The Coin Room

Welcome to Dent Coins — thank you for joining

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.

What did you keep that nobody else understood?

I kept a smooth buffalo nickel because it was the first coin my uncle set in my hand. No date left. People tell me to spend it. I won't. What did you keep for a reason that isn't on a price list?

Cardboard flips sticking to the coin

Two of my flips have the clear window stuck to the coin, like humidity got in. I am scared to peel it. Has this happened to you, and did you get the coin free without marks?

A new collector thinks every wheat cent is rare

A neighbor kid showed me a 1958 wheat cent like it was a museum piece. I don't want to crush him. How do you tell the truth and still keep the spark?

Is roll hunting still a good evening?

I picked up a few cent rolls from the bank because I missed the feeling of searching. Most of it was ordinary. Is a quiet night of ordinary rolls still worth it to you, or has that hobby moved on?

Designs you never get tired of looking at

Reference photo, obverse of an old Liberty half eagle. Not for sale. I don't own one. I just like the face and the way the hair is cut. Which design do you never get tired of, even if you only get to look at pictures?

A large cent with a hole in it

I have an old large cent with a small hole near the edge, like it was worn as a charm. I almost set it aside as ruined. Does a hole take a coin out of your collection, or is the hole the story?

Write on the flip, or keep a notebook?

I have been writing the date on the flip and it looks messy. A notebook stays neat but then the coin and the note get separated. What do you do when you want to remember where a coin came from?

A mint you never get tired of

Reference photo of a New Orleans Morgan. Not for sale. I can look at an O mint dollar longer than a flashy one. Is there a mint or a series you never get tired of, even when the date is common?

World coins mixed into a United States jar

My uncle's jar is mostly Lincoln cents, then a few Canadian coins, a peso, and something with a hole. I don't know the countries well. Do you pull the world coins out, or leave a mixed jar mixed?

Weak dates on Liberty nickels

Reference photo of a Liberty Head nickel reverse, so you can see the type. Not for sale. The date on the one I have is weak unless I tilt it. I can still read it in a raking light. How do you enjoy a worn date without trying to make it sharper?

A steel cent that feels sticky

I have a 1943 steel cent that feels slightly sticky, like it lived in a bag with something else. I don't want to polish it. Is sticky a reason to worry, or just a reason to rehome it?

Phone photos of coins at night

I only get time to photograph coins after the kids are in bed. The kitchen light turns everything yellow. How do you take a fair phone photo at night without a setup?

What a Carson City coin means to you

Reference photo of a Carson City Morgan, National Numismatic Collection. Not my coin and not for sale. I keep coming back to CC pieces because the mint feels like a place, not just a letter. What does a Carson City coin mean to you?

Worried about soft flips and green film

A few of my older silver dimes sit in soft flips that feel oily. I have read about green film and now I am afraid to open the box. What do you check first?

Old flips on a common Morgan

Reference photo of a 1921 Morgan, the common Philadelphia kind. Not a coin anyone is selling here. The cardboard flip on mine is tired and the staple is rusty. Do you move a coin that has lived in one flip for years, or leave it?

Album or flips for a kid who just started

My daughter wants a penny album. I also have a box of cardboard flips. Which one feels kinder for a kid who mostly wants to hold the coins and show her friends?

A muddy cent from the garden

I turned up an old cent in the garden. It has dirt in the letters. Someone told me to rinse it. I haven't touched it. What do you all do with a coin that still has the ground on it?

Grandpa's wheat cents are still in the coffee can

My grandfather left a coffee can of wheat cents. I want to look through them, but I also don't want to dump the can out and lose the way he kept them. Do you sort a family can, or leave it together?

Recent Pickup

1964-D Lincoln — foundation of the portfolio

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.

New Discovery

1992 Lincoln with leftover red

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

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.

Identification Help

Indian Head cent — date hard to read, need eyes

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.

Grade Opinion

Dirty Washington quarter — grade range, not a miracle

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?