Roll Market Mixed

Mixed bag for roll market during past year
11/28/2005
By Mark Ferguson
COIN VALUES Market Analyst

Prices for rolls have been mixed during the past year. Some have dropped a little in value, while a few others have soared. Uncirculated coins, and even common Proof coins, are collected by rolls, as are some circulated issues. Values for most circulated rolls, like Indian Head cents, Indian Head 5-cent coins and Standing Liberty quarter dollars, have remained steady. But other circulated rolls, like Morgan and Peace silver dollars, have increased by about 10 to 15 percent.

Most values for rolls of common-date Uncirculated silver dollars have remained virtually the same during the past year, with some rising by $10 or so for a $500 roll. Keep in mind that most silver dollars rolls have been picked through for grades that may be Mint State 64 or higher, with lower-grade replacements made for coins taken out. A good way to spot a "put together" roll is to look at the edges of all the coins, and those that stand out with a different look are typically replacements.

A couple of Morgan dollar dates have increased in value substantially, like the 1882-O, which has grown from about a $500 wholesale roll to about $600. The 1898-O Morgan dollar roll has also increased from about $475 wholesale to about $575. While, undoubtedly, a few hoards of Uncirculated bags of silver dollars are still stashed away, destined to be broken up into singles and rolls, the days of that happening on a routine basis are long gone.

Uncirculated rolls of Philadelphia and Denver strikes of State Quarter dollars can be purchased for roughly $15 to $20, with a few selling a little higher, but roughly the same as a year ago. However, a few higher-priced issues have dropped by about $10 per roll, such as the Philadelphia Mint 2000 South Carolina and 2002 Tennessee quarter dollars, now selling to collectors for about $25 and $30 each, respectively.

On the other hand, some of the San Francisco Mint Proof State Quarter dollars, especially some of the silver issues, have grown in price significantly. About a year ago, rolls of the Proof 1999-S State silver quarter dollars were selling to collectors for about $1,200 to $1,400, but now cost about $1,400 to $1,600, with one exception. The first coin of the series, the Proof 1999-S Delaware silver quarter dollar, has soared to just less than $2,000 per roll.

Similarly, a roll of any of the five Proof 2001-S copper-nickel clad quarter dollars has tripled in price from about $85 a year ago to almost $250 today!