PCGS minimum to justify certification

I have a lot of coins left by my late father, many of which have considerable value. Not sure yet if we need to find a dealer for purchase or go the auction route. Either way, I am assuming we need to get PCGS certifications before we proceed. Is there a minimum coin value that justifies pursuing the certification for resale purposes ?

 

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I'm sorry for your loss.

Before you even think about sending coins off to be certified, you must have someone knowledgeable look at them. Otherwise, it's very easy to spend more on certification than the coins are worth.

Can you share photos of some of the more valuable coins? If you're using a phone, try putting it on top of a stack of books, pointing down at the coin; that will help keep it steady. Get as much light onto the coin as you can.

Looking forward to hearing more about the collection!

 

Thank you... There are hundreds, and just the researching I've done online indicates some are in the $100 range, some in the $500 range, some in $1,000 range, and some even more.

 

Here in Houston we have a coin shop you may take your coins to and they will recommend TPG,if warranted.
Perhaps you live where there isn’t a facility like such. It’s rather important that the dealer be honest, therefore a bit of researching bonafides is in order.
Good Luck,
J.T.

 

That's possible, but value depends very much on the coin's condition (and, of course, authenticity). If a coin is corroded, or has been cleaned improperly, it loses most of its value.

Again, can you post some examples of the higher-value coins? If photos are difficult, just listing a few by their denomination/date/mint-mark can help us figure out which way the discussion should go.

 

If you are in a hurry to get rid of them, no doubt a dealer would be the best way to go.
Remind you though dealers are not there to fill your pockets with money. They are there to make a profit for themselves. This means that a trustworthy dealer will give you around grey sheet for the coins. And if they are good at grading this can be a good route for you as it should put a descent amount of money in your pocket, with out any hassle.
An untrustworthy dealer should not be an option, you are better off asking here for approximate grades and values. Then send what is worth it to get graded by either PCGS or NGC. These are the two TPG's that get the best prices at auction.

Good luck, and sorry for your loss.
Hopefully you keep some of the better coins for you and your family as a reminder of him.

 

I'll post four examples...
1909 S VDB penny unknown grade
1893 S Morgan Dollar in XF
1854 $3 gold coin in UNC
1983 Robert Frost One Ounce gold coin

 

Thank you !

 

Thank you... Attending a local coin club meeting next Tuesday, hoping to get good information that evening as well !

 

Hello Ben. Welcome to the forum and I too extend my sympathies for your loss. You have been given some good advice here. From what I can see in your photo's, yes you do have some nice examples of very sought after coins. The difference in certification and authentication of the 09-S, VDB, Three dollar gold and 1893-S Morgan (I cannot speak to the Frost piece) will make a substantial difference in your ability to market these. And given that these are desirable pieces an authenticated grade will firm up your position as a seller. Please keep us posted. And again, my sympathies.

 

We are coin nuts around here, the photos are hard to read due to the flips.
The 09'S is an often faked example. Not saying yours is one of them. But better rotated photos would help us confirm the MM placement.

 

Sorry for your loss. Please do not do anything in a rush. Those coins can always be sold. Be careful what you say to people as well. You have received some good advice as stated before my post do I'll not repeat it. Just take your time with them and remember they can be sold in the future as well as right now.

 

Thank you ! The collection has been securely stored in a bank vault since he passed away in 2002, so we are not in any rush, but recently decided we wish to dispose of it in the best way possible.

 

After 18 years it's best to do something with them. Go to a few different LCS's, club meetings, local coin shows and learn what you can. Some things are better to auction off while others are local sales. Don't clean them. And some might be worth sending in for grading.

After a few more posts CT does have a for sale forum you could use and you can always post photos of both sides in full frame asking for our advice.

Welcome to CT.

 

Yep, those coins are Serious Business, and certainly worthy of being slabbed -- but it's still going to be a good idea to get someone to look over the collection. We aren't into "Papa Ben Signature Auction" territory, at least not yet, but we can definitely discard the "ship it off to APMEX for melt" option.

 

You can bet if one of us would have acquired one of those first three, we would sure be on the forum here bragging about it!

The one thing that I believe needs to be mentioned here. The difference in value of an XF40 to an XF45 could be as much as a $2000.00 difference in the value of your 1893-S Morgan with similar spreads for your others. Once you have them slabbed and graded, a buyer loses the ability to haggle that difference in grade with you.

 

Thank you !

 

Thank you !

 

This is important.

These are each potentially four-figure coins. There are several possibilities:

1) One or more are fake. Better to find this out before selling them to someone who can come back and get you in trouble.

2) They're genuine, but some have been cleaned or otherwise damaged. Slabbing them will still guarantee their authenticity, and likely maximize their selling price.

3) They're genuine and problem-free. A slab testifying to that will greatly increase their selling price.

4) They're genuine, problem-free, and on the cusp of a higher grade. Getting slabbed at that higher grade can win you a much higher price, as Randy says. Getting slabbed at a lower grade gives you a coin that's "outstanding for the grade", and still gets you a good price, because many buyers look for coins they can crack out and resubmit for an upgrade.

 

Thank you !