Coins from "Advice needed for huge estate"

[Ahakunut]

Re: advice needed for huge garage sale
Some of you have asked for pictures. This isn't a great picture, but gives you an idea of the amount of coins. Each box is filled with coins. I've only gone thru a few so far. This will have to be something we set aside for later research. I'm told there are more coins in a cedar chest that I can't get to yet. I'll try to get better pictures later. The coins visible in the bottom center are all half dollars. We found these stashed all over the house and we're still finding them. She grew up during the depression which explains the squirreling.
Again, thank you guys so much for all the advice!

 

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[WhiteTornado]

This is a bit of advice about the coins, so I hope it helps. If some of this is not new knowledge to you, apologies, just not sure how much you know about coins.

Half dollars: Any Half Dollar post-1970 is clad, only worth face value. 1965-1970 are 40% silver, 1964 earlier are 90% silver.
Quarters and dimes: 1965-present are clad, only worth face value. 1964 and older are 90% silver.
Nickels: 1942-1945 are 35% silver (sometimes called War Nickels, since nickel was needed for WWII), others are typically worth face value.
Cents: 1959 and newer are worth face value. For the most part, 1940-1958 are worth face value. SOME pre-1940 MIGHT be worth more, but maybe a few cents each.

There are always exceptions such as key date coins (for example, 1950-D Jefferson Nickels), or especially old coins (roughly 1920s or earlier). If you are seeing mostly post-1940 coins, it might not be worth your time trying to search through them all, especially piles of circulated coins. Other exceptions to the above would be coins still in proof or mint sets. They are not worth much, especially anything 1960 or newer.

For anything clad/face value, I’d round all that up and take it to a local bank with coin counting machine. Call ahead and make sure they have one. Putting that amount of coins into rolls wouldn’t be worth your time.

For anything silver, here’s a guide to give you an approximation on value. Remember, when you sell to a dealer, they need to make a profit, so their bid will be a little less per coin or ounce than what is shown. Call up a shop and ask what their buy prices are for 90% circulated silver.

Silver Coin Melt Values with Live Silver Prices - Coinflation

For any foreign coins, unless they have silver or gold in them, they won't be worth much of anything. Exceptions might be for coins from about 1920s and earlier, but even less likely than for your US coins. A lot of times people sell circulated foreign coins by the pound on eBay.

I’m sure this doesn’t cover everything you have, but hope it’s a start at least.

(edit for slight clarification on the half dollars)

 

[Tallone]

Assuming you have some 1964 and earlier silver coins, you might want to consider hanging on to some of them as insurance against currency devaluation/collapse. In the unlikely event of a major economic calamity like that, such coins may become much more valuable than they are now and could very well become currency for commonplace transactions due to the fact they are easily identifiable and well-known silver content.

 

[trdhrdr007]

DO NOT clean them. Cleaning destroys the value.

 

[batcap]

This is a bit of advice about the coins, so I hope it helps. If some of this is not new knowledge to you, apologies, just not sure how much you know about coins.

Half dollars: Any Half Dollar post-1970 is clad, only worth face value. 1965-1970 are 40% silver, 1964 earlier are 90% silver.
Quarters and dimes: 1965-present are clad, only worth face value. 1964 and older are 90% silver.
Nickels: 1942-1945 are 35% silver (sometimes called War Nickels, since nickel was needed for WWII), others are typically worth face value.
Cents: 1959 and newer are worth face value. For the most part, 1940-1958 are worth face value. SOME pre-1940 MIGHT be worth more, but maybe a few cents each.

There are always exceptions such as key date coins (for example, 1950-D Jefferson Nickels), or especially old coins (roughly 1920s or earlier). If you are seeing mostly post-1940 coins, it might not be worth your time trying to search through them all, especially piles of circulated coins. Other exceptions to the above would be coins still in proof or mint sets. They are not worth much, especially anything 1960 or newer.

For anything clad/face value, I’d round all that up and take it to a local bank with coin counting machine. Call ahead and make sure they have one. Putting that amount of coins into rolls wouldn’t be worth your time.

For anything silver, here’s a guide to give you an approximation on value. Remember, when you sell to a dealer, they need to make a profit, so their bid will be a little less per coin or ounce than what is shown. Call up a shop and ask what their buy prices are for 90% circulated silver.

Silver Coin Melt Values with Live Silver Prices - Coinflation

For any foreign coins, unless they have silver or gold in them, they won't be worth much of anything. Exceptions might be for coins from about 1920s and earlier, but even less likely than for your US coins. A lot of times people sell circulated foreign coins by the pound on eBay.

I’m sure this doesn’t cover everything you have, but hope it’s a start at least.

(edit for slight clarification on the half dollars)

I thought copper cents (1982 back) would have been worth more than 1.6 cents. Has copper been sinking as bad as silver? Woe is me about my sad sterling flatware horde. . . and to my silver-on-copper collection.

