My friendly local coin shop mainly sells US coins and bullion, but has a few bins of assorted world coins prices between 10 cents and $1 each. A few days ago I picked through them looking for pre-1950s coins (I'm on a WWII-era coin kick right now). Besides pulling out a bunch of aluminum and zinc coins from the 1940s, I also grabbed these gems. Averaged with the rest of the coins I bought from the bins, I paid 20 cents each for these. The phone pictures don't do them justice. I put them in flips as soon as got them home to protect them, and I didn't want to take them out again.
Beautiful, essentially uncirculated Great Britain 1p and 2p, both 1984. I don't think they are proofs, but maybe they came out of a mint set? Stunning color and depth in the portrait of Elizabeth.
A 1921 British penny that I would grade VF. Shield details are perfect, hand has some finger definition, but there is visible wear on the helmet and on George's mustache. And a 1964 penny that I have to call XF. Very little wear that I can see, but some unfortunate spotting. Still, bright luster. I guess this one is probably only worth what I paid for it, but it was still a thrill to find it in the box.
I don't know how this one got in the box - a British Virgin Islands 5 cents proof from 1973! And it's a new country for me.
And then this was a real surprise - a 1939 5 centavos from the Dominican Republic. They only made 200,000 of these; who knows how it ended up in a junk bin here. NGC values it at $15 in VF, $60 in XF. I'm not sure of the grading. It's at least VF, for sure. Not sure if XF - the hair is not particularly bold. But there are no significant marks or scratches on the field, so it can't have seen much circulation at all. It's $300 in MS60... do I dare to dream? Nah...!
I guess it goes to show that it can be worthwhile to spend a half hour sifting through dozens of pfennigs!
I've only been into collecting world coins for a few months (believe it or not, after I ordered a couple of sterling threepence to put in my Christmas pudding and then becoming intrigued by British predecimal coins!) so the treasure hunt aspect is still quite a thrill.
And discovering this website has really stoked the flames, too. What a great resource and community!
A proof coin damaged in a junk bin... what a pity for this one (or these ones, if the 1p & 2p were not from a roll)
Administrateur du catalogue, référent de nombreuses nations antiques et de la Lorraine.
Catalogue administrator, numerous Antique nations and Lorraine referee.
As I was entering these into my collection database last night I discovered that the 2p was only issued in sets in 1984. Since the penny is the same year, it makes me think they were both broken out of a set. (I didn't see any really shiny versions of the other denominations though.)
I don't know where the dealer gets the coins for the junk bins - whether they come from big bulk lots like you can buy on eBay by the pound, or from people dumping their collections, which might explain the proof and other high quality or rare coins. Maybe I'll ask next time.
Nice finds on the 1921 British penny. In excellent condition. And that Dominican Republic coin is really nice. I would say it is in very fine condition mainly because of those two nicks on the chin.
Sorry I love all UK coins. And predecimal very very nice. Hey Jesse11 Iam not swapping but if you need any UK 1/2 pennys or penny 1971 and up let me know. I have a lot I am getting rid of. Just PM me and let me know which ones you need if I have I will send free to you.
The mintage includes only Matte, Proof and Special Uncirculated issues. Not 100% sure which one I've got, but it seems like it's proof. It cost me 20 cents (Canadian).
Don't know much about Guyana, but how many countries can put this on their coins: "OUR PEOPLE-OUR MOST PRECIOUS ASSET"??? Want to visit Guyana already....
Gordon Gekko: Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you buddy? It's the free market.
Yours is indeed the proof coin. The Matte issues don't have a mirrorlike background and the Special Uncirculated issues don't have frosted figures.
I've regularly found small proof coins in bargain bins, especially the Franklin Mint coins from Barbados, Bahamas, British Virgin Islands. Once in a while also from other countries. Proof coins normally are in UNC condition but of course these proof coins in bargain bins have small scratches from the rumbling in the bins, so they're not in UNC condition anymore. But who cares for prices like 0.25 or 0.50 €.
Citeer: "Jesse11"I've only been into collecting world coins for a few months (believe it or not, after I ordered a couple of sterling threepence to put in my Christmas pudding and then becoming intrigued by British predecimal coins!) so the treasure hunt aspect is still quite a thrill.
And discovering this website has really stoked the flames, too. What a great resource and community!
I know this feeling. Numista did the same to me, now my brain is packed with numismatic knowledge with an insatiable thirst for more, I have the ability to soak up information that interests me, the more I like it, the more I remember. Proof coins are my poison of choice, especially so with the British Isles crowns, Isle of man, Guernsey etc.
I have plenty of UK decimal proof coins, some mint but others have marks on them, I have no interest in these. I am a silver junkie when it comes to proofs at the moment.
Restoration addict : Verdigris Removal : Zinc White spot removal : Iron Rust Removal : Silver brooch/necklace mount Removal
It's not a really great coin and I already have one, but it's very satisfying to find silver coins overlooked by a dealer who makes a very substantial living from buying and selling bullion. Gotcha!
Non illegitimis carborundum est. Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!
I pulled some silver from the bulk bins yesterday, too. A German States (Waldeck-Pyrmont) Silbergroschen from 1867, a German 50 pfennig from 1876, and a 1948 Swedish krona. Actually the 19th century coins are more remarkable to me for their age, but it is always a little thrill to find some overlooked silver. I love sifting through the bulk bins. The dealer says most of the coins come in through the door from people dumping collections, so I think the variety is generally more interesting than the typical eBay poundage.
