Discover the Hidden Treasure of Rare Coins in Chicago (2024)

FAQs

Where can I go to see if my coins are worth anything? ›

If your coins are not graded, or have been graded/certified by a company other than PCGS or NGC, you should contact a reputable coin dealer or attend a coin show to help determine the value.

Get rolls of coins from banks.

Trade in your paper cash for coins at any local bank. You might get old coins if the rolls have been in the bank for a long time. Occasionally, you'll find a rare or foreign coin that's been mixed up with the others.

When it comes to valuable coins, nothing compares to the 1933 Double Eagle. The Double Eagle, the last gold currency struck in the U.S., sold for a whopping $18.9 million in 2021. First minted in 1907, the coin features an image of Lady Liberty on its obverse and an eagle in flight on the reverse, Smithsonian reported.

Most steel pennies are worth between 20 cents and 20 dollars. Prices for 1943 penny error coins, like the 1943-D doubled mintmark variety, can reach several hundred dollars. For the most reliable information on coin values and coin collecting, trust precious metals experts rather than craft and hobby websites.

That's what happened to several pennies produced in 1982, which pushed their value up from 1 cent to nearly $20,000. The penny in question is the 1982-D Small Date Copper Alloy Lincoln Cent, which sold at auction in 2016 for $18,800, according to Numismatic News.

The 1941 quarter has at least six doubled-die errors plus the Large-S and Small-S mint mark varieties, according to Coin Value Lookup. All these errors make these quarters worth big paychecks. Regarding finding a quarter worth $35,000, the coin sold had the Canadian “1941” imprint behind the U.S. “DOLLAR.”

According to the NGC Price Guide, as of April 2024, a Kennedy Half Dollar from 1971 in circulated condition is worth between $0.60 and $0.75. However, on the open market 1971 D Half Dollars in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $3100.

However, even if you can get your bank to special-order rolled coins, there is no guarantee that the Federal Reserve will send your bank mint-state coins! The Fed isn't required to honor requests for mint-state (what they call "new") coins, but they say they do when inventory levels allow.

The best banks for circulated half-dollars are big-name banks with businessmen patrons. Corporate banks deal with large amounts of circulated coins and will have more on hand. Banks that specialize in merchant business will often sell coin rolls to non-account holders. Smaller banks may be more reluctant.

What is the hardest coin to find? ›

With just one coin currently in existence, the gold 1849 Double Eagle is considered the rarest and most valuable coin in US history.

1943 Bronze Lincoln Penny. Now we're getting into some serious money. The 1943 Bronze Lincoln penny has gone for hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it could go for as much as $1 million in perfect shape, according to Urban Aunty — as long as it's missing a mint mark (and thus from Philadelphia).

While you may receive a $1 coin in change on occasion, for the most part, you'll have to seek them out to find them. Although some rare, historical coins like the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver One Dollar can be worth millions of dollars, saying they aren't likely to appear in your everyday change is an understatement.

CoinID is a great app for people who collect coins. You can take a picture of a coin and the app will quickly tell you what it is.