I inherited some coins from my father and I'm looking for help determining the value. One coin is Russian 1897 Y59 marked VF and XF. I don't know what this is worth. It is sealed in plastic and looks almost new. He had a Canadian collection as well as an extensive US collection and I'm looking for information on an 1862 20 dollar gold coin from British Colombia. I heard the authentic one is worth $160,000 and a silver one could be worth $35,000. I'm searching through his collection looking for valuable coins and want to know about this coin and what it looks like (just in case one should turn up!!). Were commemoratives made of this piece? He sometimes collected them, also. ALso, I sold two 1955 D double shift for $800 a piece. Did I get burnt? Looking for assistance. macki
Howdy Macki - Welcome to the Forum !! The 1862 British Columbia gold coin you mention is surely a replica coin - I believe there were only ever 2 made and both of them are in well known hands. There is no such thing as a silver version of this coin. Or did you mean some other coin ? As for the Russian coin - I have no idea what a Y59 is - can you post a pic or perhaps list the legends on the coin ? And the 1955 doubled die cents I presume - there is no way to judge their value without seeing the coins. Sorry I can't help ya there. But if you have other coins - don't go rushing off to sell them. Try asking questions here first - we'll be all too glad to help you out
Welcome to the forum Macki. That's an interesting Russian coin, that needs to be closely examined in order to determine which variety it is. Krause uses a mixed bag of Craig ("C"), Yeoman ("Y") and their own ("KM") numbers for 19th Century Russian coins. Y59 is a Rouble, minted in three varieties, two of which are listed as having 1897 examples. The coin is 19.9960g of .900 silver (.5786 oz. ASW), about 33.5mm, with a right facing bust, presumably that of Czar Nicholas II, on the obverse, and a two-headed eagle on the reverse. Y59.1 had a mintage of 26-million in 1897, and is distinguished by its mintmark, consisting of 2 stars on the edge, indicating production at Brussels, Belgium. Values in the 3rd Ed. 19th Century Krause are $12 F, $25 VF, $60 XF, and $250 Unc. I don't know whether that has changed in the just-published 4th Ed. Y59.2 was not produced in 1897. Y59.3 has the initials of Mintmaster Appolon Grasgov (they look like an "A" without a crossbar, and an upside down "L" with the horizontal line going to the right. It had an 1897 mintage of 18,515,000 at Paris, indicated by a single star mintmark, along with the Mintmaster initials on the edge. Book values are $12 F, $25 VF, $65 XF, and $225 Unc. Krause also notes that there are rare mint errors with plain edges. My guess is they would be much more valuable than the standard coins.
The Charlton catalogue shows 2 $20.00 silver coins from British Columbia dated 1862 their values are between $55,000 and $90,000. The gold coin is valued at $400,000 to $750,000. I will try tomorrow to give you a picture but my scanner doesn't seem to show this book very well so no promises. Bill
Wel I learned something today bromac That silver version is not listed in any of my books. But then I don't have any books specifically about Canadian coinage.
I've been asked off-list whether the values I listed are the same for an 1898P. That is the only year with all three varieties, but Krause makes no mention of any "P" 19th Century mintmark or mintmaster initial on Russian coins. Y59.1 had a smaller mintage - only 14-million - in 1898, and Y59.2 had a mintage of 5-million. Both have the same Krause values as an 1897 Y59.1. Y59.3's 1898 mintage was up very slightly - 18,725,000 - but book values are unchanged. Correcting my earlier posting, the variety was minted in St. Petersburg, witn no mintmark, other than the Mintmaster initials on the edge.
