What do you think is the most underrated U.S. coin?

[lclugza]

What U.S. coin (series or date.) do you think is the most underrated? Tell me what coin you think deserves more attention.

[Tradedollarnut]

Based on the book "The 100 Greatest US Coins" rankings, I would have to say the 1870-S dollar. Only 9 coins known and in a very popular series, yet ranked in the mid 80's out of 100. Unbelievable!

[jtryka]

As a series, I think liberty eagles are very underrated, with lots of better dates selling for little more than melt. I guess the 2-cent and 3cn and 3cs series would rank up pretty high too.

[michael]

gem red evenmoreso superb gem RED! matte proof lincoln cents

 

they are basically rare to find in gem red with no streaks stains no terrible spotting and especially so even color and surfaces

 

even most of the major services gem red graded matte proof gem lincons though correctly graded red

leave much to be desired in terms of eye appeal with many streaky stained spotted uneven red colored coins

 

 

the key is high grade and RED! yes there are many beautiful red brown and brown colored coins but these coins hide the many imperfections in the planchets of these matte proof cents that red coins reveal due to being untoned everything hangs out so to speak

 

so u;timately to get a red matte proof lincoln cent that is superb gem technical grade with no problems usually associated with these coins as per the above is not only uncommon but is one of the ultimate undervalued highly underrated US federal coins!

 

now because they are matte proof

issued and mostly kept in paper envelopes

 

they are not going to look like red earlier proof indian cents and later date proof lincoln cents

 

the supposedly most available date with the highest mintage of the matte proofs are the 1909 matte coins

 

yet after the 1916 AND 1909 vdb red matte proof cents the 1909 is one of the hardest matte proofs to get in gem red with even, non streaky non spotted red surfaces

 

as with the business strike coins of 1909 there were major problems with the planchets of these coins for this year as streaky uneven colored coins are moreso the rule

 

and this matte proof is the most misunderstood of usa coins

as most all of the usa proof coins are of the brilliant surfaces and most collectors are experienced with brilliant proof coins

 

michael

[michael]

some really underrated series of coins are the proof three cent nickels and the mintstate three cent silvers

 

in fact any mintstate 1830 to 1915 copper, nickel, and silver coins are horribly undervalued

 

 

any colored proof three cent nickels or colored copper nickel indian cents in ms are monster undervalued

 

i guess the list goes on and no but a good start

 

 

michael

[michael]

i like underrated series of coins that are within the reach of many

 

and also not an impossibility to get if one tries even if for a single type coin

 

 

that to me is the key to underrated coins

 

 

michael

[spy88]

Well said, Michael!!!!

 

David

[Hoot]

Proof Liberty nickels.

 

Hoot

[michael]

Poster: Hoot

Subject: Re: What do you think is the most underrated U.S. coin?

 

Proof Liberty nickels.

 

Hoot

 

 

 

 

strongly cameoed and/or wildly colored evenmoreso

[Elcontador]

Attractive Mint State Liberty Nickels. Nice Liberty Nickels, PF or MS, are scarce, but you are more likely to find a nice PF (so PF coins generally sell for less).

 

I have a MS & a PFin 6. Even in this grade, most of them are ugly. The PF coins are known for the infamous "urine colored toning," while most MS coins are just plain ugly. I saw images of two No Cent Nickels in MS 6 the other day.

 

On the 1st one, the right side of the reverse looked like it was in a urinal for the last 100 years. The other one looked like it was struck from a die that had worn out, been thrown in the trash, and then retrieved to make yet more coins. Glad I hadn't eaten anything before looking at that one!

 

Going through high grade Liberty Nickels is almost physically painful, most of them are so ugly. So finding a nice one is really a joy. They are out there, but you have to look at many of them before you find one.

[chinook]

Apparently Coin World Trends agrees with you. They just increased values for MS-65 by 40%, MS-66 by 33 % and PF-65 by 27%, PF-66 by 50%

 

I personally think all bust coinage is underrated-even after recent price advances- especially in light of some of the prices moderns have been bringing.

 

[paigow_johnny]

Liberty nickels...unloved and hard to find in nice circ condition...but beautiful in their simplicity

[Newmismatist]

Pattern Proof 1858 Flying Eagle cents. Regular issue proofs are very expensive. The much scarcer pattens with the regular issue Flying Eagle Obverse are a bargain in comparison, especially when you consider the price of the 1856 FE penny, which is actually a pattern coin, costs about 5 times as much and is 50 times more common.

[michael]

 

 

the ultimate key to any lib nick weather proof or business strike is GREAT EYE APPEAL which for lib nicks is really REALLY RARE

 

 

michael

[Elbesaar]

Michael,

 

I couldn't agree with you more.

 

The Liberty Head Nickel was the first collection I assembled starting back in 1990 after having been away from the hobby for seventeen years. I finally completed it in 1995 with the addition of the VERY scarce 1886.(Set = AU 58- MS 65 Raw).

