Welcome to Dent Coins. I'm Dustin Dent, and I'm glad you're here.
Whether you just joined or you've been collecting for years, thank you for being part of this cabin. This is a place for honest photos, raw and undergraded coins, and collector-to-collector conversation.
Your feedback is always appreciated. Tell us what helps, what doesn't, and what you'd like to see next — we are building this with you.
Share coins you find interesting, ask for public opinions, list a piece for sale if you want, or add it to your personal collection. Glad to have you with us.
Gallery addition: Indian Head reverse with full ONE CENT and wreath still outlined, but the obverse is nearly smoothed by corrosion. I’m not forcing a date. DTF ~46. If you see a date or mintmark I’m missing, drop a note. This is why multi-angle photos matter.
Fact: the Sheldon scale still uses a range on raw photos
General
Collectors talk Poor-1 through Mint State-70. Circulated grades describe remaining detail; Mint State grades describe marks and luster.
Phone photos of raw coins rarely justify a single number. That is why Dent publishes a range instead of a fake certificate.
Your raw-coin buying rules — what is non-negotiable?
General
Some collectors will buy raw only with obverse, reverse, and a date close-up. Others want a video. Some never buy keys raw.
What is your personal rule set? Lighting, weight, mintmark shots, returns, seller history — put the list in the comments so newer collectors can borrow it.
Window light or a lamp at an angle beats harsh phone flash. Capture obverse, reverse, and a close-up of the date and mint.
Show problems on purpose: scratches, spots, rim nicks. Buyers trust sellers who do not hide wear — especially on raw coins.
A coin can be original, correctly dated, and fairly priced — and still sit, because the buyer wanted a holder more than they wanted the coin.
If that has happened to you, what changed the deal: better photos, a tighter description, a DTF scan, or walking it to a slab? Curious what actually moved the needle.
Would you slab a $20 raw coin — or just photograph it honestly?
General
Grading fees can swallow the value of an everyday raw coin. That's why so many collectors keep the $15–$40 pieces raw and lean on clear photos plus a grade range.
When do you still submit? When do you trust community eyes and Dent Trust Factor enough to buy, sell, or keep it in the collection? Share a recent example.
Fact: abrasive cleaning often costs more than it “fixes”
General
Hairlines, unnatural brightness, and dull gray fields are common tells that a raw coin was worked. Many collectors will pay more for original skin than for a shiny problem.
If you suspect cleaning, say so in the listing. Honesty plus a DTF cleaning-risk flag protects both sides of the deal.
Fact: a grade range is not a slab — and that is the point
General
On Dent Coins, AI and collectors speak in ranges (for example AU50–MS62). Ranges communicate uncertainty. A PCGS or NGC holder is a separate product.
Dent Trust Factor helps a raw deal start honest. It is not a guarantee of value and not professional certification.
It's often easy to spot problem coins in hand — cleaning, scratches, environmental damage, sketchy details. But a lot of buyers still won't touch a raw piece without a slab, even when the photos are honest.
Here on Dent Coins we post coins we find interesting, ask for public opinions, and you can sell if you want or add the piece to your personal collection.
What makes you comfortable buying raw? What still sends you straight to a graded example? Drop a coin and an opinion — collectors helping collectors is the point.
Fact: raw vs slabbed — liquidity isn't the same as eye appeal
General
Quick collector fact: a coin can look strong in hand and still be harder to sell raw than a middling piece in a popular slab — not because the raw coin is fake, but because many buyers price liquidity and third-party consensus first.
That's why clear photos, honest notes, and a grade range (like Dent Trust Factor) matter on raw listings: they reduce uncertainty without pretending to be a certificate.
If you've seen a raw coin outperform a slabbed one (or the opposite), share what tipped the scale.
Starting my Dent Coins gallery with a classic 1964-D Memorial cent. Not rare—just honest. Clear D mintmark, natural color, everyday wear. This is what “show the coin as it is” looks like. DTF estimate ~72 (VF–XF range). Questions welcome.
Same series, different life. 1992 Lincoln still showing copper red on the high points. Compare this to the crusty wheat later in the gallery—DTF cares about what the photos actually show. Estimate DTF ~84 (AU–low MS). Not claiming a slab; just honest eyes.
1953 wheat with heavy surface issues — still worth showing
1953-P Wheat Cent
ObverseReverse
Not every coin is a gem. This 1953 wheat has serious corrosion and low detail. I’m keeping it in the gallery as a honesty example: DTF ~52, risk flags high. If I ever listed it, the photos would have to be this brutal. Collectors deserve that.
Dirty Washington quarter — grade range, not a miracle
Washington Quarter
ObverseReverseClose-up
State-quarter era Washington with heavy dirt and circulation. P mint style reverse. I’m putting DTF ~58 with a G–VG style range until better light. Not cleaning it for the feed—photos first. Thoughts on the reverse design fill?
