Expert: Brad Swain - 3/20/2010

Question
I recently found a coin, on the front it says, regina fd + elizabeth II dei gratia, on the back it says one penny,,,1967, its dirty but in pretty good condition, not sure if its copper or gold, please help.  thanks Jeannie

Answer
Hi Jeannie, There were 654.6 million of these bronze British pennies minted that last year of the design and it features Queen Elizabeth II (1952-) on one side and on the other side is the allegorical figure of Britannia with shield and a trident which symbolizes Britain's mastery of the seas and worldwide empire. The abbreviated Latin legend stands for By the Grace of God, Ruler and Queen of Britain, Defender of the Faith. It may be worth about .20 with that amount of 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 also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
Brad