How to appraise coins & how to check the value of your coins?
People have always been fascinated by gold and silver coins. The fact that we consider them precious and appealing make them valuable to everyone. But how can we calculate the fair market value of a gold or silver coin? Basically, the math comes down to 3 factors: metal and purity, condition, and scarcity.
Value of Coins Made of Gold
The value of a gold coin is based on the coin’s weight, the coin’s purity, the coin’s condition, and the coin’s scarcity.
Value of 1 Gram of Pure Gold: $85.76
Common Coin Alloys: 999, 986, 916, 900
Value Coins Made of Silver
The value of a silver coin is based on the coin’s weight, the coin’s purity, the coin’s condition, and the coin’s scarcity.
Value of 1 Gram of Pure Silver: $1.02
Common Coin Alloys: 999, 925, 900
Value of Coins
4 Types
The four most important types of coins are bullion coins, rounds, antique coins, and numismatic coins.
Bullion Coins
Coins minted for investment purposes.
Rounds
Round-shaped coins with no denomination.
Antique Coins
Coins minted in the last century.
Ancient Coins
Antique coins minted 1000+ years ago.
Value Factors of Gold & Silver Coins
The value of gold and silver coins is determined based on a coin’s weight, purity, condition, and scarcity. A rare coin in very bad condition may not be worth more than scrap value. For rare coins, condition is the MOST important value factor.
Weight & Purity
For most gold and silver coins, weight and purity are the most important factors in determining the current value. The heavier a coin is, the more valuable it is. While some coins weigh just a few grams, others can weigh a full ounce, two ounces, or even a kilo. While the value of a one-ounce gold coin is $2667.07, the value of a one-ounce silver coin is only $31.83 in direct comparison. Many coins will have their weight minted on the obverse or reverse, which makes a quick value assessment easier for inexperienced coin owners.
Condition
Most coins are priced based on their weight and purity, but the condition may add some or even significant extra value. A coin in bad condition may be worth only $50, while the same coin in excellent condition could be worth thousands of dollars. The condition may be critical to the value; older mass-made coins in GREAT condition are especially rare. Consider that the highest-graded coins are almost always sealed and include certification papers; they’re rarely loose and not kept in a coin holder or capsule.
Scarcity
One common misbelief is that if a coin is old, or even very old, it must be VERY valuable. People tend to consider very old items to be very valuable, which may be true in certain circumstances. But even 100 or 200 years ago, people collected things like special coins and stored them safely. A coin we consider scarce was probably rare even 100+ years ago. People may not have realized that, and the coin changed hands for its face value only. This is another reason we consider the condition of a coin when we want to determine its value.
Value Coins Made of Gold
Here is a list of very common and widespread gold coins with their current base values. The listed purchase prices are minimum prices. Some coins may have significantly higher values due to their condition, grading, or scarcity.
American Gold Eagle
Selling Value: $2536.55
US Gold Buffalo
Selling Value: $2533.72
Kangaroo Nugget
Selling Value: $2533.72
Britannia Gold Coin
Selling Value: $2533.72
Lunar Coin Series
Selling Value: $2533.72
$10 Indian Head Gold
Selling Value: $1225.72
20 Francs Helvetia
Selling Value: $497.82
1 Pound Sovereign
Selling Value: $596.12
10 Roubles Russia
Selling Value: $568.09
20 Francs Belgium
Selling Value: $497.82
20 Francs France
Selling Value: $473.41
Au. Kookaburra
Selling Value: $253.37
Australian Gold Swan
Selling Value: $2533.72
Queen’s Beast GB
Selling Value: $2533.72
10 Guilders, NL
Selling Value: $493.22
Liberty Anniversary
Selling Value: $2533.72
Canada Gold Lunar
Selling Value: $724.18
20 Dollar Canada
Selling Value: $1206.64
Australian Koala
Selling Value: $2533.72
Australia Sovereign
Selling Value: $596.77
Spinner Dolphin
Selling Value: $2533.72
Wildlife Elephant
Selling Value: $2533.72
Wildlife Leopard
Selling Value: $2533.72
1 Deutsche Mark Gold
Selling Value: $977.64
100 Euro Germany
Selling Value: $1266.86
200 Euro Germany
Selling Value: $2533.72
20 Mark Germany
Selling Value: $584.24
Chilean 20 Pesos
Selling Value: $298.72
20 Lire Emanuele II
Selling Value: $473.41
100 Kurus Turkey
Selling Value: $538.44
Cook Island Bounty
Selling Value: $2533.72
2 Rand South Africa
Selling Value: $596.71
Martha Washington
Selling Value: $1266.86
Jefferson’s Liberty
Selling Value: $1266.86
Abigail Adams
Selling Value: $1266.86
Value of Coins Made of Silver
Here is a list of very common and widespread silver coins with their current base values. The listed purchase prices are minimum prices. Some coins may have significantly higher values due to their condition, grading, or scarcity.
