inherited coins

My mom has inherited a lots of coins that were hidden away in my aunt's rundown little house in rural Kansas--many, many pennies, nickels, dimes, silver dollars that go way back. I don't even know where to begin checking the value of them. Examples: silver dollars from 1922, 1927, 1878, 1921, 1899, 1889, 1935, 1881, 1885, 1900...pennies from the 1930's. Lots of wheat pennies and different-looking nickels and dimes. My aunt and grandfather hid these away wrapped in tissue with string..a few here, a few there....probably as their "savings account" and certainly without any knowledge about the value as a collectables. How should I go about finding out the current value for insurance purposes--or, if my mother wants to sell them? Thanks so much!

 

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Get a Red Book Guide to help separate the more valuable ones from the common ones. You can also post pics and questions here and we will be glad to help.

 

A Red Book is a great book BUT NOT for prices...remember if you use the Red Book that the prices are a ball park price.

But I agree that the Red Book will help you know what ones are more $$$....

If you have a coin dealer in your town (look in the phone book) you can take the coins up there and for a few $$$ he will help you know what they are worth and what he will give you.

Speedy

 

Thats all good advice but when trying to figure the price of coins the grade is very important and please do not use any cleaners or polish on the coins as that can greatly reduce the value of them.I hope you find some valuable ones.

 

Like hwdbob said, DO NOT CLEAN THEM!!! It kills most all of the value! But I'd recommend getting a price guide (doesn't have to be Red Book, Wal-Mart sells price guide magazines for $4.00) which will let you know which dates and mintmarks are most common. If you have questions, do a www.superpages.com search for local coin dealers, and they can usually give good estimates as to a coin's grade, value, and desirability, and can recommend which you might want to hold onto and let appreciate more than others.

I take some of my rarer coins in to Xavier Coins in Mesa, AZ, and Greg, the dealer there has always been very helpful (because I am a dunce when it comes to determining grades!). I wish you luck and prosperity. And like was mentioned before, don't be at all afraid to post pictures in here, because just about everbody I've met in here is EXTREMELY knowledgable about coins!

~AJ

 

My wife has inherited a few coins from her dad , just a few of which are about a dozen indian head pennies (1890's - 1907) , and at least one silver dollar (1891) and they look to be in very good condition. Also are many assorted coins -Liberty half dollars as well as others,some real good and some less than good. Just curious!

 

Welcome to both of U. What is the question Mark?

 

Red Book

You can check out the Red Book at your local library....or get one relatively inexpensively on AMAZON by clicking HERE. They have it as low as $6.50!!!!

 

Mark, Just a ballpark on the indians about $1 in good on up depending on condition.The dollar is common but look on the back below the eagle's tail for a mintmark there may be no letter or S or O or CC. If it's a CC it starts about $50 but more likely its one of the others & starts at about$8 on up. The halves can start from $3 to $100 in good so you need to check out the book above to figure out dates & mintmarks & grade. Good luck, hope you find a good one.

 

just a question for all the pro"s,,, you all say to never clean a coin it reduces the value dramatically,well if you have a coin that is old been in circulation,but has no deep scratches or knicks,and the lettering and detail of the coin is excellent,if it was all tarnished from age and had some of that green stuff on it ,then, if i posted it on here most would say its a fair or lower coin ,,, but if it was cleaned properly and i posted a shiny clean looking coin with much more detail in the pic now ,most would give it a much higher grade ,,, so why not clean a good coin???? is it for marketing purposes ????? so buyers can get a really good coin cheaper? please fill me in on this ,,mind you ,i do realize if you use certain chemicals and objects like a tooth brush and what not,it will damage a coin,

 

If a coin has PVC on it then you must clean it...but sometimes you can use Acetone and that won't hurt the coin as bad....

If a coin is old...it would almost have to be "dark"---many morgans have been dipped to make then look UNC...yes they have been slabbed by the Grading Co too.

So if you have a older coin that is circulated...it might be a little dark...and if it has great detail it would be a great lost to clean it...because cleaning takes down the value and the grade.

Wrong...the #1 thing to look for is a shiny, clean looking coin...and all the more so if the coin is older and if it is circulated....most would know it had been cleaned and also would lower the grade.

Speedy

 

ok so then tell me this i have some older coins that are in really good shape but they have this green stuff on them , so how do i get it off ? or are you saying ,, whatever is growing on these coins and doing obvious damage and pitting of the coins ,, that i should just leave them be?

 

If a coin has green stuff (technical term is "verdegris") then that must be removed or it will further damage the coin. And with corrosion it is likely that you will have to "pick" it off since a simple acetone bath is won't usually fix it.

 

I would try Acetone....place the coin in Acetone for less than 1 min (maybe longer) and then place it under running water...then let it air dry...don't pat it.

Speedy

 

ill try the acitone , any ideas where to buy it ,thanks

 

You should get it at a Hardware store.

Speedy

 

WalMart will sell you a gallon of it for less than $10.

 

I don't want you to say I didn't tell you so....

Try not to get any on yourself---I have and it hasn't killed me but its still best not too
I wouldn't want to breathe too much of it...so don't open up the jug and take a whiff!!!

Speedy

 

If you've never used it before, do a search in the forum for "PVC" or "acetone". It can be dangerous... flammable, fumes. I always think the worse and have pictures in my head of someone smoking a cigarette in a closed room while their coins are soaking.