Your Useful Guide On How To Get Your Coin Collection Appraised

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Written By Natasha Jones
I'm Natasha Jones, an avid collector of coins, stamps, and paper money.My passion drives me to seek unique finds, from antique shops to international exchanges.I enjoy connecting with fellow collectors through forums and meet-ups, sharing discoveries and insights.

Coin collectors are a particular group of people. They have their own rules and regulations, but they also have their way of doing things.

This is why you need to know how to get your coin collection appraised, and we’re here to help!

This blog post will review everything you need to know before getting your collection appraised by an expert.

How To Get Your Coin Collection Appraised?

Okay, the first thing you need to do is find an appraiser. There are several ways to do this, but I suggest checking online first.

You might be able to locate one in your vicinity by browsing through online directories or inquiring around.

If you’re not finding someone, you can call a local coin collector club or museum and inquire if they know someone who does this sort of work.

They often know other collectors with experience appraising coin collections for insurance purposes or as part of estate planning.

Where Can You Get Your Coin Collection Appraised?

Coin collectors often find themselves with extensive collections of coins and other collectibles.

These collections can be worth thousands, even millions of dollars, if they’re high quality and in good condition.

If you have a collection that you want to find out how much it’s worth, here are some of the best places to go to, in our opinion:

Local Coin Dealers

how-to-get-your-coin-collection-appraised

Local coin dealers can get you an appraisal for your collection! Local coin dealers can be knowledgeable about appraising a collection, especially if you have a rare collection. I remember when I was selling my collection.

It took me a lot of time to find a reputable dealer in my area! I suggest researching reputable dealers in your area first before doing a transaction.

This way, you can be sure about the credibility of the dealer!

Pros:

  • The location can be near you.
  • Knowledgeable about coins and grading them.
  • Some dealers offer free appraisals.

Cons:

  • Researching can be time-consuming.
  • You might get scammed.

Heritage Auctions

how-to-get-your-coin-collection-appraised

I present Heritage Auctions Coins, one of the most renowned online auction platforms globally. Its currency sales have exceeded a whopping $4 billion since its establishment.

At Heritage Auctions, they have numismatic experts available for professional appraisal services, and they also offer free appraisals for auction items.

Pros:

  • They offer free appraisals for auction items.
  • They have on-staff numismatic experts.
  • Professional appraisals are available.
  • Wide knowledge about the U.S. coins, world, and rare coins.

Cons:

  • The free appraisal is only for auction sale items.
  • You need to contact their numismatics experts directly.

PGS Gold and Coin

how-to-get-your-coin-collection-appraised

At PGS Gold and Coin, they specialize in evaluating and selling U.S. coins and bullion.

Their detailed appraisal process can assist you in organizing and submitting your collections for appraisal.

If you want to get your gold coins appraised, this is the best place to go to!

Pros:

  • Numismatic staff with over 40+ years of experience in the business.
  • Certified experts.
  • Professional appraisals are available.
  • Detailed appraisal for U.S. Coins.

Cons:

  • Written appraisals start at $175 an hour per appraiser.
  • Most appraisals are in-person at Illinois locations.

Great Collections

how-to-get-your-coin-collection-appraised

At Great Collections, they provide free online appraisals for world coins.

They also offer pre-built Excel spreadsheets to assist collectors in organizing their coins.

Pros:

  • Certified experts.
  • Free appraisals.
  • Over 900,000 coins are sold worldwide.

Cons:

  • Appraisals can’t be used for legal or insurance needs.
  • Appraisals are only available for auctionable coins.

Other Companies You Can Visit:

Legend Numismatics

how-to-get-your-coin-collection-appraised

Legend Numismatics is located in New Jersey and was founded in 1987.  Legend Numismatics is a coin dealer that specializes in rare coins.

They also offer appraisal services to their clients, who tend to be serious coin collectors or investors. 

They offer appraisals by appointment only, or you’re welcome to meet with them at a show.

Stack’s Bowers Galleries

how-to-get-your-coin-collection-appraised

Stacks Bowers is New York’s premier coin appraiser. The firm was established in 1933 and has competed with the finest collections of historical material on the market. 

“The most trusted name in numismatics.” Stack’s would probably be the name most collectors would recommend for coin appraisals if you were to ask around.

They offer a wide range of free appraisal services, including in-person, by mail, and email.  In addition, they have 7 locations worldwide where you can get your coins inspected and valued for free. 

“If you want your coin collection appraised,” says Anthony Cherry, an experienced collector and auctioneer with a long history in the business, “do not go to some little guy online that doesn’t know anything about coins. Instead, go to someone who has been doing it for a long time and can give objective expert opinions on what your coins are worth. Unfortunately, with the world of collectibles out there today, there are a lot of people who are amateurs and don’t know what they’re doing.”

Why Do I Need To Get My Coin Collection Appraised?

When you have a coin collection, there are many reasons why you may want to get it appraised. Some of these reasons include:

  • To get an idea of the value of your coin collection
  • If you want to sell your coin collection
  • If you want to donate your coin collection
  • If you want to learn more about your coin collection

Getting your coins appraised is important if you’re considering selling your collection. This can help you better understand your coins and give you an idea of what you can sell them for.

It’s also important to know how much each of your coins is worth and how much your entire collection is worth.

If you’re hoping to make some money from the sale, then it’s vital that you know whether or not the coins in your collection are legitimate or not.

Tips Before Getting My Coin Collection Appraised?

Now that you know how to appraise your coin collection, it’s time for some tips before bringing them in for a professional evaluation.

Check for damage. Make sure that all the coins in your collection are safe and sound. Look closely at each one, looking for scratches or dents on the coin’s surface.

If there are any chips or cracks, consider having them repaired by a professional numismatist before sending them in for appraisal.

Check if any coins look like they’ve been cleaned or polished; cleaning and polishing may alter their value significantly, so make sure you don’t send these types of items when getting an appraisal done on your collection!

Check authenticity: Some counterfeit coins may be circulating, so be sure to check any questionable ones carefully before sending them off to be appraised too!

These could be fakes made by someone who wants to sell them on eBay (they won’t know they aren’t confirmed until after they’ve already bought one).

Still, they also could be from older collections where values haven’t been updated since their debut years. Therefore, people who purchased those collections thinking everything was still worth something today will be very disappointed when finding out otherwise!

Remember that just because something looks authentic doesn’t mean it really is (and even if someone did make another copy using old materials found). 

Before you go…

I hope this article helped you answer your questions on how to get your coin collection appraised. If you’re trying to decide if it’s worth getting your coin collection appraised, we would say it is! There are so many reasons you should have your coins’ value. It can help you identify counterfeit or altered coins and determine their value and worth. This will help with any future purchases or sales of these items too!

Check out my next article: “Should I Have My Coin Collection Appraised? Is It A Good Idea?

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