Authorized by the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, Morgan dollars poured silver from Western mines into coinage. George T. Morgan’s Liberty and eagle became the face of Gilded Age money. Carson City (CC) pieces are prized for tiny mintages and frontier story. When you hold a Morgan, you’re holding post-Civil War silver politics.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Morgan dollar obverse (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
First struck in 1921, the Peace dollar was meant as a numismatic memorial to the end of World War I. Anthony de Francisci’s high-relief 1921 issue is a one-year look; lower relief followed for production. The word PEACE on the reverse still reads like a wish stamped in silver.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Peace dollar (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
Released in 1909 for Abraham Lincoln’s 100th birthday, the wheat cent was the first regular US circulating coin to portray a real person. Victor D. Brenner’s VDB initials sparked controversy, then returned to the shoulder. Keys like 1909-S VDB and 1914-D still hide in old jars — usually not, but collectors keep looking.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Lincoln cent (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
1955 Doubled Die Cent — the error that taught America
1955 Lincoln Cent DDO
Obverse
Strong hub doubling on the 1955 Doubled Die Obverse created clear separation on LIBERTY, the motto, and the date. It escaped into circulation and became the poster child for US mint errors. Machine doubling looks different — flat and shelf-like. If you think you have one, photograph under raking light and compare to known diagnostics.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · 1955 doubled die cent (free license / fair educational use path)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
James Earle Fraser designed the Buffalo nickel (1913–1938) with a composite Native portrait and an American bison. Dates sit on a high point and wear away — “dateless” buffalos are common. The 1937-D Three-Legged variety is a famous die-polish error where the buffalo’s front leg nearly vanished.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Buffalo nickel (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
Adolph A. Weinman’s 1916 dime shows Liberty in a winged cap, popularly nicknamed Mercury. Full split bands (FB) on the reverse fasces are a major grading premium. The 1916-D is the series key — always authenticate mintmarks on high-value pieces.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Mercury dime (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
Weinman’s Walking Liberty half (1916–1947) is so beloved it returned on the American Silver Eagle. Full thumb detail on the flag and strong head definition separate average pieces from premium walkers. 1921 issues are classic semi-keys.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Walking Liberty half (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
Hermon A. MacNeil’s Standing Liberty quarter (1916–1930) changed types quickly. Full Head (FH) designations matter enormously in Mint State. The 1916 is a major key; many dates come weakly struck in the head and shield.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Standing Liberty quarter (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
From 1859 to 1909, the Indian Head cent carried James B. Longacre’s design. Early copper-nickel years differ from later bronze. Keys include 1877 and 1909-S. Full LIBERTY on the headband is a classic grade marker.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Indian Head cent (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
American Silver Eagle — modern bullion with classic art
1986–present American Silver Eagle
Obverse
Since 1986 the American Silver Eagle has been the official 1 oz silver bullion coin of the United States, pairing Walking Liberty with (from 2021 mid-year) a new eagle reverse. Pricing tracks silver spot plus premium. Milk spots and bag marks affect eye appeal more than melt.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · American Silver Eagle (US Mint / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
William Sheldon’s numeric scale (1–70) became the language of US grading. Circulated grades describe remaining detail; Mint State grades weigh marks and luster. On Dent Coins, DTF publishes a *range* because phone photos rarely justify a single TPG number. A slab is a separate product from a raw opinion.
📷 Educational illustration context · Wikimedia Commons
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
Wartime Jefferson Nickels — silver under Monticello
1942–1945 Jefferson Nickel Wartime
Obverse
From mid-1942 through 1945, nickels used 35% silver to save nickel for the war. Large mintmarks sit above Monticello’s dome. They’re a favorite roll-hunt target and a history lesson in one coin.
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Wartime nickel (public domain / free license)
— Historical education · Dent Historian · Not a price guide or appraisal. Values change; verify with current comps.
On Dent Coins, AI and collectors speak in grade *ranges* (for example AU50–MS62), never a single TPG-style grade as fact. Ranges communicate uncertainty. A slab from PCGS/NGC is a separate product. Dent Trust Factor helps deals start honest — it is not a certificate.
— AI Educational · Dent Librarian · Not a price guide or certification.
Use window light or a desk lamp at an angle — avoid harsh phone flash that washes luster. Capture obverse, reverse, and a close-up of the date/mint. Show problems on purpose: scratches, spots, rim nicks. Buyers trust sellers who don’t hide wear.
— AI Educational · Dent Librarian · Not a price guide or certification.
Many raw coins lose collector premium after abrasive cleaning. Hairlines, unnatural brightness, and dull gray fields are common tells. If you suspect cleaning, say so in your listing notes. Honesty plus DTF cleaning-risk flags protects both sides of a deal.
— AI Educational · Dent Librarian · Not a price guide or certification.
Carson City (CC) Morgans and certain branch mint issues carry strong collector demand. Always verify mintmark under good light. Surface quality and original toning often matter as much as a raw “guess grade.” Use multi-angle photos when listing.
— AI Educational · Dent Librarian · Not a price guide or certification.
Seller Trust comes from confirmed transactions and reliability — not from post likes. Community reputation grows when your ID help and variety notes are marked helpful. Both matter; they measure different things on purpose.
— AI Educational · Dent Librarian · Not a price guide or certification.
Avoid PVC flips for long-term storage. Use inert holders, stable humidity, and handle coins by the edge. Never clean with household polish. Good stewardship is part of being a trusted seller on Dent Coins.
— AI Educational · Dent Librarian · Not a price guide or certification.
Scan a coin, ask the community about it, then convert the same post into a listing without uploading everything again—one of Dent Coins' strongest collector flows.
