What to Do With a Coin Collection You Inherited (Before You Sell Anything)
If you’ve just inherited a coin collection — a parent’s, a grandparent’s — the instinct is often to get an answer fast: what’s it worth, and who buys it. Before you do anything else, slow down for a minute. A few wrong first moves can cost you real money, and none of them are reversible.
Don’t Clean the Coins
Cleaning strips a coin’s original surface and can cut its value by half or more, even if it looks shinier afterward. Collectors and graders want to see a coin exactly as it’s aged — leave it alone until someone experienced has looked at it.
Don’t Trust Online Price Guides
This is the single most common mistake I see. 1776–1976 Bicentennial Quarters, for example, are commonly and confidently listed online at $20,000 or more — and in nearly every real case, they’re worth about 25 cents, same as any other quarter. Sites built around eBay listings that never actually sold, mislabeled “vintage” Etsy shops, Pinterest boards, and YouTube thumbnails all have an incentive to inflate asking prices, because inflated numbers get clicks. An asking price is not a sold price, and it’s definitely not an appraisal.
Sort Before You Sell
Separate what’s genuinely old and rare from what’s just old — there’s a real difference. A coin can be from 1943 and still be worth face value. Look for key dates, mint marks, and anything that’s clearly been kept separately or specially: an album, a labeled envelope, a note tucked in with it.
Get an In-Hand Opinion, Not a Guess
A real appraisal happens in person, with the coins in hand — not from a photo texted to a stranger. I offer free verbal appraisals any time there’s an opportunity to buy, and I’ll tell you honestly what’s worth something and what isn’t.
When You’re Ready
If you decide to sell, sell to someone who’ll tell you the truth — including if the honest answer is “not much, but here’s what I can offer.” Whether it’s a single collection or a full estate, I’m happy to take a look.
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