THE COLLECTOR
Dear Collector,
We found this foreign currency among my uncle’s belongings after his demise. He was a merchant sailor for almost 50 years, and traveled all over the world. Where is this note from, and is it worth anything?
Issued in 1951 by the People’s Republic of Bulgaria, your 10-leva bill was removed from distribution in the 1990s when Communist domination ended. The mustachioed fellow on the front is Georgi Dimitrov (coincidentally, a printer) who came into power with the Soviets after WWII. Even in an uncirculated condition, which yours is not, this note would only be worth 25 cents.
Dear Collector,
I have an 1857 half dime, and would like to have info on it.
Designed by Christian Gobrecht (he was responsible for creating other Seated Liberty coinage), the composition of this small coin is 90 percent silver, which is one reason that slim dime is now worth more than $15.
Dear Collector,
I got this 1922 German 50,000 mark bill when I was a kid; it was a gift from my mother’s uncle who immigrated to America just before World War II. What do you think it’s worth?
Issued by the Weimar Republic, the short-lived post-war German government, your note was the “top of the mark” because just a year earlier the largest bill was 10,000 marks. However, within a year of your note’s issuance, hyperinflation made it necessary to produce a 500 billion mark bill. Before this unnatural financial situation ended, the German mark was worth 13 trillion to an American dollar, which by chance is the same value as your keepsake note.
Dear Collector,
How much is a 1944 wheat penny worth?
If banked at 3 percent simple annual interest for 60 years, your penny would have grown by a nickel. However, considered as a numismatic collectible, it could be worth a potential 20 cents.
Dear Collector,
I am sending you a copy of my 1929 quarter; how much is it worth?
I see a “Walking Liberty” half dollar, not a quarter. Anyway, your coin, minted in San Francisco, has a listed value of between $5 and $8.
Dear Collector,
I came across an 1897 nickel, and was wondering what it could be worth?
Sometimes called a “Barber” nickel, in honor of its designer Charles Barber, this coin was in circulation for about 30 years until it was replaced by the very famous Buffalo nickel. Your particular piece, in average condition, has a current value of about $2.