how do coins get their value

i am always asked by people how do coins get their value. well one starting point is it's not how old the coin is but how many of that type were actually minted. this is an important point for numismatics because some people have approached me about ancient coins and i tell them they are constantly finding them on digs of ancient sites and they are not that uncommon. in comparison a 1922 0ne cent coin is selling for about twenty dollars now because they were minting a great deal of silver coins that year and didn't mint very many other coins. futhermore, only one mint was in operation that year.
the point i am trying to get across is many factors come into play and one of my goals this year is to keep geting out more information like this so my readers will become better informed when in the marketplace.

changes are coming to reminicents

keep an eye out for the new features to the www.reminicents web site. it will soon be updated with some new pictures on how we work and better graphics. it will also make ordering easier.

in the near future new products will be added and with all the great information about what the mint is releasing next year keep focussed on this blog.

as always i want to wish everyone a good holiday season and look forward to hearing your input about the site.

foreign coins are a great addendum to your display

when you are doing a coin show or any display it is my suggestion to always have some foreign coins for sale at reasonable prices. i have found people of all ages are attracted to their beautiful

designs and shapes and will automatically be drawn to your other items as well.this will give you an advantage over your competitors by making your display more attractive. you can even give a couple away as a bonus for a sale and tell your customer's you appreciate their patronage.

you can easily obtain them from coin stores at very reasonable prices or buy them by the pound if you see them advertised in coin magazines.

one woman totally amazed me when she saw them at one of my displays and said to me ,"I can't afford to travel this year overseas because of the economy but i can look at these coins and feel I am somewhere else".

a cheap thrill for a couple of dollars and she was very happy as she walked away with them.

they can also be donated to schools by having the children pick out a coin and write a report on the country of the coin's origin.

if you have any other ideas please let me know and I will spread the word.

ten questions about the one cent coin and a contest

if anyone can answer all ten questions correctly and send me the answers i will award a free gift to that person. i will even reward the first five people with a set of territorial quarters. so let's get started.

1. who designed the obverse of the one cent coin?

2. in what year did the one cent coin begin?

3.in what year were the one cent coins made of steel?

4. in what year did the memorial cent start production?

5.who designed the memorial reverse?

6.what will be on the 2010 one cent reverse?

7.what coin preceded the wheat cent?

8.how many designs were minted in 2009?

9.what are the two major mint marks and in what cities are they minted?

10.why is it safe to tell someone you will give them a thousand dollars if they can show you an American penny?

get to work and come up with the answers. i would love to hear from you.

just go to WWW.reminicents and click on the contact me page.

a new design for the one cent coin for 2010

while the obverse will continue to depict Victor D. Brenner's portrait, the reverse will depict a Civil War -era shield that is emblematic of the preservation of the union .

many people were under the impression the new coin would feature an

American flag showing the amount of states reunited by the Civil War but at the last minute it was changed .

at this point i do not know why. at any rate the new coin will also feature e pluribus unum in the middle of the shield and will be a permanent one cent coin until 2059 or until the government does away with the coin permanently.

2010 will be the start of many new coins and i will keep this blog up to date when they become available.

a suggestion for art teachers

am i the only person in the u.s. that would love to see "pennies" as an art form. by using Zots which are sold at craft stores the coins can easily be attached to poster boards or even walls and done as a mural. they can also be encompassed in drawings while using other mediums such as paint or other adornments.
if anyone would like to try this project or has pictures of projects that have already been employed i would love to hear from you. perhaps i can even post them on my website.

northern mariana quarters are being sold by the mint

the last of the territorial quarters are being offered by the u.s. mint. they can be purhased by calling 1 800 usa mint. the mintage as usual will be very low this year but should increase in value once people start to learn about them and want to add them to their state quarter books at a later time. for a small investment the smart collector can obtain these state quarters now and not have to pay big bucks down the road. if you are like a lot of people you are probably tired of this program and are really not that interested. dont' make that mistake and be sorry later when interest picks up.

