Expert: Brad Swain - 1/2/2010

Question
I have a Canadian coin, one side says "One Cent 1903".
The other side has silhouette of male with crown and around the edges it reads:  EDWARDVS  VII  DEI GRATIA REX IMPERATOR.  The "e %26 n" in the word cent are worn down more than any other area.  Coin is tarnished, or dirty.  Don't want to wash for fear of losing value.

What is it worth?  Any help would be appreciated.

Answer
Hi Paula, There were 4 million of these minted that year featuring British King Edward VII (1901-10). The abbreviated Latin legend stands for 'By the Grace of God, King and Emperor'.
Collector value may be worth about $1 with heavy wear to around $3 with moderate wear to maybe $6 with light wear.
Cleaning coins that leaves them shiny or scratched, even if only by looking with a magnifying glass, will reduce a coin's value by at least half.
You might try Ebay.com for similar pieces for comparison.
You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
Brad