RECENT QUESTIONS
Questions and Answers
Get accurate information on your own collection from a true numismatist.
Q. Included in a modest coin collection I inherited is an uncirculated silver dollar that has a bronze like patina, which I'm told is OK. However, there is also a bit of green. Should that be removed? How may I safely do so? thank you -- Mike B.
Dear Michael,
That's like asking a dentist the safe way to fill your own cavity. Odds are an untrained person will do irreversible damage. If the "green" corrosion is very light it may be salvageable. If it's a valuable piece. I offer conservation services that may be worth it. To illustrate: I was doing an appraisal for a lawyer in Bronxville who purchased a commercial coin product over the Internet to clean an uncirculated 1884-S Morgan Dollar, which had a value of $7,000. His efforts remov...
Q. Hello. I am a newly retired health care professional. I am looking for help in planning an inheritance for my five grandchildren. Is silver "stacking" a good option?
Dear Arnold,
Here is my honest opinion, borne out of experience. As much as I love coins and bullion, I would not advise you to "stack" silver or other precious metals for a number of reasons. Silver and gold are not great long term investments, unless you happen to time things right. They don't go perpetually up, they wander with the economy, peak once a generation, and drift back down. They don't pay a dividend, you can't eat them, and there is plenty in the Earth's crust and in private an...
Q. Is it true that if you clean your old coin it loses its value?
The short answer is yes. Unless you are trained to do it, cleaning a coin will remove the oxidation, or "toning," and render it much lower in value. Once that's done, trying to fix it will only make things worse. A qualified numismatist may know how to clean off dirt and grease and restore a coin to its original beauty; but like a fine piece of art, that coin must be handled skillfully.
Q. I’m just wondering I have so many old coins I can’t upload them all is there an other way to do this
Of course! Call me at 914-649-3317 I can figure out all sorts of things with you over the phone. --Marc
Q. Hi Marc,
My father gave me his Roman coin collection and I was wondering what the best way is to handle it. I am fairly new to the coin collecting genre and would love some advice!
Thanks!
Chip
First, don't clean anything. Keep the coins stored in a cool, dark, dry place. We can do an appraisal when you're ready!
Marc
Q. I have silver libertys I would like to liquidate, can I bring them all with me, and conclude an exchange at that time/rate with a payment
We can lock in a rate in advance, or trade based upon the current spot price. Call me at 9147-649-3317.
Q. I have a few 1943 wheat pennys that I have collected and I think one of them is steel wheat penny. Are these pennies are worth any money?
They are all steel. Some may look like they are a different metal because of oxidation. We buy these for 1.5 cents apiece, and sell them for 2 cents. We can pay more for a large number, such as ten or more rolls ($5 face value).
Q. Do you appraise stamps? Do you buy stamps?
Yes. But Stamps rarely have value.
Marc
914-649-3317
Q. Hi, is it true that a single 1943 penny is worth many thousands of dollars? I found one. Am I rich now?
This is possibly the most common question we get asked. Your 1943 cent (Britain has pennies, not us!) is worth a cent. The confusion arises from the fact that these cents were made out of zinc-coated steel. While there are a few copper 1943 cents (and a few steel 1944's) out there, I'm confident you don't have one. You'll know because you can lift your steel cent with a magnet. If it were copper, it would not do that. And even if by some miracle you a bronze 1943 cent, and it was worth $100,000,...
Q. Hi, Marc. I like your website. I have a 1912 gold sovereign coin. I think it's from Great Britain. How much is it worth?
This depends on the grade and mint Mark, I have to see them. Also a full sovereign and a half sovereign they look exactly the same and so it should be weighed or measured. An uncirculated Australia sovereign of that date can retail for &400. A worn common one scraps at $250. That's your range. It was made as a bullion product and it remains the same and if it's worth more than gold that's the dealers profit and it's usually not a large margin.