Estate cleanouts and home renovations across the Lone Star State often turn up unexpected surprises. Behind walls, inside old furniture, and tucked into forgotten drawers, Texans routinely discover collections of old coins their relatives accumulated over decades. If you’ve recently found yourself holding a handful of tarnished dimes, dusty silver dollars, or mysterious gold pieces, you’re not alone. And those coins might be worth far more than you think.
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The Silver Sitting in Your Sock Drawer
Here is a fact that surprises most people: any U.S. dime, quarter, or half dollar minted in 1964 or earlier contains 90% silver. The U.S. Mint stopped producing silver coins for regular circulation after 1964 due to rising silver commodity costs. Before that change, silver coins circulated freely, and many Texans simply saved them in jars, coffee cans, and cigar boxes.
A single pre-1965 quarter contains about 0.18 troy ounces of silver. With silver trading at over $50 per troy ounce as of late 2025, that quarter you found in your grandmother’s jewelry box holds roughly $9 in metal value alone. A roll of 40 old quarters could be worth $360 just for the silver content. Rare dates, mint marks, and good condition can push values much higher.
Many families throughout Austin, Dallas, Houston, and smaller Texas communities have discovered inherited coin collections during estate settlements. Before selling or discarding any old coins, it pays to have them evaluated by a professional Austin Coin Buyers specializes in helping Texas residents understand what their inherited coins are actually worth, providing honest assessments without the pressure tactics common at pawn shops.
Gold Coins: Rare Finds With Real Value
Texas has a deep connection to gold coinage. The U.S. Mint produced gold coins for circulation from 1795 until 1933, when President Roosevelt recalled most gold coins to stabilize the economy during the Great Depression. Many Americans, including Texans, kept their gold coins hidden rather than turning them in.
These pre-1933 gold coins now carry both bullion value and collector premiums. A common $20 Double Eagle from the early 1900s contains nearly one full troy ounce of gold. With gold prices hitting record highs above $4,200 per troy ounce in late 2025, even common-date gold coins command strong prices. Rarer dates and mint marks from facilities like the New Orleans Mint (which closed in 1909) or the Carson City Mint in Nevada can multiply that value several times over.
The Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg currently displays a collection of gold coins that were buried by a country doctor named Jose Garcia around the 1890s. His family discovered the coins decades later, and those pieces from the 1830s onward carry combined values potentially reaching into the millions. While most attic discoveries won’t match that scale, the story shows how gold coins have been quietly preserved across Texas for generations.
Republic of Texas Currency: A Collector’s Dream
Texas declared independence in 1836 and operated as an independent republic until joining the United States in 1845. During those years, the Republic of Texas authorized the issuance of its own currency. The Texas Constitution granted Congress the authority to mint gold and silver coins. Due to the scarcity of precious metals at the time, actual coins were never produced. Instead, the Republic issued promissory notes called “Star Money” in denominations from $1 to $500.
Surviving examples of Republic of Texas currency are extremely rare and highly prized by collectors. If you discover any old paper money with “Republic of Texas” markings during a home cleanout, handle it carefully and seek professional evaluation immediately. These pieces represent a unique chapter in Texas history and can carry significant value.
How to Handle Inherited Coins
Finding a collection of old coins can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already managing an estate. Here is a straightforward approach that protects your interests.
Do not clean the coins. This point cannot be stressed enough. Cleaning coins with household products destroys their original surface and can reduce their value by 50% or more. Collectors pay premiums for coins with original, undisturbed surfaces. Even coins that look dirty or tarnished should remain exactly as you found them.
Separate by metal type. Group gold coins separately from silver coins, and keep copper coins apart from both. Look at the edge of quarters and dimes. Silver coins have a solid silver edge, while modern clad coins show a copper stripe. This quick visual check helps you sort efficiently.
Check the dates. For silver coins, 1964 and earlier is the cutoff. Kennedy half dollars from 1965 through 1970 contain 40% silver. Anything from 1971 onward is typically clad copper-nickel with no precious metal content.
