How to determine value of partial coin collection?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Barber dime 94s, Jun 9, 2015.

  1. Barber dime 94s

    Barber dime 94s Active Member

    Hey folks

    So I recently came across a coin collection that I'm interested in purchasing.
    The owner of the coins is a family member of a close friend of mine.
    I'm needing help to determine what would be a good fair offer.
    I don't wanna over pay for the coins, at the same time and just as important I don't want to low ball this lady and give the impression to her or her family that I'm trying to take advantage ..
    I went to look at the coins over the weekend , she would never give a straight price for what she thought the coins are worth .. I don't believe she really knows what to value them at, as they were left to her by her father ..
    So I'd like to make this lady a solid offer for the 14 coins that I'm interested in.
    Do you guys have any suggestions as to how I should go about coming up with a number ?
    The 14 coins I'm interested in would only be a drop in the bucket of what she has. Still yet Id like to get a little better price than if I was buying each coin seperate.
    By the way before anyone starts bashing me , I'm not trying to cherry pick an unknowing person out of a load of valuable coins.
    The 14 coins I'm interested in are average date , maybe 2 semi key date barber dimes. None of which are unc.
    I have a list of the coins and the grades of the ones that are slabbed , my opinion on the ones that aren't.
    I can post if anyone could put together a rough value or ballpark figure.
     
    swamp yankee likes this.
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  3. rzage

    rzage What Goes Around Comes Around .

    Good question . Since I've only sold a couple of my coins I'd be interested how dealers go through the pricing procedure as a lady just gave me her husbands collection to appraise . In her case I just graded them and gave numismedia wholesale and retail prices . It was a fun collection to look at as it was mostly Spanish (Mexican) reales and cobs along with mostly 19th century Guatemalan and Costa Rican silver .
     
    Barber dime 94s likes this.
  4. Galen59

    Galen59 Gott helfe mir

    I'm really leery of certain online sales, be careful what you accept, I like face to face, fid a dealer who doesn't hate foreign coin, hold tough, you never know, you may never see another, and please don't sell at melt.
     
  5. afantiques

    afantiques Well-Known Member

    I'd pay ten times the average coin value in the lot. You choose if the value is the retail price or the usual dealer offer or some other value. I'd be aiming at what I'd bid in an open auction for the coins.

    When assessing large quantities of coins you have to take shortcuts to get anything done in a reasonable time. It's really a matter of experience. Some collections are more accurately described as 'accumulations', you assume all the contents are the standard mixture and get a pretty accurate overall value just from the weight.

    10 does not sound all that hard. She is unlikely to be able to get more than a reasonable dealer offer whoever she sells to, so that might be a fair level to pitch your offer. You might want to pay a tad more, that's up to you and the circumstances. There is not really a lot of use going into great detail over each one.

    If it is a large collection, and you happen to know a dealer you trust, why not introduce that dealer to the lady, after having agreed a finder's fee with the dealer as a percentage of his offer if he buys the lot. That way you'd probably get the dimes free with a bit of a profit on top?

    This is not an uncommon or 'crooked' practice. Dealers usually need to buy stuff, and sellers need to sell.
     
  6. spirityoda

    spirityoda Coin Junky

    post pics of these coins. :)
     
  7. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    The first thing to do is make a list and grade each coin. Next, find a retail value on each coin. Give this information to the friend and make your offer. It sounds as if the friend needs help knowing what the value is. Give honest information and work the deal from there.
     
    rzage, green18, swamp yankee and 2 others like this.
  8. john59

    john59 Well-Known Member

    I would do it this way .First figure what they are selling for and sold for then what a dealer would pay lets say the are selling for a $1000.00 dealers are paying $700.00
    if you are at the $700-$800 your in good shape
     
    Barber dime 94s and alyssacoins like this.
  9. alyssacoins

    alyssacoins Member

    One way, (usually the way a dealer and pawn shop would do it is), value each coin at the spot price of silver or gold and add the price of the copper, (usually 90% for the silver and 10% for the copper), then multiply it by 67%. The 67% is because, if the dealer is selling the coins off to be melted. That will give you a little leway if you want to spend more or not. Hope it helped.
     
    swamp yankee likes this.
  10. harris498

    harris498 Accumulator

    No offense, but this couldn't be more wrong - from a pawn shop perspective, or otherwise.
     
    Galen59 and spirityoda like this.
  11. Blissskr

    Blissskr Well-Known Member

    In no way a fair offer especially if dealing with any semi/key date coins. This is exactly what you stated in how a pawn shop or bad dealer would conduct business, taking advantage of the seller for personal gain.
     
  12. Barber dime 94s

    Barber dime 94s Active Member

    Well as some has suggested I've searched what each coin is selling for , past sells on eBay has around 500 for the total on the coins. About 10 of the 14 coins are slabbed so that made it a little easier. I'm going to let her know the retail price for the coins and go from there.
    I've contacted a friend that is a local school teacher , he is well respected and I know him to be very honest. He collects coins and has friends that do aswell.
    I've ask him to come with me on my next visit as I believe he could help this lady sell these coin better than I .
    I believe this route will be a lot better than a dealer or in our area pawn shops.
    I would like to see her get a fair price for these coins , I think selling to collectors will give her a better chance ..
     
    swamp yankee and spirityoda like this.
  13. Twobit

    Twobit Active Member

    1. Put together a list,(dates,mm)
    2. Go to ebay completed sold listings.
    3. Find 6-8 sold prices and average it out.
    4. Explain this to the seller.
    5. Make an offer.
     
    Barber dime 94s likes this.
  14. john59

    john59 Well-Known Member

    He don't how to make a offer or sell them this will not help him.
     
  15. alyssacoins

    alyssacoins Member

    Been dealing with them for years
     
  16. spirityoda

    spirityoda Coin Junky

    let see your lists and grades of these coins...
     
  17. BooksB4Coins

    BooksB4Coins Newbieus Sempiterna

    Sure, it is "one way", but this is NOT "usually the way" ANY self respecting dealer "would do this" or approach the situation, and I would think someone who, shortly after joining, announced himself as a dealer would well know this. Pawnshops, perhaps, but writing of an establishment paying a price based upon melt for coins most certainly possessing fair numismatic premiums does nothing to help an OP wishing to be reasonable with a family friend.
     
  18. alyssacoins

    alyssacoins Member

    Your going to pay someone AU/MS money for a common dated coin that's in circulated condition. I believe that is what is stated in the original thread.
     
  19. BooksB4Coins

    BooksB4Coins Newbieus Sempiterna

    No, and no such thing (paying "AU/MS money" for an unknown circ) was suggested nor implied by me or anyone else. As for what was said in the OP, perhaps you should take the time to go back and actually read it.
     
    Twobit likes this.
  20. Twobit

    Twobit Active Member

    It does not matter if this is the 1st time or the 100th time it is what needs to happen if one wants to give a fair assessment/value of said coins collector or dealer.
    And B D 94 stated that he was really only interested in 14 coins of the said collection it should be pretty much straight forward.
     
  21. alyssacoins

    alyssacoins Member

    I did read it, he is looking for a fair market value for 14 circulated coins, maybe 1 or 2 semi key dates. I told him to get 67% of the value and you'll have a leway on your final offer. 67% is a starting point for what they're worth. Circulated semi key dates aren't going to carry much of a premium and common dates are not going to carry much of a premium. Sorry, I thought that was pretty easy to understand - shame on me.
     
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