Coin Collection Values of OLD coins
 

I was curious if there were any coin collectors out there, or some with some knowledge / advice.

My Mom was just cleaning out her Safety Deposit Box, and said "here, you can have these.........."


I just received Lots and LOTS of old old old US and Canadian coins, uncircultated coin sets, uncirculated paper bills. So many I don't even know how to start counting them all. Or assessing their value.


Oldest coin I've found is 1809, cents/half-cents, several mid 1800's, misc Liberty silver dollars, Kennedy 1964 Silver 50 cent pieces, Wheat Pennies, Bufallo nickles, Un-circulated coin sets from the 1960's 1970's, 1980's.............you get the idea. Paper Currency of all ages and denomination, some uncirculated, oldest bill is 1917 and I haven't even really dug through them all yet. Some Postage Stamps and Foriegn currency too.


To be honest, I'm over-whelmed. Yeah I can go out to Ebay to get a market idea, but I really need to get these accurately valued by a coin collector or buyer.


this calls for professionals...............hence, grins, why I turn to Pelicanites first.




I'm very hesitant to go into a pawn shop / gold buying / coin shop in town, or at least if I do, I have to build some trust and "relationship" with them at a repuatable professional firm.

I'm not going to just dump 100-200 misc coins on their counter and say I'll be back in a couple days. Man I almost need an inventory system or check list saying "this is what I dropped off" give every one back or make me a fair offer.

Or just do several small batches at a time, so nothing goes "missing", or sit down with the store manager for 1-2 hours at a time and go piece by piece?



I guess its sort of like selling Baseball cards, I have several shoe boxes worth, but don't know if someones rookie card is worth 5 cents, 50 cents, $5, or $50+?


It's amazing what the pelican brain trust can provide with advice and wisdom.

what do you all suggest on how to handle this situation? I've got a lot of inventory to process, and this old currency should be appreciated by someone, a collector, or just sold off for rare coin market value, and not just stored in my safety deposit box at the bank gathering dust.


THANKS, this simply just isn't my field or area of interest or expertise.


SmileWavy
SmileWavy
SmileWavy

There are lots of books that contain price lists. Stop by pretty much any book store and pick one up. They should probably only be used as a rough guideline, but should tell you if you're looking at a coin worth 50¢ or potentially $50

wide buy vs sell values in shops

avoid the gold buyer they want to pay scrap value
and any old usa / can coin is worth way over scrap x2 or x3

dates are the key as is mint mark and condition

pick up a coin value book
price numbers are off but it will clue you to whats rare

for real rare valuable coin a PRO GRADE is worth the money

Yup, books and some generic websites give a book value, but honestly I don't know the differnce between Good, Very Good, Very Very Good conditions, and then some coins from one Mint, say Denver, is maybe worth double what another is worth.

I honestly don't have the time to look every single coin/bill up in a book,

I guess regarldess of age, a $20 dollar bill, will always be worth $20............

Disagree on this one. The old 1928 "Gold certificate" $20 bills are worth quite a bit more than face value... I have several...

Most older silver dollars are worth at least $50 if not more.

The older coins are well worth saving and Fleabay should give you a good idea of what they are worth...

gold certs far more then silver cert bills

rare mint marks like CC or O

any book will have condition grade values charts
grades matter have any high value coins PRO graded

mint sets are VALUABLE as are UNCERK mint coins

dealer auctions ?

Selling Coins - How to Get the Best Price

Current Melt Value Of Coins - How Much Is Your Coin Worth?

PCGS The Standard for the Rare Coin Industry

Recently sold a 1833 quarter, 1848 dime, and 1867 nickle on a gun forum for $75 including insured shipping. They were in what is apparently called "Good" condition, buyer was happy as was I.

Do the coins change value with the value of the underlying material or are they far enough above that they don't change from day to day?

It can be worth your while to look up current prices of coins.

This will give you a rough idea of what the coins are worth......selling them for the listed price is another kettle of fish.

There should be no rush so take your time.

Peace Dollars - US Coin Prices and Values

I found myself in a similar situation a few years back. Like in most things, knowledge is power.

It depends:rolleyes:

Silver coins are worth around 25-30 (or a lot more) times their face value. A 20$ gold double eagle (one oz)is somewhere north of $4-5K depending on condition.
If you really want to get an idea, punch up that link I posted.
Coins have a huge following on evilbay.

If RHeap has liberty silver dollars he has landed in fat city.

Hire a reputable appraiser. I just did this recently.