A free Christmas gift from www.Reminicents

As the holiday approaches we offer our blog readers a great game to play at Christmas time or any time you want to quiet the children. We played this game at our Thanksgiving dinner and it lasted about one half hour.To keep it going don't stop until someone finishes all the words. If your children are really loud make up some new words not on the list and blame us for typos.
It's a good way to get your revenge. JUST KIDDING!
GOT FIVE MINUTES AND A BUCK?
Take a one dollar bill and ask each player to search for the following words. These are words hidden inside words that appear on the dollar, so it will take some looking.
ATE WASH PUB AM
NOT VAT RUST TEND
ASH DOLL SURE TAR
ON SECRET ERA EAT
ERIE SERVE SEA DEPART
PART TON UNIT MEN
Be ready to share where each word was found. Have fun!

keep us in mind for unusual and distinctive gifts

as the holiday season nears we wish to extend our best wishes to all and hope you keep our products in mind when you are looking for something special for your loved ones.

at www.reminicents you can give gifts that not only last a lifetime but provide memories that embellish your family and friends lifetimes .

in the upcoming year we will be designing new products using the new 2009 coins and a new addition to our website which will show our customers just how we produce these distinctive products as well.

as we enter the next decade let's all hope and pray that we are in for a time of peace and understanding among nations.

keep an eye out for Virgins

the total mintage for the Virgin Island quarters is only eighty two million coins. this is the lowest mintage of all territorial quarters and make the Virgins the hardest one to find.

if you see any Virgins grab one and keep it. they are sure to rise in value.

keep posted for the latest information on Virgins and i will keep you abreast of the situation. i am running out to buy some now before they disappear.

the last of lincoln's one cent coins is released

on november 12 2009 ,the last of the lincoln one cent series was released in washington d. c. by the u.s. mint. this coin will have a picture on the reverse of the u.s. capital in its initial stage of being built.rolls can be purchased from the u.s. mint at 1 800 usamint or from coin dealers in a couple of weeks. as with all coins minted this year they will be of low mintage due to commerce's low demand and will be extremely hard to find from local banks .

next year the mint will release a new one cent coin with an american flag with the number of states lincoln helped unify after the civil war. this coin will be minted for a number of years or until the coin is stopped being produced. generally a coin's design lasts fifty years .

good luck in your hunt and keep an eye out for http://www.reminicents. we just might put them in our numismatics section and some new jewelry products will be designed from them in the coming months.

a tribute to a long forgotten uncle

back in the fifties before most people were even born i was fortunate to have an uncle nate who took the time to teach me the art of coin collecting. i remember him searching the change from his drug store and even finding a 1909 vdb coin on occasion and how proud he was on his finds.
in those days wheaties were the main one cent coin and since that time we have gone on to the memorial cent and now the new four one cent coins depicting Lincoln's life from boyhood to the presidency.
anyway,as with most people , i went on my way to school and work for about fifty years and kept the knowledge of coin collecting in the back of my mind .
when i retired , i went back to those days and started right back where i left off fifty years ago with my uncle and believe it or not had quite a bit of knowledge to start right back up again.
hopefully, the readers of this blog will take this information and help your children or any children and give them the opportunity to learn this great hobby .
currently, i now go to schools and offer many people the opportunity to learn about this hobby
because of the wonderful opportunity i was given as a child.
my uncle nate probably never even realized just what he instilled in his nephew when he took the time to teach me the value of this hobby.hopefully, i can pass on his wisdom to pay back the favor.

the direction of our company

i am often amazed when i go on the web and look at the many directions http://www.reminicents/ has evolved into. when we first started the lifetime bracelet as a hobby my wife would come home and tell me all the pennies from her bracelet fell off and she was always finding them in her classroom. since that time the bracelets have gone through a metamorphoses and are now bound on copper chain and sixteen gauge copper is employed as o rings to keep them firmly attached.
at present ,the company is now in the scrapbooking field ,numismatics. business opportunities and a whole new line of jewelry coin products.
it all grew from one premise. CREATE NEW IDEAS FOR COINS WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN EMPLOYED BEFORE.
just where the company will head or the direction it will finish in is beyond my imagination. however, by keeping an open mind and listening to new ideas there will always be room for experimentation and innovation.

