Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

[ModernMiner]

Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

A guy I work with brought these old coins in (plus others) hoping I could give him some kind of idea what they are worth.
They are his aunts (85 yrs old) who thought they weren't worth anything and was going to take them to a pawn shop.
I told him I would run them by 'the coin pro's" here on TN for their opinions.
I don't know much about old coins, values, etc. and was trying to come up with a ballpark figure using a 2002 Red Book edition, and the PCGS site. Below are my UNEDUCATED guesses on grading & approx. value.
Don't laugh too hard, I'm learning.

Can you folks give me your best guess on the grade and value of each of these coins PLEASE?
Thanks for your help.
I'll try to find out if she is selling these and the others.
-MM-

1865 Nickel 3 cent / VG-8 / $25

1858 Flying Eagle One Cent / F-12 / $35

1870 Shield Nickel / VG-8 / $25

1871 IH / F-12 / $60

1901 "O" Barber Quarter / F-12 / $100+

 

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[BuckleBoy]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Hello, MM!

Here's what I'd say on the grades:

F-12 for the Three Cent Nickel (all the leaves on the reverse appear to be separated, and you can still see some lines in the Roman Numeral "III")

*Very close* to F-12 on the F.E. Cent.

The shield nickel...there is a full rim on the reverse, so I'd say VG-8...BUT the pitting would knock it down some.  Perhaps back to G-4.

I would go lower than F-12 on the IH.  I can't read a full "Liberty" in the headband...and you should be able to read at least three letters for it to grade VG. So...I can't really tell from the photo...

And F-12 on the Barber Quarter.  There is a full "Liberty," but it isn't sharp.  If it were, it would move up closer to VF-20.

As far as value goes, I don't want to get reamed from other who might have a coin prices book or magazine that is a few months newer than mine.

Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[goldgrubber]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

This is how I see 'em. The values are from the 2008 Red Book.

Three cent piece - vf20-ef40 ....$25 - $35
Flying Eagle cent - fine - $35, if it was a 8 over 7.....$200
Shield nickel - vg ....$30
IH penny - good....$65
Barber quarter - fine ....$140 , if all the letters in Liberty were evenly worn ......$275

I'm not a dealer, just a collector. But you will get what someone is willing to pay. Hope that helps ya a little.

GG

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Thanks BB & GG.
Looks like my grading was a bit high, but the prices were pretty close. I knew I was low on the 1901 "O" barber.
I about freaked when I saw the Barber, and I didn't even know what the Flying Eagle was until I found it in the book. I've never seen one before.
The U.S. had some beautiful coins in the old days, that's for sure.
-MM-

 

[djui5]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

I agree with BuckleBoy

 

[Mirage]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Doug,
Don't you have a Redbook? That is one of the first things you need as a serious metal detectorist. 8) You can get the latest Redbook for less than $20 on ebay. The redbook has very good guidelines on how to grade the coins and what they are worth.

As for how to sell the coins - ebay. You will get close to redbook value if you sell them with good pictures on ebay. Only exception is if they are lower grade, "common" type coins. Coin shops will give 50% of Redbook value.

Bob

 

[Johnny Cache Hunter]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

I too would agree with BB's assessment. A Redbook is handy for rough valuation but having a couple of photo grading books goes a lot further to help in grading coins.

I quickly scanned a couple of books just to give you an idea of a photograding book vs Redbook alone.

Best of luck to your friend on selling the coins.

HH,

Johnny Cache Hunter

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Doug,
Don't you have a Redbook? That is one of the first things you need as a serious metal detectorist. 8) You can get the latest Redbook for less than $20 on ebay. The redbook has very good guidelines on how to grade the coins and what they are worth.

As for how to sell the coins - ebay. You will get close to redbook value if you sell them with good pictures on ebay. Only exception is if they are lower grade, "common" type coins. Coin shops will give 50% of Redbook value.
Bob

Bob,
I mentioned I had a 2002 edition Redbook in my post. Now how could you find that tiny 1/2 reale and not see that?
Ya nut.
Thanks,
MM

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

I too would agree with BB's assessment. A Redbook is handy for rough valuation but having a couple of photo grading books goes a lot further to help in grading coins.
I quickly scanned a couple of books just to give you an idea of a photograding book vs Redbook alone.
Best of luck to your friend on selling the coins.
HH,
Johnny Cache Hunter

Thanks Johnny.
I'm hooked up now. I just went and bought a 2008 Redbook , a coin grading book, and a May 08' price guide coin magazine.
Bring on the coins!
-MM-

 

[vpone]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

hey MM,

got your PM - thanks, here's what i think
now if you're looking for prices it really depends on who you are selling them to (average collector vs dealer)
with a dealer it's what the demand of the coin is at the time of sale (i.e. if he has just purchased a large estate that has 20 flying eagle cents, he will pay less on them, etc etc)

so i won't get into price - red books and such are approximations
but here is some grading info :



1901 "O" Barber Quarter - semi key coin
The front is a Fine, the back shows considerably more wear (mainly the shield) than i would give a Fine coin, and in my opinion would knock an already borderline coin down to a VG, plus the possible damage on the front under the chin doesn't help at all (eye appeal is low for a semi-key coin)

1871 Indian Head Cent
Again one side is a VG (front) with the other low end fine (back) so i would give the overall grade a VG (also it looks like it could have potential issues with corrosion )

1870 Shield Nickel
It's a solid VG but with problems (corrosion/pitting), so low end VG, or G

1858 Flying Eagle Cent
a solid Fine, and very good eye appeal - no problems at all - nice coin, too bad it's a common date, so probably F+

1865 3 Cent Nickel
a VG with some Fine features so VG+/F

again, like anything, redbooks and such are approximations, price is based upon who you sell it to and the demand/need for the coin, hope this helps !


Kevin

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Thanks Kevin. The guy at work told me she wants to sell the coins, so I told him to give me first shot at them before selling to a dealer.
He said she has a "whole wooden box of old coins" she wants to sell. Her husband started collecting coins in 1909, so that's where these came from.
-MM-

 

[oldplacesnofinds]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Try selling them here first. I guarantee you will get more here than at a coin shop or pawn. What ever they are worth, take off 75% and that is what you will get from a coin dealer or pawn. Here, you can probably take off 25% and you will get a sale. No one pays what a coin is worth unless it is a key. Even then its tough but possible. Good luck.

 

[djui5]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Her husband started collecting coins in 1909, so that's where these came from.
-MM-

Wonder if she's got a 1909 S-VDB

 

[ModernMiner]

Re: Need help on five old coins - Grade & approx. values - Pleeeeeeeeeeease

Try selling them here first. I guarantee you will get more here than at a coin shop or pawn. What ever they are worth, take off 75% and that is what you will get from a coin dealer or pawn. Here, you can probably take off 25% and you will get a sale. No one pays what a coin is worth unless it is a key. Even then its tough but possible. Good luck.

Thanks for that info. I hope to hear more on the coins soon.
-MM-

Her husband started collecting coins in 1909, so that's where these came from.
-MM-

Wonder if she's got a 1909 S-VDB