My grandma handed me a bag of old coins and told me to keep them. I went through them and have no idea what they are. I have no clue about anything coins besides how to spend them. I made a list of what was in the bag. Can anyone tell me what I have or what I should do? Kennedy Half Dollar Total 70 Kennedy Half Dollar, Bicentennial Design Total 11 American Eagle Silver Dollar Total 23 Peace Dollar Total 19 Morgan Dollar Total 46 Shield Nickel Total 2 Buffalo Nickel Total 7 Jefferson Nickel 1943 1951 1947 Total 3 Franklin Half Dollar Total 31 Walking Liberty Half Dollar Total 31 Three Cent Nickel Total 5 Bust Half Dollar Total 2 Eisenhower Dollar Total 56 Silver Washington Quarter Total 50 Bicentennial Design, Drummer Boy Reverse Quarter Total 16 Complete 2-Year Uncirculated Set of Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coins 1 Bag Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coins unk. Amount 1 Bag foreign coins 1869 Shield Nickel Seated Dime 1844 Standing Liberty Quarter 4 Liberty Nickels 1914 Barber Dime 1909 Barber Dime 1 Two Cent Piece 1956 Silver Roosevelt Dime 1916 Barber Quarter American Eagle $10 1/4 Gold Piece 1914 Indian Head Peny Gold Indian Head Penny Total 16 Thanks
Kennedy Half Dollar Year Mint Grade 1995 D Uncirculated-60 1970 D Uncirculated-60 1972 Uncirculated-60 1992 P Uncirculated-60 1964 D Uncirculated-60 1992 D Uncirculated-60 1966 Uncirculated-60 1993 P Uncirculated-60 1969 D Uncirculated-60 1965 Uncirculated-60 1977 Uncirculated-60 1994 D Uncirculated-60 1978 Uncirculated-60 1989 D Uncirculated-60 1990 P Uncirculated-60 1986 D Uncirculated-60 1995 P Uncirculated-60 1996 D Uncirculated-60 1977 D Uncirculated-60 1981 D Uncirculated-60 1991 P Uncirculated-60 1984 D Uncirculated-60 1994 P Uncirculated-60 1989 P Uncirculated-60 1964 Uncirculated-60 1996 P Uncirculated-60 1966 Uncirculated-60 1971 D Uncirculated-60 1972 D Uncirculated-60 1981 P Uncirculated-60 1967 Uncirculated-60 1980 D Uncirculated-60 1967 Uncirculated-60 1964 1969 D 1972 D 1972 D 1969 D 1966 1966 1967 1965 1971 D 1979 1971 D 1968 D 1971 D 1972 1977 D 1967 1967 1967 1967 1964 1972 1964 1968 D 1993 D 1965 1980 D 1965 1977 D 1964 1978 D 1965 1964 1964 D 1972 D 1967 1968 D Total 70 Kennedy Half Dollar, Bicentennial Design Year Mint Grade 1976 Uncirculated-60 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D Total 11 American Eagle Silver Dollar Year Mint Grade 1986 Uncirculated-63 1996 Uncirculated-63 1987 1987 Uncirculated-63 1987 1987 1987 1997 Uncirculated-63 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987 1987 1991 Uncirculated-63 1987 1994 Uncirculated-63 1993 Uncirculated-63 1995 Uncirculated-63 1987 Total 23 Peace Dollar Year Mint Grade 1922 Uncirculated-60 1923 Uncirculated-60 1923 S Very Fine 1922 1922 D 1926 S 1922 1922 D 1923 S 1922 1922 1923 S 1922 1922 1922 D 1923 S 1922 S 1923 1922 Total 19 Morgan Dollar Year Mint Grade 1882 O Fine 1881 O Fine 1889 Uncirculated-60 1883 O About Uncirculated-50 1904 O Uncirculated-60 1881 S Uncirculated-60 1884 O Uncirculated-60 1887 Uncirculated-60 1921 Uncirculated-60 1884 O 1921 S 1884 O 1884 O 1886 1901 O 1921 1921 1921 1884 O 1884 O 1890 1921 1921 1921 1921 S 1891 O 1899 O 1898 1921 D 1921 S 1921 1889 1921 D 1921 S 1901 O 1890 O 1921 1880 O 1884 O 1889 1884 O 1884 O 1921 1885 1921 D 1884 O Total 46 Shield Nickel Year Mint Grade 1869 1872 Total 2 Buffalo Nickel Year Mint Grade Unknown 1936 Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown 1920 Total 7 Jefferson Nickel Year Mint Grade 1943 1951 1947 Total 3 Franklin Half Dollar Year Mint Grade 1963 D Extra Fine 1959 D Very Fine 1958 D Good 1957 Extra Fine 1958 Good 1954 S Fine 1950 Very Fine 1950 D Very Fine 1953 Very Fine 1954 Very Fine 1961 D Good 1960 Very Fine 1962 Extra Fine 1953 D Extra Fine 1958 D 1959 D 1952 S 1951 S 1951 1962 D 1959 D 1963 D 1953 S 1952 S 1962 D 1963 D 1958 D 1957 D 1963 D 1956 1961 D Total 31 Walking Liberty Half Dollar Year Mint Grade 1943 D Very Good 1939 D Very Good 1945 Fine 1942 S Fine 1944 S Very Good 1943 Very Fine 1944 D Very Good 1946 Very Good 1940 S Fine 1935 Fine 1941 Very Good 1939 Very Good 1936 Very Good 1942 D Very Good 1942 Fine 1936 O Very Good 1934 Fine 1947 D Very Good 1943 S Very Fine 1945 S Very Good 1937 Fine 1945 D Very Fine 1944 Fine 1938 Very Good 1940 Fine 1941 D Very Good 1941 S Fine 1947 Fine 1942 1943 1941 Total 31 Three Cent Nickel Year Mint Grade 1865 1868 1866 1865 1881 Total 5 Bust Half Dollar Year Mint Grade 1830 1834 Total 2 Eisenhower Dollar Year Mint Grade 1973 S Proof-63 1978 D Uncirculated-60 1977 D Uncirculated-60 1978 Uncirculated-60 1971 S Uncirculated-60 1976 S Uncirculated-60 1976 