Are there any valuable aluminum world coins?

I did a reply, saved it, and now here it is...nice coin.

 

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There aren't that many valuable aluminum coins for the simple reason most collectors don't like base metal coins and they like aluminum even less. There is a perception that base metal coins are junk made in huge quantities because they replaced silver and without the constraint of having to buy metal mints cranked up production and they lowered the quality; common junk.

But what people still haven't noticed is nobody saved the modern coins so there are very very few and that quality is still an issue.

Aluminum has all these problems in spades. Aluminum coins with even the tiniest mintages are listed for the same price as those made in the tens of millions. Many aluminum coins are scarce due to either mintage or that so few have survived and most list for nothing. Even where there is some demand like the 1955 Chinese aluminum it's only enough to push the price up to around $1000. Supply is extremely thin but so is the demand.

While quality is often a severe problem with aluminum there are many that are extremely well executed. Most specimens were Gem.

I'm quite confident that many of the most spectacular gainers over the next 50 years will be base metal and aluminum. Indeed, right now if I'd suggest collectors seek out any chBU or better Indian aluminum. Most of the Indian has serious quality problems but aluminum is usually awful. Finding Uncs is tough enough but they all look terrible.

 

I love aluminum coins and have even begun hoarding the more common stuff (think Japanese yen, Eastern bloc, stuff like that. I would say that the best way to find value in aluminum is to find coins that are worth a couple bucks a piece (there are plenty of these, while genuinely valuable ones are few and far between) that end up in bulk bins/lots due to general indifference.

One suggestion I would make is that you learn the better dates of French aluminum between 1941-1959. You can sometimes find these in bulk piles among their much cheaper brethren, or get them in ebay auctions at a steal. Mint-marked Vichy francs are generally better, and the 4th republic has a few better dates across the various denominations as well.

Finally, here's a piece from my collection:

 

Doesn't take much to get marks or oxidation on aluminum.
75 years old.

 

And no way to remove them that I know...

 

That's for sure. Bare aluminum oxidizes quickly in air. If that oxide layer weren't strong and protective, aluminum would dissolve away in plain water, liberating hydrogen.

 

I appreciate all of the dialogue on the topic. One area where I seem to be on the right track is when I see BU mid century aluminum coin in the bin I bring it home with me. I still don’t know the rare issues but I know nice when I see it. I also like the thought of base metal / white metal coins potentially being an area that could see increased interest in the coming years. I’m putting together a would set of US minted coins from 1942-1945. The silvers are relatively cheap and easy to find but the brass coins from Peru are impossible. And the Central American brass can be pricey.

thanks again everyone.

 

Yup, one way of generating hydrogen gas is aluminum foil and sodium hydroxide. The NaOH dissolves off the oxide coating and the water does the rest!

 

My 5 Sen

 

Czechoslovakia 3 Halere KM# 52,
F $100.00 VF $150.00 XF $200.00 MS60 $250.00 MS63 $300.00

 

I've been trying to assemble a set of German occupation coinage and this is my number one issue to getting quality examples!

 

I stuck these on the wrong thread, oops, but I'll throw them out here too. I found a few of my better 1 sen aluminums. NOT easy to find and not at the pittance in the catalog when they get this nice. Still not super valuable, but in the slab quality like this, they will be more than a few dollars. I really don't remember (and at least one of them I pulled out of an album I'd bought). Can't imagine I paid more than $100 though.

 

this is my fav aluminum coin. i think its worth a few dollars

 

Really like those. Nice one.