How to Value: Coins
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Coin Appraisals
Have you ever wondered how much a rare coin or old bank note might be worth? Perhaps it's a coin that you've stumbled across at home or something unusual that you spotted at a boot sale? Or maybe you are a coin collector and need a quick appraisal to check the status of your finds?
If you'd like to get a Banknote or Coin appraisal from our experienced specialist to find out your old coin value, antique coin value, or foreign coin value, simply upload a photograph and tell us any other details you know about the item. Our team of experienced experts will analyze your coin and provide you with a comprehensive coin appraisal you can get already in 24/48 hours.
Since the days of antiquity, people have been using currency for the exchange of goods. Before the advent of coins, the exchange could have been in the form of axe heads, jewels, pieces of fabric and even shells. Around 650 BC, metal coins began to appear in Western Europe; these were small ingots of a specific size that were stamped with the city's mark. Rare coins and old bank notes can turn up just about anywhere and finding out just what they are worth could hold a positive surprise!
How much are coins worth?
2021 was the record setting year for coin prices and the market worth continues to show trends growing. This year the largest auction houses sold over $500 million worth of rare U.S coins and currency so far. According to market analysts, small auction houses and private sales elevate the coin market sales in US to $5 billion or
more, but of course the data from private markets is never complete so it is impossible to calculate the sales for an entire coin market.
What are my coins worth?
Whether your coins are ancient or modern, there are several ways to establish the value of a coin. Key features include colour, weight, size, shape, design, dates and any other inscriptions you can find. The more information that you can gather, the better – this not only helps identify a coin but might help you suss out a fake. The importance of age can lie in the context of the lifetime of the coin, especially in modern cases like the earliest US Dollar. Similarly, unique designs or inscriptions on a coin type can also be significant. For these kinds of factors, you need to be somewhat clued up, so an expert opinion is always advisable. With this in mind, a coin with particular historical significance might be detailed online, so it is often worth an internet-search. For coins that are already known to be valuable, provenance can be key. Just like a painting, rare coins are sometimes exhibited, sold at major auction houses, or owned by renowned collectors. Any documentation or history can bolster the case for a coin’s authenticity – particularly important given the quality of many modern fakes, often originating in China.
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What are the most valuable coins ever sold?
The top 5 most expensive US coins ever sold are:
1. 1794 Flowing Hair Dollar sold in 2012 for $10 million
2. 1913 Liberty Head Nickel sold in 2013 for $3.1 million
3. 1870 S Seated Liberty Dollar sold in 2008 $1.3 million
4. 1927-D St Gaudens Double Eagle sold in 2005 for $1.65 million
5. 1838 O Capped Bust Half Dollar sold in 1838 for $493,500
The top 5 most expensive UK coins ever sold are:
1. Edward VIII Coins valued at £1million
2. 1917 George V Sovereign London valued at £10,000
3. 1933 George V Penny valued at £72,000
4. 1983 “New Pence” 2p Coin valued at £500-£1,000
5. 1703 Queen Anne VIGO Five Guinea valued at £100,000
The top 5 most expensive ancient coins ever sold are:
1. Gold stater of Pantikapaion, sold in 2012 for $3,250,000
2. Syracuse Tetradrachm of Kimon sold in 2014 for $3,052,750
3. Akragas Dekadrachm sold in 2012 for $2,492,144
4. Dekadrachm of Athens sold in 2010 for $852,643
5. Gold Stater of Athens sold in 2008 for $783,182
Our Experienced Coin Experts
Our coins expert has had an interest in this subject since childhood and from 1990 to 2005 worked as auctioneer and cataloguer for two of London's main numismatic auctioneers Glendining's and Baldwin's. With his main speciality in commemorative coins, he has a deep knowledge of his subject and market, and will be able to advise you on the value of your coins.