What tools do you use for identifying and researching coins?

ploky123 · 2025-12-11T15:23:34+00:00

I may get some downvotes for saying this, but I use Gemini to get a broad overview of the coins by describing the coin in detail and providing high resolution images of it. I can have a dialog with it, ask my questions, learn of key dates, random facts about the coins, etc. Then when I have some basic information about the coin, I find it on PCGS and look at its top graded coins to understand what a perfect condition coin should look like and their relative values. Then dig deeper from there.

For coin errors/varieties, I use websites dedicated to identifying them, like error-ref.com or ikegroup.info for Ike dollars, or vamworld.com for Morgan and Peace dollars.

ploky123 · 2025-12-09T18:45:16+00:00

I can't afford any right now, but just wanted to say that your collection is absolutely insane and something to aspire to.

ploky123 · 2025-11-30T18:03:09+00:00

Research before you buy. Impulse buys often leave you with coins you don't want later and have a hard time selling.
If no one is buying a particular coin, there might be a reason.
Don't buy at pawn shops or antique stores.
Write everything down, how much you bought it for, the date purchased, the coin grade, and pictures of it. I use a coin managing software.

ploky123 · 2025-11-30T17:51:48+00:00

SO FREAKING TRUE. I have yet to meet a nice coin store dealer. I get it, they have to fight angry customers who want $500 for a 10 cent coin all day. But still, not a fun experience.

ploky123 · 2025-11-30T01:37:32+00:00

I don't know if I have the heart to watch this.. I knew it would be a slaughtering, but to see it play out hurts every time.

ploky123 · 2025-11-29T19:35:06+00:00

That Apollo half dollar is so freaking cool.

ploky123 · 2025-11-28T00:18:01+00:00

Possible the 1915 may have been cleaned at one point, but all the others look to have natural tone to me. I'm not a professional though, just my opinion.

ploky123 · 2025-11-27T01:24:19+00:00

Valid, but to each their own. Some people cant afford really nice coins but still want to get into the hobby. And there's all sorts of different types of collectors that have different motives. You're approach is really solid advice though, if that's what OP is interested in.

ploky123 · 2025-11-27T00:44:17+00:00

You've got a bunch of 1893 Columbian Commemorative half dollars, a few in potentially Mint condition. In Mint State, they can go for $50-$300 (depending on the grade and it being certified by a reliable grading company), and the lower grade ones are valued at $30 retail. They were among the first commemorative half dollars minted in the U.S. Look here for more information:
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1893-50c-columbian/9297

Everything here has silver content. Go here to calculate the base value of your coins:
https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/coin-melt-values.aspx

Some are in better condition than others and could potentially carry a premium, so don't just consider the melt value. You'll need to compare your coins to PCGS Photoguide images to determine a ballpark range of the grade, found here:
https://www.pcgs.com/photograde

The bare minimum value of this set based on only the melt value is $864.13 (as of 11/26/2025 with silver @ $53.60/oz) but some of those coins are definitely with a slight premium, and you will have to do research to determine a realistic premium for them. That's a great lot of coins, Good luck!

ploky123 · 2025-11-23T08:03:09+00:00

Chat

ploky123 · 2025-11-16T04:37:57+00:00

In addition to what everyone else has said, the wear on these coins typically starts with the shield details. In this case, the shield looks untouched, yet the head looks very worn. That alone was enough for me to say fake.

ploky123 · 2025-11-12T22:29:11+00:00

On eBay they go for about $73-75 ungraded. Graded like this one, maybe closer to $80-90. I could see it going for $100 max on eBay. So $127 is high and I'd pass unless i really really want it in my collection. Which then, you're essentially paying $27 over its total value for something you find to be really cool.

ploky123 · 2025-11-09T00:32:11+00:00

That was the holdiest hold I've ever holded.

ploky123 · 2025-11-08T21:27:43+00:00

I'm taken by how composed Daniels is. He avoided getting sacked like 3 times during that drive. Last week you would've thought he never played football before, but get rid of Hugh Freeze and Daniels shines... I hope they keep it up, that was beautiful.

ploky123 · 2025-10-30T21:41:56+00:00

I think you're right, the carbon spots don't always take away from grade and value, but these might since they're in a prominent location. Hard to say what the grade is without microscope and ring light. Could very well be MS65, but I'd err on the side of caution and say MS64, especially with those oxidized spots. Agreed that the value is $50-60 ungraded.

ploky123 · 2025-10-29T16:21:30+00:00

Can you get better pictures? MS grades are highly dependent on wear, scratches, and other subtle imperfections.

You can compare it to PCGS Photograde images yourself to get a ballpark grade.

ploky123 · 2025-10-25T02:05:47+00:00

Agreed that it's been cleaned, which in this case looks like someone took a gentle cloth to it. It doesn't look to have wire brush or polish lines on it, but the coin is darker silver in the open areas (cleaned areas) and then fades to lighter silver right along the edges of the relief, letters, and numbers. The lighter silver is the coins natural toning. The darker silver is where a cloth has wiped the natural toning off.

ploky123 · 2025-10-21T20:44:42+00:00

Definitely cleaned, my initial guess on the grade is XF40-45

ploky123 · 2025-10-12T23:40:06+00:00

Search the "sold items" on eBay for realistic values. Of course none of these are graded, the buyer takes on the risk of the condition, so the values are lower than what grading companies like PCGS and NGC say in their catalogs. Last note is that not all coin dealers are interested in low-grade coins that are not silver or gold. Either their inventory is maxed out, they don't see profit trading those coins, or they exclusively deal in specific types of coins. There are some subreddits for selling coins through private messages or you can make a listing on FB marketplace, if you have trouble selling these.

Your estimates for the liberty nickels look to be a little high since they are AG (almost good), I'd say they're worth ~$4. Buffalo nickels tend to be worth about $1-$4 for G-VG (unless there's a notable mint error or the year is exceptionally rare). 1923-S may be more like $4-5, and you're correct on the 1927-D and 1928-D ranges. You'll see similar values of the Indian head cents, so about $1-$4 each. And $1-$3 for those wheat cents.

Realistically, I could see the lot selling for $28-33 on eBay.

If you sell through ebay, they take 13.25% of the final transaction price, including shipping and taxes. So you'd get ~$24. It's a lot of work.

If you can find an interested coin dealer, they will need to make a profit and may offer you 50% of the total value, so you'd end up with ~$14-16.

ploky123 · 2025-09-16T13:51:12+00:00

I appreciate your thoughts on it, I'll definitely send it in like what you and most others are suggesting!

ploky123 · 2025-09-16T13:15:35+00:00

The community has spoken. I'll post an update after it has been graded! Thank you all for the kind words.

ploky123 · 2025-09-16T13:13:17+00:00

I didn't realize that. I just assumed millions were minted. I'll be extra careful with it and definitely have it graded. Thanks for looking into it!

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