What makes a Junk Coin?

What exactly makes a silver coin a "junk" coin? Is it damaged, culled, toned/tarnished? All of the above? Have they lost all of their numismatic value?

 

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Its pretty much all you mentioned as well as low grade very common coins like 1942 mercury's and such.

 

Are they worth their weight in whatever metal they happened to be made from, or what someone is willing to be paid for them? For example, a site is selling 2 troy ounces of 90% junk silver in foreign coins, however some of the coins pictured do not look like junk. Could it just be whatever extras the company has lying around as well?

 

A junk coin is a coin that has no numismatic value (for whatever reason). The coin could be damaged or heavily worn but even coins in Mint State may be junk. For example, 1964 Quarters are VERY common and unless they are Gem BU or higher are worth only their silver content.

 

Hobo nailed a lid on it. It's just "stuff" that's worth its' intrinsic value......

 

Oh ok, nice, so the junk lots could consist of coins so worn that they look like they are blank, or coins that look like they were created yesterday, essentially?

 

Coins that look similar to dateless Buffalo Nickels, only they got silver in 'em......

 

A hammer! A drill! A dremel! A coin doctor! Road rash! Silver polish! SleazeBay!

Chris

 

You forgot the U.S. Mint...

 

and garbage disposals, train tracks, lawn mowers, files, and saws?

 

Blues Clues!

Wait, what?

 

Don't forget your handy dandy notebook! But seriously. Thanks for reaffirming some of my thoughts on "junk" coins.

 

Have another Sam Adams Ltrain......wait, I'll join ya.

 

I've never subscribed to the belief that there is such a thing as "junk" coins. What one may find as junk another may find a prized piece. That old baseball cap your dad bought you at the first baseball game he took you to that now looks tattered and soiled may look like junk to most, but it's worth a bucket full of gold to the one person that matters. Just my opinion on an often used and poorly used term.
Guy~

 

well i think there is such thing as a junk coin as to insist.. that it is any coi that dropps dramaticly in value over a short peiod of time.. and does not return to stable market value.
i like hobo's idea...."....

The coin could be damaged or heavily worn but even coins in Mint State may be junk.​

 

Show me one coin that maintains a "stable market value". There isn't one, nor has there ever been one. Therefore, using that logic, all coins are junk and we are just junk collectors.
Guy

 

Well when you put it that way sure.. were all junk collectors.. in some sort.... altho take for instance the 1909 s vdb. Or the 55 ddo typ1 .. performs great on the open market or even closed sales market... it constantly performs well... as compared to the 72 ddo typ 1.. cause I payed $219 for my 72 ms 64.. I own 1 coinc which id consider junk its a 1884 3 cent peice pf 63 or is 4. I don't remember don't even know where I put it but I got it for like. 375. On auction.. its practically wasn't worth me buying.. at all. I tried selling it to a dealler he said he doesn't know anyone that collects them.. so to me. It was a junk coin ... but I still have it... the price has never risen in the 3 cnt market unless you talking the silver cents.. and even those are a hard find in good grades.. **** id trade my 72 & 55 ddos for a complete 2 or 3 cnt set in a fine condition...

 

I agree and have never liked the label "junk coin," and especially "junk silver." As Jim Carrey says in The Grinch, "One man's toxic waste is another man's potpourri." TC

 

A "Junk" silver coin is a coin that the value of the silver content has surpassed the numismatic value of the coin and the definition of "junk" silver changes with the spot price of silver. Years ago when silver hit $50 per ounce BU 1963 Franklin halves were junk silver and melted by the ton.

 

The one thing that makes a junk coin that everyone seemed to omit is improper storage. Imagine a completed Whitman Cent folder from the 1960's left with scotch tape holding the coins in for 50 years. That's one way junk is made.

gary