 

[Army of 1]

Buddy that's a head ache I could live with , very envious ..cheers Mick

 

[Bquamb]

This is an extremely cool find. I would love to dig through box after box, bag after bag and so on...

Please keep us posted on the Epicness or how much of a Womp-Womp you encounter!

Could be a find of a life time!

 

[Ahakunut]

This is a bit of advice about the coins, so I hope it helps. If some of this is not new knowledge to you, apologies, just not sure how much you know about coins.

Half dollars: Any Half Dollar post-1970 is clad, only worth face value. 1965-1970 are 40% silver, 1964 earlier are 90% silver.
Quarters and dimes: 1965-present are clad, only worth face value. 1964 and older are 90% silver.
Nickels: 1942-1945 are 35% silver (sometimes called War Nickels, since nickel was needed for WWII), others are typically worth face value.
Cents: 1959 and newer are worth face value. For the most part, 1940-1958 are worth face value. SOME pre-1940 MIGHT be worth more, but maybe a few cents each.

There are always exceptions such as key date coins (for example, 1950-D Jefferson Nickels), or especially old coins (roughly 1920s or earlier). If you are seeing mostly post-1940 coins, it might not be worth your time trying to search through them all, especially piles of circulated coins. Other exceptions to the above would be coins still in proof or mint sets. They are not worth much, especially anything 1960 or newer.

For anything clad/face value, I’d round all that up and take it to a local bank with coin counting machine. Call ahead and make sure they have one. Putting that amount of coins into rolls wouldn’t be worth your time.

For anything silver, here’s a guide to give you an approximation on value. Remember, when you sell to a dealer, they need to make a profit, so their bid will be a little less per coin or ounce than what is shown. Call up a shop and ask what their buy prices are for 90% circulated silver.

Silver Coin Melt Values with Live Silver Prices - Coinflation

For any foreign coins, unless they have silver or gold in them, they won't be worth much of anything. Exceptions might be for coins from about 1920s and earlier, but even less likely than for your US coins. A lot of times people sell circulated foreign coins by the pound on eBay.

I’m sure this doesn’t cover everything you have, but hope it’s a start at least.

(edit for slight clarification on the half dollars)

Wow! Thank you so much for all the great info! I bought a book to help me identify coins, but it disappeared. You gave me exactly what I needed.

 

[Ahakunut]

Assuming you have some 1964 and earlier silver coins, you might want to consider hanging on to some of them as insurance against currency devaluation/collapse. In the unlikely event of a major economic calamity like that, such coins may become much more valuable than they are now and could very well become currency for commonplace transactions due to the fact they are easily identifiable and well-known silver content.

Thank you Tallone! I've been doing just that for several years. You never know!

 

[Ahakunut]

DO NOT clean them. Cleaning destroys the value.

Thanks!

 

[Ahakunut]

This is an extremely cool find. I would love to dig through box after box, bag after bag and so on...

Please keep us posted on the Epicness or how much of a Womp-Womp you encounter!

Could be a find of a life time!

Unfortunately this will have to wait until we finish the rest of the house.

 

[WhiteTornado]

I thought copper cents (1982 back) would have been worth more than 1.6 cents. Has copper been sinking as bad as silver? Woe is me about my sad sterling flatware horde. . . and to my silver-on-copper collection.

Per the following (paragraph 6), it's now illegal to melt down US Cents or Nickels:

The United States Mint Pressroom

 

[luke_00]

I will buy any coins from the 1700's or 1800's. It looks like there is a lot.

 

[jerseyben]

Ugh... I cant even look at this. This is like a dream come true. Beyond cool!

 

[Ahakunut]

I will buy any coins from the 1700's or 1800's. It looks like there is a lot.

It's going to be another year before we go thru the coins. I'll keep you in mind! Thanks!

 

[Beachkid23]

It's going to be another year before we go thru the coins. I'll keep you in mind! Thanks!

Really? I think for me to look through that I would give up sleep, food, hanging out with my family and friends, church, and possibly even going to the bathroom in order to make time to look through that collection!!! In fact it looks like so much fun and I'll will fly there and do it for you if you want. [emoji12]

 

[Ahakunut]

Really? I think for me to look through that I would give up sleep, food, hanging out with my family and friends, church, and possibly even going to the bathroom in order to make time to look through that collection!!! In fact it looks like so much fun and I'll will fly there and do it for you if you want. [emoji12]

Oh trust me, I'm chomping at the bit to go thru those, but I'm only here for 3 more weeks. I have a house FULL of things to go thru during that time. We have to sell the house in two years and I'm only here for a few weeks each summer.

 

[DFW_THer]

Really? I think for me to look through that I would give up sleep, food, hanging out with my family and friends, church, and possibly even going to the bathroom in order to make time to look through that collection!!! In fact it looks like so much fun and I'll will fly there and do it for you if you want. [emoji12]

I'll meet you there.