Blog
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How to Identify Counterfeit Cast Coins: Pitting, Edge and Surface Markers
Cast counterfeit coins show pitting, seam lines, and soft detail. Genuine struck coins almost never do. Here is how to spot the difference.
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Ancient Roman Denarius Identification: Beginner’s Complete Guide
A Roman denarius is identified by its portrait, legend, and silver weight. Republican coins differ from imperial issues. Style and metal confirm the date.
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20 Most Valuable Foreign Coins American Collectors Want
The most valuable foreign coins include British, Canadian, and ancient rarities. Date, mint, and metal decide each coin’s true value.
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How to Identify a 1958-D L on Rim Wheat Penny Variety
The 1958-D L on rim variety shows LIBERTY’s L touching the coin edge. It forms from die or collar wear. Most examples sell for a few dollars.
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How to Cash In a Coin Jug Without Losing Money: Coinstar Alternatives
Cashing in a coin jug without losing money means sorting first, then choosing a no-fee bank counter. Coinstar’s cash option costs about 12 percent plus a fee.
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Canadian caribou quarter blank planchet errors: complete reference
A caribou quarter blank planchet is an unstruck Canadian 25-cent disc. It shows no caribou design at all. Edge type and metal set its value.
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How to Identify Authentic Roman Denarii
A real Roman denarius weighs about 3.9 grams in silver. Genuine strikes show hand-cut dies and honest toning. Cast copies reveal seams and mushy detail.
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18 Hidden Stash Coin Stories: Coins Found Buried in Walls and Chimneys
Valuable wall and chimney coin caches hold pre-1933 gold and silver dollars. Dates and mint marks reveal real value. Always identify the metal and date first.
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1969-S Doubled Die Lincoln Cent: Complete Identification Reference
The 1969-S doubled die cent shows bold obverse doubling with a single S mint mark. Genuine examples sell from $25,000 to over $100,000.
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Coinstar vs Hand-Sorting: How Much Money You Are Throwing Away
Coinstar’s cash option takes about 12.9% plus a $0.99 fee. Hand-sorting your jar first rescues silver and key dates worth real money.
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16 Rare Walking Liberty Half Dollars Worth Money
The rarest Walking Liberty half dollar is the 1921-D, with only 208,000 struck. Mintage and strike quality set the value. Always check the mint mark first.
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How to remove tape damage from coins without lowering value
The safest way to remove tape damage from coins is a pure acetone soak. Acetone dissolves adhesive without altering the metal or lowering value.
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PCGS Photograde vs NGC Coin Explorer: Reference Guides Compared
PCGS Photograde is best for grading your own coins. NGC Coin Explorer is best for variety and mintage research. Serious collectors keep both guides open.
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How to Spot a Real 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent vs Common Counterfeits
A genuine 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent has a small serif S with a raised dot inside its top curve. Most fakes are added-mintmark jobs on common 1909 cents.
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How to Use PC59 Cataloging for Canadian 1859 Cent Varieties
PC59 cataloging numbers each 1859 Canadian cent by its die pair. The system spans PC59-1 to PC59-248. Haxby built it from die markers.
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Coinara vs CoinSnap vs Coinoscope: which wins for identification
Coinara is the most accurate coin identifier app for iPhone in 2026. It beats CoinSnap and Coinoscope on value accuracy and ancient coin coverage.
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Russian Ruble Imperial to Soviet: Year-by-Year Identification
Russian ruble identification starts with the date and mint mark. Imperial coins name the tsar; Soviet rubles show the hammer and sickle.
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Heritcoin App vs Coinara vs CoinSnap: 2026 Coin Identifier Comparison
The best coin identifier app depends on what you collect. Coinara leads on US variety detection, CoinSnap on world coins, Heritcoin on collection display.
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15 Tipped Coins Worth Hundreds: Coffee Shop, Bar and Cashier Finds
Tipped coins worth hundreds show up in coffee shops, bars, and cash drawers regularly. Always check the date, mint mark, and silver ring.
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16 Most Valuable Australian Kookaburra Variants for Collectors
The most valuable Australian Kookaburra coins are early Perth Mint dates and privy-mark editions. Mintage, size, and grade decide every premium.