Collection Contains Early U.S. Issues
Question: I am curious about an 1845 oversize 1-cent piece, an 1868 2-cent piece and an 1866 3-cent piece that appears to be silver. All three are in good condition. I also have some 1961 and 1964 silver half dollars. Any information would be greatly appreciated.--R.C.T.
Answer: You have an interesting assortment of coins, namely the 1-, 2- and 3-cent pieces. In baseball parlance, all you’d need is a four-bagger to hit for the cycle. But because there never has been a 4-cent piece (but there has been a $4 gold coin), I guess the cycle is not possible in numismatics. However, you do have the makings of a type set, which is one of each type of U.S. coin minted. These sets are difficult to assemble, especially in uncirculated condition. But many collectors opt for this method of pursuing the hobby rather than going after dates and mint marks in a particular denomination.
Your 1-, 2- and 3-cent pieces are also an indication of the changing needs of the monetary system. Your 1845 large cent, for example, dates to America’s earliest coinage, along with the half cent. Both denominations were phased out in 1857, and the new small cent was introduced. There were 3.8 million large cents produced in 1845, and yours is probably in the $3-to-$5 range.
The 2-cent piece came about as a result of coin hoarding during the Civil War. It was introduced in 1864 and is the first denomination to have the motto In God We Trust.
The motto was added, in part, due to religious fervor during the war. There were 2.8 million minted in 1868. The series only lasted to 1873, because it did not receive much public support. Your coin is probably worth only $3 or $4.
There were two types of 3-cent pieces minted. Both types were issued in 1866. One type is silver, and it’s the smallest coin authorized by Congress. The other is nickel and, I suspect, the one you own. It has a Liberty head on the obverse and a Roman III on the reverse.
The silver 3-cent piece has a six-pointed star on the obverse. There were 4.8 million nickel 3-cent pieces issued in 1866, and yours is probably worth about $3. Only 22,725 were issued in silver, and they can be quite expensive, with prices ranging up to $500 or so.
The Kennedy half dollars, incidentally, are worth $2 each.
Q: I recently lost my dear sister. In looking through her things I came across a pocketbook belonging to our mother, who died in 1966. In an old handkerchief and wrapped and tied in the corner was a Buffalo nickel and an 1882 silver dollar. They are in pretty good condition. Could you tell me how valuable they are?--A.R.B.
A: As keepsakes, your coins are invaluable. The market value, unfortunately, is not great. The Buffalo nickel is worth 10 cents and up; the silver dollar is $9 and up. Coin News
Two more Olympic coins--depicting hockey and the biathlon-- are being released by the Royal Canadian Mint. The sterling silver coins (pictured) are the third and fourth in a set of 10 depicting winter sports. They commemorate the 1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games. The first two coins in the series, downhill skiing and speed skating, were issued in September, 1985. Other coins will be released two at a time at about six-month intervals. The coins carry a $20 (Canadian) face value, and sales will help defray Olympic expenses. Coins cost $28 each from the Royal Canadian Mint, P.O. Box 346, Station A, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 9L5.
More than 2,600 ancient and modern coins of the world and the United States are being offered in a mail bid sale by Coin Galleries, a division of Stack’s. The sale closes April 9. For a catalogue, write to Coin Galleries, 123 West 57th St., New York, N.Y. 10019. Coin Calendar
Friday and Saturday--SINCON XVII, the Society of International Numismatics annual coin show, will feature an auction of ancient, U.S. and foreign coins and artifacts by Joel Malter of Encino. The auction takes place Saturday at 1 p.m. In addition, dealers will be offering U.S., ancient and foreign coins, while specialty dealers will sell Ethiopian and Egyptian items, autographs, rare books and maps. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days at Glendale Civic Auditorium, 1401 N. Verdugo Road, Glendale. Admission is $1.