Hi, I'm new to this and was wondering if I could get some help. My father gave me a whole bunch of old coins. I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to tell if they have been circulated. I took a scan of some that are in a case. They have some funny coloring to them, so I figured that they have been circulated. Any help is great. Thanks
One way is to take them to a local coin dealer and ask his opinion. The shop will probably have some books on coin grading. For coin valuation, A Guide Book of Unites States Coins, also known as the Red Book is the best one to start with. It also discusses (briefly) grading. Another (better) way is to find a local coin club and attend a meeting. You will most likely find a bunch of people who will be glad to help you out with no hidden agendae. Still another way is to go to the local library and look in the coin section (737.??? in the Dewey decimal system) and see if they have a Red Book or other relevant coin books. Best of luck P.S., coloring may not be a bad thing. If the coloring is blotchy or a uniform ugly grey, it still may be uncirculated, but heavily toned (reducing the coin's value). Colorful rainbow toning can increase the coin's value. Just don't clean the coins before you have an expert look at them. Cleaning coins will definitely reduce their value.
Circulated coins will have wear evidence on the high points of the relief and in the fields, bagmarks, or scratches on both sides in the fields and/or relief, dates are worn, and the lettering, there may be dirt or grime on the coin, loss of luster, etc.
