Grandfather Left Golden, but Not Rare, Legacy

Question: My grandfather left me some gold coins. They are: an 1855 $3 in fine condition; 1853 (Type I) $1, very fine; 1854 (Type II) $1, very fine; 1908 Indian $10, extra fine; 1908 $5, very fine; 1896 Liberty Head $20, Mint State 60; and an 1895 Liberty Head $10, also MS-60. He obtained the gradings from a coin dealer. Can you please give me a ballpark figure as to what they are worth? I have been told that they are rare and getting rarer.--D.E.

Answer: Your grandfather has left you a nice legacy. But whoever told you that your coins are rare and getting rarer is wrong. Coins are minted to specific numbers, so it would take extremely low mintages for rarity to be a factor. In order for the coins to become rarer, existing pieces would have to be lost, destroyed or melted.

Your lowest mintage piece is the 1855 $3, with 50,555 produced. Unfortunately, according to the grade you submitted, it’s rather worn and worth about $300 if accurately graded. The 1853 $1 has a high mintage of more than 4 million and worth about $275. The 1908 $10 is worth about $400, depending upon whether it has the motto, “In God We Trust,” on it. (The No Motto piece is worth more than the one with the motto.)

The 1908 $5 has a mintage of more than 500,000 and is worth about $200; the 1896 $20 was minted in both Philadelphia (no mint mark) and San Francisco (an S mint mark). Both mintages are high with Philadelphia having a slight edge in value. Figure about $450. The 1895 $10 has a mintage of 567,826 and is worth about $250.

Before you sell, get other opinions on the grading and price quotes.

Q: I have what I believe is a half crown dated 1839. On one side there is a coat of arms and the inscription “Brittanica Regina Fed Def,” on the other the head of Queen Victoria and a partial inscription, “Victoria Dei.” Does it have any significant worth?--M.R.

A: If your coin is in extra-fine condition, which is in the mid-range of circulated, it’s worth about $15. If it has more wear, it’s worth less than that; if it’s barely worn or not worn at all, it’s worth considerably more. It would have to be seen to be accurately graded and evaluated. Most coin dealers can do this. It’s best to get more than one opinion.

Q: Are any of these coins of any value? There’s an 1853 $1 gold with an O mint mark, a silver $1 dated 1881 and a 5-cent piece dated 1883.--B.K.G.

A: Your 1853-O $1 is $1,560 and up. (The O, incidentally, stands for the New Orleans Mint.) The 1881 $1 is $7 and up and the 1883 nickel is $3 and up. All prices depend on condition.

Q: I have quite a few silver quarters dated 1964 and older. Is it possible that some of these could be worth more than others, based on their dates? If so, where would I find a list of the quarters that are worth more than the 75 cents to a dollar they commonly bring? Or must I depend on some coin shop proprietor to give me this information?--W.D.M.

A: There’s nothing wrong with getting prices from coin dealers. Checking with more than one dealer is also a good idea, because prices can vary depending upon dealer needs and interest. But there’s also nothing wrong with buying a coin price guide. There are many on the market, and it shouldn’t be difficult to see if you have any of the better dates. Also, both Coin World and the Numismatic News, weekly coin publications, print price guides on a regular basis. Some dealers, in fact, will share their Coin Dealers Newsletter with you. It is commonly called the Gray Sheet and it is used as a guide in dealer-to-dealer transactions.

Coin News

It probably took longer to play the earthquake-plagued World Series than it did to rush a medal commemorating the event into the hands of collectors. The medal (pictured) features the Oakland A’s logo on the obverse and the “Battle of the Bay” logo on the reverse. The 1-ounce silver pieces have a limited mintage of 25,000 and sell for $29.95 plus $3 for handling from the Chicagoland Processing Corp., which is licensed by Major League Baseball. To order, call (800) 765-0123.

A three-day seminar on grading U.S. coins will be conducted by the American Numismatic Assn. in conjunction with the 1990 Winter Long Beach Numismatic & Philatelic Exposition Jan. 30-Feb. 1. Hands-on experience will be offered for $400 for ANA members, $450 for non-members. Contact James Taylor at the ANA, 818 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80903-3279; telephone (800) 367-9723.