Expert: Bruce Goldstein - 1/10/2008

Question
How much is a post-Civil War 1870 3-Cent Piece with a rotated-reverse error worth?

Answer
I'm guessing you're talking about a three cent nickel (3CN) (with the head of Liberty on the front)...right?  The silver version of these coins (with a six pointed star on one side and big "C" on the other) are rare.

An 1870 3CN, depending on condition, is worth anywhere from $13-$50 if circulate and considerably more if uncirculated.  A middle of the road condition coin that still has some detail left is worth about $20-$25+.  The rotated reverse doesn't necessarily bring a large premium, if any.  If the reverse has dramatic rotation, such as 90 or 180 degrees, there may be a slight premium depending on who you sell it to.  Most dealers will likely not pay a premium for that.  However, if you target the collector community, through a medium like eBay you might see a few extra dollars.  If you can visit an internet coin forum such as CoinCommunity.com and provide decent pictures of both sides of the coin you can get some very good opinions on exact grade and value.