Blessings all, I'm new here. My dad gave me this coin when I was 5 years old. It is mounted as a pendant necklace. I never wore it and it's been sitting in a teeny, satin box for 40 years. I'm facing hard times as a single mother and this is the most-valued item that I've been saving for a rainy day. It's pouring now, so it's time to sell my dowry, so to speak, although I'm wondering if I should just sew it into my hem these days. It is mounted in a gold bezel w chain. The clasp, however, appears to Not be gold, and the coin apparently rested upon it all these years, hence the mark on the back of the coin. Total weight is 10.99. A pawn shop offered me $150 so I know it's worth much more than that! Yay! After looking it up, I found there were restrikes made and am wondering how to tell. It was given to me in 1977 and Dad is gone, so I don't know its origins. He grew up in Texas though, the family having been there for generations, so it could possibly be original. Any advice is most welcome, and best way to sell...thank you! -Raquel T Hope these pics load right...
Most of them are restrikes, but it is apparent that you have kept the piece and not worn it much if any because it has the original mint lustre on the surface of the coin. If there was a possible way, I like your suggestion of hiding it in your hem. Oh and the little dark spot on the reverse is a trace amount of copper - very common on Mexican gold from that era - and helps with verifying authenticity. Here is the down and dirty on the coin - it is .2411 oz in gold, almost a quarter ounce. Gold is trading at 1233.10 right now, .2411x$1233 =$297. I am not sure on the bezel and chain, those appear to be base metal so no value. A pawn shop offering half the melt value is not helping you at all. With a coin like that you should expect to get at least 90% of the value of the gold. A suggestion would be to take it to a coin dealer or jeweler instead of a pawn shop. You are likely to get much closer to the actual value of the coin by selling it to a coin dealer or jeweler.
With that date it doesn't matter if it's an original or a restrike it's mostly the older dates that have numismatic value where that matters. Anyways as the other poster suggested you should be able to get more than $150, I'd say 85% of spot and up would be a fair offer for the coin since it's been used as jewelry it really has no value beyond the gold it contains. And no matter if you go to a coin shop, jeweler, etc they will all likely try and make the purchase heavily in their favor. So stand firm on the amount you want to receive if you can and don't be afraid to walk if they lowball you, which is sadly the norm (being lowballed) rather than the exception with things like this. That being said I'd try to exhaust every other avenue of generating funds before selling it though as the sentimental value it provides can never be replaced once sold.
Thank you The Chain is marked "COSTA 14K" and like I said, the clasp is not gold and has same color tarnish as what's on the coin. I have no reason to think the bezel wouldn't be gold also. Thanks for the tips
Thank you! The previous commenter verified coin has the original luster and not worn, like I said. Does that increase the value if it is not used or worn? Also the chain says "COSTA 14K" and I'd have no reason to think the bezel wouldn't be gold as well. Thank you
The coin was put into a bezel, thus the reason for being worth only 85-90% spot. The coin is damaged along the rim, from being crimped in the bezel. Therefore the numismatic value is diminished considerably. The gold chain and 'bezel if gold' should add more value. good luck, and hope you can find a way to hold on to its sentimental value.
All Mexican coins with thee dates are official restrikes 50 Pesos 1947 20 Pesos 1958 10 pesos 1955 5 pesos 1955 21/2 pesos 1945 2 pesos 1945
It's likely the chain is gold also then. The condition on this particular coin really doesn't matter much regardless as even if it was choice BU these coins trade largely based on the gold content rather than any numismatic value or premium. Also as @Pickin and Grinin mentioned the act of just putting a coin into a bezel and securing it usually results in irreversible damage or a wear pattern that leaves a tell tale sign that the coin was previously in a bezel and used as jewelry once the bezel is removed.
Well, shoot, didn't know that. Figured it was good and protected that way. Thanks for the info everyone! Not sentimental...it's insurance really, and will go towards a catalytic converter now.
