Community Voice Response: March 31, 2020

From the March 6, 2020, Numismatic News E-NewsLetter

What coin or coin series do you consider to be the most underrated?

Here are some answers sent in from our E-Newsletter readers.

Franklin half dollars.

Peter Gehrke
Address withheld

The large cent.

Jeffrey Morris
Address withheld

All Of These Commemorative Silver Dollars Are Extremely Low Mintages And A Value If You Can Find Them 1995 D Silver Dollar BU Atlanta Paralympics Blind Runner MINTAGE 28,649
1995 D Silver Dollar BU
Atlanta Olympics Gymnastics MINTAGE 42,497

1995 D Silver Dollar BU Atlanta Olympics Cycling
MINTAGE 19,662
1995 D Silver Dollar BU Atlanta Olympics Track And Field MINTAGE 24,796
1996 D Silver Dollar BU Atlanta Olympics Tennis
MINTAGE 15,983
1996 D Silver Dollar BU Atlanta Paralympics Wheelchair Racer
MINTAGE 14,497
1996 D Silver Dollar BU
Atlanta Olympics Rowing
MINTAGE 16,258
1996 D Silver Dollar BU
Atlanta Olympics High Jump
MINTAGE 15,697

1996 S Silver Dollar BU National Community Service
MINTAGE 23,500
1996 D Silver Dollar BU
Smithsonian Institution 150th Anniversary
MINTAGE 31,230
1997 S Silver Dollar BU
Jackie Robinson
MINTAGE 30,007
1998 S Silver Dollar PROOF
Robert F Kennedy
MINTAGE 99,020
1999 P Silver Dollar BU
Dolly Madison
MINTAGE 22,948

Bill Zearfoss
via Facebook

My vote is for the Jefferson nickels.

Dr. John Lommler
Address Withheld

I believe that classic U.S. commemoratives are the most underrated coins at this time. Prices have dropped to the point of affordability for all collectors. Especially neglected are some of the later years of multiple year releases, e.g. Arkansas, Oregon, Boone, etc. Buy them now!

Jim Chudd
Ft. Collins, Colo.

The most underrated coin is the 1776-1976 Bicentennial quarter.

Montague (Monte) Bakasy
Philadelphia, Pa.

The most underrated is half cents. All are scarcer than the “King” of Morgan dollars, the 1893-S, and most are quite affordable for the average collector.

They are historically important as one of only two denominations struck in 1793, the first year of the U.S. Mint; the great majority of them were produced during the administrations of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison.

Do you want history in your hands? You can’t get more historic than that.

William Eckberg
Address Withheld

I believe the odd denominations of coins and currency are underrated.

Gary Lewis
Cape Coral, Fla.

To me, the most beautiful U.S. coins are the Standing Liberty quarters. They are also the most underrated. Aside from the 1916 and 1918/7-S, they’re affordable in AU-58 condition. Semi-keys cost more. If you’re not date- and mintmark-driven, any of the common dates can be purchased very reasonably in Mint State.

Horst Seeley
Manchester, N.H.

Three-cent nickels are very underrated. Its key, 1885, has a total MS mintage of 1,000. Given this mintage in any other series, a coin would have an estimated value that would be in the tens of thousands, yet current MS-60 values are at $4,250. The 3-cent silver series has a bit better values overall and is also underrated.

Ron Brown
Address Withheld

Eisenhower dollars.

Kenneth Siuda
Address Withheld