Inherited Collection - Gold Eagle/Morgan/Peace among others

I'm helping a family member value/sell an inherited coin collection and would appreciate opinions on value. We don't know anything about the collection; it was found stashed around the house in various places. We want to makes sure we don't overlook anything that might be valuable. We have a copy of The Red Book which has been a great starting point in identifying prospects, but I am struggling with differentiating grades. The collection is very silver dollar heavy: 70-100 Morgans, 40-60 Peace, and another 40-60 Eisenhower. There may be more in the bags that I haven't sorted through yet. I knew gold would have the most melt value so I collected them all and that is what I started with.

Pictured below:
1889 Liberty Head Gold Quarter Eagle

1898 Liberty Head Gold Quarter Eagle

1907 Liberty Head Gold Quarter Eagle

1926 Indian Head Gold Quarter Eagle


1895 Liberty Gold Half Eagle

1910-S Indian Head Gold Half Eagle

1914-S Indian Head Gold Half Eagle


1932 Indian Head Gold Eagle


1932-S Morgan (particularly poor photo ... but I was struck by the mirror finish?)


Any opinions on value/advice on moving the coins would be greatly appreciated.

 

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Additional photos

 

The Morgan is cleaned/polished. Basically a cull.
I don't know about gold.
Welcome to the forum.

 

Id say your gold is worth more than melt. Most of those look like they'd be worth a trip to get slabbed if you want proper money for them.

 

I mainly collect $2 1/2 Indians, and I think yours looks suspect (meaning possibly fake). In fact, most (not all) of your gold has an odd look to it. It might be the pictures, but could mean some are fake as well. I am not saying anything is for sure a fake, but you need to get them checked out by an expert, send them in to be graded, or post better pictures to be sure.

 

Best bet is to send the gold coins in to get graded as there's no way to tell if they were cleaned or have other problems from the pics given . It looks like your white balance may be off but clearer in focus pics are needed . There are some threads on coin photography that are very good that may be of help . Also remember the prices in the Redbook aren't reliable as some coins will be worth more but most will be worth less .

 

The 14-S $5 is counterfeit. So is the 1910-S $5. I suspect some of the other gold (1898 & 1907) is not genuine either but I need to see them out of the holders. Take the stuff to a coin dealer and ask for an appraisal. I don't see anything worth spending money on to get graded.

 

I would suggest having the gold coins checked out, as noted above, by an expert. Indian gold is particularly subject to fakery. After that, you can decide whether to have them slabbed/graded.

Other than that -- and you probably know this -- don't clean them.

 

And by the way, a local coin shop owner is not always an expert. When I first started collecting, I had a local "expert" tell me my 1911-D $2 1/2 was fake. It was not, and graded xf45 with pcgs.

 

Here's a question: How can the OP -- or anyone else for that matter -- determine "expert" status. Those who collect usually can figure it out, but how about someone who doesn't collect but inherits a collection?

 

Ask them if they are a member here. If so........

 

It is very hard to do. Honestly, the only answer I would REALLY trust is NGC or PCGS. If a local dealer offered him fair money, I would take it and run (unless it is a really rare date or something). If a dealer is willing to put down good money on a coin, I would say they are pretty confident it is real. If they say it is fake... well... I would be getting more opinions. I still say the $2 1/2 Indian looks iffy at best.

 

Hard to comment based on your pics.

 

They can't.

What they can do, though, is learn how to vet the information they receive, which is something everyone here should be doing with everything they read from everyone, myself included. Don't believe the value I offer for a coin? Look up sales records. Don't believe my attribution? Look up the variety; all of them have information available on the Internet if you look hard enough. Disagreeing sources? Research the sources.

Heck, half the questions I answer here use information I employed research and vetting skills to acquire in the ten minutes preceding the answer. I've been accused of thinking I "know it all:" heck, I don't know squat.

I just know how to find answers.

 

...find another dealer!

Couldn't resist

 

A lot of the gold appears cleaned perhaps even been 'lightly' polished which would give it that funny look.

 

As people have said, take them to a dealer, but I will amend - take them to several dealers.

 

Guys, check out the "S" on the two five Indians. That is all you need to see to determine they are both crude counterfeits circa. 1970's.
The fact that these are in the collection USUALLY is an indication that the other "funny" looking coins are suspicious as they are in "bad company."

The OP has the option of removing them from the holders and posting sharp photos so we can try to help him further.

 

I appreciate all the input and education! I'm meeting with a local dealer on Friday to take a look at the coins. Disappointing to hear that the coins looks suspicious. I removed the 1914 and tried to take better photos - all I have is a cellphone camera and it isn't doing the job.

 

Great attitude my man. These veteran posters here will tell you, they see a lot of 1 post and done after the OP hears questionable opinions. Learn about the coins, cool that you're looking into it.