Sell · Coins
Selling Coins: Raw or Certified, We'll Explain Either Way
Coins arrive in every condition and every level of documentation — a single raw coin in an envelope, a certified rarity in a slab, or a full album of circulated pieces. Whatever form yours takes, we'll walk you through what we're looking at and why it matters.
Raw vs. certified
What's the difference, and does it matter?
Both raw and certified coins are welcome. The distinction affects how we evaluate them, not whether we'll look.
Raw coins
A raw coin hasn't been graded and encapsulated by a third-party service. Most coins that come through the door are raw — inherited collections, pocket change finds, and family accumulations. We examine the coin in hand, assess its condition and authenticity, and price it based on date, mint mark, and grade as we see it.
Certified coins
Coins graded by services like NGC, PCGS, or PMG come sealed in a tamper-evident holder with a stated grade. Certification generally makes pricing more straightforward, since the grade and authenticity have already been independently confirmed. We still verify the holder and check current market activity for that exact grade before making an offer.
Key dates
Key dates and semi-key dates can carry outsized value
Within a common series, certain dates and mint marks were struck in far lower numbers and can be worth many times more than an ordinary date in the same grade.
- Morgan and Peace silver dollars, where certain mint marks and dates command strong premiums
- Lincoln cents, including well-known early key dates
- Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters, and Walking Liberty halves
- Early gold type coins and commemorative issues
- World coin key dates, which are easy to overlook without reference material
You don't need to know which dates matter before you come in — this is exactly the kind of thing we check for you, coin by coin, without assuming a whole album is only worth its face value or bulk silver content.
Please don't
What not to do before selling a coin
A few well-meaning habits can actually reduce a coin's value. If in doubt, bring it in exactly as you found it.
- Don't clean, polish, or dip coins — cleaning leaves marks that can permanently lower a coin's grade and value
- Don't remove coins from certified holders — breaking a slab voids the certification
- Don't try to separate coins from an album unless you need to — we're happy to review a full album as-is
- Don't apply oils, sprays, or preservatives to "protect" a coin
How we evaluate
What goes into an evaluation
We look at each coin individually rather than pricing a collection as a lump sum, so you can see how the total was reached.
- Identification — series, date, mint mark, and variety
- Condition and grade, assessed in hand or confirmed by a certification holder
- Current market activity for that coin and grade
- Metal content, for coins where bullion value may exceed collector value
- Rarity and demand for the specific date and mint mark
VerifyConfirm whether a written breakdown or itemized offer sheet is provided for larger coin lots.
Not sure what you have?
Related pages that might help
Bring your coins in for a straightforward look
Raw, certified, key date, or common — we'll tell you what we see and what it's worth.