Got Large cents appraised....very low! help! what do you think?

Hi all! I am new here but have alot of coins that were left to me by my family. I have over 50 large cents ranging from 1795 to 1857 pictures below. I recieved an appraisal today for all of them and the total is at $1500. I just think this is very low. Some of these coins are going for $200 a piece and mine are in decent condition. They havent been handled in the past 35 yrs( my great grandfather collected them) and they have never been wiped to my/my fathers/grand father or great grandfathers knowledge.

Do you think that is possible to have such a low appraisal? Should I get a second opinion. We arent really trying to sell them but we thought they wer emore valuable than this...

 

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I don't know large cents and I am sure someone else will chime in that knows so much more.. but perhaps they were just giving the wholesale price and not looking at varieties which will possibly add to the value. Kind of hard to tell from the photos...

 

:welcome:


I like the looks of that collection

I hope you get a lot more opinions on it.

 

Thanks for your replies! Hope to get more as I post more pics etc

 

Yes, more photos of individual ones will garner more info.. it does look like a nice grouping.. There are some real gurus here on large cents...

 

Heh I can tell those are worth more then $1500, how much I dunno as others have said above. Many factors can up the value on them.

If you have the time, take photos of the individual coins.

 

I will take pics individually and upload tonight with the appraisers grading. He collects silver mostly so i figured his wld be low but this was very low.

 

Many dealers when appraising coins do so with the idea of buying them for the appraised price, you might take them to another dealer, or a local numismatist and tell them you are looking for an appraisal that you could recover the cost through insurance if the coins were stolen. Let them know that you are not selling. You should expect to pay for the appraisal, many dealers only do free appraisals as part of purchasing a collection.

 

I'd pay $1500 for that on a gut shot gamble. Bet if you get it formally appraised, or take solid pics of each coin and post 'em here, you'll get some real accurate numbers, and I'll bet the final value is closer to $2500-$3k.

Of course, I'm just speculating here...

 

$1500 may be a little conservative but probably not excessively so. The key dates are missing and other scarce ones are well worn.

Without better photos, including ones of the reverses, it's hard to say if you have any of the tougher varieties, and how the surfaces are (large cents are notorious for porosity and corrosion).

Generally, the earliest dates are most valuable. Later date large cents in VF condition, like those you have, are $30 coins.

It wouldn't hurt to get another appraisal. I would if I were you.
Lance.

 

Welcome to the forum Desertgirlaz!

Congratulations on your coins, they appear very nice from the group photo, I would advise that they be removed from the album ( be careful with the slides) and put into individual mylar flips. This will enable you to process each one with photos, submission to a grading company, or for appraisal. Moving coins in an out of such albums often an cause problems with the handling.

Also, remember the rules prevent any negotiation or selling, except in the specialized subforums intended for just that reason, and the other members should also remember not to let their enthusiasm overcome them.

The opinions given are usually quite good, but all things should be taken with consideration. For those coins that seem to be quite expensive, having a graded holder such as from PCGS or NCG will help preservation or selling in the future. Unless financial conditions are pressuring a sale, you might want to hold for a while. Nice coins coming into the market can either hit a booming market or a slumping market for them. Don't be in a rush to sell, enjoy and learn from their history. Members of the forum can make you quite knowledgeable in a short time.

Again welcome! Our IDs are somewhat similar

Jim

 

Like Lance hit on, a lot of it may come down to varieties. A simple common 1855 in XF condition, for instance can be had for under $20 all day long. But, if it's the slanted %'s with knob you're looking at several hundred, even though book value is lower, demand is very high.

Another thing with coppers I have noticed, is geographic location. In some parts of the US copper is cheaper and less in demand than in other parts. Here in the Southwest I can't hardly find copper locally because nobody wants it, and when I do they practically give it away because they can't move it. That may account for a lowball appraisal at times.
Guy

 

Welcome and it looks like a nice little collection. I can't comment on the coins or the worth with such small pictures. But the one thing I can tell you is that dealers do not attribute large cents or give offers on something other than some of the major varieties. With large cents you are almost always better off working with someone that specializes in them. There are some that will let you consign the coins to them.