Hello, my name is Greg, 22, and have been gradually acquiring coins since I was nine. I realize that my first post shouldn't be a request, but I'm in desperate need for information. My dad, who was born in May 1950, just had his 60th a few days back, and I want to surprise him with a "what it was worth back then" kind of list, because he gets a kick out of how cheap the coins were back then. Here is a few coin prices I have, all from 1950/51: -1791 Washington Liverpool Half-Penny, AU-55: $72.50 (sold for $103,500.00 in 2006!) -1907 St. Gaudens $20, UNC: $95.00 -1884 Trade Dollar, BU: $760.00 -1804 Silver Dollar, Proof: $3,250.00 -1877 Indian Head Cent, Very Good: $9.50 -1929 Indian $2.50, UNC: $8.50 -1798 Large Cent, G/VG: $6.00 -1856 Flying Eagle Cent, Fine: $90.00 I am looking for more prices between 1950-53! This was probably the last era where the numismatic fever hadn't set in, as prices rose like never before after the early 50's. (1950 prices are closer to 1935 prices than to 1957 prices!) I know reciting the values from 60 years ago is incredibly painful, (I saw hobo's post on 1935 prices!) but I would greatly appreciate any help! I couldn't find any back issues of "The Numismatist", nor any "price lists" from the era on ebay! Greg B
okay, how about consider buying him a copy of the Red Book, the 1951/1952 4TH edition is not super expensive. When I have a sec I'll look the prices up. re-reading your post--- what prices are you looking for?
I think that's great. I have a redbook from 1958, here's some prices from that: Morgan 85CC in Unc 5.50 Flowing hair Silver Dollar 1794 Unc 5000.00 SLQ 1916 Unc 235.00 Merc 16D Unc 250.00 Jefferson 50D Unc 1.25 Buffalo 3 legger Unc 30 Fine 6 BUCKS!! 1871 2 cent piece in Unc 21.00 Sign me up for some rolls if I can get these prices
I found a few more, all from 1950: -1916-D Merc. Dime, VG: $6.50 -1894-S Barber Dime, Proof: $2,500.00 (rumor has it one example in "Very Good" cond. was bought for $600.00 around 1950, but there isn't much info regarding the transaction, keep in mind that not all 24 are accounted for!) -1908 Gold Eagle, Proof-63: $60.00 More to come as I sleuth around! Greg
1951-1952 Guide Book: 4th Edition 1/2 Cents: in Good condition 1793 G= $22.50 1794 $8 1795, Lettered edge: $8.00 1796 Plain edge: $150 1796 Plain, no pole: $200.00 1797 plain edge: $8 1797 Let edge: $45 === Large Cents: Good Condition: 1793 Chain, AMERI $50 1793 Wreath$27.59 1793 Strawberry $1,500! 1794 (60 varieties) $3.50 1804 Normal die: $50 restrike: $(unc) $20 Flying Eagle: 1856 Good= $60 Unc $150 Proof $185 1877 Indian: G= $9.00, Fine = $17.50, Unc + $60 1909 S G= $9.50, F= $12.50; Unc = $27.50 Lincoln: 1922 Plain = $2.50 (G) VG = $3.50 Buffalo Ni: 1918 D/ 17 F= $30 UNC= $175 1937 D 3 Leg: G=$1.25 F= $2.00 Unc= $7.50 Dime: 1796 G= $20, F= $40 Unc= $125 Barber: 1895 O G= $15, F= $25 Unc= $100 1894 S Unc= $2250 Merc: 1916 D G= $4.00 F= $15 Unc= $100 Quarters 1796:G= $35, F= $75 Unc= $175 1804 G= $15, F= $30 Unc= $150 1896 S F= $20 Unc= $100 1901 S F= $75 Unc= $325 1913 S F= $17.50 Unc= $100 1916 Stand Lib= F= $35 Unc= $90 Washington: 1932 D VF= $10 Unc= $32.50 1932 S VF= $7.50 Unc= $17.50 Half Dollar: 1794 = G= $25 F= $50 1804 (1 known) .......... $ 1794 G= $200 F= $400 VF = $600 Unc = $2000 1795 G= $15 F= $25 VF = $40 Unc = $150 1804 Ty 1: [Stickley] $10,500 1804 Ty 2 Idler = $3125.00 Morgan: 1895 P VF = $25 Unc (?) $60 Proof = $85 1893 S VF$50 Unc $200
unbelievable! thank you sooo much!!!! I'm surprised there aren't more threads regarding past values of coins... I'll add to it when I get more prices, and it won't be just from the 50s... Greg B:rolling:
And these are all red book prices; which may have been inflated slightly higher than what the coin could be acquired. Why do I have to be the only collector in my family!?...I sure wish my grandparents or parents would've collected from back in the day...and then passed their collections down to me. Of course my grandparents being first generation Mexican immigrants working the hop fields, couldn't have afforded coins even at those prices -LTB
Louie I have the same feelings about no family members collecting! There was one my great grandfather as I remember him giving me a Morgan as a little boy. I guess he would give all the grandchildren them. But he passed when I was way to young to receive any of his collection.
My dad is 92 year old and he collection coins since teen. He show me his collection coins very banner old coins.
I talked with a local hobby shop in Springfield, Mass and they had a few records from past sales, the following are asking prices from September 1950: -1794 Cent: fair, not porous, date barely readable: $1.50 -1891 Indian Cent, Proof: $2.10 -1916 SLQ, Fine: $24.00 -Trade Dollars: From $2.00 -1798 Dime, Fair: $8.00 -1799 Silver Dollar, AG: $18.50 -1909 S VDB, UNC: $10.00!!! -1824 Half Dol, Fine: $2.00 -1915 Panama $50 Gold (Round): "Very Rare and Very Expensive" -1802 Half Dime, "ridiculously hard to find": Offers around $400.00 -1795 Half Cent, Good: $5.60 more to come........... Whattya think? If you actually had the opportunity to travel back to 1950 and purchase these coins, how would you go about paying for them? Surely you'd have to find appropriate bills and coins from your collection(s) to make it work? It was at least 15 years before credit cards!!! Greg
I'd pay for them with bulk 50's silver and with 50's worn down wheaties And if it's late enough I'd use some worn down silver certs too!!
yeah, you'd be o.k. Also in the early '50s, people were still supposedly using Peace Dollars as currency (they were only 15-30 years old at the time and weren't really collectibles). I have a "buttload" of steel '43 cents given from my uncle, about 500 of them rolled up, so I'd start with that. I also got a bunch of them from circulation, they don't register in the coinstar machine!!! :smile Another price for ya: (Oct. 1952): 1879 $4 Flowing Hair Stella, Proof: $800.00; also Brilliant Proof: $1,400.00
Here's an inflation calculator. You can enter in prices for the year, and it will kick back 2009 pricing based on inflation. It will also provide the inverse: http://www.westegg.com/inflation/
Yeah, $800 and $1400 in 1952 would be a whopping $6395.12 and $11191.47 today. Still, those same coins sell for upwards of $150000 and $300000 respectively today. Here are some '09-S VDB prices: -1947 Book Val., Uncirculated: $3.50 -Max Mehl's Menjou sale (June 1950), Uncirculated: $8.00 -Sept. 1950, Uncirculated: $10.00 -1952 Book Val., Uncirculated: $12.50 -1955 Book Val., Uncirculated: $30.00 -1960, " ": $100.00 -1965, " ": $350.00 -1970, " ": $200.00 -1975, " ": $275.00 -1980, " ": $400.00 etc, etc, etc................. Greg B
