Inherited large number of Mercury dimes
Parrottman
Posts: 12 ✭
My brother and I have inherited a large (200+) number of Mercury dimes, along with a few odd coins.
Neither of us are knowledgeable about coin collecting.
The coins are discolored and have been in storage since about 1960.
What is the best way to clean them and have their value professionally determined?
0
Comments
Do NOT clean them. Have a trusted expert evaluate them first.
Post some pictures here if you can.
This
You’re not likely able to post pics until late Monday or Tuesday at the earliest
DO NOT CLEAN THEM
I second the second. Do NOT clean them, at all. Post some pictures if you can. We can help.
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
the MINIMUM they are worth is $1.60 each
There is a key date - the 1916 minted in D - denver // worth a ton if real
Their are varieties that can be collected - like the 1942/1 where the 2 is poorly placed over the not hidden 1 // definitely not a $1.60 coin that’s for sure
Oh yeah, if any have turned blue … yellow … orange … etc some colors —> do not use chemicals to remove the color
Yup don’t do it you will heart the price of them if you do one good thing you learned all ready that saved you from losing money. Be patient look up the coins before you do anything.
Welcome to the board you will learn a lot very fast just ask there are a lot of collectors her that can help you.
Hoard the keys.
When we received them we just glanced at them. I went though a bit of them. One is an 1873 Shield in what seems to be (judging from online guides) good to very good EXCEPT it had a very tiny hole drilled at the 12 O'Clock position as if to be hung from a tiny wire. I guess I need to go through them. Can you recommend a good book? I will try to post photos later.
Also how do I find a trusted appraiser in my area?
Where are you located?
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
Central Oklahoma
You can go to a library and check out (probably) “The Red Book” — https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0794848915/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1639974530&sr=8-2
There are board members from all over the u.s here depends on what part you are from they can give you a list or PM you some one they my know of. You can look at a red book just to see if the coins has a good value but remember the price in the red book doesn’t change as the year goes on it may go up it may go down so this is why you need to look up ea one to know for sure you are getting the right price if your going to sell it. Just remember most prices are not locked in because some my only be worth silver but some my be worth good money it comes down to grade or how nice and some other things to look for in ea coin that is what a coin expert can help you but be careful some can use it against you as well. Just be safe out there.
Hoard the keys.
Free online -
CoinFacts : https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts
PhotoGrade : https://www.pcgs.com/photograde
Welcome to the forum!
There are some of the best coin people here from all across the nation.
If you are able to post clear photos you will get honest expert opinions.
You may need to wait until your an approved member to post photos.
It’s been awhile since I lived in the OKC metro area, but if you’re a little south, Mitchell’s Jewelry in Norman is good. Used to be Norman Coin & Jewelry.
I thank all of you for your help....will check local library for "The Red Book"..
...and if anyone wishes to PM me that would be fine....
https://ibb.co/sbYZtCc
https://ibb.co/BN7GKBC
Here are links to photos of the coin that is an 1873 Shield nickle. I cannot see where the date is stamped on it but the small paper bag it is in is labeled "1873"....
My library has the Red Book....I will grab it after Christmas...
The hole is drilled where the date should appear.
Unfortunately the hole reduces the value by at least 50%.
Still a cool coin - you don't see those in change these days!
@Parrottman.... Welcome aboard. I will repeat the message 'do not clean the coins'...Other than that, get the Redbook (as you indicated) and check out the coins/dates for an initial idea of what you may have. The dimes are silver, so there is a 'melt' value there... Then you must determine 'condition', since the condition will further define value. Post pictures, members will help you with expert advice. Cheers, RickO
Do most of them look like this or worse?
.
.
Or do most of them look like this or better?
.
.
If number 2 is the answer you need someone to take a close look at them.
Ken
for pricing . . . https://www.coinworld.com/coinvalues
No offense , I was expecting a larger number than that, but anyway. Check for the key dates as mentioned, but dont forget to check for the recently discovered 1919 ddo. I had a family last month bring in 12k mercs. wasnt a darn thing in them, I figured the guy had already searched them prior to his death, did look at the 1919's , but again nothing
The 1921 is also a better date, from either mint.
The coin with the hole will be of minimal value. Mutilations are a MAJOR negative. Forget about using an appraiser as they cost money. Stick to using a recent copy of the Red Book and look for better dates. If these coins are just a random selection of Mercury dimes taken out of circulation long ago most are going to be worth bullion value which is about 16 to 20 times face value.
DO NOT CLEAN THE COINS!
Several years ago I inherited over 1000 wheat pennies which my grandmother had saved.
