Prices of Coins 30 Years ago

ozzie101 · April 24, 2005 8:21AM

Just a question about prices of coins from about 30 years ago - if anyone has a price guide from back then....

What were the prices for some of the key dates such as a 1901-S Barber quarter in good condition? How about UNC? 1909-S VDB Penny?

Was there much of a premium on the rarer date gold coins versus the common dates?

nwcs · April 24, 2005 8:34AM

I don't have a price guide from then but I can tell you that there has always been a premium on rarer date gold.

stev32k · April 24, 2005 8:51AM

I can't give 30 years ago, but in 1963 (42 years ago) the 1901-S Barber was listed in the Redbook at $650 in XF, and $1450 in UNC. The 1909-S VDB was listed at $105 in XF, and $165 in UNC.

09sVDB · April 24, 2005 8:55AM

Here's a few I picked from my 1962 Red Book. All are what the Red Book list as "UNC"

09SVDB $115
14D $310
1885 Liberty 5cents $115
16D Dime $400
01S Quarter $1300
13S Quarter $850
32D Quarter$100
32S Quarter $45

The Red Book goes from Xf to Unc with nothing in between. PM if you would like to know the value of a specific coin.
Wayne

Gonfunko · April 24, 2005 8:55AM

Per the 1956 Redbook, the 1901-S Quarter was at $50.00 in Good and $475.00 in Uncirculated. The 1909-s V.D.B. was at $12.50 in Good and $30.00 in Uncirculated. Here are the Good and Uncirculated prices for other keys:

1793 Chain Cent: $50, $125 (Fine)
1916-D 10c: $10, $150
1796 25c: $75, $325
1916 Standing Liberty 25c: $35, $140
1932-S 25c: $1.50, $22.50

There are some more, but you're probably already banging your head on the desk.

stev32k · April 24, 2005 9:07AM

<<1793 Chain Cent: $50, $125 (Fine)
1916-D 10c: $10, $150
1796 25c: $75, $325
1916 Standing Liberty 25c: $35, $140
1932-S 25c: $1.50, $22.50>>

That's very interesting the prices increased considerably between 1956 and 1963. Here are the same prices from the 1963 Redbook:

1793 chain - not sure which one to compare
1916-D 10c; $50, $435
1796 25c: $500, $2,750
1916 SLQ: $125, $500
1932-S 25c: $1.00, $6.00

busco69 · April 24, 2005 9:19AM

I have a 1973 Blue Book 1909 s vdb Good $55.00 very fine $82.50 1901 s barber quarter good-$110.00 veryfine-$350.00 1794 flowing hair dollar Good-$800.00 veryfine-$3,600.00 1804draped bust proof dollar-25,000.00 1895 morgan dollar unc $3100.00

jdimmick · April 24, 2005 9:22AM

Here is some pricing from the first edition of the CDN monthly supplement (August 1976)

CDN Bid/ask
1856 Fe Vf 950/1050
1877 Indian Vf 230/290
1909-s Vdb Vf 135/143.50
1880 Shield Nickel vf 67.50/75.00
1885 Lib 5c Vf 145/160
1912-s 5c vf 50/55
1913-s Ty II Vf 47.50/52.50
1926-s Buff Vf 24.00/27.00
1895-o dime Vf 130/145
1916-d Dime Vf 335/375
1901-s Quarter Vf 565/620
1913-s Quarter Vf 315/350 (Look at the difference between it an the 01-s and compare the difference today!!)
1916 SLQ Vf 585/635
1932-d quarter VF (sorry not in the monthly at that time)
1897-o Barber half Vf 79/87.50
1914 Barber half VF 65/72
1921-d WLH Vf 137/155

