ANTIQUE APPRAISAL: COIN COLLECTION VALUE

For purposes of clarification, the term “value” is a social agreement; it is the consensus among people interested in a property of what is a reasonable price for the property. It is not an amount that was realized from a specific sale on a specific date (price). It is an opinion based on relevant market activity (appraisal) as opposed to a fact based on a single transaction.

There are several criteria that a coin appraiser at EmailAppraisals.com will consider when preparing a coin collection value appraisal. To begin with, coins that are rare carry a higher demand among collectors and are valued higher, and also important is the grading (level of preservation) of the coin, based on established, industry standards. Also under consideration when producing an appraisal coin collection valuation is the fact that there is normally a collection value enhancement, meaning the collection value is greater than the aggregate sum of the individual coins. In theory, an interested buyer will be willing to pay a premium relative to the time and expense needed to locate each of the coins in the collection one at a time.

Most coin value appraisal experts will agree that the first factor that makes a coin rare is its mintage. The term mintage is the number of coins struck for any given date at a specific mint. However, official mintage figures are often incorrect. Ultimately, scarcity is determined by actual supply and demand in the collectible marketplace.   

The grading of a coin is always of importance in establishing the coin collection value. Over the years, many grading services have emerged, some specializing in paper money and world coins. Fees differ from company to company depending on the level of service. A coin graded by one company may realize greater value than the same coin in the same grade graded by another company because of market perception.

Most coin owners are interested in a coin collection value appraisal because they want to sell, insure, or value for estate settlement purposes. Before selling the first rule of thumb is to know what you have to sell. If you need assistance, it is highly recommended you have your coin collection appraised by a professional coin appraiser, preferably one that has no intention to purchase from you. If a dealer is providing the appraisal with intent to purchase, he may waive the appraisal fee. However, he most likely will not be interested in acquiring every coin in the collection. He may not have room to display and sell every coin or have an established market that is interested in certain coins in the collection. What could occur is the dealer/appraiser discounting the value of the coins that lack his interest, leaving you with an appraisal coin collection value that is short of the true market value. If you are determined to receive a free coin collection value, it is in your best interest to receive more than one collection appraisal and proposal to purchase.