Page 313 - One Thousand Ways to Make $1000

me was arguing with the cashier about a coin handed out in change for a
dollar bill. It was a half dollar minted in 1853, and the cashier said it was
good as any. ‘I’ll take it,’ I said as carelessly as possible. I got $165 for it two
weeks later.”

Williams didn’t get all of his rare coins that way. He purchased some at
nominal prices from friends and neighbors, and resold them at a handsome
profit. A friend of his dug up an old tin can in his backyard which contained
among other coins, seven dimes dated 1894, and knowing Williams was
searching for 1894 dimes, he brought them all over to Williams. Williams
carefully examined them, selected one, and offered a dollar for it. His friend
sold it willingly. “You see,” Williams explained, “he thought all those dimes
had the same value. The one I selected was the only one of the seven,
however, that was worth more than ten cents. That coin had an ‘S’ mint mark
on it which made it valuable. A little later I was paid $100 for it.”

Among the American coins for which premiums have been offered are: half-
cent piece, dated 1796 for which up to $75 is offered; a one-cent piece dated
1799 commands up to $80; up to $150 will be paid for an 1802 halfdime; up
to $300 for an 1827 quarter-dollar; up to $500 for an 1838 halfdollar New
Orleans mint, marked with an “O” between bust and date; up to $250 for an
1853 half-dollar; up to $2,500 for an 1804 silver dollar; up to $250 for an
1885 trade dollar; up to $250 for an 1863 “S” mint two-dollarand-a-half gold
piece; up to $500 for a gold dollar (North Carolina) letter “C” below the
wreath; up to $1,000 for an 1873 three-dollar gold piece; and up to $5,000 for
an 1822 U. S. five-dollar gold piece. Hundreds of other coins are listed at
values ranging between $15 and $70.

Anyone may turn his spare time into a profitable search for wanted American
coins. A complete list of wanted coins may be obtained from a reliable coin
collector. These lists show the dates, marks, and other specifications which
will enable you to identify wanted coins, and the prices collectors will pay for
them. By examining them through a magnifying glass (which you may buy at
any novelty store for twenty-five or fifty cents), coins worn smooth by
handling, special mint letters and marks become clear which cannot be
detected with the naked eye.