Hello, I am the owner of several U.S coins, however, I do not know much about them and would like to find out the coins that are rare and worth money. This includes any variations and low mintages. Apart from the 1969 double die and the wide AM variety Lincoln cents, what else should I be looking for?
For doubled dies, the 1955 ddo comes to mind as the king of all ddo's. Key dates, semi-key's, and mint errors can all be worth a pretty penny, depending on condition, rarity, and if it has original surfaces (not doctored) . If you have any coins you would like to get the value of, just post some pictures.
There are several books dedicated to the answer of that single question. And it takes several to answer it. Volume I and Volume II of this one would be a good place to start - http://www.amazon.com/Cherrypickers-Guide-Varieties-United-States/dp/0794820530
Hi Toby, I would get my hands on a Cherrypickers' Guide if I were you. If you don't want to buy one you might find on at the library. good luck!
Keep your eye out for the 69-D, 70-D, 71-D, and 72-D Washington Quarters that have the Type H Reverse. This reverse was used on the Proof Coins and a very small n8umber of dies got used in the production presses making then very rare. Even in Fine condition they could command hundreds of dollars each. On the reverse, check to see if the leaf extends above the arrow tips. Very much similar to the Type B Reverse except that the Type B Reverse was modified in 1968 for the CnClad Proof Washingtons. Yeah yeah, I know. Some of the old timers will go <YAWN> but the thing is, these are very rare and attrition has grabbed many. Finding an MS Examples is next impossible not to mention finding ANY example regardless of grade.