4 Unusual Coins That Are Surprisingly Worthless — And Why
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Nicholas Morine
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The world’s most valuable coins usually have some combination of rarity, historical significance, unusual features and minting errors. When at least a couple of those boxes are checked, you can expect the coin to be prized by collectors. But it doesn’t always turn out that way.
Some unusual or limited-edition coins are essentially worthless on the collectibles market and command little more than face value. Here’s a look at four unusual coins that have surprisingly little value as collector’s items.
Susan B. Anthony Dollars
Susan B. Anthony dollar coins might have historical value for being the first to depict a non-fictional woman, but most “tend not be worth much,” according to the California Gold & Silver Exchange website. There are a couple of reasons for this.
Even though the Anthony dollars are unusual, having been minted in only four years (1979-81 and 1999), there are too many common mints for most of the coins to have any value. Another problem is that their smaller size and metal content are too close to the size and content of a quarter, which creates confusion.
Lincoln Wheat Back Pennies
These pennies were struck between 1909 and 1958, so even the most recent versions are more than 60 years old. Adding a 1943-D Lincoln bronze wheat penny to your collection could even make you a couple million dollars richer. But most Lincoln wheat pennies are only worth a few cents because so many are still in circulation.
Sacagawea Dollars
Like the Susan B. Anthony coins, the Sacagawea dollars have historical significance but little value beyond the “very few rare varieties” that exist, according to California Gold & Silver Exchange. Most are only worth face value.
Presidential Dollar Coins
It can be fun to come across an Eisenhower silver dollar coin or Kennedy half dollar because you don’t see a ton of them given as change in stores, restaurants or other cash businesses. But there simply isn’t much demand for them among collectors, which means they’re almost all worth no more than face value.
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