People have collected coins for their value for as long as coins have been minted. Coins of interest to collectors include those that have circulated for a very brief period of time, coins with mint errors, and exotic or historically significant pieces. For various reasons, certain coins are perceived as rare or valuable and have become desired by collectors everywhere. Most people assume that if a coin is over 100 years old, it must be rare. Age alone, however, has nothing to do with rarity. Rarity is determined by its supply or mintage/production figures. There are three types of rare coins: Rare, Key Date/Semi-Rare, and Common Date. To determine the classification of a rare coin, it is important to know the numbers on the coins before you buy.
Before 1933, the United States was on the Gold Standard, so when you went to the bank to get cash, you received gold coins. As the country grew, more and more gold was produced to reflect the wealth of the country, and gold coins were soon being produced in the millions. For example, the Indian Head Quarter Eagle was produced by two different mints, in two series: 1908 1915, and then again from 1925 1929. If you owned one of these coins, you would need to crunch the numbers to determine its rarity. Twelve different dates were produced from two separate mints, resulting in 15 unique coins. The average mint figure for the 15 unique coins is 483,350.
Any date of this particular coin with a mintage figure above the average 483,350 is a Common Date rare coin. Any date with a mintage figure at or below the average is a Key Date rare coin. Any date with a mintage figure of 25 percent of the average, or 120,837 or less, is a Rare Date rare coin. Some Common Date rare coins can be found from the following years: 1908, 1912, 1913, 1915, 1925, and 1929. Key Date/Semi-Rare dates can be found from the following years: 1909, 1910, 1926, 1927, and 1928. Rare dates can be found from 1911 and 1914.
If you think you have rare coinage, it is very important to have any pieces in question certified by a third party. Certification has numerous benefits. It authenticates the coin as being a true United States Government issue and not a copy, fake, replica, or counterfeit. Once the condition of the coin is determined, it is sealed in a protective holder for preservation. The coin is then assigned a bar code/serial number so if it is ever lost or stolen, you can prove ownership. The Professional Coin Grading Service and Numismatic Guarantee Corp. are very highly recommended for certification and population count information. They will count the coin and include it in Population Reports so you will know how rare your coin actually is.
The United States Gold Bureau offers a collection of rare coins that spans mints from nearly the entire life of the American nation. From single coins like the 1796 $2.50 Capped Bust to beautiful sets, they offer coins that bring history and value to your collection. Their team of professionals have more than 100 years combined experience and are ready to help you with any and all of your precious metal and rare coin collecting needs. Representatives are available anytime at 1(800)775-3504. Call today, and begin the hunt for the treasure of your dreams.
