2009 British 5 Pence

The British coins are still the third most common in my change just behind United States and Canada respectively. For most the exchange rate is higher than the collectors value and there are few varieties to search for in common change.

This is one of the newer British coins with the puzzle shield design. I think I have most of the pieces found commonly. Having all the pieces does not add value but it would make a cool display item.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Pence / Great Britain
Year: 2009
Mintage: 132,960,300
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $0.10 in VF

Do you have a coin from Great Britain 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.

1986 Canadian Cent

As I recall 1986 was a horrible year with the Challenger and Chernobyl disasters among other things made it a fairly bad time, except for the Mets. This Canadian cent is from that time but has little historical impact.

The Canadian cent maybe out of circulation in Canada but in the U.S. they seem to be going strong. I have found quite a few and it is only February. I wonder how it is like in Canada since the end of the cents. The few Canadians I heard talk about cents just say it is no big deal since they have been slowly banning pennies from stores for years. I think the poor people in certain areas would have a different view.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / Canada
Year: 1986
Mintage: 788,285,000
Metal: 98% Copper, 1.5% Zinc, and 0.5% Tin
Value: $0.02 in F-12

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.

1952 Wheat Cent

For every wheat cent I post I have been finding at least two more that I already showcased. Wheat cents have not been made for 67 years yet they are still circulating in fairly large amounts. Unfortunately that means the average wheat cent in circulation is worth only a few cents.

I lost count of the individual years that I have found but the 1950's seem to be the most common followed by 1944 and 1945. I rarely find anything from the 1910's and 1920-1943 seem to be scarce.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States
Year: 1952
Mintage: 186,775,000
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Value: $0.05 in F-12

Do you have an older 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.

1974 $1 Bill, A-A

First 1974 dollar find for me. It is possibly 40 years old, exact printing date is not known, and looks good for a circulating dollar bill.

 
Like most dollar bills over the last 50 years it has no extra value if circulated. Since I never found one until now I still think it is great. I have seen 2013 bills and notes in circulation but I have not received any. More often the average dollar bills I get as change is from 2001-2006. A bunch of 1988 notes are also floating out there but none are the Web-Fed notes. 

Here's the stats for this bill...
Type/Federal Bank: $1 Note - D.C.  / Boston
Year: 1974
Printings: 269,760,000
Printed: August 1974 - February 1978
Run: 120th of 1-157 run from A76160001A  - A76800000A 
Value:  $1.00 in VF

Do you have a $1 note 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.

2014-P Great Smoky Mountains Quarter

Released January 27, 2014 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park quarter has only been circulating for three weeks before I found one. It is a good sign to see so a new coin like this circulating and I have been finding some interesting coins lately.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in Tennessee and is a very popular park, that is all I recall about park. Apparently it was one the last national parks created and the residents there cut down most of forest before they were stopped and got paid to leave the land.

On the reverse is the Great Smoky Mountains, a forest, a log cabin and fence, and a hawk.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents - Great Smoky Mountains / United States
Year: 2014-P
Mintage: 79,400,000
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in F-12

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.

2011-P Andrew Johnson Dollar

This is the least common or lowest minted circulating Presidential Dollar. Granted at 35+ million it is still common for coin standards.

The 2012-present presidential dollars coins are not issued for circulation, although I will still check for them, and have a much lower mintage. As for our 17th president I know little about President Andrew Johnson or his term 1865-1869. It should be important since he succeeded President Lincoln.

While doing the typical 10-second research on the internet it seemed President Johnson was charged with reconstruction of a recently torn America and did not do a great job of it. Looks like there was an impeachment trial and bullying type behavior. I take it all with a grain of salt seeing how everyone back them was on the edge and just trying to save face.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Dollar-Andrew Johnson / United States
Year: 2011 P (Edge upside-down)
Mintage: 35,560,000
Metal: 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, and 2% Nickel
Value: $1.00 in F-12

 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.

1964 Lincoln Memorial Cent

On this Valentine's Day let me share my love of change finds. This was my first find in 2014 and last year I would have rejected this cent. This coin was rescued from my change because it turned 50 years old and that is all I need to collect common coins.

