Advice On What To Do With My Morgan And Peace Dollar Sets

Well if you're interested in selling them I would definitely get them graded by a TPG. Your best bet would probably be PCGS and NGC, as coins graded by these companies tend to attract higher premiums on the market. Also, this will largely remove the threat of dealers undergrading so that they can get away with paying you less.

If I were you, I would get them graded and then consign them to a reputable auction house as opposed to selling them to a dealer. However, I have minimal experience in selling so just wait and see what other members of the community think.

Considering you did NOT say you wanted to sell that collection, only have it appraised, there is only a few wure ways to do that. Since you already tried a few coin dealers, you didn't say a coin shop, that too could make a difference. You should try once more looking up coin stores. Go to one that you did not go to before. Ask if you could get an appraisal for insurance purposes, not for selling. Once you say you want to sell them, almost any dealer on Earth would try for the lowest prices possible. If you say for insurance purposes, you'll get the highest possible values which is never what you could really sell them for.
The best method would be to try to find a coin show and go there. If a reasonably decent show, you would have numerous dealers to give you appraisals and offers. Again, you did not say your planning on selling them.
One other possible answer is to start a coin collection using those as a start. Something to build on that is already a fantastic start. Of course sending ALL those in for grading at a TPGS, such as PCGS or NGC would cost a small fortune due to the large amount of coins.
And if you stick around here for a few more hundred posts, you could put them up for sale here.

I mean that is what I had the 2 coin dealers, do provide an appraisal. However, it seemed their motivating factor in the end was to then offer to buy the lots. This happened in both cases. So maybe the name of someone who was an ex TPG would be able to help out with that. I want to thank you all for your advice so far and plan on making an Imgur account so I can post all of the pictures of the coins I have. Maybe the CCF community will provide a good eye for the coins I have more so than an ex TPG.

I agree with fenton above.

You should learn to grade your coin and know its value yourself.
This will reduce any grief in the future if you shall decide to part from it.

If there is a local coin club, I would ask if the members could give you the grades. Might be a fun project as well. Bring 20-40 copies listing each date in the collection....and hand them out to each member....so they can grade the coins individually. Average the grades and you have your answer.

Playing "lookie my coins" is a great way to lose a couple of them. Going to a coin club meeting doesn't make you honest, just like going to a garage doesn't make you a truck.

IMO - The best way to get a real value of your coins is for you to learn how to grade and identify possible varieties, for example VAM's

A good dealer might get you close to a true value, but ..
there are many possible values for the same coin. There are wholesale and retail prices, dealer and auction prices.
Prices can even vary depending on what part of the country your in or each dealers outlet for high dollar coins.

If I was going to appraise a large collection of Morgan and Peace dollars I would.

- Identify all very high grade coins.
- Separate common date/mint mark coins from better date and key coins.

You do not have to send all your coins to a TPG but if you really want to know the value of your collection "Key" coins should be sent into PCGS or NGC. (these two TPG's seem to trade at the best prices)

for example a coin like a 1893 S Morgan has a lot of difference from one grade to the next and also if it has been cleaned or scratched, the value can be greatly reduced. So having the high value coins graded is important in coming up with a true value to a collection.

Also slabs are better in protecting high value coins. I would get all the coins out of the clear plastic coin flips, I do not think they should be used for long term storage. TPG slabs then air tite capsules would be best.
folowed be keeping the in a safe climate control envirionment.

Posting pictures on this site would be a good start for grading and opinions on which coins to send into TPG's.

Another suggestion would be to take one or two key coins to a couple different dealers .. for their opinions on grade and if they might be cleaned or not. In my experience it is easier to get a true estimate from a dealer if they are only looking at one or two coins.

I mentioned VAM's, if you have top 100 VAM's they can add a lot of value to your collection.


Again .. just my opinion

I'm still rather in the dark as to your motives with the approximate value of the coins. Never said they are for sale? Not planing on collecting? So just why do you want to know what they are worth? If in the future you do want to sell them, it would be to your benefit to know what you have. Or at least an approximation. You really should get a few books on those and/or just a copy of the Grey Sheet and try a guesstamate yourself. Once you do that you'll at least have an idea of what you have. That way it is easier to know if a dealer is attempting to low ball you on them.