2001-S Rhode Island Quarter

Found another proof quarter coin in my change, the last one I found was in April. At least in the U.S. proof coins are not meant to circulate but collectors know that if the are in less then uncirculated grade it has no extra value.

This coins is supposed to have a mirrored background but it is in such rough shape that it is dull and scratched. Still when it was in my change with regular quarters you could see it was much shinier and sharper.

Yes I checked the edge and it has copper. There is a silver version that looks exactly the same except the edge would not have a copper stripe.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-Rhode Island / United States
Year: 2001 S
Mintage: 3,094,140
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.35 in F-12

Do you have a state 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.

2009-S District of Columbia Quarter

Almost a year after finding a proof cent in my change I find a proof quarter. Modern proof coins generally have an S (San Fransisco) mint mark and are not circulated. The only way they get circulated is when someone purposely puts it in circulation because it lacks any extra value.

The coin is from the American Territories series made after the State Quarters were minted. This is the same one as the circulating District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) version. It features Duke Ellington sitting at his piano and the motto Justice For All.

There many reason for dumping proof into the circulating but the most common happens when collectors buy many proofs sets and then cherry pick the best. The best are graded and sell for high prices. The rest are then sold for albums for a few dollars, those that are not sold have no real extra value and can still be used for face value.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents-Washington D.C. / United States
Year: 2009 S
Mintage: 2,113,478
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Value: $0.35 in F-12

Do you have a state 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.

2002-W $5 Gold Proof

Gold is good and shiny. Now proof gold is very shiny and can be bought directly from the U.S. Mint unlike the regular gold bullion coins that can only be bought by third party sellers.

My images will never do justice on how gold shines in proof condition. This is 91.67% fine gold and yes Canada makes them with a higher purity but there designs are lacking. This is a work of art for bullion coin. If you were to display one coin it should be this one since it will resist tarnishing, toning, and hazing. Be aware it is a metal coin with silver and copper in it so the climate might change it over the years but overall it is pretty stable.

The box and case are also good looking. Velvet and shiny parts all over keep my collecting brain all happy.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Dollar / United States
Year: 2002 W
Mintage: 40,864
Metal: 91.67% Gold, 5.33% Copper, 3.00% Silver
Value: $200.00 in Uncirculated

Do you have a gold 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-W American Eagle $10 Platinum Bullion

Platinum is more rare and more valuable than gold. It is also denser and less reactive so it is great for scientific purposes. It looks just like silver when polished and that is what the Spanish called it platina or little silver.

Starting in 1997 the U.S. Mint began producing platinum bullion coins. The most affordable was the $10 tenth ounce platinum coin. It featured the Statue of Liberty on the front with the date. The reverse had a flying eagle in the wild with the W mint mark, the value, and the purity of .9995 platinum 1/10 oz. Of course all the other American coin mottos are also there.

These days you rarely see the full original package sold with these coins. The reason is that most of these coins were immediately torn out the package and sent to be graded. They were such high quality that most graded a perfect 70. So any platinum in the raw, even proofs just have metal value.

I have seen perfect 70 platinum coins selling for $450 meaning at a metal value of $143 that anything under a 68 grade is common. For a coin that averaged 12,000 minted it seems odd but that is the nature of coin collecting.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Dollar / United States
Year: 2002 W
Mintage: 12,365
Metal: 99.95% Platinum, 0.05% ????
Value: $143.30 in ungraded, $225 if graded above 68

I would love to know what is the rest of the coin's composition is it silver or copper or a mix?

Do you have a gold 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.

1989-S Proof Cent

Have a 1989 proof cent and want to know its value?

First time ever finding an American proof cent in my change. As you may know proof coins are sold directly to collectors in sealed containers. So how is it possible to find a proof coin in your change? Well I have a theory.

1989 has some of the most valuable proof coins of the 1980s. Currently a 1989-s Proof-65 cent is about $10.00 while the other years are $5.00 or less. Someone probably bought a bunch of 1989 proof sets broke them open and submitted the best ones for grading. This one has some dents and scratches, not to mention more fingerprinting than Amanda Bynes. Not worthy of grading and with little margin for profit they tossed it into a roll and just went to the bank and deposited them for face value.

Some may think a kid must have busted open the set to buy stuff but these days kids do not bother with pennies and a poor person probably would sell it as a set on eBay if they needed money. Either way it has now circulated and lost most of its value. Still it is a low mintage cent and proof so it retains more value than a regular strike.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent Proof / United States
Year: 1989-S
Mintage: 3,220,194
Metal: 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper
Value: $0.30 in Proof-12, (if such a silly grade even exists)

This is suppose to be Canadian Wednesday but both Canadian coins (1998 cent, 2008 dime) I found were repeats so I went with this cooler coin instead.

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.

1968-S Proof Half Dollar

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

Half dollar coins are still difficult to come by in my change so I use to buy them when they were cheap. This one I bought was around face value a few years ago even though it is a proof. The reason is that it was stored improperly and the holes on the holder is giving it nasty tarnish marks.

 

In case you cannot see the problem spots here is a nice close up.

I should take it out of the holder and replace it but it has little value other than metal so no big loss. The plastic of the holder does not show the full coin brilliance but there is some haze on the coin itself.

Half dollars from 1965-1970 are silver clad.

Silver clad means the coin has three layers. The two outer layers are 80% silver and 20% copper while the middle layer is 20.9% silver and 79.1% copper. The total net weight of pure silver is 0.1479 ounces or 40% silver.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 50 Cents - Proof / United States
Year: 1968 S
Mintage: 3,041,506
Metal: 40% Silver, 60% Copper
Value: $4.50 added a few cents because proofs should have extra value

Although the above was another coin from the vault I did find something late yesterday but I will wait to show that one.

Have a fifty cent coin 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.