Inheriting a coin collection is usually the first time anybody thinks about what coins are worth. It can feel like a lot. People arrive apologizing for the state of the box, and there is never any need to.
Our job is to make sure you understand what you own before you make any decision about it. That means going through it with you, out loud, and explaining what we are looking at as we go.
The first rule: bring it exactly as you found it
Before anything else — do not clean the coins. We know they look dull. Cleaning a collectible coin strips the surface and can remove 50% to 90% of its value in the time it takes to wipe it, and no grading service will ever undo it.
Cigar boxes, old paper rolls, coffee cans, sticky albums from the 1960s: all fine. Bring it in the container it lives in. We handle the coins with cotton gloves from the moment they hit the counter.
How we work through a collection
-
The initial sort
Everything gets separated into three piles: coins with collector value above their metal, coins worth their metal content, and anything that needs a closer look. Most collections contain all three.
-
Dates and mintmarks
This is where value hides. A common-looking Morgan dollar from the wrong mint can be worth many times an ordinary one, and a scale will never tell you that. We check them individually.
-
Condition, honestly assessed
Grade drives price more than age does. We will tell you where a coin sits, including when the honest answer is that it has been cleaned or damaged and will not grade well.
-
Sets, albums and live market data
Complete sets are sometimes worth more together than apart, and sometimes worth much less. We evaluate against verified auction sales and live market prices, so your appraisal reflects true current cash value.
-
We walk you through the numbers
You get a figure and the reasoning behind it, item by item for anything significant. If part of the collection would do better at auction than selling to us, we will tell you that too.
What usually turns up
- Pre-1965 dimes, quarters and halves, which are 90% silver regardless of condition
- Morgan and Peace dollars, where dates and mintmarks matter enormously
- Pre-1933 US gold — $20 Saint-Gaudens and Liberty, $10 Eagles, $5 Half Eagles
- Proof and mint sets from the 1950s onward, usually worth less than people hope
- World coins picked up on service tours or vacations, occasionally very good
- Old paper money folded in with the coins, which is easy to overlook
We can provide a written, itemized appraisal suitable for probate, insurance or splitting between family members. That is separate work and it carries a fee, quoted before we start. See estate appraisals.
Common questions
Do I need to inventory it first?
No. It genuinely does not help, and people often spend evenings on a list we then redo at the counter. Bring it as it is.
How long does it take?
A small collection is twenty minutes or so. A large one can take a couple of hours. If it is big, call ahead and we will set aside the time properly.
Do you charge for this?
A verbal evaluation at the counter is free, always. You are under no obligation to sell anything afterwards.
Will you separate the good pieces out, or do I have to sell it all together?
We separate it. You are welcome to sell us the bullion and keep the collectible pieces, or the other way around, or keep all of it.
What if I want a second opinion?
Get one. We encourage second opinions and will happily point you at other reputable dealers in the Valley as well. An honest figure survives a second look.
Can you come to me?
For a large collection, yes — at home, at your bank's vault, or at an attorney's office, anywhere in the Phoenix metro.