The jingle of coins in my pocket rarely commands attention anymore. Like most Americans, I’ve developed the habit of tossing spare change into jars, cup holders, or between couch cushions without a second glance.
But after a chance conversation with veteran coin dealer Tom Bergeron at a local flea market last month, I’ve never looked at my pocket change the same way again.
“Most folks have no idea they might be handling retirement money,” Bergeron told me as he examined a tray of seemingly ordinary coins. He held up a worn dime, squinting at it through his loupe.
“This little 1949-S? Worth about forty bucks even in this condition. And it was in circulation until somebody who knew what to look for pulled it.”
This revelation sent me down a rabbit hole of numismatic research, focusing specifically on two types of coins many Americans still encounter in circulation: rare dimes and those special Bicentennial coins produced for America’s 200th birthday. What I discovered might make you think twice about that spare change.
Rare Dimes That Could Make You Rich
1. The 1916-D Mercury Dime: The Holy Grail
Value Range: $1,000 – $250,000
The undisputed king of rare dimes in America is the 1916-D Mercury dime. With only 264,000 minted at the Denver facility—a tiny fraction of the millions produced at other mints that year—this dime represents the key date in the entire Mercury series.
“Most 1916-D dimes entered circulation before collectors realized their significance,” explained Sarah Jenkins, whose family has run a coin shop in Boston since 1962. “By the time people understood how rare they were, most had already suffered circulation wear.”
Even heavily worn examples command prices exceeding $1,000, while pristine uncirculated specimens have fetched well over $200,000 at auction. Jenkins recounted a story of a construction worker who found one in his grandfather’s dresser drawer and used the proceeds to put a down payment on his first house.
The key identifier? Look for the small “D” mint mark on the reverse, just beneath the bundle of sticks known as fasces. While finding one in circulation today would be lottery-ticket lucky, they do occasionally surface in old collections, estate sales, and forgotten coin jars.
2. The 1942/1 Mercury Dime Overdate Error
Value Range: $500 – $15,000
Perhaps the most famous “mistake” in American dimes occurred when a die for 1942 was accidentally punched over a 1941 die. The result was an overdate error where traces of the “1” remain visible beneath the “2” in the date.
“It’s like catching the Mint with its pants down,” chuckled veteran collector Mike Hernandez, who showed me his prized example. “You can clearly see they tried to fix their mistake but couldn’t quite hide it.”
This error occurred at both Philadelphia (no mint mark) and Denver (D mint mark) facilities, with the Denver variety being significantly rarer and more valuable. Under magnification, the ghostly “1” underneath the “2” becomes apparent, creating what numismatists call a “dramatic overdate.”
While these coins have been actively collected for decades, making circulation finds increasingly unlikely, they do occasionally turn up in rolls from banks or in collections where the error went unnoticed.
3. The 1955 “Bugs Bunny” Franklin Half Dollar
Value Range: $50 – $2,500
While not a dime, this rare half dollar variant deserves mention for its accessibility and distinctive appearance. The “Bugs Bunny” nickname comes from a die clash error that created what appears to be buck teeth on Franklin’s portrait—resembling the famous cartoon rabbit.
“It’s one of those errors that once you see it, you can’t unsee it,” explained error coin specialist James Wilson. “Franklin looks like he’s about to ask ‘What’s up, Doc?’ It’s both valuable and amusing, which makes it especially popular with collectors.”
The error resulted from the obverse and reverse dies striking each other without a planchet (blank coin) between them. This clash transferred some of the design elements between dies, creating the distinctive appearance.
What makes this error particularly noteworthy is that many examples still circulated into the 1960s and 70s before being replaced by Kennedy half dollars. Some still occasionally surface in bank rolls, old collections, and even cash registers—particularly in rural areas where half dollars see more use.
Bicentennial Coins Worth Fortunes
4. The 1976 Bicentennial Quarter Double Die Obverse
Value Range: $25 – $400
The Bicentennial quarter, with its colonial drummer reverse design and dual dates of 1776-1976, was minted in enormous quantities. However, a variety exists showing significant doubling on the obverse (heads side), particularly visible in the words “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
Frank Wilson, who manages a coin shop outside Philadelphia, showed me examples under strong magnification. “See how the letters look like they’re casting shadows? That’s the doubling effect from the die being impressed twice at slightly different positions.”
This error is subtle enough that countless examples likely remain in circulation, waiting for an observant finder. Value depends entirely on condition and the strength of the doubling, with uncirculated specimens commanding the highest prices.
“I found one in my register at work,” said convenience store clerk Jesse Martinez. “A customer used it to buy a soda, and I swapped it out with one from my wallet. Had it appraised at $85 because of its excellent condition. Not bad for a quarter!”
