Not Just Pocket Change
Ever wonder if that pile of change on your bedside table is worth more than its face value? Would you even know if you had a penny that was worth thousands of dollars?
Craig Burgess of A&C Gold and Diamonds has been studying and collecting coins since the 1960s. At his Bluffton store he evaluates and buys gold and silver, as well as coins and paper currency, both domestic and foreign.
“It’s really a good public service because people can come in and get information at no charge,” Burgess said. “I’m always happy to look through coins for people.”
Burgess said you need to take your change to an expert to find out for sure what it’s worth. He also shared details of a few valuable coins people might find.
You have a fairly good chance of finding a 1982 half dollar, which features an image of President Kennedy. The engraver’s initials are missing on some of these half dollars, and they are a little more valuable than their face value. Burgess said these coins are still common to find, and they are worth $5 or $10.
Another coin you might come across is a 2009 penny with die doubling, where it looks like President Lincoln has an extra thumb and extra fingers. Burgess said this coin is worth between $5 and $20.
You’d be less likely to find a 1909 penny with an “S” mark below the date on the front of the coin and the initials “VDB” engraved very small on the back of the coin. Burgess said this penny was taken out of circulation and is worth between $500 and $2,000.
Another valuable coin is the 1955 penny with a double image, which Burgess said could be worth between $300 and $3,000.
You’d be far less likely to find a 1943 copper penny. There was a lack of copper at the time, so pennies were being made of steel-plated zinc. However, Burgess said the Mint mistakenly made some of the 1943 pennies out of copper. Because so few were made, they are incredibly valuable. Depending on several factors, Burgess said this coin can be worth about $100,000.
The 1913 “V” nickel is the most valuable coin Burgess has ever seen in person. The “V” nickels were supposed to be made only between 1883 and 1912; however, five of these nickels were made by mistake in 1913.
The first time Burgess saw one of the five 1913 “V” nickels was around 1972, when he attended a Georgia Numismatic Association event. His father was president of the group and had arranged to have one of these very rare coins at the event. Burgess said it was worth $25,000 at the time. Years later, Burgess got to see another – or possibly the same – 1913 “V” nickel at an exhibit of The American Numismatic Association. He said an acquaintance purchased it and sold it a few years ago for $3.2 million.
“Part of the fun of being a collector is the search,” Burgess said. “So, as you go to a bank for change to go through or as you’re going through pocket change, just realize you may or may not find something. But the search is the joy in it. When you do find something, it’s always exciting.”
Burgess suggests joining a coin club and purchasing a copy of the latest “The Official Red Book – A Guide Book of United States Coins.”
