2008 Costa Rica 5 Colones

First Costa Rican found in my change in years. They are not rare but since they are made of metals like aluminum and brass they do not mix well with U.S. change.

On the front is the coat of arms featuring the volcanoes, ships, and stars that represent the provinces of Costa Rica. The other side is simple and has a communist look to it.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Colones / Costa Rica
Year: 2008
Mintage: 300,000,000
Metal: Aluminum
Value: $0.05 in Extra-Fine

Do you have coin from Costa Rica 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.

1988 Canada 5 Cents

Another Canadian nickel find which has been increasing since the death of Canadian pennies. The cent is gone for our northern neighbors and nickels are still plentiful. I have seen plenty of Canadians refuse small change all together so I expect more nickels this year. 

Nothing special about this particular nickel and the shape is not the best. Still another one to add the check list, I still need a few 1980s nickels from Canada but they are all relatively common so finding them might be easy.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Cents / Canada
Year: 1988
Mintage: 75,025,000
Metal: 75% Copper, 25% Nickel
Value: $0.06 in F(Fine)

Do you have a nickel 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.

1928 Wheat Cent

Haha I was just complaining how difficult it was to find cents from the 1920s and here is another one I found. I guess they are not as scarce as I first thought.

Only the fourth 1920s cent I found since starting this blog almost ten years ago. The more time that passes the more difficult it is to find older coins. This one is worn and seemed to have been cleaned at some pint but it is still almost 90 years old so it is a keeper.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States
Year: 1928
Mintage: 134,116,000
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Value: $0.20 in G-4

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.

1945-P Wartime Silver Nickel

Despite the ever lowering value of silver it is still a classic precious metal. I found another 35% silver nickel in my change and this is a new year for me.

This one is very worn and the P over the building on the back is barely visible. At the right angle most of the reverse is not visible. There is a doubled die version but as far as a I can see this one is normal.
 
Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Cents / United States of America
Year: 1945-P
Mintage: 119,408,100
Metal: 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese
Value: $0.95 in F-12

Do you have any nickel 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.

1927 Wheat Cent

Of all the decades of wheat cents the 20s are the most difficult for me to find in my change. Although in total other decades produced less coins these years are hoarded more. The famous No D 1922 cent made people search and keep most 1920s coins.

As you can tell this one has verdigris damage likely from a hole in the coin holder. There also seems to be red gunk on the back similar to old used to hold coins in place back in the day. Still a neat find just for the age.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States
Year: 1927
Mintage: 144,440,000
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Value: $0.20 in G-4

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.

2002 Portugal 5 Euro Cent

This is the most common of the Portuguese 5 Euro Cents and it taste like all the others, although I do not recommend licking coins as a means of identification. 

This one has the same design as the last Portuguese euro coin I found and I think all of the copper-plated steel Portuguese euro coins have this design.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Euro Cent / Portugal
Year: 2002
Mintage: 234,512,046
Metal: Copper Plated Steel: 94.35% Steel 5.65% Copper
Value: $0.05 in Very-Fine

Do you have coin from Portugal 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.

NRA Counterstamped Nickel

First counter-stamped nickel I found in my change. This nickel has NRA cut into the coin over the dome on Monticello on the back.

Counter-stamping coins is legal and done by private citizens or certain companies as novelties items. As long as the stamp is not an attempt as fraud or made for profit making advertizing then it is legal.

After a little research I found only one person who claimed to have made thousands of these and released them into circulation. The person using the name counterstamp claimed to have done it to show their support for the National Rifle Association. This was back in 2009 and the RealCent forum thread shows little new information about the stamper who is no longer a member.

As for value it has no extra value. Actually it may be rejected for use in sales or monetary transaction since the coin has been altered, that still does not mean that altering a coin is illegal it is just annoying. Luckily it is small and most people will not notice or care.

Here's the stats for this coin...
Type/Country: 5 Cents / United States
Year: 1976-D
Metal: 75% copper 25% nickel
Mintage: 563,964,147
Value: $0.05 in Damaged

Do you have a nickel 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.

2005 Argentina 10 Centavos

It has been over three years since I last found an Argentinian coin. They are common but tourism, in either direction, is not common around here so finding them in our change is difficult.

The one was given to me as a cent becuase of the dark marks it took me a few seconds to read the coin. This series of 10 centavos coins lasted from 1992-2005 before they switched to the cheaper brass-plated steel.

Here's the stats ...

Type/Country: 10 Centavos / Argentina
Year: 2005
Mintage: 114,400,000
Metal: Aluminium-Bronze
Value: $0.15 in VF

Do you have a coin from Argentina 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.

1998 СПМД Russia 1 Ruble

This ruble or rouble is from St. Petersburg Mint  and it has the mint mark in monogram style, apparently there is a lettered version. In this 1997-2001 series only the 2001 coin is rare the rest are considered common although the exact mintage is unknown.

As Russia faces serious economic problems as a result of its bullying problem the rouble is now less than two cents in U.S. dollar value. I am not sure if they even use these coins anymore but it would probably not buy much.

Here are that stats...
Type / Country: 1 Ruble / Russia
Year: 1998-СПМД (St. Petersburg Mint)
Mintage: Unknown
Metal: Copper-Nickel-Zinc
Value: $0.25 in Extra-Fine

Do you have a coin from Russia 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 Ecuador 5 Centavos

The last of the Ecuadorian coins I found last year. They seem to be common and circulating well. They made 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos coins and luckily I have found one of each. There are other newer years than 2000 but those are harder to find.

On the coin is Juan Montalvo an author and champion of Ecuadorian democracy. He was exiled to France after critiquing some political leaders in Ecuador. He died out of country but after his death he was honored and remembered as a national hero.

Here are the stats for these...
Type/Country: 5 Centavos / Ecuador
Year: 2000
Mintage: Not yet known
Metal: Steel
Value: $0.10 in VF

Do you have a Ecuadorian 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 Quarter

There are five circulating 2012 Canadian quarters and probably dozens more that are non-circulating issues. This is probably the most common but I have no exact numbers to verify.

I know have a nickel, dime, and quarter from 2012 Canadian circulating coins and all I need is that last cent. I assume that it is being hoarded like many last issue coins but it still has no extra value. I believe I will find one and may even find those commemorative quarters but it may take a while.

Type/Country: 25 Cents / Canada
Year: 2012
Mintage: 153,450,000
Metal: 94% Steel, 3.8% Copper, 2.2% Nickel
Value: $0.25 in Very-Fine (VF-20)

Do you have any 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.

2002-J Germany 10 Euro Cent

The second most common of all German 10 euro cents only the 2002-F is more common. Since 2004 these coins are only available in collector sets but I will still hope to find one in my change.

Got this as a penny which is a great deal even for a common coin. Still have not found any rare or special coins but Euros are still nice to get.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 10 Euro Cent / Germany
Year: 2002-J
Mintage: 758,730,000
Metal: Brass
Value: $0.15 in Very-Fine

Do you have a Euro 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.