Are Blank Coins Valuable? If You Can Find One, It Could Be Worth Up to $1,600

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If you’ve ever run across a blank coin, chances are you thought a metal token got mixed in with your change by mistake. In fact, blank coins are not uncommon due to errors during the minting process. If you see one, hold on to it — it could be worth hundreds of dollars on the collectible coins market.

Technically, blank coins are called planchets (or blank planchets) and feature a rim but no heads or tails design. Because they are blank and lack the proper minting marks, they are not legal tender and therefore can’t be spent. But even though they don’t count as money, they still have plenty of value.

According to a 2021 article on The Spruce Crafts website, most blank coins are worth a few dollars if they are “clad,” meaning they feature multiple layers of metal such as copper and nickel. You’ll be able to get more if the blank coins are made of silver. Larger blank coins like those intended to be Eisenhower Dollars or Sacajawea Dollars also fetch higher prices than smaller coins. In these cases, you should be able to get anywhere from $10 to $30 and more.

On the other hand, blank penny coins are very common, mainly because the U.S. Mint distributes them free to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who earn the Coin Collecting Merit Badge, according to The Spruce Crafts. Because blank pennies are so plentiful, they don’t carry much value.

As with any type of coin, blank coins rise rapidly in value when they are rare. This usually means there is an error involved (beyond the error of the coins being blank in the first place). A whole lot of technical jargon goes into explaining how blank coins are produced and what contributes to their worth.

As the U.S. Coins Guide noted, it begins during the minting process, which involves “stamping out round pieces of metal from a larger sheet of metal” in what is called the “blanking” process. These round blanks then go through the upsetting machine (yes, “upsetting” machine), where rims are added to the coins.

When the rims are “upset,” or raised, the blank officially becomes a planchet and is ready to be struck by a die to become a coin you can spend — except when there is a blank planchet error.

Blank errors are categorized in the following two ways, according to U.S. Coins Guide:

• Blank coin without a raised rim
• Planchet (with a raised rim)

Blank coins without a rim tend to be worth more than planchets with a rim. Values vary depending on the intended denomination. When it comes to the most valuable blank coins, different factors come into play, ranging from the types of edges to whether the surfaces have been sanded off. If you come across a blank coin, take it to your nearest coin dealer or numismatic professional to get an accurate estimate of its worth.

As for where you can find blank coins — U.S. Coins Guide says they can be found “just about anywhere,” including spare change. To increase your chances of finding blank planchet error coins, head to your local bank and get some bank rolls.

The most valuable blank coin listed on the U.S. Coins Guide site is a 90% silver dollar without a raised rim valued at $1,600 or more. The same type of silver dollar with a raised rim is valued at $1,500 or more.

Among the other valuable blank coins are the following:

• 40% silver half dollar: worth $175 without a raised rim
• Silver quarters: $150 without a raised rim
• Eisenhower copper-nickel dollar: $150 without a raised rim
• Susan B. Anthony Dollar: $140 without a raised rim
• Copper-nickel half dollar: $125 without a raised rim

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