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About Us, Our Website, and Coin Collecting FAQsAbout Us
About Our Website
Coin Collecting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who are we?We are US Coin Values Advisor, the Internet offshoot of Heritage Coin Books (HCB). Founded in 1986 to publish historic value trends for United States coins, HCB sold hard copy reports for many years. Today, US Coin Values Advisor is providing coin trend data free of charge to our website visitors. Back to TopWhy is US Coin Values Advisor offering valuable data for free ?We provide this data free to the public in order to build traffic coming to our website. We link to several high quality vendors who offer a wide range of products to the coin collecting public. We may get paid a small referral fee anytime one of our visitors links to a vendor from our website, OR we may receive a commission if we send someone who subsequently makes a purchase. We believe in full disclosure and have no ulterior motives. Back to TopWhat is the the inspiration behind US Coin Values Advisor ?The webmaster for this site is Daniel J. Goevert. In 1986, Dan published a book entitled Value Trends of United States Coins. Estimated retail value trends from 1950 to 1985 were researched for virtually every collectible US coin, in conditions ranging from Good to Proof. Value Trends was one of the most comprehensive works of its kind ever published. The exposure helped Dan establish a consulting relationship as Coin Editor with Edmund Publications from 1989 to 2000. Dan played a key role in producing nearly 20 nationally distributed coin books during his consultancy with Edmund. Dan's demonstrated skill as a researcher and penchant for detail are useful tools for collectors seeking to bridge values from today's coin market to those of past decades. Back to TopWhere is the home base of US Coin Values Advisor ?We are located in the Wichita, KS area. For geography-challenged individuals, this is smack-dab center of the United States. Back to TopWhat online coin reports are available now ?Now available are trend reports for Flying Eagle cents, Indian Head cents, Lincoln cents, Buffalo nickels, Mercury dimes, Morgan silver dollars, Peace dollars, $10 Gold Eagles, Standing Liberty quarters, and Walking Liberty half dollars. Many more coin value trend reports will be posted as time permits. Click the Coin Value Tables™ link for entry to the trend report page. Back to TopHow was the coin value trend data researched ?Very meticulously! The information in these report was researched from vintage advertisements, auction results, and a variety of numismatic publications, largely obtained from the vast holdings of the American Numismatic Association library. Back to TopHow far back in time does the data go ?The Coin Value Tables™ track values for collectible United States coins, estimating retail prices from as far back as 1950, up to and including the year 2008. Back to TopWhat is the purpose of the % rate of return computations ?The purpose of the % rate of return is simply to facilitate comparisons from one coin to the next, as to how much they change in value over time. Some of our visitors may choose to analyze the data in other ways. Back to TopWhat exactly is meant by "return rate" ?The return rates presented on this website are compounded annual return rates, normally the yardstick for measuring investment vehicles. For example, if the value of a commodity grows from $200 to $300 over a period of seven years, the return rates, computed to be 5.96%, compounds itself annually for seven years by this amount. Thus: $200 * (1.0596 [Yr1]) * (1.0596 [Yr2]) * (1.0596 [Yr3]) * (1.0596 [Yr4]) *(1.0596 [Yr5]) * (1.0596 [Yr6]) * (1.0596[Yr7]) = $300 Of course, coins do not grow at a guaranteed uniform rate, such as do bonds or Certificate of Deposits, but if a coin is purchased at a certain price, and that price is juxtaposed with the value of the coin at some later date, the effective compounded annual return rate can be calculated for the time period in between. Back to TopWhat if I have a coin whose % rate of return cannot be found in the Coin Value Tables™ ?The Coin Value Tables™ contain compounded annual return rates from 1950 to the present (a very long time period), 1980 to the present (a long time period), 1995 to the present (a relatively short, but not too short time period), and 200x to the present. This data is normally sufficient to flush out "blue ribbon" coins deserving your attention. However, if you have a coin whose compounded annual return rate is not adequately represented in the tables, jump over to our "Coin Rate of Return Calculator", enter data specific to your situation, hit the 'Calculate' button, and get your answer. The best part is that it's all FREE! Back to TopHow was this website built?This website, US Coin Values Advisor,
was built through a system called Site Build It!, known as SBI! for short.