I got quite a few 19th century coins out of that bin, including an 1816 Netherlands East Indies coin. A two hundred year old coin that I promptly proceeded to drop and put a new rim nick on, exposing fresh copper! Ugh.
I love how affordable world coin collecting can be, where 150 year old coins can be found in junk bins in F or even VF condition for 20 cents!
And that Silbergroschen, which I paid 23 cents for (which is coincidentally its melt value), had a mintage of only 180,000 and is plausibly in VF, with a catalog value of $30! Amazing what one can find mixed in with all the common pre-Euro coins.
Citeer: "Jesse11"My friendly local coin shop mainly sells US coins and bullion, but has a few bins of assorted world coins prices between 10 cents and $1 each. A few days ago I picked through them looking for pre-1950s coins (I'm on a WWII-era coin kick right now). Besides pulling out a bunch of aluminum and zinc coins from the 1940s, I also grabbed these gems. Averaged with the rest of the coins I bought from the bins, I paid 20 cents each for these. The phone pictures don't do them justice. I put them in flips as soon as got them home to protect them, and I didn't want to take them out again.
Beautiful, essentially uncirculated Great Britain 1p and 2p, both 1984. I don't think they are proofs, but maybe they came out of a mint set? Stunning color and depth in the portrait of Elizabeth.
A 1921 British penny that I would grade VF. Shield details are perfect, hand has some finger definition, but there is visible wear on the helmet and on George's mustache. And a 1964 penny that I have to call XF. Very little wear that I can see, but some unfortunate spotting. Still, bright luster. I guess this one is probably only worth what I paid for it, but it was still a thrill to find it in the box.
I don't know how this one got in the box - a British Virgin Islands 5 cents proof from 1973! And it's a new country for me.
And then this was a real surprise - a 1939 5 centavos from the Dominican Republic. They only made 200,000 of these; who knows how it ended up in a junk bin here. NGC values it at $15 in VF, $60 in XF. I'm not sure of the grading. It's at least VF, for sure. Not sure if XF - the hair is not particularly bold. But there are no significant marks or scratches on the field, so it can't have seen much circulation at all. It's $300 in MS60... do I dare to dream? Nah...!
I guess it goes to show that it can be worthwhile to spend a half hour sifting through dozens of pfennigs!
That is certainly some very nice finds indeed well done, I find the same over in the junk bin boxes that I buy in :-D keep it up
It really pays to learn to read some basic Japanese and Arabic! I hit up the bargain bin today and bought a bunch of coins for 70 cents each, including some 18th century coppers! None in particularly good condition, but I am excited to identify and look up values for them.
Here are the silver coins that I found in the bin. Some have significant numismatic value above their bullion value.
1833 Colombia 1 real
1812 German States (Schleswig-Holstein) 2 1/2 schilling
1924 Japan 50 sen x2
1966 Japan 100 yen
1876 Norway 25 ore
1844 Ottoman Empire 10 kurus
1979 Peru 1000 soles de oro (noncirculating commemorative)
I think a lot of dealers just aren't familiar with coins with no English writing on them and pass over a lot of stuff. I just love finding the old stuff in the bins. It's never in great condition, but to be able to buy a piece of history for under a buck? I also found one of these, my new oldest coin: https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces8751.html
...shouldn't there be an emoticon thingy for jealous drooling?
I love old circulated coins too and wish my local stores had junk bins as good as yours!
Citeer: "Pott"...shouldn't there be an emoticon thingy for jealous drooling?
I love old circulated coins too and wish my local stores had junk bins as good as yours!
seriously!
Taking a break from swapping for a while, but still interested in pre 1799 Spanish coins, I will make time for that!
Yesterday got a Denmark 5 Ore 1908 in XF, Vatican City 2 Lire 1941 in UNC, and Cyprus 1/2 Piastre 1938 in XF, Haiti 1895 Centime in G, Ireland 1935 1 Penny in XF (very beautiful coin), Peru Sol De Oro 1951 in VF, Morocco 1 franc 1924, Libya 1952 5 Millienmes in XF, and a Dominican Republic 5 Centavos 1986 XF all for only $2.11. I would say just the Denmark, Vatican City and Cyprus coins alone are worth $17. The store was closing, so this was only from two handfuls out of a 5 gallon bucket. Could have gotten a lot more good coins!
Citeer: "Cerulean"Picked up a 1962 Australian sixpence for $0.20USD!
Went back to that same bargain bin, and found more silver for less than 25 cents USD each: Straits Settlements, 10 cents, 1926
Straits Settlements, 10 cents, 1927
Sweden, 10 ore. 1956
Had a nice day at the coin shop's world coin bins yesterday. I found a surprising number of silver coins from Central and South America. I wonder if these fly below the radar compared to European silver (I never see things like old silver francs or British shillings or florins).
Bought for 47 cents each (averaged over all of the coins I bought from the various bins):
Panama, 1 cuarto de Balboa, 1962 (in XF, catalog value $12!)
Mexico, 25 centavos, 1953
Mexico, 50 centavos, 1950
Colombia, 10 centavos, 1947
Guatemala, 25 centavos, 1943
Just about $8 of silver value alone, for $2.35 - I'll take it!
I picked up a bunch of other nice coins as well, including a very nice XF/UNC French Somaliland franc, and last week I found a bunch of XF German Empire coins that were upgrades for that area of my collection.
Oh, and I found a 500 yen coin for 47 cents! Face value is about 10x what I paid for it.
Nah...!
(or these ones, if the 1p & 2p were not from a roll) 
where is this junk bin? 
