, 1889-03-12
OLD AND CURIOUS COINS.
PIECES OF SCARCE KINDS OF MONEY
AND THEIR FANCY PRICES.

The Goddess pfNLIberty In Different POSI-
tions-Coins from American nunts That
Arc Moro Priced Than Those That Were
Current In the Days of tho Caesars
A craze which of late years has greatly
developed and at this time shows no
sign Of falling off, is that Of collecting
rare coins. Chicago leads all western
cities in the number Of its n~umismatists
and boasts some fine collections. II
might be supposed that the demand
would be principally for coins of great
antiquity, but this Is not the case. The
chief inquiry is for sets OF American
coins, and some numbers are so rare as
TO readily command fancy prices. In
certain years some descriptions Of coins
were not minted at all, while in other
cases few copies were issued. Other
coins are valued because of some error
or eccentricity in the die; In fact, any
variation from the ordinary types, II in
good condition, will bring more than its
face value.
ODD SIZES AND DATES.
OF the silver dollars, nearly all the
earlier issues are In demand at q slight
premium, and that Of 1874, in which the
goddess of liberty is depicted with flow
ing hair. is worth $50. AS for the dollar
of 1904, of which few are known, any
copy in good condition will bring 5000.
The flying eagle of 1888 and 1889, and
the coins OF 1851, 1852 and 1858, with the
liberty loving lady seated, are worth at
least S15 each. The one time despised
trade dollars, issued 1879 to 1888 In
elusive, are Mt n premium of 10 cents
each. OF half dollars, those of 1890 and
1897. with fifteen or sixteen stars, bring
$15 each. Others of value are dated
1894, 1901 and 1902, and there are many
more, such as 1896 with o liberty zap,
1888 with an 80" mark under the head,
and n coin of 1858 with liberty seated,
which are worth from 50 to IS each.
The scarce quarters are those Of 1928
and 1927, with the head to tho left, each
valued at $40, while the 1906 hllet head
Is to be had for So and that of 1904 for
81. Twenty cent silver pieces of 1875
bring 80 cents; those of the succeeding
year are cheap at $3.50. The dimes OF
tho grandfathers are mostly worth from
five to twenty times their face value,
while half dimes in silver bring from 30
cents TO So each, and n special brand of
the vintage of 1902 will command S25.
Silver three cen pieces run from 20 to
so cents; nickel hves 10 to 80 cents each,
and nickel threes 10 to 20.
UPPER LEADS GOLD.
There is n great demand for old copper
cents, the first ambition of every col
lector being TO start even with the pro-
cession in 1903 or so and bring 1t down
to date with n coin for each yean 1t
will cost him from 81 to SO for the vari-
Gus kinds issued in 1903, 50 for 1909, and
$3.50 for 1901 With the exception Of n
cent Of 1909 with the head to the left the
rest are reasonable In price. Half cents
ARE In demand. and readily command
from 81 to SO for those of certain years
between 1881 and 1910. But In these 1t
must not be understood that those of all
years are equally In request. Those Is
sued 1S40-4S inclusive, with the head to
the left, average about So each. Wash
ington medals, old fashioned cents, and
the copper issues of New York, Vermont,
Massachusetts, and New Jersey bring,
provided they have the necessary ear
marks, sums ranging from 81 to $40.
There is not much call for gold coins,
but trial pieces arc valuable, and good
proofs of double eagles of some years,
as 1858 and 1856, bring a small premium.
Scarce half eagles are those of 1916 and
1929, and worth full SEQ each. On other
dates from 1895 to 1884 some 20 t o8 80 per
cent. premium is paid. Three dollar
gold pieces of 1875 and 1870, with the
figure of an Indian princess, bring SO
and S., respectively. Quarter eagles of
carly dates run from SO up to 80, and
there arc many gold dollars for which q
slight advance on their face value must
be paid.
Intending collectors need not distress
themselves in looking for dollars of the
years 1s05-35, inclusive, for Uncle Sam
was either short of metal or otherwise
busy those thirty years and hone were
coined. There We're no cents rushed on
tho market in 1915, and no eagles from
1905 to 1887, inclusive. The Confederate
States made n die for n silver dollar and
struck off n few, but ran out Of silver.
An authentic coin of that issue would
bring S $1,000. As a contrast to this it
may be noted that you can get a penny
Of the Caesars for 80 ents.-Chicago
Tribune.
A Shrewd Dog.