Thursday, July 30, 2009

1992 British Ten Pence, Again

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

Found at Target just resting on a table while dozens of people passed it by without a care. I do not blame them since this is the most common 10 pence ever and passes through U.S. coin operated machines like butter.

33
That is right this is the 33rd 1992 ten pence I found, some were from coin lots, but most are from my change. As recent as December of last year I found one of these among a group of Canadian finds.

For this reason this coin is getting its own post. I'm assuming many of these billion and a half coins have left Great Britain and are commonly found. This one is not in the best of shape.

The World Coin book has a great description of the reverse:

Crowned lion prancing left.

Varieties in how the edges were made and also in thickness exist for the 1992-1997 ten pence coins. With only a few from 1995 and 1996 I have not really checked on these and the Coins of England book by Spinks book is no help.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 10 Pence / Great Britain
Year: 1992
Mintage: 1,413,455,000
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $0.10 in F(This may be less)

Update: Thanks to Sylvester for this information
With regards to the milling varieties, 1992 is the only year when there is more than one type. There's the earliest issues which have 'wire milling' (the thin narrow one), sometimes during 1992 a thicker flat edge was adopted and used every year thereafter.

You might be interested to learn that the small 10p series is a somewhat complex one with many minor varieties. 1992 itself has no less than 5 distinct varieties, one of which is rare.

Type 1 - Wire milling - Obv. L & I point between edge beads, Rev. 1 points at a bead. (Extremely common, estimate mintage = 565,382,068)

Type 2 - Flat Edge - Obv. L & I point between edge beads, Rev. 1 points at a bead. (Extremely common, estimate mintage = 565,382,068)

Type 3 - Flat Edge - Obv. L & I point at edge beads, Rev. 1 points between beads. (Common, estimated mintage = 261,489,206)

Type 4 - Flat Edge - Obv. L & I point between edge beads, Rev. 1 points between beads. (Scarce, estimate mintage = 14,134,552)

Type 5 - Flat Edge - Obv. L & I point at beads, Rev. 1 points at a bead. (Rare, estimated mintage = 7,067,276)

For most other years there's two distinct varieties.
While I won't have time to go over my previous finds this one has the obverse L & I in between dots. The reverse has the 1 pointing directly at a dot. This is the most common type but maybe one of the other 32 are better, I'll try to search soon.

Do you have a coin from the United Kingdom 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.

Monday, July 27, 2009

2009 Birth and Early Childhood in Kentucky Cent

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

Better known as the log cabin cent this was the first of the newly designed cents. More importantly it is now the lowest minted cent in the last 40 years.

Current estimated mintage for the Philadelphia 2009 Log Cabin cent is 284,800,000.
The previous lowest was the San Francisco 1969 cent at 258,270,001.

Before you start hoarding the is just one type out of four the 2009 final tally, for all designs, will probably be 3 billion or more which is low just not rare.


Trying to find a better lighting with my failing camera I moved away from natural light and used a compact fluorescent light source.


Same light source but raised onto a box of tissues.


Then the cent fell off and rolled under the sofa, when it came back it was a bit dusty.

Note to self: Clean under the couch.

The log cabin is a representation of the home Lincoln and his brother were born in Knob Creek, Kentucky. He often recalled the time with much fondness.

Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / United States
Year: 2009 (Log Cabin)
Mintage: 284,800,000 (estimated)
Metal: 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper (I weighed it just in case to make sure)
Value: $0.01 in VF-20

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.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

1977 Trinidad & Tobago Cent

Do you have a coin from Trinidad and Tobago and want to know its value? Leave a comment

Not a change find instead it was found on the floor of a Dunkin' Donuts along with some other cents. Apparently in Starbucks some can find a tenner but in lowly Dunkin' Donuts you must scrounge the floor for a cent.

It is my second 1977 Trinidad and Tobago cent find but my first this year. This does keep up with the pattern of foreign finds I find on a regular basis.

The obverse has the Coat of Arms of Trinidad and Tobago with the Scarlet Ibis, the Cocrico, and the hummingbird which is also featured on the reverse. The motto says TOGETHER WE ASPIRE, TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE like most mottoes is meant to unite a diverse country.

A touch smaller, thinner, and lighter than a U.S. cent it still can pass especially since it is so dark in hand.

Here's the stats for this coin...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / Trinidad and Tobago
Year: 1977
Mintage: 25,000,000
Metal: Bronze
Value: $0.05 in F

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.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

1970 Canada Cent

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

Most recent find, 10th Canadian find this year, 7th 1970 Canadian cent ever found, and my oldest foreign find this year.