The cent is kind of gunky and pretty worn for a relatively new cent. My self-imposed rule of keeping all common coins that happen to be 50 years old is kind of silly. This coin in this shape will never have more than metal value even if we stop using small change.

It is also noteworthy to point out this coin was the first to reach over 2.5 billion in production for the U.S. and while that seems common now it was a huge achievement for the mint. The likely cause of the huge production spike was one part need but the are part was to build stockpiles as they phased out mint marks.

Mint marks were being discouraged because of hoarding and production issues. By 1965 mint marks would vanish on coins but in anticipation they made sure to boost production in 1964. That coupled with the change in coin composition for the silver types made for a bunch of common coin that year.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent  / United States
Year: 1964
Mintage: 2,648,575,000
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin, and Possibly Zinc
Value: $0.02 in EF-40

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.

1960-D Lincoln Memorial Cent, Large Date

There are 7 varieties of 1960 cents but the most common seems to be the 1960-D large date. The four common types are large and small dates for both mints. There are also some errors that have large date over small dates and small dates over large, plus one D over D error. Not a surprise I keep finding the boring old large date variety.

Like the 1960 Lincoln cent, Large Date I found a while back it can be difficult to tell the dates apart unless you know what to look for on the front of the coin.

For the large date:

• The top of the 9 is always higher than the top of the 1. 
• The top of the 6 is at the same or very close to the right most edge of the 6.

Still have not found a small date or maybe I did but I have not noticed. One problem with collecting is that I do not always remember all the varieties. I know I found a 1960 cent but I often forget to recheck it for the other varieties.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent  / United States
Year: 1960-D Large Date
Mintage: 1,580,884,000 (both types included)
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin, and Possibly Zinc
Value: $0.02 in EF-40

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.

1963-D Lincoln Memorial Cent

Not bad looking for a 51 year old circulated coin out of Denver. Granted for less than a quarter I can probably buy one in mint state. This is a found in change coin so I will give myself a break.

There is a slight rainbow toning on the front but it is mostly scratched and probably will never have more than metal value. I mean almost two billion were made so they will always be common.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States
Year: 1963-D
Mintage: 1,774,020,400
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Zinc
Value: $0.02 in G-4

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. 

1951 Wheat Cent

Yes another common wheat cent from the 1950s. I have found a bunch of these recently and few from earlier years. I got more 1940s coins last decade and few from the 50s, now it has flip flopped.

Expect to see less wheat cents as we go into a coin/currency free society. Also take note since now 1964 cents are 50 years old they will be seen as more collectable especially among the young collectors. They are still common but age does make them attractive.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States
Year: 1951
Mintage: 284,576,000
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Value: $0.05 in F-12

Do you have an older 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.

Super Bowl XLVIII Highland Mint "Coin"

Yes I know this not really a coin but that is what everyone calls them since they are used for Super Bowl Coin flipping. This is also not the official version used, that one is silver and gold plated and limited to 10,000. This is a bronze version in an acrylic stand sold by the hundred thousands.

The coin is from the Highland Mint and they have been making Super Bowl coins for over two decades in Australia. The one used at the game is the highest quality and like I mentioned before is then replicated and limited to 10,000, it sells for about $60.00 on sale. This one I got on sale for $10.00 is not as sharp and a bunch of them had stains so it took a while to find a clean one.

It comes in an acrylic stand that is etched with SUPER BOWL XLVIII, the NFL logo, the HM The Highland Mint logo, and NEW YORK · NEW JERSEY FEBRUARY 2, 2014. I lost one of the stands legs but I will find or make a replacement.

I would prefer the official version made with silver and 24k gold plating but that was to expensive for a souvenir to a game I did not watch, yet.

Here are the stats for this...
Type/Country: Super Bowl XLVIII Highland Mint "Coin" / Australia
Year: Unknown (Starting Jan. 19, 2014 to date)
Mintage: Unknown (Seems like about 100,000 cannot be sure)
Metal: Bronze, Frosted with mirrored background and possibly gold flash finish
Diameter: 39 millimeters
Obverse Writing: NEW YORK · NEW JERSEY (SUPER BOWL) XLVIII
FEBRUARY 2, 2014
Reverse Writing: (NFL) OFFICIALLY LICENSED
Value: $10.00 

Do you have a medal 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.