| When you were a kid, you had a huge coin | | | | who is posing as a dealer and who wants to take |
| collection. Proof sets, rarities, and thousands of | | | | advantage of you. Coin guilds are worthy places |
| others. You bet your collection could probably sell | | | | to check for reputable dealers. |
| for enough to put your kid through her first | | | | 5. Many dealers specialize in a certain kind of coin |
| semester at college. Well, maybe. Follow these | | | | collection, so it may be hard at first to find an |
| tips to get the best price for your coins. | | | | interested party. Smaller dealers are more willing |
| 1. If you've been reading through coin value guides | | | | to take on entire collections. If your collection is |
| and you think that you have a fortune on your | | | | relatively small, you may have to ship it to the |
| hands, you may be surprised to realize that most | | | | interested dealer. Insure the package and include a |
| of those prices are for retailers, and aren't | | | | list of what you are sending. Within no time, you |
| actually what you would be paid for them. A | | | | can expect a check in the mail. |
| couple of books that may behoove you: The | | | | 6. If you have a few rare coins, it may be worth |
| Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United States | | | | it to have them slabbed (graded professionally |
| Coins,"and the "Standard Catalog of World Coins." | | | | with certificate). |
| 2. Know what you have and list the price that | | | | 7. If you want to take the high line, go to an |
| you want for each item. If you have a lot of | | | | auction house. Most houses start by giving you a |
| pennies, though, it may not be worth it to count | | | | conservative estimate of how much your |
| each one. You can determine how many you | | | | collection is worth. Heritage Auction Galleries in |
| have by weighing them, 148 wheat pennies to the | | | | Dallas is the world's leading rare coin auctioneer, |
| pound. The same goes for other mass coins like | | | | and the third largest house around. If your |
| dimes and quarters. | | | | collection is valued at over $5,000, they will |
| 3. When it comes to selling to dealers, there are | | | | auction it for you. There is, however, a 10% fee. |
| many routes you can take. But first, this path is | | | | These tips should give you an idea of what you're |
| one for unloading your collection faster; be | | | | working with. Finding a dealer can be laborious, but |
| warned that you may not get the premium | | | | it can also beat losing 10% of your profit at an |
| values you want. Money.org and are two websites | | | | auction house. And if you don't feel comfortable |
| that can help you find a dealer. | | | | selling your coins, keep them for posterity. |
| 4. Once you find an interested dealer, talk to him. | | | | Although they don't gain in value as much as |
| Make sure that he is experienced and has traded | | | | mutual funds, they still appreciate. Your grandkids |
| before - you don't want to work with someone | | | | will thank you. |