I should take a day trip to Canada just to dump a whole bunch of U.S. coins into circulation. Seriously 11 days without any post-worthy finds makes this little cent very welcomed.


Here's the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Cent / Canada
Year: 1970
Mintage: 344,145,010
Metal: 98% Copper, 0.5% Tin, and 1.5% Zinc
Value: $0.02 in F

Do you have a Canada 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

Friday, July 17, 2009

Jamaica Proofs not 100%

Do you have a coin from Jamaica and want to know its value? Leave a comment

With no new finds from my change I will complete clearing any coins I have from my desk that I have not blogged about yet. Also everything technological is currently turning on me.

There are four proof Jamaican coins and two circulated coins.

Can you tell which are non-proofs?

All the proofs were minted by the Franklin Mint or the Royal Mint. Royal Mint issues have the word JAMAICA extend beyond the headdress. Look at the two five-cent coins to tell difference.

The coins themselves are slightly hazy, a theme that will continue, and that is why they weren't kept by the original owner. Haze is permanent and if not trying to remove it will destroy the mirror-like surface.

The dollar coin is great. It is thick and heavy like a coin should be. The five cent coin is just the opposite it is very light and almost feels like a toy.

Nice edge on that dollar.

The back, or is it the front, has JAMAICA ONE DOLLAR and the year of issue surrounding the Jamaican national coat of arms. The coat of arms has pineapples on the shield and more in the nice lady's basket. An American crocodile stands on a tree while two natives stand on a ribbon that says, OUT OF MANY, ONE PEOPLE which is the same as U.S.A. coin motto E Pluribis Unum.

Notice the dollar has three dates but the latest is the real one.

Here's the stats from left the top row ...
Type/Country: 1 Dollar / Jamaica
Year: 1970 (Proof)
Mintage: 14,000
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $2.50 in AU

Type/Country: 10 Cents / Jamaica
Year: 1970 Proof
Mintage: 12,000
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $0.35 in AU

Type/Country: 5 Cents / Jamaica
Year: 1973 Proof
Mintage: 28,000
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $0.25 in AU

Type/Country: 10 Cents / Jamaica
Year: 1995
Mintage: Not yet known.
Metal: Copper plated steel
Value: $0.15 in AU

Type/Country: 20 Cents / Jamaica
Year: 1970 Proof
Mintage: 12,000
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $0.50 in AU

Type/Country: 5 Cents / Jamaica
Year: 1972
Mintage: 6,000,000
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $0.05 in VF

Purple haze:
No, not that kind I mean my camera is dying and starts going purple. It took half an hour to take a picture of these coins.

Most of the images come out like this.

I have switched to the camera for most of my coin photos and I doubt it will make it to December. Luckily I have two excellent scanners so until that time comes I will look for camera deals online, something with high macro capabilities would be nice.

Do you have a Jamaican 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.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Dual Dates

Do you have a dual date coin and want to know its value? Leave a comment

My latest find is nothing too special. The 1992 Canadian ten cents is very common but it has something extra, a second date.

Dual date coins often commemorate some anniversary in this case the 125th birthday of Canada. In some foreign coins they have dual dates in different languages or for a leader's reign. The United States most famous dual dates were in 1976 for the country's bicentennial. Since then many U.S. coins have two or more dates thanks to the special quarter program.

Usually the dates are the year of issue and one in the past. Although coins dated with a future date are seen. The 2003 Missouri quarter has four dates 1821 (year it became a state), 1804 (year of discovery), 2004 (anniversary of discovery), and 2003 (year of issue).

When describing a coin with dual or multiple dates most of the time the oldest date is the official date. Better is to describe all the dates, rarely is the earliest date the issue date.

Sometimes I get frustrated when someone says..
Commenter: "I got a 10 cent Canada coin from 1867"
Man: "Not possible it doesn't exist."
Commenter: "Yeah I found in my change it is new and from 1867"
Man: "Can you describe it?"
Commenter: "Well it has a boat, Queen Elizabeth II, and looks like other Canadian 10 cents."
Man: "Does it have a 1992?"
Commenter: "Yes, but it's from 1867."
Man: Hmmmmmmmmmmm......

I understand you don't have to be an expert on coins but a little bit of scientific analysis. Some common cents sense when looking at the coin.

Here's the stats...
Type / Country: 10 Cents / Canada
Year: 1992 (1867-)
Mintage: 174,476,000
Metal: 100% Nickel
Value: $0.10 in Fine

Do you have a foreign 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.