Crackout · April 24, 2005 9:32AM

1971 Red Book:

1901-S Barber Quarter (Good) $185.00
(E.F.) $750.00
(Unc.) $1,850.00

1909-S VDB Cent (Good) $97.50
(E.F.) $145.00
(unc.) $200.00

roadrunner · April 24, 2005 9:37AM

I have copies of Coin 'World Trends that I used extensively at the time while hunting underrated seated coins. And the premiums for better date coins was absurd. One of my favorites, the 1867-s 25c was listed for a whopping $85 in XF. Common dates were $25!
Back then, dealers guarded the CDN from neophytes like myself. We considered it a great "honor" to even look at it in reverance. The price guide for collectors and what they paid was Trends.
If a coin like an 1860-s 25c popped up at a local shop, you could get it for trends, a true rip. But these rarely showed up. My best deal was when a 52-0 in fine showed up and the dealer didn't even look for the O mint mark. Got a $250 coin for $20 in 1974.

A true rarity even then, the 1874-cc dime was listed for $700 in EF but you couldn't find one for that. The 1901-s barber quarter was listed for $675 in ef and $215 in good.

09s vdb $95 good, $125 fine, $150 ef, $225 unc.
09s cent $65 unc
31s cent $40 unc
1885 5c $150 ef
1804 10c $575 vf
1860s 25c $125 ef (none available!)
1870cc 25c $800 ef
1916 25c $550 ef
1802 50c $450 in EF (I found one in 1976 for $575!)
1794 50c $575 in Fine
1836 RE $500 ef
1904s 50c $115 ef
1921s 50c $450 ef
1794 1$ $12000 ef, $3000 fine
1893s 1$ $650 ef
1852c $5 $650 unc!
1870cc $10 $1750 ef
1860-0 $20 $3000 ef
1907 HR $20 $3800 unc

silver was $5.40 in May '74 (had been $3.50 in Jan)
gold was $175 in May '74 and $133 in Jan.
1929 $20 $4750 unc

Consider that inflation has multiplied the prices of things by 4X since 1974 and the price of silver at $5 back then makes it look stupid cheap today. 1974 was the year that all ties to the gold standard were severed...and the march to 1980 really started.

The only reason this book of prices still exists that I kept a journal of sorts on my sports "career" in college at the time. Was a nice piece of history that I put away at the time.

roadrunner

7summits · April 24, 2005 10:37AM

From the 1974 Red Book:

1901-S Barber Quarter Good $225 Unc $2,000
1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent Good $87.50 Unc $200

And my personal favorite -
1917-P Type 1 Standing Liberty Quarter Unc $85.00

ozzie101 · April 24, 2005 10:38AM

Thanks for all the replies.

Wonder when the 'bubble' that is going on now will end and how it will end.....

Smart purchases of key date material versus the purchase of gold at the height of the gold mania would have been very very good.

7summits · April 24, 2005 10:41AM

"Hindsight is always 20-20"

carl · April 24, 2005 10:41AM

Prices went up a little from the 8th Edition, 1955 Red Book in Unc
1909S VDB was $20
1914D was $65
16D Merc was $135
01S Quarter $400
13S Quarter $200
32D Quarter $37
32S Quarter $20
I have all the Red Books from the 8th Edition to present.
Always fun to compare the prices from then to now.

michael · April 24, 2005 11:44AM

nov 1915 prices realized from b max mehl auction

1876 three dollar gold proof 123.00

1856 flyer proof cent 13.00

1796 dime brilliant proof like unc 12.50

1799 large cent fine 14.40

1796 quarter unc. 12.00

1793 chain cent fine 5.75

1793 chain cent very good 5.00

1804 cent fair 4.00

1836 dollar proof c. gobrecht on base 16.50

1889-s nearly mintstate silver dollar 6.60

fixed price list b max mehl sec 1915

1796 half dollar very good 15 stars 75.00

gobrecht dollars

1836 c. gob name on base
1836 c gob. name below base
1838
1839 milled edge

all brilliant proof 500.00

kranky · April 24, 2005 1:20PM

Keep in mind that 30 years ago a lot of those coins were whizzed, cleaned, etc. You didn't have the protection that you have today from TPGs, and the novices took it on the chin many times.

Prices of Coins 30 Years ago

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