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Prince Edward Island Numismatic Association


 

The Collection of Circulating Coins at Face Value
 


 
 
An inexpensive and fun way to collect circulating coins for beginners

Or anyone else who may be interested.

Being a fairly new collector myself (about two years now) I started out, like a lot of people, with a handful of coins that I had collected over the years. Soon I had the bug and I found myself getting a little more serious about the hobby. So, I went off looking to start series sets of Canadian coins - pennies, nickels, etc. I quickly discovered that it was fairly expensive to purchase coins, even those still in circulation. I thought I would start watching my pocket change. What I do is every day that I spend a bill, the change goes into a different pocket than my spending money. Then in the evening I sit down, go though it and pick out what I do not have. The rest goes back into my spending pocket. This works out very well for finding circulating coins. Another great way to find coins is to go through penny jars. A lot of people have them and if asked, family and friends would probably not mind if you picked over them. I put together my one-cent collection which dates from 1949 to 1998 and each coin only cost me a penny each. It's also a good idea to start telling everybody you know that you are collecting coins. Ask them to start watching their coinage and if they see anything different, to hang onto it. You may get lucky. (I had a friend give me a 1983 clipped one cent that he had in his penny jar. He used it to play cards.) Below I have listed some coins that you may want to look out for.
 
 

Pennies:

1985: Look for the five to go in an upward point. (Very hard to find)

1979: There are about ten varieties of this one: I've found two with doubled 9s and one doubled forehead so far.

1967: The bird penny. I've heard of there being different varieties, but have not seen them. I just keep them all.

1965: This is my favorite penny. There are four varieties and it's been fun finding all four.

1959 or earlier: I keep them all. Just the other day I got a 1937 penny in my change, it's the oldest one I found yet.
 
 

Nickels:

1996: I've read on the Internet that there are two varieties of this one - a far and near six.

1991: A low mintage year. You my want to keep a few spares.

1977: Again on the Internet, they are saying there is a near and far seven.

1970: Very low mintage year. Keep all these you can find.

1967: The rabbit nickel

1962-1942: Are 12 sided and easy to spot.
 
 

Dimes:

1970: A low mintage year.

1969: Keep an eye out for the year 1969 to be the same size as 1968.

 1968: There are a few things to look for. Some are silver and darker looking than others. They also will not stick to a magnet. Some are from two different mints, The Philadelphia Mint in the US and The Ottawa Mint in Canada. The flat bottom grooved ones are from Philadelphia and the v-shaped ones are from Ottawa.

1967: The fish dime and all older are silver. Keep them.
 
 

Quarters:

1999: Look for all the new ones.

 1992: The Provincial ones

1991: Good luck finding these. When they went into circulation not many were made.

1987: Another low mintage year

1983: Yet another low mintage year.

1978: Two varieties of this one - Canada near and far (one Canada is closer to the edge than the other).

1973: The R.C.M.P. Quarter. Look for the bust (the portrait of the queen) to be the same size as the 1972 Quarter.

1970: Again a low mintage year

1968: Like the dimes some are silver and some Nickel.

1967: The bobcat and older are all silver.
 
 

Loons:   The following have two varieties for the same year. It's nice to have both.

1992: One has two dates and the other is the 125th Confederation coin.

1994: One has just the year and the other is the Remembrance coin.

1995: One just has the date and the other is the Peacekeeping one.
 
 

Tooney:   Look at all your Toonies. There are quite a few with errors. Look for an extra mountain above the bear and watch for an off-centered stamp.
 
 

While this kind of inexpensive collecting will not make you rich if you decide to pack it all up and sell some day, it can still be most enjoyable.
 
 

Gary Woodhouse P.E.I.N.A Club Member

Comments and/or suggestions on what to look for are more than welcome. E-mail tgwoodhouse@pei.sympatico.ca .

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