I have a set of coins from the Franklin Mint with ‘Sir Gawain’ and them. There two in the set, eadh of a different metal. They are sealed in plastic and I don’t want to open them. I can’t tell if they are silver and bronze or other metals and I can’t find them any place on the computer. Can anyone help me?
Chosen Answer:
“neutron activation analysis” somehow springs to mind.
If Sir Gawain was the green knight, it might be copper. If the plastic is thin, you might be able to do Archimede’s trick and
figure out some things the metals *might* be, or if the plastic is thick, you might be able to estimate the volume.
You might look to see if your coin matches any of the pictures starting at
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&q=%22Sir+Gawain%22+coin
by: A Guy
on: 17th May 08
Chosen Answer:
Probably the Smithsonian at this point. There are some private collectors that have huge collections but they remain anonymous and may be in second place. The American Numismatic society also has a huge collection of coins in general. The American Numismatic Association has a nice collection of US coins with some being loaned by collectors. Hope this helps.
by: Taiping
on: 9th October 10
I enjoy collecting coins but am interested in medieval coins but my local coin shop doesn’t have any… any online recommendations? A place that will sell me genuine stuff and not fakes. Thanks for your help!
Chosen Answer:
http://www.vcoins.com/
by: Amiante
on: 5th May 11
I have a jar full of old coins – French francs, Spanish pesetas etc and want to know where the best place is to get rid of them. Are there any charities that can use them?
Chosen Answer:
Take them to a coin collectors store.
by: George Orwell
on: 12th June 11
I’m new to coin collecting and would like to see the value of the coins grow. Are there any issues that have low mintage?
Thanks!
Chosen Answer:
The value of coins has not really risen much in the past few years. Graded and slabbed coins of the mint strike variety are however increasing in value.
Here is a place to find info regarding numismatics
http://www.pcgs.com/
Sets minted in the past three years have gained very little in value and the population is quite high.
The best valued sets are those from the first year of issue (example 1999 statehood quarters).
If you were to buy anything right now, buy the first set of the new Presidential Dollars. they will be worth more because they are the first of a new mintage.
by: Sgt Big Red
on: 5th December 07
My dad has a big coin collection and i don’t know anything about coins. I want to get something that will add to his collection for a gift. I was looking at ebay but i have no clue whats good and whats bad. Could someone struggle a suggestion on what to buy. I would like to buy off ebay and something under 100. Just give me some links.
Chosen Answer:
its unlikely you get ripped off if you go to a local dealers, i have found some by just looking on google and google maps. what i did was just punch in coin and the place i live. if no luck just google it, your bound to find some. I got some dealers hear where i live and some are really cheap coins too. The kind of coins they sell are international coins, China, Russia, German, Mexico ect… so maybe you can look local dealer instead fo online like Ebay.
by: Ryan Mc
on: 31st October 10
I am helping my mom find some Morgan Silver Dollars for a relative. He wants a ’78 from Philadelphia, Carson City, and San Francisco. She doesn’t want to spend a fortune so I guess circulated coins would fit that bill. I am new to the world of coin collection and really don’t know what to look for or where to start. Any advice and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Chosen Answer:
Ebay
by: Tyler
on: 13th December 09
Of course we all know that gold is over 00 per ounce, but if you go to a pawn shop you are only to get half of that if you are lucky. Where would you go to get the best return for the estate? Coins and jewelry both.
Chosen Answer:
Pawn shops use your gold as collateral against money paid to you, which you must return and then you get your gold back. Jewelry shops will give you hardly anything for it. I would suggest you use reputable estate jewelry buyers. If you are in or around NY, try Fabrikant Fine Diamonds – ask them for an assessment first. If the price is agreeable to you, then you can move forward with the deal. Hope you get a good price!
by: Andrew
on: 10th June 10
Obviously, I could go to a coin store and pay retail. I’m thinking estate sales or local auctions might be a good place to look. Looking at ebay, there are bulk coins being sold, but I’m sure they’ve been picked through for rare dates and good condition coins.
Chosen Answer:
Metal detecting of course! Check out TreasureNet.com I think. I know TreasureNet is right. Lots of good stuff to get ya started. I have found quite a few old coins right in my own yard. You can get a cheap detector, but get the best you can afford. Go for one with a depth meter, and auto ground balance.
by: mercuryman68850
on: 31st December 05
Chosen Answer:
Keep your coins someplace safe. While it is probably safe to go ahead and display some of your collection, the fact remains that coins are an attractive target for thieves. Keep your collection out of sight of windows and doors and put your most valuable coins under lock and key. The best idea to store coins in the safe place is to store in a self storage facility. Robovault is a self storage facility where you can store your fine art, exotic cars, antiques, fine furnishings, wine, business and forensic property or smaller items such as jewelry, precious metals, currency or important documents.
by: James
on: 20th December 10