 

Since then I have gotten a few proofs and gem MS coins ... looked long and hard before I found nice coins.

 

Most under-rated coin however, is the 1898-O Barber Half, with the Micro-O.

Find me one in AU 55- 58, PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[cointagious]

 

[reid1836]

I think I would have to say the 1912-S Liberty nickel in vf - au grades.

[reid1836]

Here`s another one for your consideration. The 1909/8 $20 gold. After doing a little research I realized that this particular coin seems to be drastically under-valued. Just look at almost any 20th century over-date coin and compare it`s value to it`s common counterpart. Examples are 1918/7-d nickel , 1918/7-s quarter, 1943/2 nickel, 1942/1 dime, and the 1942/1-d dime. By comparison the 1909/8 $20

seems to be somewhat of a bargain. I suspect that values for these coins will see drastic increases in the future. As the collector base grows. Overdates, error coins,

double dies and the like have seen ever increasing popularity among new and seasoned collects alike. Supply and demand will dictate a marked increase for this particular coin in the future. Of course this is purely speculation. But, I`ve checked the crystal ball, tea leaves, and my horoscope. Of course owning a nice certified example doesn`t hurt either !!!

[roadrunner-migration]

As a series that is affordable compared to gold coins or very early bust, I have always that SEATED QUARTERS are the most underrated of all US coins that are available and within reach of most collector price-wise. The darn things are dirt cheap compared to 20th century coinage. Even in VF to AU grade, many scarce dates are available for $200-500 and have less than 30 known in grades AU and higher. 1859-0, 1858-0 and 1847-0 quarters have always been some of my favorites. All "O" mints in AU or higher are quite scarce and would be major key dates in any widely collected series. The other seated denominations are more available and less rare with the exception of the dollars mainly because those cost so darn much as type coins.

 

My sleeper of the seated 25c's has remain unchanged since I first discovered it in 1974. Back then the 60-s,64-s, 66-s,71-s and 72-s were sort of sleepers too except most in the know were after them. They currently carry big price tags. Right on the heels of those 5 top dates comes the 6th rarest S mint quarter ever minted. The 1867-s quarter in any grade (150-250 known) and especially above VF (maybe 15-25 pieces XF or higher). The XF-AU coin is a great sleeper in the $500-1500 range. It makes no sense why these aren't worth $1500-2500 in XF. These were available in the under $500 for most of the last 25 years. Problem was that they NEVER showed up for you to buy one. UNC's are also vastly underrated with maybe 8-12 pieces known imo. Look at the total pops of this date at PCGS and NGC and it will rate right up there with even the rare cc dates of 1870-1873. I am aware of only 3 pieces with claim to full,uncleaned, mint state status (MS63 or higher, Norweb, Stack, Eliasberg). The price guides have lumped this one in with all the surrounding dates for decades. Each year, it stands out a little bit more.

It has taken some big jumps in the guides the last few years but is still not given its full due. Eventually it will be fully recognized. Compared to a "common" 1893-s dollar with over 5000 pieces known, the 1847-0 quarter in any grade (250-350 known) at $35 or an AU 1859-0 (30 or less known known AU-UNC) at $250 is a bargain.

 

I still kick myself for selling the only XF 1867-s 25c (XF-45+) I have ever owned to one of my old friends for $190 back in 1983 as he requested it as a favor. How could I refuse? He still owns it too. I have never seen a comparable circ piece since. But I've been satisfied owning one of the 3 true UNC's for the past 17 years.

I had the means to buy the other 2 pieces also but allowed other collectors to get them instead despite knowing it was a mistake not to buy them all.

 

roadrunner

[XpipedreamR]

I would have to say that I think Morgan Dollars are really underappreciated. For such a large series, with so many varieties to pique collector interest, it is surprising that most collectors of US coins have not even seen in person, much less owned, one of these beautiful symbols of our shared American heritage. I believe that it should be a goal of every collector to try to experience one of these magnificent coins at some point in his collecting life.

 

 

[barberlover-migration]

Let me buck the trend here a little bit, I've always been a collector of mint state type coins, I somewhat missed the boat on the better date craze.

 

I think it may be to late to jump on that band wagon. To me eye appeal by type is what I look for no matter what the coin series is. My favorite is Barber type date quarters and halves which have gone down in value for 14 years, but you won't get the eye appeal coins at bid [at least not usually].

 

I sure wish I would have gotton into better dates years ago, but doing it now might be about the equivelent of buying dot com stocks in 1998 for a long term hold because of how much they'd already gone up. I own a few better dates but the main theme right or wrong in my collection is and always will be eye appeal first no matter the date, mint mark, type, or grade. So eye appeal is my choice rather then saying a specific coin or series.

 

Les

[mdwoods]

Matte proof Lincolns seem to be underrated to me.