If you are interested in historical items or valuable antiques, you know that looks can be deceiving. Sometimes, the most ordinary looking pieces can be worth a great deal. Other times, even a promising relic can prove invaluable. Luckily, the experts at Coins Plus in Cincinnati, OH, will offer their honest opinions on your currency. Here, they explain how to tell if a coin appraisal is worth your time.

3 Factors to Weigh When Considering a Coin Appraisal

1. The Year It Was Minted

By determining when your coin was made, you can gain a rough idea of just how many there are in the world—which is often the deciding factor in a coin’s worth. Luckily, the mintage date will be printed right on your currency. The older the coin, the less there are floating around, and the more it may be worth. If your piece is over 50 years old, you should consider a coin appraisal.

2. How Many Are Left

In addition to the correlation between the coin’s age and its presence in the global market, many extraneous factors could manipulate the surviving pool of a specific coin. For example, many coins are lost, returned to the treasury for damage, or melted down for cash when the price of a certain metal skyrockets. Even if your coin is not particularly old, it may be worth more because there are few left in circulation.

3. The Coin’s Condition

Like many antiques, the better condition a coin is in, the more it will be worth. The finest coins are uncirculated, which means they never changed hands or entered cash registers after their minting. In most cases, these coins are extremely rare and will go for much more than their circulated counterparts. However, in some cases—such as the 1931-S Lincoln cent—circulated coins are worth more because saving newly minted pennies was temporarily popular.

If you believe any of your coins are old, rare, or otherwise extraordinary, it is worth taking a quick trip to Coins Plus for an honest coin appraisal. The prices and values of certain currency are always changing, and you might just get lucky! Even if you do not turn a significant profit, you are bound to learn something new or find a unique item through this rare coin dealer. For more information about their offerings, call (513) 621-1996 or visit the website today.