How to Find Rare Coins: 7 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

FAQs

What is the easiest way to find rare coins? ›

Coin Identifier is a free app that helps you identify coins by taking a picture of them. The app has a huge database of over 100,000 coins from all over the world and can identify a coin in just a few seconds.

One of the easiest ways to tell if a coin is rare is to check the date. If the coin is from before 1800, it's likely rare. Coins minted in the 19th century are also generally considered rare, with a few exceptions. Coins from the 20th century are less likely to be rare, but there are still some that meet the criteria.

This might include inside walls and attics of old homes, in backyards, in creeks and in fountains. Exchange paper or digital currency for coin rolls at banks. Buy a metal detector. These can come in handy when you are searching in expansive areas such as parks and coastlines.

What is the rarest £1 coin? According to coin database Change Checker, the 2011 Scotland: Edinburgh City £1 coin is the rarest to have been released, with a mintage of under a million. It depicts the circular coat of arms of Edinburgh and sells for about £10 on eBay.

Of the 109,576,000 originally minted, the PCGS estimates there are 100 million still in existence. However, in top condition, these relatively common coins become rare indeed.

Coinoscope is a visual search engine for coins. Coinoscope makes coin recognition easy - just snap a picture of a coin with your phone camera and the app will show you a list of similar coins. Click on the coin to see additional information in the web browser of your phone.

Look for an inscription. The inscription, or legend, on a coin can help you identify its country of origin and may also help determine its age if the date is missing. American coins usually state "United States of America" somewhere on the coin.

Are wheat pennies worth anything? ›

The wheat penny value can vary greatly. Factors like the coin's condition, the year it was minted, and its rarity all play a part. Most wheat pennies are worth between four cents to $4 on average. However, some rare and highly sought-after ones can fetch thousands of dollars at auction.

Best Places to Look for Old Coins:

Old coins are a common item in many antique shops. Where to find coins? Places that are generally empty, overlooked, or not often frequented such as abandoned houses, attics, beneath bridges, and posthole banks are sometimes a good place to look.

In many cases, obtaining a small number of one-cent, nickel, dime, or quarter rolls is as easy as simply going up to the bank teller's desk, requesting said rolls, and paying the equivalent amount in a cash exchange or withdraw from one's account at that bank.

A dealer might also be able to help. The American Numismatic Association's offers a list of dealerships by state. You might also want to try the Professional Numismatists Guild's Dealer Directory, or the Professional Currency Dealer Association.

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.

1. 1933 Double Eagle. Considered the world's rarest and most valuable gold coin. Augustus Saint-Gaudens designed it, and it depicts Lady Liberty on the obverse and an eagle in flight on the reverse.