well I have a small collection of coins. But it isn't a very good collection.I am really here to help my mother in law out. She found a 10 dollar gold mormon coin in her fathers bill fold and has been trying to find out how much it is worth and where it came from. I am doing the internet work because she is not computer literate. Anyways I am needing some info on this coin and where to get it authenticated and if it is worth it or not. Thank you.
Welcome Kelly! Pics would be most helpful as there seem to be many "copies" of these. A really good description may help weed out obvious fakes though. Also, check some ebay listings for coins that look like yours and post here if you can't take pics (not perfect, but better than nothing).BTW I used to know some sisters that were Kelly and Kimberly rae. If it's you, send me a PM
Kelly, We need pics but perhaps I can give you some basic advice. There were gold coins privately issued in what's now Utah in the mid 1800s. All are quite rare and worth a lot of money. If this coin is real it's one of a small handful known to exist and incredibly valuable, as in, $100,000+ if worn and $500,000 if mint. It is possible you have one, but in all probability, you have found some token or souvenier coin with little value or a replica/counterfeit of a real one. The reason I say that is, well, the real ones are VERY valuable because they are VERY rare, only a handful are known to exist and the have been collectible for a long time, so you'd probably not find one in an old wallet or carried in a wallet, these would be the kinds of things you would find in a safe deposit box or well hidden. Get some images posted and we can tell you if you've got a neat conversation piece or if your find will pay for a new Ferrari or two. As for authentication, I would think PCGS would be your best bet, go to www.pcgs.com and get their customer service # and ask them if they slab territorial gold, I do think that they will.
This is what a copy looks like. If yours looks this good it's probably a fake. I understand that some of the genuine $10 coins were somewhat lightly struck and the details would be a little mushy. I haven't been able to find out how much a real example should weigh but if you take yours to a jeweler they should be able to tell you if it's gold or not.
Well, a US Mint coined Eagle ($10 Gold Piece) of that era would weigh a bit under 17 grams or roughly 1/2 ounce.
