I have a chance to buy a partial Mercury Dime collection, couple questions.

I have a chance to buy a partial merc dime collection, and some other coins, from a friend. I want to be fair but not overpay. The three I have questions on are:

1921 G-4 my redbook says $65
1921D G-4 my redbook says $80
1926S G-4 my redbook says $13

Are these fair prices? I know the rest, that are part of the set, are "common" and would price at melt or a little more. Thanks for the help.

 

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Don't use redbook for prices, look at realized auctions for an accurate price to pay, here for example is for the 1921D

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...t=&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=200

 

I agree, they may be "key" dates, but they are everywhere in that grade.

 

If those semi key - key dates are truly in G4 condition, you should not buy them at Redbook prices.
Friend or not, you can buy any of those coins in G4 elsewhere at considerably lower than Redbook prices.
First of all the coins need to be accurately graded, not by PCGS or NGC or ANACS but by yourself.

Then you need to offer something at about half or higher the Redbook levels that your conscience will allow you to feel OK about.
The rest of the coins should be bought at bullion if you know they are all common less 15% of the current spot value of a 90% silver dime.
You will be giving the friend a better price than any dealer would and you will be able to sleep at night if you do the right thing.

Put yourself in his position and see how things would be if you take those same coins tomorrow and try to sell them at a coin shop once they are yours.
You certainly won't get Redbook prices, would you? Not on eBay or elsewhere either.

 

Check for cleaning even semi key date cleaned coins go at bullion in many cases.

 

I use this website a lot when I'm trying to help come up with a fair value of what something is actually worth.

http://www.numismedia.com/fmv/fmv.shtml

 

Not only cleaning, but are there other problems that would cause the coins to not be gradable and/or market acceptable?

The OP said nothing about the actual grades/conditions of the coins and only quoted redbook values in good. Is this really the grade of all coins in the set? Has the OP seen the coins and/or does he know how to properly grade? No offense to the OP or anyone else, but if he truly wants to be fair with this person, simply telling him redbook prices are high is not doing much to help him unless this is the actual grade of the listed coins - something we do not yet know. As for the other dates, why tell him to pay 15% back of melt without knowing any of the dates or grades? What if (as an example) there is a 25-D in EF instead of AG... would it be fair to his friend to offer $1.69 for it? I am not trying to say anyone was wrong in what they said. I am only trying to point out that we know very little and there is more to consider, especially if he is dealing with a friend.

 

A "Fair" Price?

After reading some of the recommendations in this thread, I can no longer contain myself. I'm sure glad some of the responders aren't friends of mine, as I believe "friends" don't "lowball" each other.

When my friends have asked if I would purchase their coins, we sit together with a current "Grey Sheet".

I recommend that if you can't for some reason pay the prevailing C.D.N. "Grey Sheet" wholesale "bid" or "ask" price to a friend, you should probably be buying from some of posting individuals who know the proper buy pricing. These individuals may have appropriate resources for purchasing.

I publicly offer to purchase common date coins at melt from strangers. The Mercury dimes minted prior to 1934 are "premium" coins, especially in Good condition. Disregarding the 1916D, 1921, 1921D, the dealer wholesale "ask" prices vary from $3 to $10. I know, the majority will say that they can purchase them for less.

I haven't seen a "for sale" offering of pre-1934 Good condition Mercury dimes @ melt in this venue, but will gladly relieve all who want to sell.

Please, as a "friend", acquire a current "Grey Sheet" monthly supplement, and pay that recorded as a fair wholesale exchange rate.

JMHO :thumb:

 

I just bought a full set minus the '16-D for $185 with the '21's in G4 and AG3 respectively... So I'd pass at those prices.

 

A great price!

I was reasonably certain that someone would state their abnormal purchase, being virtually half of the best price paid for a comparable set today on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1916-45-Mercury-Dime-Set-missing-16-D-to-Complete-74-Silver-Coin-Collection-26-/271009511258?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item3f196cf75a

If you purchased that stated, you truly received a great deal, because after discounting the 1921P and 1921D wholesale price, you purchased the remainder at ~70% of melt value. That's a great set Coup, even for a "dealer".

I know where you can receive an easy >10% return on your "investment". :thumb:

 

Thanks for the info.

 

I didn't say the '21-D was problem-free, did I? Haha. It was a fair deal, I think. That set has lots of nice F-VF coins, my set was pretty much nothing better than VG until you got up to the '30's.

 

>>>1921 G-4 my redbook says $65<<<

I recently got one NGC graded G4 for $21...