2011 M Russia 10 Kopeks

The Russian Olympics are coming soon and maybe that is why I found a Russian coin in my change recently. The travel to and from Russia is increasing so I expect to find more Kopeks in my change.

Under the front hoof is the mint mark М for Moscow, there is also a СП mark for the St. Petersburg mint. Both were made in equal amount, I assume by the low values for each. The mintage has not been made public for years.

Here are that stats...
Type / Country: 10 Kopeks / Russia
Year: 2007-М (Moscow Mint)
Mintage: Unknown (by me at least)
Metal: Brass Plated Steel
Value: $0.15 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.

NYPD Squished Penny

Got this squished penny before it got to cold to reach in my pockets with bare hands. There is a penny squishing machine in a shop close to work called Liberty Empire Inc. that sells tourist stuff. The machine is outside and since it is away from the Empire State building it is never crowded.

I used a pure copper cent, you can even see the 1973 year on the back. The machine has four designs but this one with the NYPD looked the best. I will go back for the other three but only when it gets warm.

The front has a mostly beaded border and the horizontal design is the NYPD motto TO PROTECT & SERVE and NEW YORK USA. The reverse is left blank making the front design much sharper.

Here are the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent Elongated / Former Empire State Building Themes (NYPD)
Year: December 2013
Mintage: Still in production
Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Value: $0.50 costs $0.51 to make

Do you have a 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.

2010-P Abraham Lincoln Dollar

One of the most famous president in the world is Abraham Lincoln. He us currently on the cent and five dollar bill, not to mention many official collector coins. As the 16th president of the United States of America he also is on the golden dollar.

The front has Abraham Lincoln, the motto In God We Trust, and the years Lincoln spent in office 1861-1865. The edge has star, the date and mint mark, the other motto E Pluribus Unum. The back has the Statue of Liberty, the United States Of America, and the value $1.

Lincoln was always one of my favorite presidents and ever since that movie came out I like him even more. He always seemed burdened and the image on this coin looks sad. Still you should watch Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter because it is better than expected.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Dollar-Abraham Lincoln / United States
Year: 2010 P (Edge upside-down)
Mintage: 49,000,000
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.

2000-D Sacagawea Dollar

It took almost 14 years but I found a 2000-D (Denver) dollar coin. Since I only get these coins from vending machines when I do not use exact change it has been scarce for me.

More than half a billion of these were made but due to poor circulation, thanks to the public, they never reached me before now. From my observation when people get these coins it takes about an hour before they spend them again. That sounds like great circulation except it is usually out from one vending machine and into another.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Dollar / United States
Year: 2000-D
Mintage: 518,916,000
Metal: Core: 100% Copper, Clad Layer: 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, 2% Nickel
Value: F-12 about $1.00

Also found a 2010-D Great Law of Peace Dollar that had the edge upside down in relation to the head being up. A minor variety but one that actively look for in modern dollar coins.

Do you have any dollar 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 Canadian Dime

Those Canadian coins are so shiny that it is obvious when a new one appears in your change. The Royal Canadian Mint uses proof-like standards for there circulating coins. It is that over polished die and high quality standards that keeps mirror-like coins in circulation.

On the flip side when they get scratched it is also more obvious. Fingerprint and stains do not stick as well but virtually anything causes them to get scratched. This is also a great strategy to stop potential hoarders. Since Canadians coins issued for circulation are bound to have flaws you are forced to buy uncirculated sets to those perfect coins.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 10 Cents / Canada
Year: 2012
Mintage: 334,675,000
Metal: 92% steel, 5.5% copper, and 2.5% nickel
Value: $0.10 in Extra-Fine

Do you have ten cents from Canada and want to know their value? Leave a comment/question an I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

1937 Wheat Cent

This was a nice find and one of my oldest finds of last year. Yes it is still common and low value but it is old. Twenty plus years of serious collecting and I still get excited about finding wheat cents.

The end of the penny across the globe is almost here. The United States will probably be one of the last hold outs but I see a time soon when it will also cease to use cents. Years ago I would have been upset but now I accept this is a reality and the overpricing of goods will not add up to anything to tragic.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States
Year: 1937
Metal: 95% Copper 5% Tin and Zinc
Mintage: 309,170,000
Value: $0.15 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.

2006-D Nevada Quarter

Horsies! More than half of all wild horses in the U.S. are located in Nevada. The only reason I know this is because I researched why there are three horses on this coin.

Big Horn Sheep would have been my choice because they are native and horses are technically an invasive species. Sure America had horses hundred of thousands of years ago but currently they are not natural. Other features on the coin like sagebrush, a sun rising behind mountains, and the State's nickname, "The Silver State" are more obvious signs you are in Nevada.

