Do you want to build a valuable legacy over time? Try looking in old houses, under that old dresser or in the attic where great-grandma kept her things patiently waiting for you to dig them up. It’s not unlikely to find ancient coins there, a rare ancient coin that, at today’s exchange rates, may be worth a few dollars; probably three or four or five, even ten times what the coin was worth when great-grandmother collected them.

Pennies, Nickels, Dimes and Quarters – They’re Not Really Dumb If They’re Rare

Have you ever found a silver penny? The shortage of copper during the year 1943 forced the government to mint all pennies at that time using steel. Because copper was used for bullet casings and electrical wire, steel pennies were around for three years, but if you find them now, cut them up for your collection.

Some Lincoln pennies in bronze were minted incorrectly and turned out to be blanks. A few years, or decades later, these bronze pennies have become a rarity and are valuable. However, the steel ones, due to their similarity, are only worth between one and three dollars each. Still, three bucks isn’t exactly something you should sneeze over.

As in all areas of society, coin collecting is also plagued by scams and swindlers. Be careful not to be one of those gullible coin collectors being sold copper plated coins in an attempt to make these pennies look like brass. Also, keep your guard up any time someone offers you a circa 1943 penny made of metallic white alloy. Your best bet is to buy coins from reputable dealers and have them appraised to make sure you’re getting the best value for your collection.

Coins: age makes them better

The coins, specifically the silver dollars manufactured and circulated between the years 1878 and 1935, have a value between twelve and twenty-five dollars. Uncirculated coins are worth much more. Often, especially today, silver coins are placed in a plexiglass cover immediately after they are minted to keep them at their highest uncirculated value.

In fact, if you had amassed a newly minted silver dollar a month since 1970, you would have amassed a small fortune today. Silver coins that have been graded by the top three companies in the industry can be worth much more than loose coins. Many collectors are opting for a steady collection of silver dollars each month as a hedge against inflation, as the coins will become more valuable as the paper dollar declines in value.

Quarters, Dimes and Half Dollars

If you find vintage quarters, dimes, or half dollars made and in circulation before 1965, you’ll find that they were typically made of 90 percent silver. Because of this, they can be worth as much as silver today (at an additional, albeit small, premium over the coin’s face value).

Miscued means Moolah

A 1972 Lincoln penny where the date and lettering appear to have been duplicated is not the result of too many martinis! These rare coins are currently worth around sixty dollars in standard circulation conditions. The reason for the error is that the Philadelphia Mint accidentally misaligned the die used to mint the pennies, causing Lincoln’s portrait to appear duplicated. Because eighty thousand of these were distributed before the bug was discovered, the value of these coins is incredible. If you find one in mint condition, you could be looking at close to a million dollars, because these are so rare.

As you can see, collecting coins is like collecting pieces of history and curios from the past. The face value of the coins is nothing compared to their value as a storyteller: pennies, dimes, quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars…these coins are often worth more once you have the story to go with them. As a collection grows, you grow as the historian of his collection, as the curator of his own museum, and his collection grows in value along with his legacy.