What Is A Decent Price For These Gold Coins? I Am Selling

Go to an established jeweler. Most of them buy scrap gold and silver and have been at it for long enough not to be fooled by counterfeits. The 2 silver dollars you showed should get $30 just for the metal at current prices.

Try using the macro setting on your camera. Visit the coin photography forum for coin shooting tips. Your camera may be better than you think!

I realize the dealer has to make a profit, but I think he gave you a low-ball offer. The 1/10 ounce platinum will carry a pretty heavy premium over the spot price of platinum. Based on the completed listings I've seen on ebay, I would expect you could easily get between $170-$185 (US) for that coin. Even if you don't sell these on ebay, I think you could get a better price for these coins if you shopped them around a little.

I can't speak to the authenticity of the half eagle, but I have seen counterfeits that were made of gold. I know this because I personally got burned by one.

1853 is a common date for the half eagle. It's hard to tell from the pics, but I don't see anything that is screaming at me that it is counterfeit. I would definitely seek a second and third opinion on it before you write it off as being counterfeit.

You could also weigh and measure the diameter of the half eagle. A genuine specimen will weigh 8.359 grams (probably just a hair less due to wear). The diameter should measure 21.6 millimeters.

Here are the images I managed to get tonight.
Now I am hoping the cheap mastercraft Caliper I have is wrong in the size or there is another explanation for it not being 21.6mm. as it measured 21.78...21.79...then 21.8

Thoughts?

Thanks

It's certainly possible the calipers could be off by a little. A small digital scale is all you need. They are plenty accurate for these purposes. I got mine a while ago on ebay for about $10 including shipping.

I would not recommend the scratch acid test for coins. I use it all the time for jewelry, but never coins. You wouldn't want to do any kind of a destructive test on coins.

Please let us know what it weighs once you get a scale.

Wow, You guys are great. So much information, and good and honest information too. If the eagle is CF so be it, I got them for nothing so there is nothing to loose. However I don't like being taken either. Granted he has to make money too and I can understand him coming in a bit low. But I see that british sovereign going for 400-500 on e-bay too. I will see what I can get for a scale CW and I will weigh them both and get the information up here. Judd, what non invasive ways can this be tested? Thanks again guys.

With better photography the US $5 has inexplicable defects. Missing E in an otherwise strong LIBERTY. A void next to the mouth. I haven't seen any real coins with these problems. I hope you find that it's gold.