Advice On Inherited Coin Collection

[numisma_what]

Hi

I am new to this forum and also coin collecting.

Actually I can’t really say I’m a coin collector at all but have recently inherited a fair amount of old UK coins and would appreciate some advice on the best way to handle them.

I’m afraid I’m not really into collecting things and I don’t see that I’m suddenly going to get the bug with this bunch of coins so (I hope I don’t offend) I think I’m going to sell them.

I was hoping for some advice on the best way to do this. These seem to be the ways I can think of:

1. take the whole lot to a coin shop/collector and sell them in one hit

2. split them up into bunches and sell them on Ebay

3. work out which ones contain silver and sell them by weight

I would be prepared to spend the time looking through them for any specific worthy coins if I knew what to look for but I think the learning curve might be quite steep and long unless it was as easy as for example, “all 1920 George VI shillings are valuable”, which I’m guessing it’s probably not.

Just so you know what the bunch of coins contains, here is an approximate summary:

Shillings:

· 1000 George V shillings

· 500 George VI shillings

· 500 QE II shillings

two shillings:

· 100 George VI two shillings

florins:

· 100 George V florins

half crowns:

· 100 George V half crowns

· 100 George VI half crowns

· 100 QE II half crowns

sixpence:

· 500 George VI and QE II sixpence

threepence:

· 1000 George VI and QE II threepence

Old pennies and half pennies:

· Couple of buckets full

Would appreciate any advice. I hope it’s not considered ‘bad form’ to just come on the forum to ask how to get rid of a bunch of coins (if it is I apologise in advance) but seeing as I know hardly anything about coins I thought it would be the perfect place to get some advice.

Regards

[Peckris]

My gut feeling is that these are probably "average circulated", i.e. having quite a bit of wear? In which case you should know that any silver coin pre-1947 contains 50% silver and has a bullion value that (for example on eBay) draws in the crowds, especially if you sell all the silver as a bulk lot and advertise it as pre-47.

Pre-1920 is sterling silver and worth twice as much.

Having said all that, coins in high grade (GV in EF or better, GVI and QEII in AUNC minimum) do fetch higher values. In particular, many QEII cupro-nickel halfcrowns and florins and a few shillings, from the 1950s in genuinely UNCirculated condition, can fetch surprising amounts even though they don't contain silver.

Condition is everything so it would repay you to invest a few £ in the Grading British Coins book (banner advert, above). Then you can make a more realistic assessment of what you've got. I repeat, condition is everything with coins, so though I suspect these are only average condition (i.e. quite a lot of wear), you need to find out. It might even be worth taking a few pictures of what you think are better examples and posting them here.

Scarcer dates :

1925 halfcrowns and florins

1930 halfcrowns

1932 florins

1946, 1949, (1950, 1951) brass threepences

1952 sixpence

[Peter]

i agree with Peck.

You have considerable value in approx £70+ face of GV silver (could be some 92.5% silver !911-19) The rest will at least be 50% silver.

Ebay is a good place to shift these.

The fact that coppers are in a bucket...

[Coinery]

What part of the country are you in numisma_what, there's a pretty good spread of members on here who might be happy to take a look for you?

Great username, by the way!

[Chris Perkins]

I buy silver coins like that. Can send someone round if you're in the SE of England. Or possibly further.

[RChris]

I just scrapped 30 Kilos of pennies and halpennies and got £120.

[Red Riley]

The bronze will need to be gone through and all the following pennies put to one side;

1922

1926

1950

1951

1953

1918 H & KN (these are distinguished by having a small H or KN to the left of the date)

1919 H & KN ( as above)

With halfpennies there is only 1957 to worry about but as with 1922 and 1926 pennies they are not valuable per se but there are rare varieties which will need further investigation. If you find any, post pictures on here.

Also any bronze pre say, 1962 with approaching full mint lustre. Also without going into too much detail, anything Victorian should be put to one side for further investigation - probably won't be valuable but you never know...

Once all the pre-47 silver has been stripped out, dealers are likely to be thoroughly underwhelmed by what's left so you will no doubt have to do most of the sorting yourself.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Red Riley

[Peckris]

I'd agree with Derek, except about the 1922 pennies. There's one mega-rare variety but the chances of you having one of those is about equal to Accrington Stanley winning the League. Less.

[numisma_what]

Thank you all very much for your excellent advice.

I think you are right Peckris, I would say they are in average condition as they were not stored especially well and I think I’m going to do as you suggest and invest a

few quid in the ‘Grading British Coins’ book and also sort through more specifically for the coins/dates you all recommended.

If I find anything that matches the special dates mentioned, I’ll let you know and post some pictures.

I am in the SE of England, so if I find I’m really not understanding grading them using the book I’ll get back to one of you guys that offered to have a look at them holus bolus.

Thanks again for all your help. As a complete newbie I really appreciate the time you have taken to share your knowledge with me.

p.s. (Scouse accent) – “Accrington Stanley,who are they?"..........."Exactly!”

[Red Riley]

I'd agree with Derek, except about the 1922 pennies. There's one mega-rare variety but the chances of you having one of those is about equal to Accrington Stanley winning the League. Less.

Nonetheless, Accrington Stanley don't throw up their hands in August and say 'waste of time, don't think we'll bother this year...'

[TomGoodheart]

Thanks again for all your help. As a complete newbie I really appreciate the time you have taken to share your knowledge with me.

The folk on Coin Community are fine and friendly.

But if you want expert knowledge about British coins I don't think you can do better than here!

Edited September 20, 2013 by TomGoodheart

[Peckris]

Thank you all very much for your excellent advice.

I think you are right Peckris, I would say they are in average condition as they were not stored especially well and I think I’m going to do as you suggest and invest a

few quid in the ‘Grading British Coins’ book and also sort through more specifically for the coins/dates you all recommended.

If I find anything that matches the special dates mentioned, I’ll let you know and post some pictures.

I am in the SE of England, so if I find I’m really not understanding grading them using the book I’ll get back to one of you guys that offered to have a look at them holus bolus.

Thanks again for all your help. As a complete newbie I really appreciate the time you have taken to share your knowledge with me.

p.s. (Scouse accent) – “Accrington Stanley,who are they?"..........."Exactly!”

I remember that advert!!

[Paulus]

Thank you all very much for your excellent advice.

I think you are right Peckris, I would say they are in average condition as they were not stored especially well and I think I’m going to do as you suggest and invest a

few quid in the ‘Grading British Coins’ book and also sort through more specifically for the coins/dates you all recommended.

If I find anything that matches the special dates mentioned, I’ll let you know and post some pictures.

I am in the SE of England, so if I find I’m really not understanding grading them using the book I’ll get back to one of you guys that offered to have a look at them holus bolus.

Thanks again for all your help. As a complete newbie I really appreciate the time you have taken to share your knowledge with me.

p.s. (Scouse accent) – “Accrington Stanley,who are they?"..........."Exactly!”

I remember that advert!!

It's still a catchphrase on Soccer AM