I Inherited A Coin Collection

Welcome! DO NOT clean ANY of them. That is a huge mistake some new to this hobby make. It will destroy their value. Catalogue every coin you have. What are they stored in? That is also very important. Let us know by pictures if that is possible then, we will be able to help you further. Store them in the most non-humid environment possible. If you have a safe deposit box or safe, that's what I would recommend. Get a hold of the Red Book of United States coins available at most book stores. It's a terrific learning tool on all US Coin types but not necessarily accurate on FMV (fair market value) but, you get an idea on how scarce or common your coins are.

Quote: 1893-S Morgan Dime
Do you mean Morgan dollar? If so, an incredibly rare coin with substantial value if genuine.

Also, look below the wreath reverse (back side of coin), on the 1908 and 1909 Indian Head cents for an "S" mintmark. If so, scarce coins too.

I also noticed you have a 1914-D Lincoln Cent. Put that one aside and take care of it, valuable coin! We would love to see some pictures when possible!

Find a local coin club and learn from them as well.

Congratulations on a collection that most of us would drool over!!


You are doing the right thing; learn about what you have and enjoy your new collection!!


A piece of advice: Resist the urge to sell the collection enmasse to anyone right now. You will most likely sell the collection for much less than you should.

If, and when you decide to sell, be smart about a price you want and hold out for it. The person who collected this will smile down on you!


and

wow that is one long list! you could start a coin shop with those but better know them first before anything else

Welcome to the coin collecting world!

I suggest you look into purchasing something called the Red Book by Whitman Publishing. Very informative book on coins. Although the prices are rather inflated to about 20% or more, still great for information as to rarity and values and mintage quantities.
Do not handle those coins with your fingers and if you do, try to only touch the edges.
Do not clean coins at all.
You did not mention how these coins are collected. By that I mean are they in what is knows as 2" x 2" flips, Albums, Folders, plastic tubes or what?
It really is best for you to find out what you have so you don't accidently place rare coins in the wrong container. Many people use what is known as a Folder and those are not really good for coins at all.
Try not to bang any coins together since sometimes on expensive coins those little dinks, scratches, dents, etc. really lower the price.
Stick around here and learn as much ss you can for now also.

There are a lot of nice coins in there, you are very lucky.

Who ever you inherited it from would be very happy if you added to the collection.... or at least sold it to us

Another good tool is numismedia.com. Gives you a fair idea of the value for any given coin, or at least any coin relative to other coins of the same series and it's free. If you see one coin that has an astronomic value there as compared to all other dates, you could look for or at that one first.

A Red Book is good too, but of course it costs $. Not much, but I like free better. I did pony up for the Red Book in the end. Other good resources include the local library or a local coin shop. A good coin shop maintains a mini-library, though you may or may not find that to be the case.

And to reiterate what's ben said above, don't clean them, be careful when handling them, and make sure to store them properly. Condition is everything, especially once you get into the giher grades. Value can evaporate real quick if handled, stored, or cleaned improperly. If you have questions on any of this make sure to ask.

Now, one thing people havent mentioned is to have fun. I look at it like a treasure hunt---the same coins, looked at again, can give different results. Look at it once, you might see a common date coin. Hang around here, read books, educate yourself, and then you might notice something you hadn't noticed before that pump it up 5x in value. You never know and it's always a thrill (for me at least) to take something I've had for years and suddenly appreciate it in a whole new light.

Remember-- the more you know about your coins, the more they are likly worth. Both monetarily and otherwise.

Again, have fun and don't hestiate to ask for help... lots of incredibly helpful and knowledgeable people here.