Old Coins That Are Worth Money

How Much are Old Coins Worth?

Buying rare coins can offer far more value than beyond the balance sheet. Rare U.S. gold offers investors the chance to own an irreplaceable national treasure as well as a link to the America's rich history and heritage. These genuine historical treasures reflect the development of our nation. They can offer greater return potential than most other investments and, in recent years, have been active high performance investment vehicles. In fact, according to the PCGS 3000 report, the top 3,000 rare coins have had a nearly 3,000 percent return since the 1970's - far better than any other investment known. Investors can add rare U.S. gold to their portfolios without making a new investment simply by trading bullion for rare coins.

Investors looking to diversify with rare gold coins would do well to seek coins from the New Orleans mint. The following are a number of rare coins that return a lot of value:

Old and Rare Coins with Real Value:

1854 O $3 Gold Indian XF-40N

A three dollar bill might sound like something out of a fiction novel, but a three dollar coin was a real thing! The idea for minting such a coin is thought to be related to the price of stamps. While the price of stamps today keep going up, back in 1851 they actually went down, from from 5 cents to 3 cents. A three dollar gold coin then allowed customers to purchase stamps without having to handle the unpopular copper large cent or small silver three cent pieces. The coin was struck after being authorized by Congress with the Mint Act of 1853. The gold coin was designed by Head of the Mint, James Longacre. On one side bears Lady Liberty, crowned with a feather headdress. The reverse contains an arrangement of the cash crops of the day: wheat, cotton, corn and tobacco in a wreath. The 1854 coin bears a striking difference from the subsequent mintings - there is the word ‘DOLLARS’ nestled within the wreath in small print. Starting in 1855 the word DOLLARS was changed to a larger font. 100,000 were minted the first year, but the coin was not widely circulated. The coin was minted in New Orleans in 1854, but not after, making this coin a rare treasure. Buy the 1854 O $3 Gold Indian here.

1855 O Gold U.S. Dollar AU-58N

The gold dollar coin was designed in reaction to the three dollar coin of the day. To make it noticeably different, it was struck to be wider growing from 13mm to 14.86. It was also considered to be too heavy for what it was, but the weight stayed the same at 1.67grams. The image of Lady Liberty was also altered, made narrower and the relief raised so it stood out against the coin more. Purchase the 1855 O Gold US Dollar coin here.

1843 O Gold Quarter Eagle MS-61N

The 1843 Gold Quarter Eagle coin is the most available from the New Orleans minting of quarter eagle gold coins. At the same time, it was not widely circulated, leading many to consider it undervalued. The design crafted by Christian Gobrecht was later on utilized for the half eagle coin and gold quarter eagle coin. In order to reduce the threat of counterfeiting, dies were struck for the images. However, the date was still done by hand, famously leading to the problem of ‘3’ appearing like an ‘8’. Purchase the 1843 O Gold Quarter Eagle coin here.

1893 O $5 Half Eagle with Motto MS-61N

This coin has proven to be an incredible investment, showing massive growth in value since the 1970's, according to the PCGS 3000 report. This coin is among those named the "Top 10 New Orleans mint coins to own" by noted numismatist Douglas Winter and is a top recommendation by IPM as well. The half eagle coin was first minted in 1795, although it was first authorized in the Coinage Act of April 1792. Three years later, when production finally began, 744 half eagle coins were minted that first day. The weight and fineness of the coin remained consistent until 1837, when an act of Congress reduced the weight by 6 grains to 129 and fineness down to 0.90. It is difficult to find a coin that hasn’t been worn down slightly over the years. To compensate, many collectors tried freshening the coins up, to often undesirable results. One might think this is due to age and the malleability of gold, which is true in part - but not the entire story! Coins from this year were sent via ship to Europe, and over the course of their voyage were knocked around into each other causing small discolorations. In addition to such marks, the coins have an interesting coloring. The color of the coin is often a rose-gold, however there is a ring around the boards of the gold coin, giving it a contrasting highlight at the edge. This piece is truly a beautiful piece of history in addition to a valuable investment! You can purchase the 1893 O $5 Half Eagle coin here.

1852 O Type 1 Double Eagle AU-58N

This is another top ten listing. Few gold coins from New Orleans have shown as much price appreciation as Type One double eagles. This means that most of the issues from this dozen coin group are priced well into five figures. The double eagle coin was minted in $20 denominations after gold became plentiful in the US after the 1849 gold rush. This coin has the highest gold content of any coin from that period. There were three types produced - the Type I has no motto on it, but still contains the patriotic image of the eagle symbol on the reverse, and Lady Liberty in full, crisp relief on the obverse. Mint Chief James Barton Longacre also designed this coin after the US government felt compelled to create a large denomination gold coin to keep pace with the large quantities of gold found at Sutter’s Mill. Buy the 1852 O Type 1 Double Eagle here.

1909 O $5 Gold Half Eagle

IPM recommends this 1909 O $5 Gold Half Eagle New Orleans mint coin as a long-term hold in your metals portfolio. The most magnificent gold eagle coins are those designed by Bela Lyon Pratt after President Theodore Roosevelt was inspired that American coins should be as artistic as Greek coins in their designs. These types of images didn’t last long, as purists demanded a return to traditional reliefs, such as Lady Liberty. This half eagle coin is one of the rarest Indian gold coins minted. They are highly detailed gold coins, with a Native American head with full headdress on the obverse, and a proudly stanced bald eagle perched for flight on the reverse still retain their newly minted crips relief. Not only is this half eagle coin valuable due to its low production, but the year 1909 is also a highly desirable date, no matter it’s condition, as the 1909-O half eagle is the last gold coin minted in New Orleans. Also, it is the only half eagle Indian head gold coin to be minted in New Orleans.

How much are old silver coins worth?

Investors need not forget that old gold coins aren't the only ones with value. Silver coins are following the upward trend of all precious metals and collectible. And though the price is currently a little higher than usual, most of them offer an affordable way to bring rare coins into your portfolio. Some good investments include Silver Dollars BU Peace, Silver Dollars AU Peace, Silver Dollars Heavily Circulated Mixed Type or the Silver Dollars PCGS MS 65 Pre-21 Morgan; all of which are $1 U.S. silver coins minted between 1878 and 1935.

How Much Are Old Gold Coins Worth?

The inclusion of rare gold coins in your investment strategy helps reduce portfolio risk. In fact, studies show that rare coins trump gold bullion as a diversifying asset by reducing volatility and enhancing returns. Gold bullion alone can't do both. The numismatic return coupled with the intrinsic value of these pieces of history make rare coins an obvious investment choice. If you have any questions or followups, please don't hesitate to contact IPM, an online precious metals dealer with nearly 20 years of experience.