the invention of a coin bracelet

it is an amazing journey to invent something and see it come to fruition . for a perfect example ,i would like to illustate how i invented the Chicago Cub's lifetime bracelet which is illustated on the www.reminicents website.
my wife worked for a school principal who lived and breathed for the Chicago Cub's baseball team. this woman not only was super nice to my wife but helped me on numerous occasions as well with references and when i needed some help in graduate school.
well, to make a long story short ,after starting the lifetime bracelet as a hobby i wondered if the
Chicago Cubs ,which i also love ,could be made into a bracelet for my wife's principal.
i started on the one year everyone knows in chicago which is 1908 ,the last year they were in the world series and purchased a 1908 indian head coin from an antique store we happened to be visiting in the wisconsin dells .next , i picked up an old sports almanac and found nine other salient years of their history and found a charm with a baseball on it.

my wife brought it to school many years ago and the principal called me and mentioned that as a little girl her father taught her about baseball and she only wished he was around so she could show it to him. well i knew i was on to something and since that time they have developed into three separate bracelets and now have an official Cub's logo which really helps the look of the bracelet.

as with all the bracelets we have designed they are constantly being revamped and we are happy to announce we have found copper toggle clasps which are adding more beauty to our finished products.

stay tuned for more .

how did Reminicents get it's name

naming a company is the most important first step for business success. i know this sounds trite but bear with me for a second.
a companies name is the first impression of your business and should inform people what you do as well as create some interest . Reminicents decribes exactly what we are trying to convey in one word and is a unique and thought out concept which could have cost thousands of dollars to pay someone to think it up.
however, being married to a very smart woman , my wife thought of the name for free in a wisconsin dells swimming pool.
yes ,it was there Reminicents was born while i was doing marco polos.the only thing we added was www.reminicents and we are now here to serve you many years later.

business cards are a must if you want to succeed

sometimes a great opportunity arises when you are out and the one thing that can make your dream of success is carrying business cards with you so people can get back in touch with you. not only do these cards make you an official entrepreneur but create an impression of how you feel about your business. i personallly design my cards with a picture of a one cent coin on it and make sure the client can easily get in touch with me by providing different avenues of reaching me. you may pass out thousands of these cards and never receive a bite but remember that it will only take one in the right hand to get your company to the next level of success.

Virgin Islands state quarter is released

keep an eye out for circulating Virgin Islands territorial quarters.they are now circulating and are the fifth territorial quarter released this year. naturally, if you are a collector you will pay a premium for rolls of these but in the long run should be a good investment because collectors will eventually want to add them to their state quarter books and at present are not highly sought after like the state quarters. the mintage should be very low as well.
i use a product called Zots which i obtain from my local craft store to attach them into my state quarter book. they work great and have a hundred uses besides this.
expect one more territorial quarter release this year and then we go into the national parks and mounuments next year.hopefully, we will all be around when that series gets completed.

should the one cent coin be discontinued?

there is a great amount of talk and debate that the one cent coin is no longer needed for commerce and is another american institution which has outlived its usefulness.

perhaps, some people find it an offensive coin because they do have a tendency to clog our pockets at times and when all is said and done they have no purchasing power left.

it is for the following reason i am offering readers of this site a once and a lifetime opportunity to show just how important those one cent coins are.

