Coin collection help.

Someone I know is selling their coin collection because they really need the money, im just not sure if it's worth it. If I gave a list could someone give me a rough estimate on whether it's worth the buy or not

 

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This is a very difficult problem.
There are retail prices and wholesale prices.
There are rare dates, precious metals, and excellent conditioned coins.
There are coins that have been harshly cleaned or otherwise damaged.
Each coin is an individual story. When the entire lot is sold to a dealer
I imagine you are lucky to get even 25% of the total value. And they are not being crooks. They have to resell these coins and they have expenses.
You can sell them individually and that takes many years.
You don't want to overpay, and pay retail. Some/many of the coins may not
even be what you are interested in. It's a very long process which is why many people who have to sell, just try to get the best price they can for the entire lot.
A list will only help if clear photos of both sides accompany each coin. It's probably
too long for a post.
Sorry.

 

What are you looking for exactly? To keep it yourself or to flip it and make a profit?

 

Give the list we can go from there

 

And Pics will help. Ya wanna sell, you're gonna need pics so we can at least get an understanding of what you've got.

 

I'll give you the list as it was given to me, I haven't even seen it all yet, I suppose this is just a basis for whether it's even remotely worth my time. Thanks for your responses

 

we need photos of both sides of these coins in focus to tell you their value.

 

List first

 

2 US mint 1991 prestige sets
2 US mint 1987 prestige sets
1 US mint 1989 prestige set
2 1983 oylmpic coin
3 susan b anthony dollars 79 80 81
1983 olympic silver dollar collectors set
1986 US liberty coins
18 1974-1987 proof sets mixed, some multiples
1987 silver dollar
1987 US liberty coins
74 76 78 79 80 81 84 US mint uncirculated coin set
2 US bicentennial uncirculated set
2 1988 olumpic coins
1984 olympic silver dollars

This is the list as it was given to me. I do not have any specifics or pictures yet.

 

You should be able to do a google search on all of these. Most were sold by the mint to collectors. You will need some additional info from the seller on the "Liberty Coins" (are they Silver Eagles?) and Olympic coins (proof or Uncirculated)

Another good search is Ebay SOLD listings. You should be able to get a good ballpark figure this way. Once you do that and have specific questions on any of these, I'm sure the group can answer them.

 

I would recommend that you pick up a copy of Coin World or Numismatic News. There you will find current buy and sell prices from many dealers. You can also buy a red book which has pictures but understand that the prices are retail prices, buy prices are usually 40% less or possibly more. What you listed is generally very common items. Most dealers have lots of this kind of stuff and values have been suppressed over the last 1/2 dozen years. I would assume these are still in the government packaging.
The 91 prestige sets have a buy price of $28 in one ad.
The 87 prestige= $16 and the 89 $19.
The 86 liberty set- there are 2 coin, 3 coin and 6 coin sets. value is different on each. Many other sets are the same way.
Current buy prices on the proof sets 74-87 have buy prices between $2 and $7.
The commem silver dollars have a buy price of $12.(they are silver).
It sounds in general that there are several hundreds of dollars of value, but not thousands.

 

I'm in the same position now as I am helping an elderly friend sell her mothers coin collection. Unfortunately, she spent a lot of money buying uncirculated and proof sets. She bought 5 sets of each from 1968 to 2000. The uncirculated sets, other than 1970 (Kennedy half) and 1996 (w mint dime), won't get a quarter of what she paid the mint. The silver and gold are about all that kept their value other than a few mint state large cents and Morgans that I plan to get attributed and slabbed. One thing I learned from going though this large collection is that mint sets are a poor investment.

 

I have been in the same position a few years back helping an elder whom had lost their spouse liquidate items ,that they believed to be of value only to discover they truly are not.
I had a beautiful stamp collection , coin sets purchased off TV. A ton of modern coins and of course state quarters in every shape and former one can imagine.
The best advice is be honest....pull comps. Grey sheets ask / bid ebay advance searches for finished listing and the amount that they sold for.
The thing one needs to remember the most is that the owners most need the cash flow. Most have a mind set that they are of value and many time more so worth more than they truly are.
In most cases I wouldn't take anything payment as I personally felt sorry that the owners were take. By TV hype,and dis information .
The biggest problem is finding a buyer period! More less ..then trying to convince the owner who again mind set is these are worth more then what you can actually get for them.
I totally understand the task.....and try my best to avoid getting into the same situation again.
Unfortunately people who know you collect seek you out for help.....then in your own mind you sort of want to preserve the hobby from being tainted by someone who would take advantage of an already bad situation.
Just be honest.....and do the best you can..for that person.
After all Karma does work both ways!

 

I've tried to be honest to the lady I'm helping out. She had no clue what's in the collection and I'm trying to keep her informed as I go through the many boxes of stuff. I've already contacted a dealer friend who's willing to buy the collection. I'm presently doing an inventory and reorganizing each box. I'm using the latest blue book values as a rough estimate; I'm not sure how close it compares to grey sheet. One thing I'm keeping track of is the approximate amount of gold and silver. I'm a novice at selling bullion so what do dealers usually pay relative to spot prices? I know they tack on a selling fee but am not sure what the so when buying.

This particular lady meticulously sorted and rolled her change. It's sad that the post 1964 coins (other than 1965-1969 halves; maybe 1982 and 1983 non-cents) are probably not worth doing anything with other than taking them directly to the bank.

The woman whom I'm helping out didn't have any children but is close to a niece who has three children. None of them are interested in collecting coins. However, I plan on setting aside a small set of the coins and put them in a nice display case with an engraved plaque in memory of their great grandmother. I think that's the least that can be done to honor her for all the time she spent with her hobby.

All of this has helped me think about what to do with my collection as I get older.

 

1970 halves are 40% too, I think.

 

None were released for circulation but were only in mint sets. You are correct in that they contain 40% silver and are collectable.

 

take them to an auction, you'll get the best price there.

 

While the 1970-D halves are 40% silver, in top condition they are worth more as a coin, than just the silver value.

 

That is assuming you have an auction around you...and oh yeah, you have to pay auction fees.

 

If I had the time and patience I could sell much of my friends collection on Ebay and get more money than a dealer would pay. However, this would take many, many hours of my time and many months to do. I'm sending the better coins to a TPG for attributing and grading. I then plan to let one of the auction houses sell them. I hope she'll get more in return that way on those items.