What is the difference between FACE Value and TOTAL Value ?

Face Value is what a coin or collection of coins is/are worth as money when used in financial transactions, such as a making purchases or depositing money into the bank. Three quarters have a face value of 75¢.

Total Value is what a coin or collection of coins is/are worth when the collectible value and precious metal value are taken into account above and beyond the coins’ face value. Those same three quarters mentioned above could be worth $25+ in precious metal content alone, depending on years and conditions.

Can Total Value ever be less than Face Value ?

Nope! That’s the beauty of coins and currency - no matter their condition or collectible value, they are always worth AT LEAST Face Value!!

What does Numismatic mean?

It’s a fancy word for coin collecting. Technically, it is “the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals, and related objects.”

What about those big green coin counting machines at the store? Why shouldn’t I just take my coins there?

Coin counting services like the ones you see in grocery and big-box stores do seem like an attractive option until you start digging into the details.

If you want cash back, Coinstar** charges a transaction fee of up to $0.99 and an additional “service fee” of up to 12.9% of the face value of your coins.***

And while many commercial coin-counting services do offer some no-fee options, the potential for extracting extra value from your coins disappears once they go into the machine.

Can’t I take my coins to a bank or credit union to be counted at no cost?

Maybe. Some banks and credit unions do offer free coin counting and deposit services for individual account holders, while others reserve coins services for business account holders or charge a fee to individuals.

More importantly, though, like with commercial coin counting services, you lose the potential for the extra value from the coins once they go back into circulation.

** Coinstar and its associated logo are trademarks of Coinstar Asset Holdings, LLC and are not affiliated in any way with Community Coins Cville.

*** Fee information pulled from https://www.coinstar.com/GetCash on 10-21-2025