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How and where would you sell your collection today if you had to?
TopographicOceans
Posts: 6,535 ✭✭✭✭
eBay, Heritage, local coin store, Stacks, Goldberg, Great Collections, private collector, coin show?
Where does a seller get the best value for their coins?
Where does a seller get the best value for their coins?
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Usually, there is no one best buyer. It often takes a lot of hard work to find the right buyers for particular items. Many just sell it all in one place...it's simpler. That worked for Eliasberg, Pittman, Norweb, Newman, Gardner, Pogue, and others. But, not usually for the little guys. I wouldn't even put the "local coin store" on the list. I've always gotten better prices from other sources. But, if you want to keep a 2-way exchange going, you may be forced to keep them happy as well.
For a collection valued in 6 figures or higher I'd pick a major auction house, held in a major city, ideally during a major convention. My preferred blue chip venues are winter/summer Long Beach, summer ANA, FUN Orlando, NY City. Spring or Fall Baltimore is good too. I think any of the top 3 auction houses can all do a credible job if the venue is good (Heritage, S/B, Goldbergs). Great Collections, Legend-Morphy, and Teletrade can do just as well or better depending on your material and the agreement you work out with them. Who you know is important. Ebay works great for some sellers on less expensive coins...it's a lot of work though. Some intermediaries like Wondercoin, Mark Feld, etc. have their niche as well. Whatever you do, don't go it alone. Get some advice from your various trusted sources.
Not to mention that there are some top notch coin guys at Heritage.
"If you had to" implies some urgency, making traditional auctions less attractive. If I had a little time I'd try to retail some of it myself, let a few dealers make offers, and/or see what terms I could work with the auction houses. I'm incredibly biased toward Heritage, as they've always taken good care of me and they run a tight ship, but I'd also see what other options there were. Hitting a big auction like Winter FUN or the summer ANA would help.
I had a large cent collection 1793 to 1814, I used a copper specialist to sell them becasue he knew the client base and has their ear.... He made 10%...
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Also if anything were to happen to me my family knows to contact Ian. They know just get everything to him and he will take care of it, market it and he can be trusted.
If I had time, Heritage for some, Sheridan Downey for my bust halves.
PCGS Registries
Box of 20
SeaEagleCoins: 11/14/54-4/5/12. Miss you Larry!
Coin Club Benefit auctions ..... View the Lots
Probably Heritage, DLRC, HLRC and Great Collections.
<< <i>David Lawrence. >>
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<< <i>David Lawrence. >>
Not sure why your knocking DLRC as I've sold to them at shows and they will pay strong money for the right coins.
Latin American Collection
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<< <i>David Lawrence. >>
Have had a great 12 year business relationship with these good folks. Not one problem, never, ever.
Not only that, their weekly online auctions seem to bring prices that exceed most other venues.
His pictures get top dollar for his consignments but he is on Ebay. So I vote Heritage, but they need to hire Shane.
And although I have not sold anything to legend, I have a few pieces now that I think are in the caliber of what they like and are CAC'd and would consider consigning them to their auction venue.
have dealt with over the past 20 years. I would trust him to locate the best venues for various coins and sets, and
I would expect that I would receive 20% to 50% more than if I tried to sell everything myself.