Are dug coins key dates worth anything?

pulltabfelix

Bronze Member
Jan 29, 2018
1,006
1,624
North Atlanta
Detector(s) used
Currently have CTX3030 and Vanquish 440.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Upvote 4

CoinFetcher

Bronze Member
Apr 29, 2012
2,496
3,301
Left coast
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Love to treasure hunt
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If I dig some key dates like a 1939D jefferson nickel that come up dirty and some what corroded are they worth anything near the bluebook RS Yeoman states?

I was always told you don't clean collectable coins. But are they referring to dug coins?
Not a jefferson. Dug key date wheat cents can be worth money. Not Jefferson’s
 

OP
OP
pulltabfelix

pulltabfelix

Bronze Member
Jan 29, 2018
1,006
1,624
North Atlanta
Detector(s) used
Currently have CTX3030 and Vanquish 440.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I sold an 1885 V that I dug for 100 dollars but I regretted it right away..
It was worn smooth but the date was readable.
I am getting a CTX3030 and will be hitting some old Atlanta parks. I was more of a civil war relic hunter, but now including some serious park hunting. Of course it may take a while to get used to the CTX3030.

I never gave much thought to selling my finds. but it seems that there could be come money in some of the key dates.

thanks for your reply.
 

KY Treasure Hunter

Jr. Member
May 29, 2020
84
269
Central Kentucky
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, Garrett Pro-pointer AT, Fisher F22
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
You can still get good money for a lot of key dates, silvers are usually going to look a lot better but copper and nickel can still fetch good prices. Just be warned if you get dug coins graded most will receive an environmental damage mark, which will hurt the value.
 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,173
14,461
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You can pretty much toss the Redbook values out the window on dug coins, but, it will depend on how damaged they are, and what they would grade if they weren't damaged.
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,032
137,003
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I am getting a CTX3030 and will be hitting some old Atlanta parks. I was more of a civil war relic hunter, but now including some serious park hunting. Of course it may take a while to get used to the CTX3030.

I never gave much thought to selling my finds. but it seems that there could be come money in some of the key dates.

thanks for your reply.
There's the saying I have/I had one can use through out life.
I have a lot of receives that I have made over the past 3 decades
I had some real awesome recoveries I made over the past 5 decades
One can look at a photo and it can spur a memory of the find.
One can touch and hold a find and it also gives a memory-but also a warmth.

The $$$ that gained from a sale helps push life along, but can most even remember what the $$$ was spent on?
Personally I can't recall how it pushed the highs of life along, from the lows that were lived at the time.
 

IDXMonster

Hero Member
Mar 16, 2014
770
1,278
New Glarus,WI
Detector(s) used
Current….Deus2, ExplorerSEPro, Explorer2, IDXPro-M
Past….Deus1, CTX3030, Equinox800, eTrac, Compadre
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There's the saying I have/I had one can use through out life.
I have a lot of receives that I have made over the past 3 decades
I had some real awesome recoveries I made over the past 5 decades
One can look at a photo and it can spur a memory of the find.
One can touch and hold a find and it also gives a memory-but also a warmth.

The $$$ that gained from a sale helps push life along, but can most even remember what the $$$ was spent on?
Personally I can't recall how it pushed the highs of life along, from the lows that were lived at the time.
^^^This is a man who has lived life and realizes what is actually important, and that while money is handy, it sure as HELL isn’t everything. Metal detecting has become an integral part of who some of us are for different reasons, as are the finds themselves. For some, selling a coin would be selling a memory, and a piece of themselves.
However….everybody and everything has a price. Selling a well worn dime for $2 is different than selling a 1901-S Barber quarter for $4K. It depends on who you are, what your station in life is and what that coin might be able to help one achieve in the bigger picture.
 

dsamuel

Newbie
Jan 24, 2014
3
0
South San Francisco, Calif
Detector(s) used
Whites M-6
Whites 5900
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If I dig some key dates like a 1939D jefferson nickel that come up dirty and some what corroded are they worth anything near the bluebook RS Yeoman states?

I was always told you don't clean collectable coins. But are they referring to dug coins?
collectible coins are always well collectible. dug coins that are encapsulated, usually (always) come with a caveat that says genuine environmental damage with a possible grade. like cleaned coin.
 

Seahound

Full Member
Aug 18, 2021
101
195
pennsylavania
Detector(s) used
Garret At Pro/Garret At Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I am a coin collecter you might get around 3 bucks for it depending on condition
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
37,032
137,003
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Deus, Deus 2, Minelab 3030, E-Trac,
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I am a coin collecter you might get around 3 bucks for it depending on condition
As a collector-would you purchase a coin that had been dug/or cleaned?
 

Mikes CTX3030

Jr. Member
Nov 18, 2021
48
76
East Tennessee
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX3030, Minelab E-Trac, Deus
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I am getting a CTX3030 and will be hitting some old Atlanta parks. I was more of a civil war relic hunter, but now including some serious park hunting. Of course it may take a while to get used to the CTX3030.

I never gave much thought to selling my finds. but it seems that there could be come money in some of the key dates.

thanks for your reply.
I love my CTX3030. Only draw back to it is it is a heavy machine.
 

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,123
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I recently read a post about a 1921-d mercury dime that was dug and then graded by NGC at XF-45. So yes they can be depending on how the ground treats the coins.
And also depending on how the recoverer of those coins treats them!
 

OP
OP
pulltabfelix

pulltabfelix

Bronze Member
Jan 29, 2018
1,006
1,624
North Atlanta
Detector(s) used
Currently have CTX3030 and Vanquish 440.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
As a collector-would you purchase a coin that had been dug/or cleaned?
Well I have seen a dug dime key date that was VF (from the picture) recovered by members that were only washed in running water and the yeoman red book had it valued at $852. I am not talking about trashy dug coins. I was amazed he came out of the dirt in that condition. So this makes me think on some really good dug coins I should maybe check on them more carefully.
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,682
40,650
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The overall answer is yes, but there are a thousand things that go into coin valuation on dug items. An 1872 Indian cent with corrosion is worth something while the 1939-D jeff, not so much, so its relative to what it is, the aesthetics of the coin and who wants to buy one.
 

Seahound

Full Member
Aug 18, 2021
101
195
pennsylavania
Detector(s) used
Garret At Pro/Garret At Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Silver usually comes out much nicer than copper since copper tends to tarnish and have corrosion.
 

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,123
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Anyone who questions whether any coin out of the ground can have value has obviously never dug or seen dug something super rare. 😂 A pine tree shilling is an amazing payday. A Lord Baltimore sixpence will buy you a new truck. A planters bank counter stamped 8 Reales or two will pay off your car note. ;)
 

PastorBillV

Jr. Member
Jul 7, 2021
24
21
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If I dig some key dates like a 1939D jefferson nickel that come up dirty and some what corroded are they worth anything near the bluebook RS Yeoman states?

I was always told you don't clean collectable coins. But are they referring to dug coins?
Never clean a coin with any kind of cleaner, etc. That lowers the value. Easiest thing to do is check with a coin dealer on anything you find. A corroded Jefferson isn't going to have much market. Probably more value in your collection for bragging rights... ;)
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top