The Coin Guide: Identify, Grade and Value Old Coins
What a coin is, what condition it’s in, and whether it’s worth more than face value.
Updated
Coin questions follow a natural order: what is it, what condition is it in, and is it worth anything? These guides take them one at a time.
Identify, grade and value
The three steps from an unknown coin to a realistic value.
- How to Identify an Old Coin: Six Clues on Every Coin Read the legend, decode dates in other calendars, find the mint mark, test the metal and match it in a catalogue. A step-by-step method for identifying old and foreign coins.
- Coin Grading Explained: The 1–70 Sheldon Scale, Decoded What VF-30, AU-58 and MS-65 actually mean, how graders judge wear, luster and strike, and when it’s worth paying PCGS or NGC to grade a coin.
- Is My Coin Valuable? How to Tell in Five Minutes Date and mint mark, metal content, condition, errors and demand decide what a coin is worth. A quick routine to spot valuable coins — and the one mistake that ruins them.
Tools for this topic
The essentials
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Date + mint mark | Sets mintage and rarity |
| Metal | Silver and gold set a melt-value floor |
| Grade (1–70) | Condition can multiply value many times |
| Errors / varieties | Doubled dies and off-metal strikes command premiums |
| Surfaces | Cleaning destroys collector value |
| Sold prices | Real market value for the same grade |
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a coin is worth money?
Look up the mintage for its date and mint mark, check whether it is silver or gold, estimate its grade, look for errors, and compare recently sold prices for the same coin and grade.
Should I clean my old coins?
No. Cleaning leaves hairlines and unnatural shine and can cut value by half or more.
What does MS-65 mean?
Mint State 65 on the 1–70 Sheldon scale: an uncirculated coin with no wear and only minor marks.
Which US coins contain silver?
Dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier (90%), Kennedy halves 1965–1970 (40%) and wartime nickels 1942–1945 (35%).
How can I identify a foreign coin?
Identify the script and legend, convert the date if it uses another calendar, note the denomination and mint mark, and search a world coin catalogue or database.
Sources and further reading
- Coin Grading Scale — NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company)
- Coin Grades — PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service)
- Mint Marks — United States Mint
- American Numismatic Association — American Numismatic Association
- Sheldon coin grading scale — Wikipedia
Links checked September 14, 2026.