Coins

Have a coin collection that was passed down when my dad passed away a few years ago. Have been to 2-3 coin shops and seems I get different info from each on possible value of coins. Anyone know a honest dealer r collector to get info from. Thanks in advance.

DE,
What you've run into is the different shops applying their profit margins, different, as they will resell it. Probably in bits and pieces.

It will take some work, but, internet search for values on specific coins may be the way to go.

Moving this to sandbox

I get what you are saying g DG, but at least give me true info and then we can go from there. We can make a deal or not. Have proof, uncirculated, some mint sets from 1958-2019, year before my dad passed. He would get them for me every Christmas.

I'd check ebay for the same items with actual bids on it or those with buy it now pricing. That ought to give you a barometer of current pricing.




https://www.ebay.com/itm/39592607807...Bk9SR4y53Or-ZA

Most will or should go by silver or gold content and apply the spot price less a small percentage so it will fluctuate unless you go within an hour. Exception would be if you have a rare coin or one in mint or highly rated condition.

Best bets in Houston are Royal Coin at 610 and Beechnut (personal experience and 4.8 Google rating) or US Coin on I10 (heresay and advertised by Michael Berry).

Been to US Coin and that’s where the confusion started. All coins straight from the mints. So packaged as uncirculated, proof, and mint. And I’m getting 2-3 different stories as to how to go by dates for silver content. And finding different on net with same info.

From AI (and I agree):
The silver content of US coins varies by year and denomination:
Pre-1965: Most US coins minted before 1965 were 90% silver and 10% copper. This included dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars.
1942–1945: War nickels minted during this time were 35% silver.
1965–1970: Half-dollar coins minted during this time were 40% silver.
1971–present: No US coins minted after 1971 contain silver.
Morgan Dollars: Minted from 1878–1921, these dollars were 90% silver.
Peace Dollars: Minted from 1921–1935, these dollars were 90% silver.
Eisenhower Dollars: Minted from 1971–1976, these dollars were 40% silver.
Silver Eagles: Minted from 1986–present, these dollars are 99.9% silver.

Only place I sold coins was Royal and it compared to my eBay research allowing for 15 to 20%+ off (they have to make a profit). I was satisfied.

Nothing rare or special about mint sets beyond face value from a dealers perspective.

They might offer 18-20x face value for the junk silver.

My grandfather collected coins and stamps. I eneded up with both.

I tried selling the stamps and coins to a local shop, but ended up on ebay.

I would take to the local shop, get a floor price(minimum selling price on ebay)and then put on ebay. If it sold for a higher price, I would sell on ebay. If it did not make floor price I would sell to local dealer.

Thanks for all the info. And all the detailed info Michael. Just didn’t wanna take out of the protective package to try to increase value. And I have one 1958 wheat Penny with no mint mark which net says it’s worth a little money. We”ll see.

To the OP: Congratulations on the score of your family's collection. Glad you are smart enough to ask questions before rushing off to the nearest billboard advertiser to sell your Dad's things.

You'll never really know if a dealer is honest unless you know the rough value before you visit. Do your research. As some have suggested above, eBay can be a place to start but you'll do well to go further. Try Professional Coin Grading Service and read and learn all you can. Here are a few base guidelines:

1. Coins are valued one of three ways: collector value (it's rare, unique, etc.), face value, or melt value (to retrieve the precious metals).
2. Your collection is worth more in your heart than it is to the market. Get ready for this.
3. Find a dealer who will charge you by the hour to go through your holdings and give you an appraisal. Only then can you make an accurate, educated decision about true value.

Best wishes to you on this endeavor.

GF