Sandon

Thanks for the compliments, but I don't think this coin will be numerically graded. It would be somewhere in the VF range if it hadn't been polished. Most early U.S. coins have some level of impairment, but some like this one are attractive nevertheless. I own a total of three Draped Bust dollars, each purchased uncertified in the 1990s, the 1800 in 1990 followed by a 1796 large date small letters (small eagle, of course) and a 1799, both at a 1996 Bowers & Merena auction. They're among my best coins. I won't be buying any more at today's prices! I had the 1799 (unimpaired) graded at NGC earlier this year, and it was graded VF 30, close to the VF 25 catalog grade. It's a little stronger than the 1800, despite having been struck from a worn reverse die. Its photos can be seen in my NGC Registry type sets, such as "Sandon's Incidental Type Set" at Set Details | NGC Registry | NGC (ngccoin.com) (right click for menu to open). The 1796 is also presently at NGC and will fill the slot for the small eagle reverse type. It was catalogued as a F 15 and should grade at least F 12. [Added 11/9/22--NGC graded the 1796 VF 25!] As for the photography, I'm a pretty raw amateur myself. I've owned a "Plugable" brand digital microscope for about a year and a half. I plug it into my personal computer. It's on a short stand that doesn't permit the taking of a photo of an entire side of a coin larger than a nickel without its being placed on piles of books of varying heights. The stack to photograph a silver dollar sized coin is quite high! I constantly have to adjust the focus on the scope and the angle and position of the lamp I use for light, as well as sometimes using the light on the scope itself. Each coin is different. To photograph the edge of this coin, I had to grip the coin by the edge and turn it for each shot until I had captured all of the edge. There's some overlap.

@Cing--I do not appreciate your posing as a new, uninformed collector with a legitimate question that I spent a fair amount of time trying to answer fully. Respectfully, I have reason to believe that you are still "pulling our leg" about the coin in the PCGS photo (graded PR 66 with a price guide value of $2) having been taken from a mint rather than a proof set. The coin appears to be a proof based on its mirror surface, highly polished dies, lack of abrasions, marks or planchet roughness on Jefferson's cheek and elsewhere, and, most significantly, the full steps on Monticello. If it did in fact come from a mint set, "the joke's on you" because a 1970-S circulation strike nickel graded MS 66 with "full steps" lists $3,850 in the same price guide! (Proofs usually have full steps, while uncirculated coins with them from that era are often rare and avidly collected.) Yes, grading services do make mistakes. I have an 1873-S with arrows dime that was erroneously certified by NGC as just 1873 arrows, even though the mint mark is visible on NGC's photo of the coin! Coins with wrong dates and types printed on the labels are seen with some frequency. The grading services refer to these as "clerical errors" and will correct the error free of charge but won't pay warranty claims on them if they should have been obvious to a collector. It doesn't help when people incorrectly fill out the submission form, especially when it is intentional.

Whether or not these items should be classified as counterfeits, they are not "coins", a Webster's dictionary definition of "coin" being "[a] piece of metal marked and issued by governmental authority to be used as money". (The overstriking of actual coins with different dates or design elements presumably destroys their legal status as coins.) While there is no problem with knowledgeable people collecting them, it's a very real problem that they closely resemble actual coin designs and may be used as a means to deceive and defraud those who are not numismatically knowledgeable--the vast majority of the population! "Copy" stamps have been obliterated and may not be noticed or understood. In my opinion our hobby would be better off without the creation and distribution of such items, although my libertarian leanings make me reluctant to recommend any legal prohibitions.

Below are photos of an 1800 Draped Bust silver dollar (Very Wide Date, Low 8 "Redbook" variety) that I bought at a local coin auction in December 1990, when prices for this type were much lower than they are now. The auctioneer described this coin as Extremely Fine, but I realized at the time that it is a lightly polished Very Fine and bid accordingly. It is still an attractive coin. I recently submitted it to NGC and expect a "VF Details" grade. I have been reluctant to submit coins with lettered or decorated edges to grading services because the holder at least partly obscures the edge. The edge should be considered the "third side" of a coin and is important for numismatic study and authentication. This particular coin has a perfectly impressed edge, and I took a series of photos showing the entire edge before submitting the coin. All 1794-1803 original U.S. silver dollars show on the edge the words "HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT" with decorative stars, circles and rectangles between the words. Many of the numerous counterfeits, copies, and replicas of these coins do not correctly duplicate this edge style or even have plain or reeded edges. (Bear in mind, however, that some of the genuine coins have blundered edges.)