I buy and sell coins every day. Given $1700 gold and $33 silver:
Common silver coins (not dollars) Buy @ .65 cents/gram Sell .85 (easier than counting)
Common silver dollars, good/extra fine Buy $27 Sell $32
Common $20 gold piece Buy $1700 Sell $1780
(they don't contain an oz of gold btw)
Something the seller thinks is rare gets priced individually.
I don't mess with paper currency, not as easy to sell.
As far as an appraiser goes, is that like getting jewelry appraised? Don't tell me what something is worth, I'd rather you tell me what you'll give for it.
Jim

Perfectly said Jim, thanks for your input.

I'll post a couple pics soon.

Very cool to just feel the vibe from a 1809 coin, and that it's over 200+ years old and wondering who's hands and life stories it's past through.

I dunno, it's more than the metal coin, and makes you reflect a bit.

I'm not trying to steal anyone's stuff Dave, just prepping you for what you may find out there.
I'd certainly advise you to keep at least a few coins that have some appeal to you. And unless you have things that need paying off to keep ALL the gold coins (and really, all the common silver too). I think they're better than paper money. That's what I'm doing.
Jim

33/28.7 = 1.15x90P%= 1.03,5 or under scrap value @.85

and USA silver coins are worth far more then scrap

Whatever you do, DON'T clean them in any way.

Why would anyone sell heirlooms such as this? When your parents are gone, these coins will be a connection to them. That's not worth all the money in the world, imho...

Every time I open my cue case, I thank you for these old coins :)
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Very cool use of old coins on the cue stick.........and thats sorta what I want people to view and enjoy this old stuff.

Lurking on a coin collector forum similar to Pelican, it's cool that some people who have the old Bufallo nickels, that aren't worth that much, are "releasing them" back into the wild and circulation, sorta good karma, as someone else gets the joy of finding one while given back change at a store.........could turn someone else into a collector or gee whiz factor.

thanks all for your tips.

At least take some time to understand the collection. Is this your Dad's doing?
As you gain some insight, Some of the coins may become keepers for you. And you will learn more about marketing the collection.

These coins are a connection to the person collecting them. Like Those inheriting our cars, it would be nice if they come to appreciate our passion and find a good new caretakers. Rather than just call the nearest dealer and dump them.

Cheers Richard

What Hugh said about cleaning. But I am sure if you don't have time to value them, you don't have time to clean them either - a good thing!

If you are set on selling, I'd track down an appraiser and have them do it.

OTOH, me personally, I'd catalog the coins with pictures from both sides, into an excel sheet and off I'd go hunt down what they are and their approx values. 200 items really isn't that much. 10 minutes each, you can get this done in a couple weeks with less than 3h / day. That assumes that they are all unique. I would imagine that there are some doubles where it won't even take 10 minutes to catalogue.

Just my two cents.

Final solution: Take the whole thing and put it in the bottom of your safe and work on it later. 20 years from now if it needs to be. Or next time you are unemployed, or have a bad ankle and can't go to work etc.

G

The only "cleaning" I've done to coins was clean "junk sliver" in soapy water with an ultrasonic cleaner. These are coins where the value depends entirely on the silver content. I do have to admit, some of the 1963 90% Kennedy half-dollars are in AU condition. Some of the later year Franklin ones are as well.

These days, if I'm buying junk silver, I prefer Franklin half-dollars and Truman Dimes. I'm thinking of 1964 40% Kennedy half-dollars, but I haven't bought any yet.

Contact the American Numismatic Association, 818 N. Cascade, Ave, Colorado Springs, CO...719-632-2646. Several years ago I used to send them coins for grading. They are THE last word in the grade of a coin. They can point you in the right direction or someone they deal with in your area. Do not clean or handle any of the coins unless you have on cotton gloves. Good luck!

some of the more fun and unique ones in my new collection, man those proof sets, uncirculated or mint fresh coins are SHINY, and I have several sets from over several years.


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As both my parents were Canadian, lots of bills and coins, here is a 1917 bill, printed on March 17th, and it's interesting to note the actual date on the top that it was printed, yet on the Bottom of the bill (center super fine print) printing done by the "American Bill Printing Company". Yes most all of these old old coins and rare bills are going to stay in the family. There are a bunch of uncirculated sets, and 1964 fifty cent pieces that are 40% silver, but I only have 5-10 old coins from the 1800's.

Took me several hours today just to lump the different lots together. Sitting in a Bank Lobby for hours before it went back into the safety deposit box is no fun. Man there are a lot of fat ladies that have obnoxious kids running around.....:rolleyes:


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And I never knew that Ben Franklin used to be on the .50 cent piece till Kennedy took his place. Nice crack in the liberty bell too!





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That 1809 looks like it's in pretty good shape.