D 1972 D 1972 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1972 D 1972 D 1972 D 1976 D 1972 D 1972 1972 D 1976 D 1976 1976 D 1976 D 1972 1976 D 1972 D 1971 D 1971 D 1976 D 1972 D 1972 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1971 D 1976 D 1976 D 1976 D 1972 1978 D 1978 D 1978 D 1976 1976 D 1976 D 1976 1978 1976 D Total 56 Silver Washington Quarter Year Mint Grade 1957 D 1963 D 1964 D 1943 1964 D 1960 D 1959 D 1961 D 1952 D 1952 D 1959 1954 S 1964 D 1964 D 1964 D 1960 D 1964 D 1944 1964 D 1954 D 1962 D 1944 1962 D 1964 1953 D 1945 S 1946 1944 1934 1959 1959 D 1954 D 1963 D 1944 1954 1964 D 1962 1946 1959 1957 1953 1953 D 1964 1964 1962 D 1962 1960 D 1964 D 1964 D 1964 D Total 50 Bicentennial Design, Drummer Boy Reverse Quarter Year Mint Grade 1976 S Total 16 Complete 2-Year Uncirculated Set of Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coins 1 Bag Susan B. Anthony Dollar Coins unk. Amount 1 Bag foreign coins 1869 Shield Nickel Seated Dime 1844 Standing Liberty Quarter 4 Liberty Nickels 1914 Barber Dime 1909 Barber Dime 1 Two Cent Piece 1956 Silver Roosevelt Dime 1916 Barber Quarter American Eagle $10 1/4 Gold Piece 1914 Indian Head Peny Gold Indian Head Penny Year Mint Grade UNK 1907 1905 1901 1901 1906 1907 1864 1906 1906 1905 1907 1904 1903 1906 1908 Total 16
It would be hard to give you an estimate of value without seeing photos of both sides of most of the coins. I say "most" because not all of them might have any numismatic value. It would be dependent upon the condition. Those that are silver composition may only be worth melt value if the condition isn't that good. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I get the feeling that you're not really interested in numismatics, and you would rather just sell everything. You might want to have the collection examined by a dealer in your area, but you shouldn't rush into any offer without additional research. Chris
After going through all of them and looking up what I could its all pretty interesting. I dont want to get rid of them. I think I want to keep learning about them, but I didnt know what or where to get started. Most of them are loose in ziploc bags. Others in plastic with the condition on them. Thanks for the reply
You should get a copy of the Red Book. There is great info in there on all of your coins. Don't rely on values given there, though. That's the only thing about the Red Book that is unreliable.
While Ziploc bags are PVC-free and will not cause damage to the coins, it's still not a good idea to store them in bulk in the bags. Additional wear from rubbing against one another won't help them. There are some plastic holders to hold individual coins that might contain PVC which is not good for coins. The cheapest way would be to store each coin in a 2x2 holder with mylar windows. You'd also need a stapler, and it is best to use a "flat cinch" stapler. Chris
Took me a long time. I dont really know what im doing with all this, but just the little I learned I found interesting.
Hello and welcome to CoinTalk! Your grandma has entrusted you with a wonderful gift and it’s great that you have an interest in learning more, rather than liquidating. Consider starting with the smaller groups, the 3 cent, bust halves, peace dollars, barbers, etc. Setting up a spreadsheet will help keep track of the pertinent information on all your coins. The Red Book is an excellent start. As others have alluded to, condition and grading will determine value. Here’s a link to assist in grading: http://www.pcgs.com/photograde/ After you have assigned a grade, posting images here for second, third and fourth opinions will be helpful in honing your grading skills. Here’s a couple more links for supplies, staplers, flips and such: https://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/ http://www.jpscorner.com/
Some of the coins are in what feels like cheap plastic holders. Should I take them out and put them in those 2x2 holders also?
There are also raw coin holders called airtites. I prefer them to 2x2's. If you put the coin in the correct size airtite, you don't need to worry about damage at all. Please do NOT clean any of these coins. It will hurt the value of the coin. Do not even wipe them with a cloth as it will leave microscopic lines on the surfaces. There are enough threads about not cleaning coins, so I won't go into details. Just don't do it until you know the value of the coin. Higher coin value, more reason NOT to clean. Welcome to CT. If you have any specific questions about a coin, post a picture and ask the question. Please make sure the coin is in focus and properly framed.