Look for key dates and mint marks. Some coins worth checking closely include Mercury dimes from 1916 through 1945 (especially 1916-D), Standing Liberty quarters from 1916 to 1930, and Morgan silver dollars from any year. The small letter on your coin indicates where it was minted: D for Denver, S for San Francisco, O for New Orleans, and CC for Carson City. Coins with no mint mark came from Philadelphia.
Leave coins in their original holders. If coins are already stored in albums, tubes, flips, or certified slabs, keep them that way. These holders protect the coins and can indicate that a previous owner identified them as having special value.
Understanding Coin Values
Coin values depend on multiple factors working together. Let’s break it down.
Metal content provides a baseline. A pre-1965 dime contains about 0.072 troy ounces of silver. Multiply that by the current spot price to get the melt value. Gold coins work similarly, though many carry collector premiums well above their metal content.
Rarity comes from mintage numbers and survival rates. The San Francisco Mint, for example, produced smaller quantities of certain dates, making those coins harder to find. The Carson City Mint operated for only about two decades and produced limited quantities, making any CC-marked coin worth examining closely.
Condition dramatically affects value. Collectors grade coins on a 70-point scale, where 1 represents a barely identifiable coin and 70 represents a flawless specimen. The difference between a coin grading 40 and one grading 65 can mean thousands of dollars on scarcer dates.
Demand fluctuates with collector interest and market trends. Morgan silver dollars, for instance, remain perennially popular. Texas collectors often seek coins connected to the state’s history, including issues from the New Orleans Mint and early U.S. gold coins that circulated in the region.
The Texas Connection to American Coinage
Texas has played a larger role in American numismatic history than most people realize. Dallas served as home to some of the most significant coin collections ever assembled. The Harry W. Bass collection, sold at auction between 1999 and 2001, contained the most comprehensive date and variety set of Liberty Head gold coins ever put together. The Amon Carter collection, sold in 1984, included an 1794 silver dollar believed to be the first silver dollar ever struck.
Before Texas joined the Union, Spanish colonial coins, Mexican currency, and early American gold all circulated throughout the region. Families who settled Texas in the 1800s sometimes passed down coins from these eras through multiple generations. Estate cleanouts in older Texas homes occasionally turn up pieces from this period, connecting current residents to centuries of monetary history.
Why Professional Evaluation Matters
Online price guides and auction results can give you a general idea of coin values, but they often create confusion. A coin might sell for $500 in one auction and $50 in another, depending on subtle differences in condition that only experienced eyes can detect.
Professional coin buyers evaluate pieces in person, checking for cleaning, repairs, alterations, and authenticity issues that photographs cannot reveal. They understand the current market and know which coins have active buyer demand. This expertise prevents both overvaluation (leading to disappointment) and undervaluation (leading to loss).
When choosing someone to evaluate your coins, look for established businesses with verifiable track records. Avoid anyone who pressures you into immediate decisions or offers to buy without proper examination. Legitimate dealers welcome questions and provide clear explanations for their valuations.
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Next Steps for Your Discovery
Whether you’ve found a handful of old quarters in a dresser drawer or boxes of coins in an attic, taking the right steps protects your interests. Start by securing the coins in a safe location away from moisture and temperature extremes. Document what you have with photographs and basic descriptions. Then reach out to a reputable local buyer for evaluation.
Gold prices have reached historic levels in 2025, making this an opportune time for anyone holding gold coins. Silver has also performed strongly, pushing up values for common pre-1965 coins that once traded near melt value. Market conditions favor sellers who act with knowledge rather than haste.
Texas families have been discovering hidden coins for as long as the state has existed. From the gold pieces buried by country doctors to the silver dimes saved in coffee cans, these coins tell stories of previous generations who understood the lasting value of precious metals. If you’ve joined that tradition through an unexpected discovery, take the time to learn what you have. Those old coins might be more than memories. They might be treasures.