SAVE ALL YOUR ONE CENT COINS FOR A YEAR AND DONATE THE PROCEEDS TO A LOCAL FOOD PANTRY OR TO A CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.

setting the right price for your product

i went to meet with a trademark attorney a while back and informed him in our conversation that i wanted every woman in america to be able to afford my product and told him the price of my lifetime bracelet was just $24.95 including handling fees.

he then informed me that my product might be to inexpensive and i should have another bracelet priced in a higher range due to the fact that some women would only wear it if it cost more.

as things stand at present ,the price is still $24.95 but it did make me think how pricing an item is one of the hardest tasks of entrepreneurs.

just some information you might ponder for your own business adventures.

product submission to reminicents

if you have a special request for designing a coin jewelry item or an idea using coins that you would like implemented on our site please let us know. many of our products are the result of suggestions from friends or family and we take these very seriously.

as always we would love to hear your comments and perhaps one day on our travels we will knock on your door and stay a few days.

p.s. i will try not to snore to loudly.

a new book by Kim Lavine is out

i just received an e mail from kim lavine and she has written a new book titled, Mommy Manifesto.this is great news i am sharing with you and i can not wait to read it.
business is securing the knowledge to forge ahead and i am sure this will help me and readers of this blog to hit that homerun i mentioned in my earlier posts.
good luck and let me hear from you.

Mommy Millionaire by Kim Lavine

Mommy Millionaire written by Kim Lavine is a must read for people starting a home based business. it is out in paperback books now and i recommend you purchase rather than buy. aside from her many hardships in starting a business the book is a role model in taking your company to the next level. she guides you through a step by step approach to the different levels of how to increase your business but also captures the frustration and joys of the steps along the way.
she is an inspiration to all entrepreneurs for the simple reason she started with a simple idea and stood by her convictions.
hopefully, www.reminicents will emulate her success at some point.

robert kiyosaki has inspired me

for those reader's who are looking for a good read i heartily recommend you get a copy of RICH DAD POOR DAD . the book will help you to see business in a different perspective and perhaps how you view life in general. i personally have read about eight of his books and his latest book is just released and called RICH DAD's CONSPIRACY OF THE RICH.

perhaps, my life would have evolved a little different if i read his works in college. i will never truly know but i have recommended his books to hundreds of young people and always give his books for gifts .at this juncture i have never heard a complaint but have received many compliments.

i hope to hear some comments about this blog entry.

what the new quarters will be

the u. s. mint will start issuing a new series of quarters next year about our national parks and mounuments. it will be similar to the state quarter program and will last for as long.

final results of designs are not chosen as yet. the following parks to start the series are,hot springs,yellowstone.yosemite,grand canyon and mt.hood and will be issued in 2010.

this is sure to bring in millions of more collectors and will keep people talking and looking for new coinage.

domain your name

when i meet aspiring business owners i very often ask them if they have thought of a name for their business . very often they have spent hours on this question and have come up with some very unique names. when they do answer that question the first thing i tell them is that
they made a very grave mistake and if i was not an honest person they could easily have been robbed.after the look of amazement has passed i tell them i could have gone to my computer and domained the name for myself and either have kept the name or sold it back to them for a nice sum of money.
as readers of this blog you are in for some very free information which i am going to capitalize.
NEVER TELL ANYONE YOUR BUSINESS NAME UNTIL YOU DOMAIN IT.YOU ARE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR IDENTITY THEFT.

shark tank has me hooked

i am fixated on abc television's new show Sharktank which is on tuesday nights. you can catch old episodes if you google hulu.
for inventors it shows how your company can excel to the next level and gives the viewer a chance to see the bargaining process in action.

virgin islands territorial state quarter

the virgin islands territorial state quarters are now being offered by the u.s. mint.they can be ordered in two roll sets or in bags. the mint can be reached at 1800 usa mint.
i know you are tired of hearing this if you follow this blog but do not miss the opportunity to
own low mintage modern coins. companies are already paying forty dollars for bu lincoln roll state quarters.
a coins value depends on how many are issued and not by age.

