Hi

I am thinking some of you may have had experience with buying, selling coins and could give me some tips on this.

I've got a collection that I've pretty much decided to sell. I'm looking at the best way of evaluating them, where and how to sell them for the best profit I could get, etc.

I have considered getting one of those coin books and seeing how that might work out. I guess there are some online things like that I've heard, but don't know if they are accurate or biased, etc.

Also thinking of taking them to a dealer where I'd hope to find out what the value is. I know they would want to offer wholesale prices but perhaps they could tell me also what they might be worth on the market and how to unload them. Perhaps locally, using ebay, craigslist, auction house or online auction etc.

Scott

I have a collection that my grandfather and I used to enjoy. He passed it directly to me, and I am saving it for my grandson(s). The hours and laughter attached to each coin cannot be equated with a cash value.

Scott

I just went through the whole liquidating thing a few months ago before I moved. It was a collection I started as a kid with those blue books everyone used and then my father got involved and added to it. Sat in a closet for a long time and I worried about how I was ever going to grade and sell all these pieces. Bought a new coin value book and did lots of research and phone calls and heres what I learned for what its worth.
Unless you were a high end collector who bought some valuable coins your average collection is worth far more in sliver value than collectable value. Anything pre-1965 is mostly silver and worth something. After you settle on a dealer check the online silver prices daily. They used to run about 8 but I sold at 22. The high a while back was 38. Would of meant an extra 8K if I would of sold sooner. Anything after 1965 is pretty much face value- go spend it, no kidding. I checked with a serious collector I know and trust, called a big auction house in NYC a few times and took some samples to a few dealers. Same story all around.
EX: I had about 15 books and lots and lots of loose stuff. All categorized and lots of them wrapped by date. I took a small part of the collection to two dealers within my area. The dealer I finally choose was almost on the mark in price of the other dealer I tested but did tell me one quarter I had was worth about $40. I guess the other guy didn't think it was worth mentioning the quarter but I appreciated the guy I choose being more upfront. He and his son spent a lot of time with me explaining things and answering my list of questions. EX: He took an unopened blue book of dimes and said " There's only two dates in here of collectable value and I bet you don't have them" and named the dates. Sure enough, opened the book and those were the only two I had missing. Also if you do have some collectable dates they need to be in a very high quality condition and in a plastic holders or collectors won't bother with them. Collectors are VERY fussy these days and only buy top grade stuff.
Had a roll of two dollar bills- "go spend them" , had some confederate dollars---fake copies and he showed me why, foriegn coins--forget it, looked through them quickly to see if there is any silver, wheat cents--- I had a ton, he dumped them in a counter and gave me 2 cents each. Yes there are some in the book worth $10 but most are worth a penny so who wants to look through thousands of them and come to the same bottom line. Two cents each is a good compromise. All the wrapped coins by date, tore them open and into the counter (All that work sorting and wrapping !!!) A few other pieces I had and thought might be of value he discussed with me and made me fair offers. He knew the prices for each grade off the top of his head forget the book I bought. The guy has been in business many years and his son is now taking over so it was not one of those "WE BUY GOLD' overnight places--although they did but lots of gold while I was in there.
I don't know if I might have gotten more some other way but in the end after two question and answer visits and two selling visits with him I felt he was giving me the best deal with the least worries so I took the big wads of cash he gave me and went home satisfied. Hope this saves you some time

Bill in NJ

Thanx Bill. Very informative. It's about as I expected so far.