ONE COIN TO KNOW THIS WEEK

The 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar

If there's one coin I'd tell every beginner to learn first, it's this one.

Here's why: the 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar is the last year the U.S. Mint made half dollars in 90% silver. Every single one of them — no matter how worn, no matter how ugly — contains real silver. At today's silver prices, that's worth around $9 to $12 in silver content alone, before you even think about collector value.

And yet I still see them in junk bins at flea markets priced at 50 cents.

What to look for:

Bonus: Kennedy halves from 1965 to 1970 are 40% silver. Still worth picking up if you see them cheap.

Before you sell anything — check eBay sold listings first.

Not the asking prices. The sold prices.

Here's how: search for your coin on eBay, then on the left sidebar filter by "Sold Items." This shows you what real buyers actually paid in the last 90 days — not what optimistic sellers are hoping for.

This one habit can be the difference between selling a coin for $20 and realizing it's actually worth $85.

Takes two minutes. Do it every time.

Silver has been quietly climbing lately, which is good news if you're holding any silver coins — and most inherited collections have more silver than the owner realizes.

What this means practically:

You don't need to rush. But it's worth knowing the silver market is moving.

(Always check the current spot price at kitco.com before making any decisions — silver prices move daily.)

This week I was browsing eBay sold listings and spotted something interesting — a lot of 20 mixed silver Roosevelt dimes sold for $38.

That's $1.90 per dime for coins that contain roughly $2.20 worth of silver each at current prices.

The buyer got $44 worth of silver for $38. Not a home run, but a solid, quiet win — the kind of find that adds up over time.

The lesson: sometimes the boring coins are the best deals. Everyone chases Morgan Dollars and key dates. Meanwhile, common silver dimes just sit there, quietly worth more than people realize.

"I inherited a bunch of coins from my grandfather. Some are in plastic cases with labels. Are those worth more than the loose ones?"

— Sandra, Ohio

Great question Sandra. Yes — almost certainly.

Those plastic cases with labels are called slabs, and they're from professional grading companies like PCGS or NGC. Getting a coin professionally graded costs money and time, so collectors only do it when a coin is worth the effort. The grade on the label directly affects value — a coin graded MS65 can be worth several times more than the same coin in MS63.

Don't open those slabs. Don't crack them out. Just set them aside carefully — they're likely the most valuable pieces in the collection.

If you're not sure what to do next, I wrote a full step-by-step guide for people who've inherited a coin collection. You can read it here at Numisteria.

Here's your one thing to do this week:

Go find any coins you have lying around — in a drawer, a jar, a box — and pull out anything dated 1964 or earlier. Dimes, quarters, half dollars. Set them aside.

That's it. Just that one thing.

Next week I'll show you exactly what to do with them.

Until then — keep your eyes open. You never know what's hiding in a coffee can.

— August

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