somewhere in time as an inspiration

we knew the reminicents coin company would be a success when we watched the movie ,SOMEWHERE IN TIME , with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour many years ago. for those readers of this blog it is not only a wonderful and captivating movie of time travel but contains some great numismatic lessons as well. please obtain a copy from your local library or buy a copy online.
for those people who know us we are travelers and a couple of years ago we were fortunate enough to visit the site of this movie on Mackinac Island in Michigan. the island just by banning bicycles alone brings the visitor back to the time period of the movie . when you see the Grand Hotel in all its splendor you will see why it was chosen as its setting.
when i send out proposals for the Reminicents Penny Bracelet i often mention this movie to prospective clients or send them a copy of this film to demonstrate the power of the jewelry.
please let us know how you like this information .

new uses for coins

the reminicents coin company was founded on the premise that coins are a way to help people use thier coin collections to discover their past and use coins as an everyday tool to just have fun with. for to many years people have just been placing them in books and leaving them for their heirs because this becomes very boring over time and collectors do not know what else to do with them.
it is for this reason coins are sold as lifetime bracelets for jewelry or as scrapbooking embellishments or even as business promotions. if you can think of new uses please let us know at www.reminicents so we can make your ideas come to fruition.if it is profitable we will gladly share the wealth with you.

how business is like baseball

in my opinion business is like baseball.small sales are like singles. repeat business shows you are building a following and should be considered like a double.obtaining new customers from word of mouth is an extreme compliment and should be considered a triple. finally, when you send out proposals and another company wants to buy or take your company to a new level you have hit a homerun .

at reminicents i am constantly trying to find people who can take my product to a national level.

it is for this reason i invite people to my business opportunities page as well as try to sell product on other pages.

a website should always have pages that sell products but also have pages that invite future clients to view your product in ways you never knew existed before and hopefully help you to score home runs.

new lincolns are out

the third new lincoln one cent coins are available from coin shops and represent lincoln as a state legislator. the background depicts the old state capital in springfield,ill. and is a well thought out coin.fortunalely,the coins are being minted at a better rate than the first two but still at a snale"s

pace compared to past years.

banks are the worst place to obtain rolls because the reserves who normally supply banks are not supplying them as in the past.

remember my friends when the 1909 vdb coins were issued they were at the premium of perhaps fifty cents. i suggest you start moving to obtain them. all three rolls of the new coins as well as the soon to be released unfinished u.s. capital will be a great xmas or chanukah gift. i am not sure how to spell kwanza but i thought i should mention that holiday as well.

good luck and good hunting.

make a friend at your local coin store

the best advice i can give my readers is that when you find a friendly owner or employee in a coin store try to go out of your way to make that individual a friend as well as a business acquaintance.tell them you appreciate their advice and sometimes bring them small gifts for helping you with your questions . you will be amazed when the better prices and offers are coming your way.this is not a bribery scheme but a great way to learn more about coins and enrich your coin buying experience.
at some point i will write a book on the hundreds of people i have met in the numismatic industry and am grateful so many people have helped me amass my own collection.

samoan quarters

the fourth territorial quarters are out and represent the islands of samoa. if you can find a few rolls buy them or contact the mint at 1 800 usamint.as always mentioned on this log 2009 will be a banner year for collectors.

start a blog

for anyone posting a comment to this blog i will either send a free gift or offer a ten percent discount from the reminicents jewelry line if that person mentions this blog and places an order.
we would love to hear from you.even if you do not place an order we would still love to hear what you have to say about current collecting or what you think of the site.

a great new coin company

be sure to check out my new company i started with my friend in arizona. it is domained under www.penny rarities .com and will offer great coin values that will be unique to the coin industry. we are constantly searching for new products to offer our customers and also have a blog so our customers can add information and obtain some great coin knowledge.we are also offering our customers an opportunity to obtain some free coins when they place an order . payment is easy with paypal . please let us know how you like it and if you have any suggestions .

More on Guam territorial quarters

The mintage for the guam territorial quarter is running lower than puerto rico's.the denver mint is at 42.6 million.this makes it the lowest of all territorial quarters and with millions of new collectors added each year this is going to be a true key piece in the collections of many.
I have already purchased ten rolls and will probably purchase more shortly.naturally they are already at twice face value.