@EagleRJO--Surely you know that all annual U.S. proof sets since 1968 and all the coins they contained were minted in San Francisco! The last proof sets minted in Philadelphia are dated 1964. Do I need to tell you to study the Redbook too?

An 1806 British halfpenny or penny (the "Britannia" on the reverse indicates it is British, not Irish) isn't worth much in this low a grade whether genuine or counterfeit. My Standard Catalog of World Coins from 2004 doesn't have a weight for these, so I can't tell which one it is. You can check the current values on the NGC World Coin Price Guide under the "Resources" tab on the NGC home page. The pertinent catalog numbers are KM# 662 for the halfpenny, KM# 663 for the penny.

In 1970 the San Francisco mint (then technically an assay office) made nearly 239 million five cent pieces (nickels) for circulation. They are still occasionally found in change. When they have no wear, they are referred to as "uncirculated" or "mint state". Of these some 2 million were included in the uncirculated coin or "mint" sets sold that year, including the one you removed. These circulation strike coins are distinct from the mirror-like proofs included in the over 2.6 million proof sets sealed in hard plastic holders sold by the mint in 1970. Almost none of the circulation strikes (mostly worth less than $1) or the proofs (mostly worth $1-$2) would be worth the $40 or more that you would have to spend in grading fees, processing fees, shipping and insurance costs that you would spend to have a single coin certified by PCGS or NGC. "S" mint cents dated from 1968 to 1974 and nickels made from 1968 to 1970 were made by the hundreds of millions for circulation, unlike the other denominations after 1968 and later issues that were only made in San Francisco in proof format. They are only worth any substantial money in very high and rare grades (like MS 67 or PF 70) or if proofs when they are also "deep mirror cameos". You will need to learn a great deal more about coins before you even think about sending any to grading services! You must "buy the book before the coin". To that end please refer to my following post, which will inform you as to the basic publications and online resources that you will need to become a successful collector:

@pigeonman333rd: While the photos are far too small for a proper examination, the narrow border on this coin indicates that it is a circulation strike. (I can also see that it's a 1909 V.D.B., which is quite rare as a matte proof, with 400-600 believed to have been issued as opposed to nearly 28 million circulation strikes.) The matte proofs have a broader border, a finely grainy finish, a very strong strike, and a squared off (not beveled) edge. Because these differences are subtle, I would only buy pieces that have been third party certified as proofs. (You can see photos of actual matte proofs on NGC Coin Explorer, PCGS CoinFacts, and the online archives of major auction houses.) As previously requested, please post your inquiries about specific coins as new topics, not on someone else's unrelated old topic. What does this coin have to do with a 1921 Peace dollar! IF YOU DO THIS AGAIN, I WON'T RESPOND!

@Quintus Arrius: My own grade for the 1909-S would be F-VF (F 15), but I've seen pieces that look like this graded as high as VF 25 by grading services. (Both of us probably learned grading during the era of Photograde, whose standards I still prefer for circulated coins.) I think its price was $95, plus $2 shipping (cheaper in 1989), for a total of $97. My grade for the 1877 would be VG 10, but it could go F 12 at NGC, although the weak right upper obverse rim and minor surface issues could pull it down to VG 8. Grading always involves some subjectivity! I'll edit the posts to show the NGC grades when I receive them.

Here's another coin that I took from my Whitman Indian cent album after decades of storage, a 1909-S, the lowest mintage issue in the series. I bought this coin from a classified ad in Coin World in May 1989 for $97. While this may have been a risky way to buy a coin that even in those days was prone to having an added mint mark, I've matched the mint mark size, style and position to photos of genuine specimens. (Only one die pair is known to have been used for the 1909-S.) Although as I recall the coin was sold as in Fine condition, I believe it should grade Very Fine by current standards. I have submitted this coin to NGC for authentication and grading. Edit 11/15/22: NGC graded this coin XF 40! In my opinion there's just too much wear on "LIBERTY", the feathers, and the ribbon to warrant an Extremely Fine grade.

