Good day wonderful folks of the intrawebs! Multiple questions here and I’m newish to coins so please bear with me. Background-working through my dad’s coins/dealer stock and liquidating stuff for the family estate. Questions- I have a partially completed Dansco of Buffalo Nickels and some look pretty good! I got some good advice here on Sunday about 1 of those nickels and I am wondering if I should send any for grading, sell the incomplete album in 1 shot, or work through selling in small lots. I’m trying really hard not to put this album in my vault. But if I did, can anyone give me a roundabout figure on what I should pay the estate?
Not selling here but looking for guidance and advice from the community that knows these way better than I do with my short bouts of internet research!
The answer is usually no. Unless you have coins worth hundreds of dollars. Or require certification to prove authenticity. (Gold coins, certain varieties.) The 1914-S and 1915-S in higher grades would be worth it, but yours are very circulated and worth less. Same with the 1921-S and 1924-S. Some of the 1913's are very good coins, even in good condition, but still not worth grading. (IMO) Collectors and dealers know what these coins are worth without an expensive slab.
Maybe a good one to start with filling and upgrading? I’ve always liked silver bullion myself but those top 3 coins (they have toning that doesn’t show well in the pic) and that dark 1914 are kinda making me itchy to keep it!
Personally, I would love to keep those. There are plenty of very good coins there even in circulated condition. Take a look at this (and figure the worn coins are in the 3 lower grades) https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/nickels/buffalo/
Buffalo Nickels are a great place to start collecting! IMHO if you learn to grade Buffalo Nickels you won't have problems learning to grade any series. If you are thinking of buying these from the estate I would submit them to several dealers and get their written offers for the lot. That way no one else involved can accuse you of low balling the set and you can offer the average of the submissions for the set. Fair to everyone involved and I don't see it breaking the bank. I have my fathers LWC's and I wouldn't part with them for anything. Someday they will be my sons.
Just a note, the dealer's purchase price will be substantially lower than his/her sales price. He/She has to make a profit and pay overhead. Used the price he/she would pay you. Not what he/she would charge you because that is the value to the Estate. If you have chosen to become a collector and continue the family tradition, then you'll never have a better cost basis to add to your collection and it would probably please your relative to know the coins are appreciated beyond their sales value.
