Martins Coins and Jewelry - Vermont Coin, Vermont Gold, Vermont Silver, and Vermont Jewelry Buyer

Selling Your Coins FAQ

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Martin's Coins & Jewelry buys (and sells) all U.S. and foreign coins. As the biggest local buyer of these items, We use our vast knowledge to properly identify and appraise your coins in order to give you the most money for them. Whether you've inherited a collection or are ready to part with one you've put together, you can be certain that we will give you a fair offer on your collection.

Q: What types of coins are you looking for?
A: We buy all types of coins, medallions, tokens, paper money, etc.

Q: I have some old U.S. coins that look like they are silver. Are they valuable?
A: All dimes, quarters and half dollars minted before 1965 are made of 90% silver. They have an intrinsic value (value based on the silver content) that fluctuates with the current price of silver. So, for example, a 1954 Franklin half dollar would be worth at least 12 times face value ($6) if silver prices are around $17/troy ounce.

Q: What if my silver coin is rare? Is it worth more than silver value?
A: This is where my knowledge and grading experience will greatly benefit you. Let's use the 1954 Franklin half dollar again. A circulation strike, worn example will be worth its silver value, or about $6 based on current silver prices. However, a 1954 Franklin half dollar graded Proof-68 Deep Cameo by PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) sold for $11,500 on January 7, 2010. Why the huge difference? Because the proof example is what's called a "condition rarity." That means very few exist in that grade, so buyers will pay significant amounts of money to acquire such an example. The other kind of rarity is "mintage rarity," where a coin was not made in large volume, and there is a great demand for it. The first coin authorized by the U.S. Government was a 1793 "Chain" Large Cent. The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia made a little over 36,000 of them (By comparison, almost 900,000,000 examples of the Vermont State Quarter alone were struck for circulation!). As a result of this ultra-low mintage, even extremely worn, dateless coins are worth a couple of thousand dollars!

Q: My coins are kind of dirty. Should I clean them up before I bring them to you?
A: NO! I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to leave your coins exactly as they are right now. Cleaning a coin will decrease it's value considerably. I've had customers bring me valuable coins they had polished up that were worth HALF of what they would have been had they been left "dirty."

Q: I have a "Redbook," and I've been looking in it for values of my coins. Do you pay those prices?
A: The "Redbook" is an excellent source of information about your U.S. coins, and can assist you in determining which of your coins are worth more than others. Unfortunately, the book is only published once per year, and the retail value data is often 6 months old when it comes out in print. So the values listed are not really accurate-your coins could be worth more or less depending on the current market conditions.

Q: I've got some large U.S. paper money that reads "series of 1899." I've never seen anything like it-is it valuable?
A: The U.S. printed larger size currency in that time period. Depending on condition and rarity, a note like that could be worth a lot of money.

Q: What about gold coins?
A: The U.S. minted gold coins in various denominations from the late 1790s right up until 1933. We buy all U.S. and foreign gold coins.

Q: What about these coins I have in plastic holders?
A: There are three possibilities here: Some collectors store their coins in plastic sleeves or hard plastic cases to protect them. The second possibility is that you have a coin that has been "slabbed," or officially graded and put in that company's holder. Well known grading companies include Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), Independent Coin Graders (ICG), ANACS, and some others. In general, people get coins "slabbed" in these holders to guarantee authenticity and protect their value. The third and final possibility is that you have Proof or Mint sets. These will usually include an example of each denomination in a plastic case, or in a sealed flexible plastic envelope.

Q: Will you do an appraisal for me? This collection is part of an estate, so I need a written appraisal prior to deciding what to do with it.
A: Absolutely! I can provide you with a written appraisal for the estate. I charge a modest hourly fee for this service. If you have a fairly large collection, I also can travel to your location to do an appraisal. And, I can make you an offer on your collection, and that is done at no charge to you.

As you can see, there is a lot more to coins than meets the eye. In order to get the most money for your collection, it pays to deal with a knowledgeable professional like me. Please feel free to contact me today! I look forward to helping you.