I assume that this is a different coin from the purported 1959-D wheat cent that has been sold at auction for as much as $50,000 notwithstanding disclosure that ANACS, NGC, and PCGS have all rendered a "no decision" response regarding its authenticity. (The Secret Service thought it was genuine!) See https://www.numismaticnews.net/us-coins/50000-for-a-1959-d-lincoln-cent-mule. Based upon the photos in that article, it appears to me to have a softened appearance, suggesting that it is a copy made from two different coins. Does anyone have a photo of the purported 1959 wheat cent to which the ANACS certificate pertains, such as the one on the certificate?

Both the standard and deluxe ("Mega") editions of the "Redbook" contain glossaries with basic numismatic terminology, although they are certainly not exhaustive. That's one of the reasons why both are featured in my summary of "Resources for New Collectors" referred to in my posting under that name and referenced by @EagleRJO. The meaning of most words can be determined by checking them in a search engine. While @JKK and others are welcome to start a posting on this, I'm not sure how we could keep it all together in alphabetical order or agree on the definitions. The person who wants to call his 1943 steel or post-mint plated cent a rare "silver penny" will still do so without even looking for such a resource, and as I found out, may take offense at our efforts at education.

Your coin exhibits shelf-like "strike doubling" caused by a die that was loose in the press, which collectors generally don't regard as "something special." Notice how the letters "DO" and probably others not in your photo show similar doubling. There is an 1884-CC "doubled CC" variety (VAM 5) caused by a repunched mint mark, which shows doubling on the mint mark only and more strongly on the first "C". You can check your Morgan dollars for varieties on the "VAM World" site at www.vamworld.com, which lists all known die varieties, or at NGC "VarietyPlus" (home page under the "Resources" tab), which lists the more popular ones that NGC will attribute. (The 1884-CC VAM 5 isn't one of them.)

First of all, make sure the value of each coin justifies the cost of grading fees (at NGC, presently $23 for a coin worth $300 or less, $40 for one worth over $300 and under $3,000), processing fees ($10 per submission form), and shipping and insurance each way. Common date circulated and lower end uncirculated Morgan dollars, even if unimpaired by "cleaning" or other problems, simply aren't worth the expense! Obviously, you have to know something about grading and valuation yourself to make this determination. As for VAM die varieties, only those known as the "Top 100" and the "Hot 50" are probably worth attributing. Others are less popular and usually command little or no premium. NGC VarietyPlus (under the home page "Resources" tab) identifies which VAMs are so designated. All but a few require the payment of an additional $18 per coin for attribution. The VAMWorld site referred to by the previous poster provides additional photos and information about these varieties.

I recall reading that they will follow your instructions to ship multiple submissions in the same package, but I couldn't find where I read it and don't know whether this will result in reduced shipping charges. As they've been slow to answer in the forum since David Lange became ill, I recommend that you call NGC customer service at 1-800-642-2646.

There is only one 1995-D doubled die cent recognized in NGC VarietyPlus, designated as FS-103, DDO-103, with several close-up photos showing narrow but crisp die doubling on GOD WE, UST, and the mint mark, which was included in the die hub by that time. I don't see any such doubling on the photos of your coin, which could be because they are too fuzzy. I understand that NGC won't certify a variety that isn't included in VarietyPlus, so you should compare your coin with the photos before proceeding. (VarietyPlus is found under the "Resources" tab on the NGC home page.) Other services have similar rules, so you should be sure you have the FS-103 or another recognized (or significant discovery) doubled die before proceeding.

You should consider coins to be assets and objects whose study enriches your life, rather than an investment. Always remember that the spread between wholesale and retail for coins is much larger than it is for stocks, bonds, and commodities. If you buy a coin at its current retail value, that value will likely have to increase by 30% or so before you'll break even selling to a dealer or at auction! The coins that I've bought over five decades of collecting that have most increased in value are those that I bought because they fascinated me, not because I thought I would profit from them.

I just sent this VG or so 1877 Indian cent in for grading. It has been in a Whitman album since I bought it in 1990. I believe it to be genuine, as it has the weak "N" in "ONE" and meets other criteria. Edit 11/15/22: NGC graded this coin VG 10, which is the grade I would have given it.