American Silver Eagle
Selling Value: $30.24
1$ Buffalo Silver Coin
Selling Value: $73.93+
Morgan Silver Dollar
Selling Value: $20.95
Morgan Silver Dollar
Selling Value: $600.00
Peace Silver Dollar
Selling Value: $20.95
Liberty Seated Half Dollar
Selling Value: $10.47
Liberty Seated Half Dollar
Selling Value: $500.00
Barber Half Dollar Silver Coin
Selling Value: $9.80
Barber Half Dollar Silver Coin
Selling Value: $550.00
Walking Liberty Half Dollar
Selling Value: $9.80
Walking Liberty Half Dollar
Selling Value: $675.00
Franklin Half Dollar Coin
Selling Value: $9.80
Kennedy Half Dollar 90%
Selling Value: $9.80
Kennedy Half Dollar 40%
Selling Value: $4.01
Columbian Exposition Half Dollar
Selling Value: $9.80
Standing Liberty Silver Quarter
Selling Value: $4.90
Washington Silver Quarter
Selling Value: $4.90
Barber Silver Quarter Coin
Selling Value: $4.90
Roosevelt and Mercury Dimes
Selling Value: $1.96
Silver Wartime Nickel Coin
Selling Value: $1.52
2.5 oz Silver American Liberty
Selling Value: $75.59
Commemorative American Legion
Selling Value: $27.36+
America The Beautiful Series
Selling Value: $151.18
Canadian Silver Maple Leaf
Selling Value: $30.24
South African Silver Krugerrand
Selling Value: $30.24
Great Britain Silver Britannia
Selling Value: $30.24
Austrian Silver Philharmonic
Selling Value: $30.24
10 Yuan China Silver Panda
Selling Value: $30.24
Australian Silver Kangaroo
Selling Value: $30.24
Mexican Silver Libertad Coin
Selling Value: $30.24
Australian Silver Lunar Series I
Selling Value: $31.83
Australian Silver Lunar Series II
Selling Value: $31.83
Australian Silver Lunar Series III
Selling Value: $30.24
Great Britain Queen’s Beasts
Selling Value: $60.47
Somalia Elephant Silver Coin
Selling Value: $30.24
Question & Answers: Value Coins & How To Appraise Coins
At reDollar.com, everything is about knowledge transfer and education.
How do I find out what my coins are worth?
The best way to find out how much your coins are worth is doing an online research. reDollar.com is a also a great place to get an online appraisal for your coins. Other resources like “eBay” or “A Guide Book of United States Coins” are great for getting educated. Another good start is sorting your coins by metal: gold, palladium, platinum, and silver. Very often, markings on your coin will indicate what type of metal is present. Especially gold and palladium coins can be very valuable. A general rule is: the bigger the better. A bigger coin is heavier than a small coin resulting in a higher value.
Helpful for you: gold calculator
What is the best website for coin values?
reDollar.com has a tremendous coin knowledge section. Besides countless articles with photos and price charts, they do have an expert section where you can upload photos for getting a free online evaluation – as far as possible. While many coins can be roughly evaluated, some really need to be seen in person. Another great website for coin values is eBay. You can browse trough their sold section to get an idea about the value in your coins. Please consider that eBay is charging approx. 15% for selling on their website. While 15% doesn’t sound too bad, this is about 300 dollars in fees if you sell a coin for 2,000.
How much is a gold or silver coin worth, today?
As a general rule, gold is significantly worth more than silver. While a one ounce gold coin can be sold for $2533.72, a one ounce silver coin can only be sold for $30.24. Gold is a precious metal that is much rarer than silver and thus gold is reflecting a higher value. In the US, the most common gold and silver coins are the American Eagle gold coins and the American Eagle silver coins. Those coins are produced by the United States Mint and are backed by the government for weight, purity, and authenticity. Those so called bullion coins are available in various sizes and denominations, making them the most popular choice for investors in North America.