how old does an american coin have to be to be considerd antique?
I have a bag of old coins ranging from 1912 untill 1958 are they antique?
Related posts
Tags: old coins
I have a bag of old coins ranging from 1912 untill 1958 are they antique?
Tags: old coins
It depends on where it was made, the version of the die (or what they use to cut the metal) and the actual coin denomination. Some are worth only a few cents more than their original value, some, if in perfect condition can be worth thousands, especially if they have a rare "double die" design.
There is a large amount of information that goes into the judging of coin worth including luster, cleanness of the die, etc.
You might have to read more about the special grading system to do it yourself. If you really want to know the exact value, I would find a professional appraiser.
Good luck!
Also, if the coins are made of copper or silver (pennies before the mid 1970s and most silver colored coins before World War II) should be kept away from moisture and excessive oxygen because both silver and copper will oxidize. Silver can be polished but once copper begins to oxidize it is hard to save the image on the coin.
“Antique” is not a term you run into among coin collectors. Maybe it’s because coins go back so very far in history. I’ve heard estimates of 100 years or so for furniture to be considered antique. Coins are considered by numismatists (coinage scholars) as “modern” beginning in 1750.