Things You'll Need
Instructions
Determine the type of coin that you have. You already know the year is 1950, now you must figure out the coin's country of origin, the denomination of the coin (face value) and if any mint marks (small letters that tell you where the coin was minted) are present. All of this information can be found on one of the faces of the coin.
Find a price guide for the type of coin that you have. Make sure that the price guide covers coins from the 1950s and explains some coin collecting basics. These guides can be purchased at coin stores and book stores, and a few can be found online.
Grade your coin. Grading is a very particular process, and if you are not used to grading coins, it can be a very difficult process. Coin grades range from "about good" (you can tell the type and year, but that's about all) to "uncirculated" (looks like it was just minted). Your coin price guide can help you grade coins.
Look up the value of your coin in your price guide. Find your specific coin in the guide, then find the column for the grade that most closely resembles the grade of your coin. Not all grades are listed in all price guides.