Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 2/2/2010

Question
QUESTION: I found Leopold 1844 silver 1/4 franc , and i want to know more about this coin . I searched the internet , but I can't find much information on this coin , except it's scarce and has some collectors demanding . What you can tell me about the numbers of coins minted this year and what is the value ? Thank you !

ANSWER: Hi Vlad,
Your Belgian coin is indeed from a scarce series, though this is the most common date. The mintage for this year is 966,000. This is low by US standards, but it is the highest for any year for this specific type (made from 1834 to 1844). For reference, this coin is made of .835 purity silver and should weigh right around 1.25 grams.
Value depends very much on condition. A well used coin starts at $5 to $10, while one with minimal signs of wear sells in the $60 to $100 range. Mint condition coins are scarce and sell for $200 to $300 depending on the amount of original luster.
If you would like to post a follow-up question and include a clear picture of the coin, I can give you more specific information on the grade and value of your coin.
Thanks for the question! =)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the answer ! I did some additional research and found a French website ( cgb.fr ) that said of the original 966,000 only about 518,452 survived . I will include picture of the coin .

Answer
Hi again Vlad,
Thanks for that bit of information. It is not surprising at all, since many nations have resorted to melting a previous years coin reserves to cope with materials shortages.
The coin appears to be all original and a mid-grade example. A good auction estimate would be $20 to $30.
Thanks again! =)