State Coin

What a Beginning Collector Can Look For When Starting a Coin Collection.

The introduction of the internet has completely turned around the way people find things to collect. Finding coins can of course also be done in the old fashioned way – newcomers to the hobby are often stunned at how many rare and valuable coins are actually still in active circulation.

The “wheat penny”, which was a successor to the popular indian head penny, is a good starting point for a new collectors. The wheat penny is named for it’s design, which includes a pair of wheat stalk bundles on the back side of the coin, and a picture of Lincoln on the front side.

A particularly interesting U.S. coin is the zinc/steel penny produced during the Second World War. Due to a wartime copper shortage, the US Mint made pennies from steel, coated with zinc to prevent rust. Made in 1943, these coins are valuable both for their age and their rarity. You can tell them apart by their slight bluish gray tine and their distinctive sound when struck.

Many Lincoln wheat cents have the initials VDB of the designer (Victor David Brenner) on the reverse. The ones which were minted at locations other than Philadelphia are more valuable; most were minted there, as Philadelphia had the largest mint at the time. Some of these one-cent pieces can sell for upwards of 700 dollars – not bad for a single cent! Many are worth $15, which is still a very nice profit for a penny.

You can find coins in many places. With the growing popularity of coin counting machines, these coins are often passed from bank to bank unnoticed. You should always look at the change you get if you are a collector, you never know what you may find.

It only takes a second to casually examine a coin. If you’ve done your homework in advance, you’ll be on the lookout for pre-1964 dimes, VDB pennies and the new state quarters. Eisenhower silver dollars can also be found.

The series of state quarters began production in 1999 and five new quarters are introduced each year. The project is due to end sometime in 2009, until then a new quarter comes out around every 10 weeks. Each state quarter features a different design on the reverse.

The state quarters created in previous years of the program are no longer being produced, so they are sure to increase in value over time. The average coin circulates for about 30 years; many of these quarters are already selling for more than $2. Start collecting these today and you could find yourself with a very valuable collection in a few decades time.

Coin collecting is a hobby which involves long term planning. The value of your collection will increase in time, it’s possible that even a common coin will become a collector’s item in time.

The Ratings: State Quarters Part 7