What is my old coin worth?
Rule one: don't clean it
Cleaning, polishing or even rubbing a coin leaves fine scratches that collectors notice immediately, and it can cut a coin's value by half or more. Handle coins by their edges.
Identify it
Note the country, denomination, date and mint mark. On US coins the mint mark is a small letter showing where it was struck:
| Mark | Mint |
|---|---|
| P (or no letter) | Philadelphia |
| D | Denver |
| S | San Francisco |
| O | New Orleans (historic) |
| CC | Carson City (historic) |
| W | West Point |
The same coin from different mints can differ hugely in value, because some mints made far fewer.
Check the metal
Some old coins are worth more than face value for their metal alone. In the US:
- Dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier are 90% silver.
- Kennedy half dollars from 1965 to 1970 are 40% silver.
- "War nickels" from 1942 to 1945, with a large mint mark above Monticello, contain 35% silver.
- Pennies from before 1982 are mostly copper.
Judge the condition
Collectors grade coins on a 70-point scale, from heavily worn to flawless. Small differences matter: the same coin can be worth a few dollars well worn and hundreds in crisp, uncirculated condition. Look at the highest points of the design, such as hair, cheekbones and feathers. Sharp detail there means less wear.
Look for key dates and errors
A handful of dates and mistakes are worth far more than ordinary coins. Well-known US examples include the 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent, the 1955 doubled die cent (the date and lettering clearly doubled), and the 1916-D Mercury dime. Many famous rarities are widely copied, so a "rare date" coin needs checking by an expert before you rely on it. Stamps work the same way: the most famous error of all is the Inverted Jenny. Brand-new designs are rarely the exception: most 2026 coins are worth face value.
Find what it actually sells for
- Search eBay for the exact coin and filter by Sold Items. Asking prices are often far higher than what coins sell for.
- Price guides from the major grading services list values by grade.
- For a coin that might be valuable, professional grading by an independent service gives buyers confidence and usually raises the price.
Related guides
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