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How to Date a Coin

The date a coin was minted is one of the most important factors when determining its worth. In general, the older a coin, the greater its value. Virtually all coins have some marking designating the minting date, although not all coins use the same type of markings. Be warned however, that if a coin is in extremely poor condition it may be impossible to accurately date it.

Instructions

- 1
  Look for anything on the coin that tells you the coin's country of origin. On most coins, the name of the country of origin is engraved into one of the faces of the coin. Search for any images or figures that seem familiar if attempting to identify a coin with foreign text. Search the Internet to help you identify foreign coins.
- 2
  Search the coin for a date marking. Look on one of the sides if it is a Euro, U.S. or Canadian coin. This date tells you when the coin was minted.
- 3
  Conduct research about foreign coins that lack easily readable dates. Many books have been written about collecting foreign coins and several helpful databases exist online that can help you date an odd coin.
- 4
  Take the coin to a coin dealer for help in dating the coin. Seek out a store or dealer specializing in foreign coins if you are having trouble dating a foreign coin.

Coin Collecting