 218,035,000
Metal: 98% Copper, 0.5% Tin, 1.5% Zinc
Value: $0.02 in XF

Also found a 1989 Canadian cent but since I found another a couple of weeks ago there is no need to repeat myself.

Do you have a Canadian coin 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

2012 Canada Nickel

Have Canadian nickel and want to know its value? Leave a comment

This has been a good week for Canadian coins finds. I can assume that Black Friday saw an influx of Canadians out for a bargain and every other American using every odd penny to buy that cheap thing. Whatever the reason I start off with this new, albeit rather dingy, Canadian nickel.

Look at that not even the end of the year end I already have a 2012 Canadian coin. This is a brand new find for me and welcomed. The year is almost over and I have found a large number of Canadian coins. Most have been repeats but still plenty of unique ones.

I think this one also has a "detached K" which is probably just a Struck Through Grease error but Coins and Canada does make a special note about it. I am sure it does not add value but just wanted to point it out.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Cents / Canada
Year: 2012
Mintage: Not yet known.
Metal: 94.5% Steel, 3.5% Copper, and 2% Nickel
Value: $0.05 in Extra-Fine

 Do you have five cents from Canada 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.

1950-C $20 Bill, A-A

Have any $20 bill and want to know its value? Leave a comment

This is the oldest twenty dollar bill that I own. Despite the 1950 year on it these were actually printed between February 1961 and March 1963. The C beneath the date was added because the design change was minor. The signatures of Smith and Dillon replaced Priest and Anderson.

Not much is different from most other notes of the 1950 series. They were common and the serial numbers continued from the previous series. The runs went into the hundreds so despite being old they became common and hold little extra value if circulated. It is safe to assume this bill is 50 years old despite the alleged short lifespan of notes this one fared well. I think I got it less than ten years ago.

Here's the stats for this bill...
Type/Federal Bank: $20 Note - D.C. / New York
Year: 1950-C
Printings: 7,200,000
Printed: February 1961 to March 1963
Run: 149th of the 134-153 from A53280001A - A53640000A
Value: $25.00 in EF

Unless the ATM spits out something cool this is the last $20 of interest I own. Since I hardly use the ATM it may take a while to see another.

Do you have currency 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.

Coined For Money: Round-Up Nov. 26-Dec. 2, 2012

When they stop making coins then you can get concerned. The links this week are just two examples of governments versus coins.

A rare Korean coin goes to auction. It was made right before Japan took over and after most were melted.

Again the U.S. is considering eliminating the dollar bill for dollar coins. Things to consider...

• In the U.K. and Canada the coins replaced the bills at a 1.6 to 1.0 ratio, meaning increased money "printing".
• $4.4 billion in projected saving is based on 4.7 years dollar bill lifespan. As we go cashless this would increase.
• The Feds make a 95% profit of bills and 0% of the coins.
• Cost is cheaper for coins when considering recycling but if no one uses them they cannot be recycled.
• All countries that use dollar coins spent a lot on advertising and education, the U.S. would spend much more since we have more people.

Dimes are commonly being made with misalignment errors and I found another.