This week, I received a note from a friend who recently started exploring my new site. He’s also a collector, focusing mostly on “graffiti dollars”—those bills that come with all sorts of writing, pictures, or designs on them. His collection is pretty fascinating, and you can take a look at it at MoneyGraffiti.com.

Anyway, he asked if I could check out a few coins for him, and I was thrilled to help! 🙂 Here’s what he wrote in his email (the picture he included is shown above):

“Congratulations! I loved browsing through your new site. While I don’t actively collect coins, I do keep any unusual ones I come across. I’ve attached a .jpg of three such coins, including a large U.S. penny from 1852. Any information you could share would be appreciated.”

Here’s how I responded:

Those are some great coins!

Unfortunately, I’m not great with identifying Chinese or Asian coins yet, but I’d love to learn more since I encounter them often and even have a few myself. According to my World Coins book, some can be quite valuable. It would be smart to get better at recognizing them to score good deals! If I dig into it more, I’ll definitely get back to you.

Now, about the 1852 “jumbo penny”—I can tell you about that! It’s known as a “large cent,” specifically the “Braided Hair” type minted between 1839 and 1857. They were quite common back then, with over 5 million produced, but those in good condition now can be quite valuable (pardon the pun!).

I checked my Red Book (a coin valuation guide) and found that depending on its condition, its value ranges from $19 to $230. I’d guess yours might be worth around $40-$50? I’m still learning how to “grade” coins accurately, as it’s one of the key aspects, but for its age, it’s in good shape! It doesn’t have that black, grimy look I usually see.

UPDATE: I sent a picture to a friend who has over 35 years of collecting experience. He estimated it to be in “Extra Fine” condition, possibly higher after a physical inspection, which could place its value over $60—so I wasn’t far off!

Curious about how he found these “specimens,” I asked him, and here’s what he shared:

Thank you for the info on my coins. I don’t remember where I got the Chinese ones, but I clearly recall finding the big penny. My father was a coin collector, and while settling his estate, I took a heavy bucket of pennies to a coin dealer. As they were being weighed, this large penny caught my eye. When I asked about it, the dealer said it was an old U.S. penny and estimated its worth at $3. I decided to buy it from the estate, thinking it was quite a steal, and it turns out, I made a wise decision!

I couldn’t agree more 🙂

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If you’d like me to take a look at any of your coins, just send me a note along with a picture if possible—I’d be happy to help. I really enjoy this kind of thing! 🙂