Guam Territorial Quarter

Just a brief note to collectors the guam territorial quarter is either released or due out very shortly.as with all coinage from this year they are going to mint far fewer than in previous years. if you can buy some rolls at double face value go for it.remember ,you will not find very many in loose change.
i wonder if jim cramer started out like this.

2009 Proof sets

On June first the mint started selling the first proof sets for 2009. they contain the full set of the lincoln one cent coins in the original composition of 95% copper. this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to obtain these coins. just call 1 800 usa mint and order. they will increase in value due to rarity but even more important they will be historic and something to have and be proud of.

Roman Coins

At a local fair a person mentioned that they had a coin from roman times and was wondering if it was very valuable. i replied that it was probably an historic coin but most had little value because they find those coins by the thousands when they excavate.
this type of conversation is very common and brings me to the point of this blog. a coin receives most of its value by the amount of its mintage.not by its age.
naturally,once this is determined then the condition determines more of its value as well.
in the following weeks this site will show the reader some of the factors in coin grading so check back often and join in the conversation.

A good tactic at coin shows or flea markets

For those readers doing coin shows or flea markets i highly suggest you put out a box of foreign coins and price them in the low range. you will find a swarm of people who love to browse them and they in turn invite others to look more closely at your other coins.it will give you an advantage over other dealers and you will find these people seeking you out at future shows .i recently met one very nice woman who told me with the economy she can no longer afford to travel but with foreign coins she can still feel like she is going somewhere.i was glad to help her peace of mind.

realcent.forumco.com

Check out http.realcent.forumco.com/ for some great information on the coin industry. as readers of this blog you will always obtain great blogs and information that could increase knowledge in the field of numismatics.

Washington DC Territorial Quarters

Just a short note to readers that the washington d. c. territorial quarters and the puerto rican territorial quarters are at the lowest production levels of all previous state quarters.if you are able to find some i suggest you pick some up and put them away.even at twenty dollars a roll for uncirculated rolls you will not be sorry down the road. when i hear of other great finds i will post them here at this blog for my readers so keep checking back.

Guam territorial quarters

The mintage for the guam territorial quarter is running lower than puerto rico's.the denver mint is at 42.6 million.this makes it the lowest of all territorial quarters and with millions of new collectors added each year this is going to be a true key piece in the collections of many.

I have already purchased ten rolls and will probably purchase more shortly.naturally they are already at twice face value.

coins as an investment

i have often been asked if coin collecting is the great antidote to the stock maket downfall or the

loss of income from bank interest.

the answer to this question is not up to me but by the demand of the coins in the future. as readers of this blog have gathered i personally have invested in the field of numismatics and have seen the value increase at a high rate. these numbers have come in from monthly coin magazines and by the prices i now have to pay for coins as opposed to when i started in 2002.

an interesting story was when i first started buying pennies . a dealer asked me if i wanted the wheatbacks for my trunk to prevent skidding. i told him that was exactly what i wanted them for and hoped he maintained his mind set because it kept the price low. since that time the coins have doubled and tripled in value and i still patronize the store and joke i have not skidded once since buying all his wheatbacks.

i have seen the value of most coins double or triple in these years. now i see even some memorial cents being sold as future collectibles. in the future i will not be surprised to see buffalo nickles rise a grat deal because the one hundredth anniversary is coming up in 2013.

as with any older citizen i am trying to make some money and live my life with some meaning. coins have afforded me an opportunity i feel will allow me to do this. if i can help readers of this blog to do the same i feel my endeavors were worth while.

good luck and try to find a passion that will give your life some meaning.

excuse me now but i am getting ready for the flea market. another passion of mine.

Introduction

      For this blog I would like to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Lincoln Wheat cent collecting and what is happening in the coin collecting industry in general.

      I will add new comments as I learn what is taking place and I hope the people reading this blog will help to make this a forum that will answer their questions and allow them to make comments as they see things developing as well.