An inquiry of this nature might have received more attention in the "U.S. World and Ancient Coins" forum, as this forum pertains to the NGC Registry for certified coins. All I can tell you in response is that based on my records, I mailed in an order to the U.S. Mint for this issue on or about September 16, 1991. (That is how it was done in those pre- internet days.) I usually did this shortly after I received the mint's order forms, so the 1991-S Silver Eagle Proof probably became available in or about early to mid-September 1991. If you need more precise information, you may want to contact the mint (www.usmint.gov).

Someone simply re-used the holders in which the U.S. Mint sold 1966 and 1967 Special Mint Sets (SMS) to house other sets of coins. These holders can easily be opened without damaging them and then snapped back together after substituting different coins. (The 1965 SMS were sold in soft plastic sheets placed in paper envelopes like previous years' proof (1955-64) and uncirculated (1959-64) coin sets.) The 1942 coins appear to be regular uncirculated or about uncirculated regular issue Philadelphia mint coins, which are rather common. Some or all of the 1964 coins appear to be proofs, which would have been removed from the soft envelope in which they were issued as a very common proof set. The only 1964 coins that have been authenticated as SMS were traced to the mint director at that time and are controversial. They may have simply been first strikes from regular production dies. They aren't mirror-like like those in your set. Whether you were "scammed" depends upon what the seller represented these sets to you as and how much he sold them to you for.

An administrator for NGC's parent company already told you that it is not a real coin and could not identify it as a legitimate collectible. The U.S. mint never released any small dollar coins with Gasparro's design! It's highly unlikely that NGC or any other reputable grading service would encapsulate or grade it. You may wish to clarify this before spending your money to submit it!

Although some of the members have given @J. Morgan Sr some good advice on handling a numismatic estate, only one has referred him to a dealer directory (NGC's) from which he might find a suitable dealer in the Memphis or Tulsa areas. Coin World also has a dealer directory that can be searched by location at Home Page | Coin World - Find a coin, bullion, medal, and paper money dealer (right click for menu to open). The Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), which is an organization of high-end dealers who are required to abide by a code of ethics and fulfill other membership requirements, also has a directory of its dealers at Find A PNG Dealer (memberclicks.net) (also right click for menu to open). Unfortunately, I don't know any dealers from those areas myself. I assume that @J. Morgan Srdoesn't know from whom his relative purchased his coins or much about coins or how much he spent on them. I agree that he should purchase a current or recent "Redbook" (A Guide Book of United States Coins, 2023 edition is most current) to try to sort possibly valuable items from those that are likely of low value and not worthy of separate appraisal. This book can be purchased from its publisher at whitman.com or through other sellers such as Coin World's affiliate at amosadvantage.com. (The latter also sells the Scott stamp catalogs.) As the coins are over 50 years old, he should be aware that any U.S. dime, quarter, or half dollar dated 1964 or before is composed of 90% silver alloy and currently worth about 15 times face value in silver alone, that half dollars from 1965-70 are 40% silver and also worth a premium, and that all silver dollars (dated through 1935) are also 90% silver and generally worth some premium over silver value. Obviously, any coins composed of gold are valuable. (Rare dates or varieties of coins in any metal may be valuable as well.) If there are foreign coins, he should also be on the lookout for pieces that may be gold or silver. The NGC World Coin Price Guide may be found under the "Resources" tab and "Price Guides" menu on the NGC home page. I hope this helps.

@BobBumbler--If you are truly interested in collecting coins, you should "show [your] face around here again"! To be successful, you must learn about coins through books and other resources, speak with experienced collectors and dealers, and study the coins themselves. What you should have learned from your experience are (1) rarities are almost never found in pocket change, (2) before submitting a coin to a grading service, you should have sufficient knowledge about the coin to be reasonably certain that you have correctly identified it, and (3) you should also be reasonably certain that its rarity and condition warrant the costs associated with certification. Here is a post I made describing some print and online resources that may be helpful to you:

I've also seen a "W", standing for "white", on NGC graded coins with this old label style.

Why didn't you ask us this question before submitting this coin to a grading service? This coin is clearly a large date and worth face value in this condition whether brass (95% copper) or copper plated zinc! Please refer to the photos in your standard "Redbook" or, in the event you don't have one, below are the photos from NGC VarietyPlus: This is the small date, which doesn't match yours--note particularly the shape of the "8" and "2" and the difference in thickness of the two sets of numerals: . This is the large date, which clearly matches your coin: