A numismatically worthless coin is one that is worthless to a coin collector, or numismatist. A classic example of numismatically worthless coins are the colorized Obama coins that came onto the market in very large numbers when Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. When the surface of a genuine coin is altered in any way by colorizing, adding decals, or plating in gold, silver, or other metals, the coin is no longer a collectible coin from the numismatic standpoint. Coin that have their original surfaces, unmarred by any post-Mint processes, are highly prized by collectors. The colorization and plating processes destroy these pristine surfaces.
See also: Colorized coins