5. Bicentennial Quarter Struck on Silver Planchet
Value Range: $200 – $7,000
Regular Bicentennial quarters were struck for circulation on copper-nickel planchets, while a special collector version was produced using 40% silver composition. However, mint errors exist where regular circulation dies were used with silver planchets.
“They’re instantly recognizable by weight,” explained Marta Jimenez, who’s been collecting error coins for two decades. “A regular quarter weighs 5.67 grams, while the silver version weighs 5.75 grams. That small difference represents thousands in value.”
These wrong-planchet errors often show distinctive characteristics around the edge, where the silver composition is visible without the copper-nickel “sandwich” appearance of regular quarters.
While exceptionally rare in circulation today, they occasionally surface in old proof and mint sets that have been broken up, or in collections where the significance went unrecognized.
How to Check Your Change
After spending months researching these valuable coins, I’ve developed a routine for checking my pocket change that takes just seconds but could potentially yield remarkable discoveries:
Step 1: Learn the Key Dates
Familiarize yourself with the most valuable dates and mint marks for each coin type. For dimes, pay special attention to:
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1916-D Mercury dimes
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1942/1 overdates (both Philadelphia and Denver)
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1949-S Roosevelt dimes
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1921 and 1921-D Mercury dimes
For Bicentennial coins, examine all quarters, half dollars, and dollars with the 1776-1976 date for errors and unusual characteristics.
Step 2: Use Adequate Lighting
Natural sunlight or a bright desk lamp provides the best conditions for spotting subtle errors like the doubled die Bicentennial quarter.
Step 3: Use Magnification
A simple jeweler’s loupe (5x to 10x magnification) reveals details invisible to the naked eye. These inexpensive tools are essential for identifying valuable varieties.
Step 4: Check the Mint Marks
The location of mint marks varies by coin type and era:
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On Mercury dimes (1916-1945), look on the reverse below the fasces
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On Roosevelt dimes (1946-present), look on the obverse above the date
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On Bicentennial quarters, look on the obverse beneath Washington’s portrait
Step 5: Weigh Suspicious Coins
A simple digital scale accurate to 0.01 gram can help identify silver coins and wrong-planchet errors.
“The hardest part for most people is training themselves to actually look at their change,” remarked Carolyn Martinez, who teaches coin collecting merit badges to Scout troops. “We’re so conditioned to treat coins as essentially worthless that we miss potential treasures.”
Beyond the Money: The Thrill of the Hunt
What struck me most during my research wasn’t just the potential financial windfall from finding rare coins. It was the passion of the collectors and hunters I met—people who check coin rolls from banks every week, who attend shows and swap meets, who experience genuine excitement each time they spot something unusual.
“It connects you to history in a tangible way,” explained 82-year-old Lewis Montgomery, who’s been collecting since the 1940s. “When I hold a Mercury dime, I’m touching something that might have been in the pocket of someone who fought in World War II or worked in a factory during the Depression.”
For many, the hunt itself provides entertainment value far exceeding the face value of the coins they examine. And occasionally, that entertainment comes with an extraordinary bonus—a coin worth hundreds or thousands of times its spending value.
This perspective was echoed by nearly everyone I interviewed. The financial potential attracts initially, but the historical connection keeps people engaged with the hobby for decades.
Getting Started on Your Hunt – Top 5 Rare Dimes and Bicentennial Coins
If this article has piqued your interest in checking your change for valuable coins, here are some practical steps to begin your hunt:
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Gather Your Change: Empty those jars and coin holders, and start examining what you already have.
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Get a Reference Guide: A basic coin guide with photos and mint mark locations proves invaluable for beginners.
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Join Online Communities: Websites like CoinTalk and Reddit’s r/coins offer supportive environments where beginners can post photos and get help with identification.
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Visit Local Coin Shops: Dealers are often willing to share knowledge, especially with enthusiastic newcomers.
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Never Clean Your Coins: This bears repeating—cleaning can dramatically reduce a coin’s value. Even gentle cleaning can remove the natural patina that collectors prize.
Tom Bergeron, the dealer who started me on this journey, offered this final piece of advice: “The best time to start checking your change was 50 years ago. The second best time is today.”
So next time you receive change from a purchase, take a moment to really look at what you’re holding. That distinctive quarter with the drummer boy or that worn silver dime might just be your ticket to an unexpected windfall. At the very least, you’ll develop a deeper appreciation for the historical artifacts passing through our hands every day—small metal time capsules connecting us to America’s past that might also secure a bit of your financial future.