The nice thing about SBI! is that you don't need to be a technogeek to create a
website capable of attracting thousands of visitors a day. The most
important ingredients for success in the SBI! system is a passion for some topic
(in our case, it's US coins and history) and a desire to share your knowledge
with others. SBI! sites come in all shapes and sizes.
Take a look!
A much bigger listing of high-flying sites built through SBI! is
here, and
yes, US Coin Values Advisor has proudly been named to this honor roll. Back to TopHow much are my old coins worth ?In addition to learning how your coins have changed in value over a period of many years, you can also use the Coin Value Tables™ to identify approximate retail values in today's market. The websites of PCGS and Numismedia also post current estimated retail values. Back to TopWhat does a numismatist do ?Numismatics is the study of coins, paper money, tokens, and medals. A numismatist is a person who passionately pursues numismatics. Coin collecting is the most popular expression of numismatics. Back to TopHow do I collect coins ?Since it is virtually impossible to collect everything, most serious numismatists choose to specialize in some way, such as collecting a series of coins (for example, Mercury dimes, 1916-1945), or Type coins, where the goal is to find an example from each coin series over a period of time (say, the Civil War), or of a particular monetary denomination. Try obtaining a specimen of each basic silver dollar type... now there would be an impressive collection! Back to TopHow does a beginner get started ?Visiting this website, as well as other coin-related educational sites, is an
excellent start. Learn something about coins before you make your first
coin purchase. Invest a little up front in knowledge-building, and you'll
save a lot of time, money, and frustration later on. One book we highly
recommend for the novice is
Coin Collecting for Dummies. This is a great
reference for the budding coin collector, but it flows so well that even
veterans of the hobby will have difficulty putting it down. Another good one is
How
to Make Money in Coins Right Now. In spite of its name, this is not an
over-hyped manifesto on "how to strike it rich" with coins. On the
contrary, anyone who absorbs this material will have built a solid foundation in
numismatics and market realities. Also, weekly publications such as
Numismatic News
and
Coin World
Back to TopWhere should the new collector start looking for coins ?A good place to start collecting is to search for coins out of regular circulation. You'll get a taste for what coin collecting is like, with virtually no downside risk by collecting State Quarters, which has become a very popular pastime in the USA these days, with many State quarter collectors bridging over to mainstream coin collecting. Flushed with state pride, US history, and artistic excellence, no small wonder this program has helped to swell the ranks of collectors. One overlooked area for beginning collectors is Jefferson nickels. Surprisingly, with the exception of WWII silver alloy issues, nearly every Jefferson date and mintmark can still be found in circulation. Go to the bank, get some rolls, and have hours of fun looking for that rascally elusive 1939-D! Back to TopWhere can I purchase collectible coins ?If you've been bitten by the "coin bug", sooner or later you'll likely want to move on to collectible coins. Since you don't stand a chance of finding an 1877 Indian Head cent in your pocket change, for example, you'll have to pay money to someone who has one and is wanting to sell. There are numerous routines for buying coins, discussed in detail at our Coin Buying Advice section. Back to TopWhat is the best way to handle and store valuable coins ?Valuable coins should be handled and stored with great care. Adding wear or inducing damage to your collection can reduce its value significantly. Fortunately, a wide range of Coin Supplies is available to meet your specific needs and your budget. Back to TopWhat is coin grading all about ?The condition of a coin is described by its grade. The grade is an important factor in determining value. Click for our Grading Coins page to get an in-depth introduction to grading coins. Back to TopWhat makes a coin valuable ?Ultimately, values are based on essentially the same set of rules as any other commodity. If everyone wants to buy, prices go up, but if everyone wants to sell, prices drop. Let's take a look at the supply/demand theory and how it relates to coin values. What exactly is the supply? Simply stated, the supply can be defined as the number of coins available for sale at a specific point in time. Mintage is the first indicator to be studied when guessing the available supply of a given coin. The mintage figure for a given date and mint mark tell you that the existing total today can be no large than that number. Survivorship is the key modifier to the original mintage quantity. Over time, many millions of coins have been melted, destroyed, lost, or otherwise eliminated, to reduce the supply. More concisely, the volume of coins issued in the past is finite, can never increase, and in all likelihood will shrink even more over time due to attrition. Condition is the most critical stratification factor of the existing supply. High grade coins with little or no wear are encountered far less frequently than well worn siblings of the same date and mint mark. Collectors comprise the