Please help a newbie!

[Pat 7887]

Hello, I need to find a fair and reputable dealer/appraiser of US coins. My father passed away and left his children with a misc. collection of antique gold and silver coins, including a complete set of $2.5 Indian Head coins. I want to sell them at a fair price and distribute the proceeds to my sisters. Any ideas on how to go about finding the right person to help us? Thanks, Pat

[MarkFeld]

Welcome to the forum, Pat and I am sorry for your loss.

 

Have the coins been graded by a grading company? If not, do you have any notes or indication regarding their condition?

 

Recommendations of dealers will be at least somewhat dependent upon your location.

[Pat 7887]

Hi, Thanks for responding. Yes, the coins are graded, and most are ms63. We are in Orange County CA.

[synoptic12]

Welcome to collector's Society. We see not any as passing away, only being redeemed by Our savior. In initiating the sale of the collection left to the family, you surely exhibit fine qualities in providing for others, namely your sisters. This is surely a quality trait, whereby many bypass and forsake for greed.

 

There are many well qualified people within this forum, excluding myself which may direct you. We hope you may locate the appropriate appraiser to determine the value of your collection.

 

Keep the faith, everything else is secondary. You seem to be headed in the right direction.

[MarkFeld]

Hi, Thanks for responding. Yes, the coins are graded, and most are ms63. We are in Orange County CA.

 

Can you tell us if they are NGC or PCGS graded?

 

Those coins trade fairly frequently and if you can provide a list with the grade for each date, I and others should be able to tell you their approximate fair market value of the coins.

[Raisethis2]

These kinds of situations occur far too often.

 

Given the size and scope of this particular collection I'd strongly recommend you communicate with Mark Feld primarily (even by phone if necessary) as he is one of the most qualified and respected people in the numismatic community to consult with.

 

He can explain in some detail what, and what not to do.

[William Wallace]

You might look for a local shop with good reviews on places like Yelp and Google. Then check out their website and get a feel for how they operate. When I lived in Austin I sold a collection to South Austin Coin Exchange. When I moved to Nashville I found a new company with good reviews on Yelp called Nashville Coin Gallery.

[mark]

I second Raisethis2's suggestion to contact Mark Feld BEFORE you even think about venturing into a local dealer. Mark is a highly qualified, highly respected dealer working with one of the largest coin companies (Heritage) in existence. His advice will be sound.

 

Mark

 

PS: I have no connection with Heritage other than buying coins from them in their auctions.t

[RWB]

Try contacting these. Suggest you assemble a list of the holdings and take a few photos. Be sure to indicate the coins that are in NGC or PCGS or ANACS plastic slabs, since that guarantees authenticity - very important for the gold coins. Send the list and photos to dealers to get a rough idea of the value, then "shop" the coins to the best couple of offers.

 

John Franklin Coins

7710 Balboa Ave

San Diego, CA 92111

Phone number (858) 278-6671

 

San Diego Coin & Bullion

7420 Clairemont Mesa Blvd

San Diego, CA 92111

Phone number (858) 569-5222

 

Cellar Coin Co.

1029 Garnet Ave

San Diego, CA 92109

 

Kagin's (David McCarthy) - this is an hour drive north

1550G Tiburon Blvd,

Tiburon, CA

 

 

[messydesk]

...

Kagin's (David McCarthy) - this is an hour drive north

1550G Tiburon Blvd,

Tiburon, CA

 

Orange County to Tiburon in an hour? Not if you're flying commercial.

[CascadeChris]

www.greatcollections.com is in Irvine. If you're looking to sell give him a call. He can get them all slabbed for you and send them to CAC afterward then put them up for auction and his commision is very low. Only 5% for coins that hammer under $1k and 0% for coins over $1k

[coinman_23885]

I second Raisethis2's suggestion to contact Mark Feld BEFORE you even think about venturing into a local dealer. Mark is a highly qualified, highly respected dealer working with one of the largest coin companies (Heritage) in existence. His advice will be sound.

 

Mark

 

PS: I have no connection with Heritage other than buying coins from them in their auctions.t

 

+1

 

Mark Feld would treat you fairly. Prior to moving to work with Heritage, he was a very well known California coin dealer that truly treated all of his clients and those he did business with fairly.

[coinman_23885]

www.greatcollections.com is in Irvine. If you're looking to sell give him a call. He can get them all slabbed for you and send them to CAC afterward then put them up for auction and his commision is very low. Only 5% for coins that hammer under $1k and 0% for coins over $1k

 

Ian/Great Collections is also honest. I don't think he does anything other than auctions, but the OP could ask.

 

Heritage is also dealership with dealings outside of auctions (even though most collectors associate it with its signature auctions). As for whether it is better to auction or sell outright, it depends on what all the original poster has to liquidate.

[WoodenJefferson]

Warning...do not solicit any of these bullion only companies, they will not pay you for numismatic value.