      As the site develops I hope people will be inspired to enter the hobby and express their ideas on any topic which may be of interest to the reader.  Among these may be:  starting a business after retirement, or how coins can be a source of remembrance.   Who knows what people will blog on in the following months and years.   Please come back and see for yourself.

      Finally please keep an eye on the www.Reminicents  site for new items which are constantly being added.  If you have any ideas for future products please contact me through the site.  Who knows, you may turn out to be a jewelry designer as well!

1. What is the technical term for coin collecting?

 

The study of coins is called numismatics and those who participate are called numismatists.  I suggest you learn these two terms because they really impress people when you learn to use them correctly. 

2. What is the most commonly collected coin from the Lincoln Cents Collection?

 

The Lincoln cents started in 1909 and were designed by Victor David Brenner (VDB).  His initials were placed on the reverse side in the minting process but the country thought it looked too regal and the initials were removed a few months into the minting process.  The two mints in operation at the time, the San Francisco (S) and the Philadelphia (blank mintmark) produced only 484,000 and 27,995,000 coins with the initials and 1,825,000 and 72,702,618 coins without the initials.  These numbers are small compared to current minting numbers and were produced one hundred years ago.  This makes these coins highly sought after and they are known as "keys" to the collection.  

3. What are the other keys?

 

Because coins vary in their needs to commerce, certain other years are also very rare.  Today the hardest coins to find are the 1914D (Denver mint), the 1913S and the 1922D.  Certain early teen years are also considered semi-keys and have high surcharges when purchased.  Again this is very elementary and I suggest the reader consult numismatic magazines and books for more information. 

4. What is the difference between a wheat back and a memorial cent?

 

Wheat backs were minted from  1909 to 1958 and can still be found in very limited quantities in general circulation.

Memorial cents were minted from 1959 to 2008 and the reverse contains the Lincoln Memorial.  Originally, it was designed to commemorate one hundred and fifty years since the birth of Abraham Lincoln. 

5. What is currently on the reverse of the coin?

 

This year, 2009, the one cent coin will have four new reverse images following Abraham Lincoln's life from Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois and finally his presidency.  These coins are commemorative because it is Abraham Lincoln's two hundredth birthday and the one hundredth anniversary of the coin.  These coins will be minted every three months and will never be minted again by our government.  Needless to say they will be highly collected and bring in millions of new collectors. 

6. What was used for the one cent coin before the Lincoln one cent coin?

The Indian head cent was minted from 1857 to 1909.  Prior to this there were large cents and even one-half cents.  Again, the reader needs to do research into this fascinating history. 

7. What is the one cent coin's composition?

Currently the one cent coin is only coated in copper and is mainly zinc.  Prior to 1982 the coins were 95% copper and are all becoming rarer and rarer due to their collectability.  In  1943 due to a shortage of copper they were composed of steel and are gray in color.  There were fluctuations during the years and a coin book will give the break down. 

8. Are there any books you recommend?

The reader is urged to check out the Official Red or Blue Books of United States Coins by R. S. Yeoman or some of the weekly publications found in your local library. 

9. How are coins graded?

There are a number of companies that grade coins and assign numbers from one to seventy.  One is judged a much worn coin and seventy being an uncirculated, perfect coin.  Because there are so many books on the subject the reader needs to research books or stop by your local coin store to see these coins in capsules once they have been graded. 

10. Are coins a good way to save for the future?

Coins are in a bull market at the present time and are selling for premium prices in most cases.  Presently 2009 appears to be the golden opportunity coin collectors and speculators  have been waiting for because the mints in our country are only at about thirty percent of their production levels due to the recession and coins are not needed by private industry.  Adding to this is the fact that the mints have to change their production goals every few months to accommodate the territorial quarters and the four new Lincoln cents.

Older coins have gone up in value as well because when these new coins are minted they bring in thousands of new collectors , or ones trying to fill their old collections and speculators who are looking to invest in things beside the stock market and the banks poor interest payments on accounts.

In short a perfect storm is brewing.