The most obvious choice would be a casino and different gambling objects like card and chips. Of course that would never happen because many people still see gambling as a vice.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents - Nevada / United States
Year: 2006 D
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Mintage: 312,800,000
Value: $0.25 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.

2013 Brazil 5 Centavos

Thought this was a Euro when I found it my change recently. Upon closer inspection I realized it was a five centavos coin from Brazil. South American countries have always copied the design of more powerful countries to use on there currency. They copied British, American, and now Euro designs throughout the centuries.

On the reverse is a design that looks a lot a 5 Euro Cent coin they have diagonal lines, a globe, stars, and a large 5.

Brazil like many third world countries tend to copy currency designs of more powerful countries or systems. First they copied Britain or Spain, then they copied American designs, and now they are firmly copying Euro designs. It is a way to seem more stable or make believe they are part of a stronger currency group.

The front has Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier or as he is known TIRADENTES. With the dove and geometric symbols behind him he looks like Jesus but he is not. Instead Tiradentes was a revolutionary leader who helped Brazil gain independence from Portugal.

Here's the stats...

Type/Country: 5 Centavos / Brazil
Year: 2013
Mintage: Not yet known.
Metal: Copper Plated Steel
Value: $0.07 in XF

Do you have any centavos from Brazil 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-D West Virginia Quarter

It has the New River Gorge bridge, New River Gorge river, and the New River Gorge. I guess West Virginians really are into rock climbing and perfect views, bunch of weirdos. It is seriously a great place and I hope to drive there on day.

I always thought the movie Deliverance was set in West Virginia but it was not. West Virginia has some great national parks and sites not to mention bridges. Well I am in need of a real vacation and since I found this West Virginia recently I have been looking at the states differently.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 25 Cents - West Virginia / United States
Year: 2005 D
Metal: 91.67% Copper 8.33% Nickel
Mintage: 356,200,000
Value: $0.25 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.

1949 Nickel

Actually I found two 1949 nickels within a week. Odd since it has been years since I found any 1949 nickel. The coin is fairly common but is not often seen in high grade, especially in circulation.

The pictures above are of different coin the first is a coin in great shape. The second is a very worn coin and has some lamination on the back. The metal is peeling and this is likely because of a minor defect and environmental damage.

I have seen older nickels that are in better shape so I suspect that these nickels had some bad planchets. A bad batch of metal coin blanks or coin dies could have left this entire Philadelphia run weak. Either way that does mean extra value but only a little about 10% higher than your average 1940's nickel.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Cents / United States of America
Year: 1949
Mintage: 60,652,000
Metal: 75% copper 25% nickel
Value: $0.15 in low grade

Do you have an older nickel and want to find out its value? Leave a comment and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

2006 $1 Star Note, J-*

I have seen a bunch of star notes but none were mine. They have been in other people's change which I have no access to. Since I have been buying lunch everyday I see people using cash and getting change without ever checking it.

Luckily I did find one in my change. It is a common one dollar star note in circulated condition. Coin finds have been much mire plentiful so having a new currency note is a welcome change.

Here's the stats for this bill...
Type/Federal Bank: $1 Star Note - Fort Worth / Kansas City
Year: 2006
Printings: 3,200,000
Printed: February 2009
Run: 1st of 2 from J00000001* - J03200000*
Value: $2.50 VF(this one is less)

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.

2005 Bahamas Five Cents

Dreaming of those warm Bahamas beaches after that 'Polar Vortex' plunged this piece of the world into a deep freeze. Well finding this coin will not get you there but at least it can give you a direction to go. That direction is to the equator where it is still hot.

This 5 cents has a nice pineapple on the back that look much more friendly than any pineapple I had to cut. In the Commonwealth of The Bahamas the pineapple is a traditional crop and some towns even hold pineapple festivals. Those delicious Caribbean dishes and drinks that are pineapple filled would be perfect at a resort in some tropical place, not in NYC on icy sidewalks.

The lack of mintage data for the last few years of Bahamian coins is sad but normal. Most countries that are small or less populated often do not publish mintage rates because it may disrupt the economy. Rarity is only known by people who use or collect coins often. Word of mouth is the best way to find out if one year is rarer than any other year.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 5 Cents / Bahamas
Year: 2005
Mintage: Unknown
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $0.05 in VF (Very-Fine)

Do you have a coin from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas 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 Canada Quarter

I have a bunch of 2013 finds I need to get through so I will start with this Canadian quarter. There are about seven different designs for the 2011 Canadian quarters and the most common and boring is the caribou which I found. The others have other animals and some are colorized.

Not a bad coin but I would love to find a colorized coin in my change. It is difficult for those color and enameled coins to survive circulation. They often flake off and even if they do not fall apart people who find them will keep them even if they are not collectors.

Type/Country: 25 Cents / Canada
Year: 2011
Mintage: 187,520,000
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.