Small Eagle Piece Is Worth About $50

Question: Recently I came into possession of a gold coin, smaller than a penny, Liberty on the front, date in Roman numerals too small for me to make out. The obverse has an eagle swooping down; one-tenth-ounce fine gold. I have been led to believe this coin contains pure gold, no alloy. Could you tell me its value? Also what about the 1984 U.S. commemorative set for the Olympics? It consists of a $10 gold piece and two silver dollars. Is it too soon to get an evaluation of this proof set? Mine has a W for West Point.--R.M.

Answer: The first coin you described is the new one-tenth-ounce gold American Eagle, a bullion piece with 90% gold and 10% copper, which makes it 22-karat gold. It is the smallest of the Eagle pieces and worth about $50.

The Olympics series has been a popular one, and interest should perk up once again with the 1988 Olympics from Seoul just on the horizon. The 1984 three-piece proof set with the W gold is worth about $350. It is the most common set in this series. The most valuable is the P Mint piece, then the D and S. The P stands for Philadelphia, the D is for Denver and the S is San Francisco.

Olympic coins can be collected by country, date, event or almost any other combination. Modern Olympic sets by and large are in the affordable range and should appeal to sports enthusiasts.

Q: We have a U.S. cent with the date 1816. It has 13 stars surrounding the head of Liberty. The penny is about as big as a quarter. On the back, the words United States of America surround a wreath of leaves with the words: One Cent, in the center. Could you tell us how much it’s worth?--J.M.H., S.E.R.

A: Your coin is a large cent, an interesting series that lasted from 1793 to 1857. Some of these coins in the 1700s are quite valuable. There were 2.8 million large cents minted in 1816, and highly circulated pieces are in the $3-to-$10 range. Uncirculated pieces can be worth $300 and up.

Q: I have a silver coin about the size of a half dollar, which says CAROLUS.IIII.DEI.GRATIA on the front, along with the date 1794. The reverse reads, HISPAN.ET.IND.REX.ME.2R.I.I. The figure on the front, facing right, is that of a man, possibly wearing a powdered wig. Where is it from and what is it worth?--J.B.

A: Your coin is from Spain and it’s in the $5-to-$10 range.

Q: Would you please tell me the approximate price of a $3 gold coin dated 1854 with no mint mark? It is in very good condition.--O.E.K.

A: By “very good condition,” I don’t know if you are describing your coin with a numismatic term or layman’s term. That’s because coins can be graded as good, very good, fine, extra fine, almost uncirculated and uncirculated. More precise standards are also used with coins graded on a scale of 1 to 70.

In any event, your $3 gold piece in very good condition would be worth between $350 to $400. Those with more wear are worth less and those with less wear are worth more. The same coin, for example, in extra fine condition is worth about $575.

Coin News

The 1987 silver proof Libertad (pictured) was released Wednesday by Banco de Mexico. Only 12,000 of these coins have been struck, a sizable reduction from the 1986 mintage of 30,000. The 1987 Libertad contains 1 ounce of silver and is expected to retail at $35 to $40. The obverse depicts the official seal of the United Mexican States, while the reverse features a winged Victory symbolizing Mexico’s freedom and independence. A-Mark Precious Metals of Santa Monica is the worldwide wholesaler and may be contacted at P.O. Box 90401-2425, Santa Monica, Calif. 90401; telephone (213) 319-0200.

Coin Calendar

Today, Friday, Saturday and Sunday--More than 400 dealers will participate in the 10th annual Long Beach Numismatic and Philatelic Summer Exposition. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Long Beach Convention Center. For information: (213) 436-3636.

More than 3,500 lots will be offered in the five-session Everson and Faught collections sale conducted June 13-15 by Bowers and Merena at the St. Moritz-on-the-Park Hotel in New York. One of the highlights is a proof-64 1895 Morgan dollar, one of only 880 minted. For catalogue and sales information, contact Auctions by Bowers and Merena, Box 1224, Wolfeboro, N.H. 03894; telephone (603) 569-5095.