Good ole grandma

Tucsonguy

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May 24, 2008
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Hey oMg its a noob!! Hi all first post here. Was shown this site by a buddy of mine. I guess you could always say ive been fascinated with "treasures" and old items for quite some time just never had the ability to or resources to devote anything to it. Well recently weve had to move my wifes nana out of her condo and into an assisted living home. After reading alot of posts here about the elderly keeping alot of old items I was quite eager to start rifling through.. i mean packing her things. She kept EVERYTHING she was ever given, unfortunately nothing in the place was of any antiquity. That is until we went through her husbands (RIP) things. Among them was a copy of a letter he wrote to his mother in 1942 when he was in the army and a box of various coins and 450 pennies. Scanning through them the pennies are all rolled but seem to all be wheaties (I think thats what you call them) from the 40's and 50's. I think some might be from the 30's but im not positive. The other coins I will post pics of soon but they range from pesos to a franc to a big coin the size of a half dollar or so that says 1 cent on it to another with asian writing on them. Regarding the pennies is there anything I should be on the lookout for? specific dates or stamps, i did see a few D's and S's in there. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
 

djui5

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May 22, 2006
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That big penny is called a "Large Cent". What is the date on it?
 

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Tucsonguy

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May 24, 2008
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The Date on it is 1936. heres some pic of it and the one with asian writing.

P1010642.jpg

P1010643.jpg
 

Mackaydon

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Oct 26, 2004
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The ten cent coin is the oldest coin denomination to still be in circulation in Hong Kong. Since being issued in 1863 there has only been one period of 1942-1947 where the coin was not in circulation.

Before the Second World War the coin was first made of 0.80% silver, with a weight of 2.82 g, thickness of 1.1 mm and diameter of 17.50 mm. The 1935-36 was the same weight and mass but made of nickel.

In 1937 the weight was changed to 4.54 g, diameter to 20.57 mm and thickness to 1.85 mm and made of copper-nickel.

1948 saw the issue of a new coin for this denomination, a nickel-brass coin 20.57 mm in diameter, weighing 4.54 g and with a thickness of 1.85 mm. These coins were in use until they were replaced with the current sized coins in 1982.
Source: Wikipedia
The number minted varied by mint: No mint mark: 3.11M; "H" mintmark: 4.448M; and KN mintmark: 2.500M.
Don.......
 

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Tucsonguy

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May 24, 2008
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cool thanks. Is the larger coin special at all? Is it worth anything, meaning should I take care of it and hold on to it or just leave it in the box i found it in. Also regarding the pennies. Is there anything that may be special about them? Anything I should look for? id like to hope that at least something she held onto for so long was worth some monetary value so I can validate my hording these things to the wife :wink:
 

Mackaydon

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Tuscon:
As to the pennies (and I'm assuming they are USA pennies), I suggest you write down a list of what are your penny's dates and mintmarks, then go to your local library and read R.S. Yeoman's book: The Official Red Book --A Guide Book of United States Coins --2008 (or 2009, if available). Yeoman rates each coin by its condition, rarity, mint, current demand, etc. There you will find an indication of the relative value of your coins.

Hopefully, you don't need a certain monetary value in any of your grandmother's possessions to justify to your wife that you will keep some of these possessions that your grandmother treasured, and are now memory reminders of her life.
Don.......
 

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