Buying bags of coins

johnomerta

Sr. Member
Sep 29, 2013
332
75
North Texas
Primary Interest:
Other
Has anyone ever bought a bag of coins from a company like Apmex or Providence and found a key date? Is there anything left in the bag with numismatic value or just silver value. I'm thinking about buying $100 face bag of Barber quarters. I just wanted to know if there was a CHANCE of scoring a decent coin.
 

DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
Me, I'm a skeptic. Unless the bag is "seeded" with a coin of just a little more value than melt, there's be nothing of merit, I'd think they might seed your first bag just to get you to buy another bag.

After all these years of silver madness, and the surge in the collecting market, you best bet is digging one out of the ground! Or maybe an estate sale.

This is certainly a time of "let the buyer beware". If I bought a bag it would only at melt value plus maybe 10%. Then at least you'd get your money's worth. I just saw an ad on Craigslist NRV for a "rare" mercury dime in mint condition, with a picture. It was a no mint mark 1942 in "good" condition - and that's far from mint condition. The seller didn't list a price. Melt at today's spot is $1.46 - and the seller was looking for trades too!

That was laughable....
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,717
40,795
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I got a bag of uncirculated copper cents. Mint sealed. Got some gorgeous pennies with multiple rainbows but not one blasted error coin, which was what I was looking for.
 

OP
OP
J

johnomerta

Sr. Member
Sep 29, 2013
332
75
North Texas
Primary Interest:
Other
There is a local place that I am buying Mercs for $1.60. I have found a few that are worth more than melt. They just dump the bag out and let me pick. They started going through them because we I went back they were all from the 40s. They used to let me cherry pick from Walking Liberty but now when I buy halves the always bring Bens or 64s. I guess they didn't want me making anything off them.
 

DeepseekerADS

Gold Member
Mar 3, 2013
14,880
21,725
SW, VA - Bull Mountain
Detector(s) used
CTX, Excal II, EQ800, Fisher 1260X, Tesoro Royal Sabre, Tejon, Garrett ADSIII, Carrot, Stealth 920iX, Keene A52
Primary Interest:
Other
Here's that post :)

Rare 1942 Dime

CL >blacksburg >all for sale / wanted >collectibles - by owner
x flag

Posted: 5 days ago
Rare 1942 Dime
I have for sale ( or trade ) a rare 1942 dime thats in mint condition

do NOT contact me with unsolicited services or offers

post id: 4264692266 01616_l81K4VMRvOT_600x450.jpg

posted: 5 days ago

updated: 5 days ago

email to friend

♥ best of
 

OP
OP
J

johnomerta

Sr. Member
Sep 29, 2013
332
75
North Texas
Primary Interest:
Other
I believe it is better than good but not mint. I am no professional grader but just my thoughts.

Can I just walk in to the Apmex facility in OKC and make a purchase or is it only online?
 

coinguy*matthew

Sr. Member
Mar 30, 2013
421
148
N.H.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I got a bag of uncirculated copper cents. Mint sealed. Got some gorgeous pennies with multiple rainbows but not one blasted error coin, which was what I was looking for.

Mint sealed is a whole topic in itself but I think the OP was looking for AMPEX experiences only. I would think a key date barber quarter is not going to go unnoticed by the AMPEX staff and would be highly unlikely to find its way into your bag although I will say nothing is impossible. I would be very curious to know what amount of key date or otherwise rare coins they acquire in their large bullion purchases.
 

Generic_Lad

Bronze Member
Jul 23, 2010
1,373
276
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250, Bounty Hunter Quick Draw
Primary Interest:
Other
Companies like APMEX are going to be looking for key dates. On the other hand, your local Cash4Gold shop might not be.....

Generally the bigger the company, the more experts it has to look for things that are worth more.
 

RBowtie97

Full Member
Sep 11, 2013
118
44
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Companies like APMEX are going to be looking for key dates. On the other hand, your local Cash4Gold shop might not be.....

Generally the bigger the company, the more experts it has to look for things that are worth more.

This is good advice! My brother works next door to a cash for gold and silver store and gets awesome deals on quality gold and silver coins at a little over melt value. He watches when people go in with a box of coins. As soon as they leave, he rushes over to see what they brought. Not long ago, he got a roll of 50 uncirculated 1941s Mercury Dimes. He paid $1.90 per dime.
 

doc-d

Bronze Member
May 19, 2013
1,639
2,561
Pacific Northwest
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My experience is that the company I use does not look over the coins well, or even at all, when brought in volume as junk silver……
So if somebody knows coins and wants to search for specific ones of value, this would be productive IMHO.
 

Iamrussell

Bronze Member
Mar 12, 2013
2,114
697
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My experience is that the company I use does not look over the coins well, or even at all, when brought in volume as junk silver......
So if somebody knows coins and wants to search for specific ones of value, this would be productive IMHO.

And what company is that ;-)

-------------------------------------
just keep stacking, just keep stacking, stacking stacking stacking
 

Iamrussell

Bronze Member
Mar 12, 2013
2,114
697
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
This is good advice! My brother works next door to a cash for gold and silver store and gets awesome deals on quality gold and silver coins at a little over melt value. He watches when people go in with a box of coins. As soon as they leave, he rushes over to see what they brought. Not long ago, he got a roll of 50 uncirculated 1941s Mercury Dimes. He paid $1.90 per dime.

Wow thats a great deal

-------------------------------------
just keep stacking, just keep stacking, stacking stacking stacking
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top