Since most coin collectors like their coins "natural" I did not clean them.
I sorted them by date forming little piles of pennies on a table.
Then I took the older date piles and sorted them by mintmark.
And what is the "Red Book" and why do coin collectors call it that?
The "Red Book", 2004 Edition
Size: 5-1/4" x 7-3/4"
The "Red Book" or A Guide Book of United States Coins, by R. S. Yeoman, is a reference book on United States coins.
Collectors consider it one of the most authoritative books.
It is published yearly but an old book can tell one the rare dates and mintmarks.
Enjoy your dimes.
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I thank everyone for their advice!! When I get back from my daughters I will sit down with the Red Book and go through it. Will also post more photos taken with better equipment.
Fairlaneman,
Most are in the condition of 1 or less from what I remember. A lot are melt value.
That will be fun to go through. Might even want to start a collection in a book. I had a neighbor fella call me as his wife collected these little Mercury beauties. She had passed and he did not know what to do with them. She had accumulated over 5,000 of them and EACH one was wrapped in tissue paper and then Wrapped in school white lined essay paper. What a mess to unwrap them all. No rare or scarce ones found in hers. I told the neighbor how to sell, and he did. I didn't feel comfortable buying from him and never made an offer. We were friends and I learned long ago that you don't do business with friends or family. Odd that she did not save or collect any other denomination, just the Mercs.
Have fun, don't clean or mess with them as others have said. Cleaning destroys the value to the collector.
bob
Very doubtful if any of the key coins would be of a grade better than G4 if any at all. These small, soft silver coins took a beating in the daily course of business. Any 21 year date is worth holding onto and of course the 1916 D. Good luck.
Jim
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Get a Whitman or other holder and see how far you can get filling it.
Great advice on this thread. As many on this board can tell you, looking through a group of coins like this is one of the most rewarding parts of collecting coins. Welcome to the forum!
If they are uncirculated they are worth quite a bit more than silver spot... but if they are circulated they are worth the value of silver.
A poster above shows the overall difference... you want to see a “cartwheel” effect when you rotate the coin under a overhead light source - rhat means the surface was not damaged...
Picked up a 2022 edition of R.S. Yeoman's "A Guide to United State Coins". I will start sorting through the coins tomorrow. I will post photos now and then for comment by any who care to. Should I post these photos on this thread or start a new one? Give me your thoughts...
Take a look at arsave.com there are a lot of photos of varieties in which you can look for and compare.
President, Racine Numismatic Society 2013-2014; Variety Resource Dimes; See 6/8/12 CDN for my article on Winged Liberty Dimes; Ebay
I would post the photos to this thread. Here is also a place to look at photos and judge condition: https://pcgs.com/photograde#/Mercury/Grades
When looking at the Red Book you can see there is a average price trend for common stuff. Look for the lines that have higher values, those are the coins you hope to see when sorting through them.
Sorry I have been tardy in getting back to this subject, but I was able to sit down and try to figure things out.
Much to my chagrin these are not Mercury Dimes, the are all Liberty Nickels.
Anyway, they were all sorted out (for the most part) in paper bags with cellophane windows in them that grocery stores use to sell penny candy in.
I numbered each bag and inventoried the contents, they were sorted by year.
Here is a posting of what I found.
One of the better coins in the group.
check for the s on the 12's, thats about only thing in this group
That's putting it mildly..................
Pete
Most of those circulated Liberty nickels will be worth less than a dollar each... But they are cool because they are over 100 years old. 🙂
Also on the 1912, see if there is a 1912 D. The 1893 is a slightly better date, though at that grade, do not know if you can get a small premium for it. The better the condition, the more they are worth, regardless of dates.
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So far all I see are nickels.?
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I'm afraid the nickels are not of great value. The undamaged G and VG examples might be of interest to Littleton if they are undamaged. Littleton likes quantities of such coins and does buy them but they are strict on grading. The AG and damaged coins are likely to be tough sell in today's market.They sound like what would have been pulled out of circulation very late in the 1940's or early 1950's.
What Mercury dimes are dated before 1933? There could be some good ones in the 1916 - 1931 years.
Do not clean them.
I love the Lib nickels, even in bad grades.
Too bad these were not mercs. You might just consider keeping them as momentos from your loved one.
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Well circulated nickels of these dates are not worth much. They have no silver value so melt is not really a thing here. If there is a mintmark on the reverse of the 1912 then it could be worth a few bucks. These are neat coins, I always liked the look of the big V on the reverse.
@Parrottman it you are still with us, please edit the subject of this thread.. Liberty nickels, not mercs!
🙂