Any coin experts (or semi-experts) here?

[bbernardini]

NOTE: I'm not trying to sell this to anybody here. Just looking for info.

Found this coin among some other miscellaneous stuff. Never seen anything like it before, and can't seem to find any evidence of its existence online. Didn't know if it actually had any valuable metals in it. Thoughts?

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[NV Whino]

1. It's a commemorative coin

and unless it is gold,or there were a very limited number produce, it's not worth much. You might try looking up commemorative coins.

[FarLeftRage]

2. It's a copper or bronze medal

Looks like it commemorates the Big Bonanza silver mine, that supplied much of the silver used to mint the silver coins of the U.S. Mint at Carson City, Nevada during the 1870's & 1880's...

Probably worth no more than a couple dollars.

[sarge43]

3. Nevada was admitted to the Union 1864

"Battle Born" is one of its mottoes

So, may be a centennial commemorative

[pitohui]

4. looks like it was a commemorative issued by bonanza casino in virginia city

it may or may not have any "valuable" metals, i have similar comm. coins issued in the 1990s in mississippi from the grand casinos and magic casinos -- they were gold plate over silver, silver was of little value then, alas your coin may be base metal and hence forever worthless

i'm not saying for sure this is where your coin came from but aren't you often in atlantic city? get in touch w. someone who knows their gambling memorabilia there and they can prob. give you some clues -- got to be someone in your area who knows this "stuff"

i don't know the current spot price for silver but IF it's an ounce of silver it's probably worth around $17 an ounce for melt weight...

you could also try asking around coin/gambling memorabilia dealers in the nevada area, esp. northern nevada

i myself have not been to virginia city, but there's def. a "bonanza" casino there, i just cheated and googled it!

:-)

if it was similar to the mississippi model, then the coins were distributed as gifts to VIP/frequent gamblers and/or placed in slot machines where you could (for a temporary amt of time) choose to keep the coin or turn it in for say $10 -- at the time an ounce of silver was way less than $10!!!! WAY LESS, early/mid 90s is what i'm talking abt where MY coins come from

alas, i also have some ugly base metal commemoratives issued by harrah's entertainment later in the century, they are worth about zip and never will be worth anything...

so see where/when the coin was issued and how much if any silver it contains under the plating

my "guess" is that after ebaying it, you'd make a buck or two after shipping and fees -- prob. not worth the trouble