Coin collecting sheets - or whatever they are called.

[Stephen Tashiro]

I've seen videos of coin collectors going though piles of coins and sorting them on paper sheets that have places for coins of note printed on them. What is the terminology for these paper sheets? What are the better brands and types of these coin collecting aids?

[Jim Koepke]

During my collecting days the best coin holders were mylar flips and boxes to hold them. The 'flip' is a two pocket holder. One pocket for the coin and the other for a card one could use for writing a description.

There were also vinyl flips but they could destroy a coin over time due to the plasticizer used in them.

Often the holders for photographic slides use the same size pocket as most coin holding products. There used to be binder pages made of a thin translucent paper substance.

If you would like pictures, let me know and some of my coin storage can be photographed.

jtk

[Stephen Tashiro]

I'm not thinking of methods to store coins. I'm thinking of sheet that has pictures of valuable coins on it that a person could use as a guide while sorting through a pile of coins. I suppose experts wouldn't need such an aid, but it would be helpful to non-experts.

[Mark Daily]

I'm not thinking of methods to store coins. I'm thinking of sheet that has pictures of valuable coins on it that a person could use as a guide while sorting through a pile of coins. I suppose experts wouldn't need such an aid, but it would be helpful to non-experts.
Not exactly sure what you are looking for but I googled “coin sorting sheets” and got photos of lots of sheets. You might see what you’re looking for.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm not thinking of methods to store coins. I'm thinking of sheet that has pictures of valuable coins on it that a person could use as a guide while sorting through a pile of coins. I suppose experts wouldn't need such an aid, but it would be helpful to non-experts.

How many coins do you have to sort?

If it hasn't already been done you may want to separate them by denomination.

The next step would be to divide them by types. For example one cent coins from circulation will most likely all be after 1982. In 1982 the composition of 1¢ coins was changed from 95% copper and 5% zinc to 95% zinc and 5% copper. At the time the cost of copper was higher than the value of the coins made of copper. Since the change took place after the start of the year there were examples of both varieties in circulation. To top that there were different dies used with some having large dates and some having small dates. There is a possibility of some rare combinations, but my memory isn't that good.

If my memory is working it was 2009 that changed the reverse design to honor the 200th year since Lincoln's birth.

The design change prior to that was in 1959 when the old 'wheat straw' reverse was changed to the Lincoln Memorial reverse.

There were steel cents in 1943. Find a 1943 made of copper or a 1944 made of steel and you can forget about all the rest. In 1955 there was an error that has increased value.

There are a few dates with added value. 1909-S of any of the three varieties is a valuable coin. 1914-D and a 1922-plain come to mind as rarer ones for 1¢ coins.

Nickel was needed for the war effort during 1942-1945. Nickels for coinage were made using silver instead of nickel. These have a large mint mark above the dome of Monticello.

In 1965 the price of silver made it worth more than the coins in which it was used. This is when dimes and quarters were changed to a nickel/copper compostion coin. Half dollars were changed to 40% silver if my memory is working.

Sorting these is how an amatuer collector builds their knowledge.

Your best bet may be to get a copy of what is commonly called the "red book." Do not bank on the published values. Look at mintages and other indicators of value.

Then you can use sheets of paper to create your own sorting sheets.

jtk

[Matt Bruckner]

I've seen a few of this guys vids on YouTube. He sells them.

https://robfindstreasure.com/whats-for-sale/

[Jim Koepke]

I've seen a few of this guys vids on YouTube. He sells them.

https://robfindstreasure.com/whats-for-sale/

That gave me a bit of a chuckle. The "Lincoln Penny Mat" has an image of an Indian head cent. It doesn't list some of the major varieties such as the 1922 without mint mark. All the 1¢ coins were struck at Denver that year and over polishing the dies erased the mint mark. There is also a double die variety in 1955 and 1972 if my memory is working.

At the price of $25, making your own sheets will save you some money.

jtk

[Stephen Tashiro]

How many coins do you have to sort?



Hopefully, I myself won't have to sort coins. I want to delegate this task! I estimate there are a thousand coins. They are hoarded loose change that my late father accumulated.

[Jim Koepke]

Hopefully, I myself won't have to sort coins. I want to delegate this task! I estimate there are a thousand coins. They are hoarded loose change that my late father accumulated.

Depending on to whom the task is delegated you may have disappointing results if there isn't an incentive for them being diligent at their work.

A thousand or even a few thousand coins can be separated rather quickly by having a few different containers for each denomination. Most of the dollar coins are not worth much unless they are silver. Same with half dollars. From 1965-1970 they were 40% silver if my memory is working, the 1970 issue never made it into circulation unless some kid broke into one of his parent's coin collection.

Most 1, 5, 10 and 25¢ coins do not have much value other than the silver for 1964 and earlier dimes and some of the nickels. There are a few rare dates in any denomination.

The exception might be for some special issue coins that found their way into circulation. Occasionally in my day to day cash purchases a proof or silver coin would find its way into my change. One time a cashier gave me an Indian head penny. After noticing this while leaving, it was shown to her and asked if she had any more like it. She said she thought it was Canadian and sized me up as someone who wouldn't complain. Another time a cashier who must have been new on the job gave me a Franklin half dollar thinking it was just a big quarter he wanted to get out of the cash drawer. He was educated on his error and given a quarter so his drawer would add up at the end of the day.

Another time while having a beer with a friend the bartender told me the beer was $1.25. So a Suzzie B dollar and a quarter were set on the bar. She scooped them up and looked and said, the beer is a dollar and a quarter. Pointing at the coins she put back on the counter my reply was, "That is a dollar and that is a quarter. She picked them up and walked away. Then she came back a few moments later and asked if I had any more. On inquiring why, she said one of the other people at the bar knows a coin collector. After asking her who that might be, it turned out the coin collector the other patron knew was me.

Back in the 1980s or around that time the Hunt brothers tried to corner the silver market. A lot of people remembered a time when silver hit ~$50 and ounce. Most folks didn't stay tuned for the crash of silver prices. Coin dealers often had boxes of 'junk' coins they would sell for a set amount. Silver dollars at the time were available for less than $10. Some of my coin dealer friends told me about customers would buy some of these and then go into a bar and say something like, "anyone here buy me a beer and give me $20 for this silver dollar. There was almost always a taker among the uninformed public.

The cost of coin collecting has only one direction and that is up. As a collection gets bigger, the only thing to collect is better or rarer examples. My collection stopped at silver. Imagine the cost of collecting gold coins.

jtk