Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 9/22/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hi Dmitry,

I recently found several WWII era foreign coins inside my grandmother's cedar chest.  The coins were inside a WWII soldier's cloth wallet / pouch and look like they've never been touched since the war.

One of the coins is a 1942 New Zealand sixpence with what "appears" to be the letters "KC" on the reverse .. located underneath the bird's feet.

The coin is VERY detailed and still quite shiny .. King George's hair is extremely detailed, as well as the fine lines on the feathers of the bird. Though the coin was circulated with my untrained "eye" the coin looks almost brand new.

I would like to sell it.  Can you tell me something about it and if it has any value?

I have attached photos ..  please excuse my poor photography.

With Kind Regards,
Janet

ANSWER: Hi Janet,
Nice find!
Not only does the coin appear to be near mint condition, it's also one of the key dates from this series with much higher values than other dates (except for 1941).
If the other side is no worse than this side, the coin would likely grade in the AU (almost uncirculated) range. It's a little tricky though. Retail value would be in the $100 range, but if sold on eBay or a similar auction venue, is likely to sell for around half of that.
It's hard to make out how strong the luster is from the photo, but one I sold some months back with strong luster went for a little under $70 on eBay.
If willing to spend anther $20-$25 to have the coin certified and graded by a reputable company, such as NGC or PCGS, the values will be double.
Thanks for the question! =)

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

QUESTION: Not another question but just wanted to show you the REVERSE side of the coin  ..  tho my photos don't do it justice.  The coin is still very clean, brilliant and shiny. Wish I could sell it for $50 without having to think about Ebay.  I'm a little afraid of Ebay as I've never sold anything there and would be sure to "goof" it up!  Perhaps a local coin shop or pawn shop will be interested.

Thanks again for your response!

Answer
A local coin dealer would likely be interested, though many of them try to buy coins for silver value. Now that you know it's worth much more than silver value, ask for $75 and take no less than $45 (which is what you would get after fees if you sold it on ebay for $50).
Thanks again! =)