thisisvictor

Thanks ccg for the Newfoundland suggestion. I indeed saw it when I was checking ebay, though I wasn't sure its association with the "mainstream" Canadian 50 cents. Some coinage websites mentioned the 1908 AG-3 can go as low as $3, though in ebay it's roughly $15 each, which seems more reasonable... I do like the back design of this coin, reminds me of the Mucha flurry style. By the way, I understand that that $1 is nicknamed "Loonie" and $2 is nicknamed "Toonie". Is there one for the 50 cents? Will "half dollar" make sense? Just wonder if there is a good story behind I can use.

Thanks wabnoles for the informative reply. I also think that the melt value is a good base value indicator, since it doesn't make sense if one would get less than the price of the material. The "Buy it Now" method is a smart idea. Interesting thing is many of the sites for coinage price only have a calculator for post-1920 50cents. This is where I end up looking: http://www.ngccoin.com/priceguide/Coin-Melt-Values.aspx?MeltCategoryID=4&BaseMetal=World-Silver-Coin Not sure if it's accurate but looks like it.

Hello everyone. My name is Victor. I'm not a coin collector but I have a number of very old coins... because I use them for coin magic I like the feel and weigh of silver coins and I have been using US half dollars. Recently I'm residing in Canada and would like to get hold of some "local" coins of a similar size. I found out that the 50 cents pieces from 1908 to 1919 are my best options because of the silver composition and their sizes. Because I'll be using them I prefer circulated or worn coins (we call them "soft coins" because they don't make a sound when being rubbed together), which interestingly is harder to find as most places are selling well-preserved coins. I wonder if there are places (online stores) where I can find those coins at a good price, and what price should I be expecting. I'm hoping I can spend a few dollars for each as I don't need pristine conditions and any specific year. After some internet search I figured I'd be happy with the VG grade (or even lower) as long as there are no visible dents at the rim. Details are not very important to me but some patina would be nice (to give out an authentic look of a coin). Thank you very much for your help. -victor