demand portion of the equation. Collectors of coins will pay a price to a coin owner to acquire a desired specimen, and are willing to pay more for limited supply examples. This is especially true for coin types popular with large numbers of collectors. Hence, the coins most heavily sought after, and having the best grades within a limited supply, will always command high prices. A good example is a 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent grading MS-65 (RED) condition. Priced at more than $8000 for a properly graded specimen, it certainly is a rare coin desired by many people. With collectors competing against one another for, at best, a fixed supply of coins, we see the formation of a solid price foundation within the coin market. Back to TopIs it a good idea to clean my coins ?Generally speaking, NO!!!. You will probably do more harm than good. Abrasive treatments are the absolute worst. Coins that have obviously been cleaned always suffer in diminished value. If you have a coin of some worth spoiled by unsightly tarnish or other foreign substances, contact a numismatic professional with experience in cleaning coins. Expert coin cleaners have techniques, such as dipping, to remove unattractive adherents without doing damage to the coin. Some coins are naturally tarnished, but in an attractive manner. This effect is called Toning, and is desired by many collectors willing to pay premiums above book value to acquire such a specimen. So before you even think about cleaning a toned coin, be mindful of this fact. With less valuable coins that are simply dirty, you can take action at home to remove the dirt safely. Soak the coin for at least 48 hours in olive oil or a soapy solution. Rinse thoroughly with water, followed by drying with air compressor or hair dryer. At no time during this procedure should you rub a cloth, your finger, or anything else across the coin's surface. You will leave tiny scratches. Commercial coin cleaners are also available for cleaning dirty coins, and accelerate the process with improved results. Back to TopHow do I know if a coin has been cleaned ?If cleaned with an abrasive, the coin will have hairlines, visible under magnification. Also, some dirt will still remain in the deepest crevices on the coin. Coins cleaned with abrasives are relatively easy for the trained eye to catch, and should be discounted in value severely. Dipped coins, if done expertly, may be impossible to detect. But then, if it is impossible to detect, the whole question of cleaning becomes neutralized for that particular coin. On the other hand, if a coin can be determined to have been dipped, it will be rejected by large portions of the numismatic community, unless marked down in price accordingly. A good reference to help you learn about recognizing cleaned coins is Coin Collector's Survival Manual Back to TopAre coins good investments ?Well, they can be, but they should be viewed first for their artistic and historic qualities, with secondary consideration given to their investment potential. However, no one buys coins with the desire or expectation to see them fall in value. Naturally, most buyers hope their coins will increase in value over time. For this reason, many numismatists select coins primarily for their collecting pleasure, while simultaneously building a collection that will be worth more in the years ahead. One purpose for including the Percent Return Rate computations in the Coin Value Tables™ is to assist individuals with this dual strategy to reach their goals. Several books have been written to help collectors identify coins with the best profit potential. A good companion to the Coin Value Tables is a book authored by coin dealer insider Scott Travers, How to Make Money in Coins Right Now. (haven't we heard of this guy already?). In addition to presenting high flying coins, Travers guides the reader through a wealth of information on how the coin market operates. Back to TopCan I get my coins appraised ?Yes, there are many places where you can get your coins appraised. Since fees are often charged for this service, you really owe it to yourself first to at least get a rough idea of what your coins are worth, if you don't already. By following the advice prescribed by our website, you should be in a position to accomplish just that. If, for whatever reason, you still want your collection appraised, you can find a numismatist in your area by logging onto the "Dealer Directory", published by the ANA. Everyone on this list is bound by a code of ethics, so that's a good start. Another option is to contact a coin club. People who belong to coin clubs thoroughly enjoy looking at coins, and are often experienced numismatists. Someone in the club may be willing to provide an honest appraisal for free, in exchange for the joy of seeing coins and sharing their knowledge. If you're on a tight budget, this avenue might be worth a shot. Surf over to www.coinclub.com to locate a coin club in your vicinity. Back to TopWhat if I have a question that's not addressed here ?If we can't provide an answer to one of your questions, jump over to the website of the American Numismatic Association, the largest numismatic organization in the world. They've got many years of experience at fielding coin-related questions and have prepared answers on a FAQ page to dozens of the most popular queries put to them from the general public. Back to Top
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