Online coin Price Guides

Piano1

Online price guides have little if any consistency as far as "retail values". Now, I would never rely on any of them for rare coins, but for the common stuff I usually see from friends and neighbors, most are 19th-century type, (a few scarce dates but definitely no rarities). Which guide would YOU use? I tried Numismedia, Numista, and PCGS value guide. I NEVER use Redbook (do they even still print it?) as its coin values are obsolete even before it reaches the presses. I often wound up averaging out values for many of the coins between the 3 sources. In many cases, the value differences were significant. I refer higher-value coins to an expert though I see very few of these.

Your opinions would be valued, and thanks.

Piano 1

DRUNNER

At the risk of not answering your question completely, or directly, allow me to help somewhat . . .

I just completed a full re-pricing of my inventory for a small show. I have been spending and building the inventory over the last 9 months to debut it this weekend, so my example is fresh. During the timeframe I have been accruing pieces (nice certified 7070 pieces, semi keys, keys, and eye-appeal) , the market has swung widely up and down, so I needed to find out where I should start if I wanted to sell coins and not hang out with a bunch of jovial miscreants discussing balloons, SuperBowl halftimes, and when to take Social Security.

I used what amounted to an 'average' of three sources:
1-Auction results that were direct comps (including CAC / non-CAC) (same TPGs with same grade modifiers)
2-Graysheet (February, 2023) (although I also tracked Graysheet trends over the last 6 months)
3-PCGS Price Guide

So, my differences in what you are stating is first, I am not sure where our dividing lines might be between "common, scarce, and rarity" In some cases, the coins I priced did not show up at auction (too minor) . . . and in other cases amounted to a 'split grade' in Graysheet, so I was left with a higher PCGS Guide price for accurate comparison. I am well-aware of the overall level of the PCGS Guide, and my rule of thumb for that is, "it depends upon the coin series". In some cases, PCGS has a relatively accurate Guide statistic. In others, well, the market dictates. Secondly, the pricing between 'common' coins and 'scarce or rare' coins is a supply/demand issue. 16-D Mercs may sell for closer to PCGS retail on a bourse floor, while 1917 Mercs in XF might be more viable @ 10% back of Graysheet.

Other nuances affect pricing. Lower-end PCGS copper does not show up in a holder very often, so you may be able to sell that closer to retail. Ditto for eye-appeal. Toning, even minor but overall positive, can affect wholesale v. retail value. 'Trendy' coins also can swing up or down the spectrum (re: CC Dollars over the last 4 months). Common coins with huge outstanding certified populations (Walkers, Morgans) will be at the lower (wholesale) end of your range.

Overall, everyone is carrying a Graysheet. That is going to be a national standard. But, what does that standard mean? I would argue it is the current value a coin has at a dealer-to-dealer and face-to-face situation (it is what I see at a show). Now start adding variables: Quality within the grade, eye-appeal, toning, desirability (do you have one of 87 PC-MS64 1940 Walkers on the bourse floor, or do you have the one 1928-S Walker in AU53?), and availability. Or . . . negative variables.

Or, specifically to your post, if you are pricing coins for friends and neighbors, grab any recent Graysheet, or determine a percentage difference off PCGS Guide, and go to town.

Maybe some of that was relevant . . .

Drunner

Piano1

This is a very helpful answer, Dunner. I don't have access to the Gray Sheet unless I subscribe. I do so little evaluation work it really isn't worth my while but I clearly remember dealers looking at them when I was negotiating to make a purchase. Guess I can use PCGS Price Guide and maybe even E-Bay results to give the coin owners a better idea as to value. Lots of good points in your post.

Thanks for your thoughts. Much appreciated.

Piano1

yosclimber

I've found the Numismedia FMV is fairly proportional to Gray Sheet, so I use it with a scale factor.

Cougar1978

Since CPG is based on greysheet I find it concise and easy to use. Offers from my table at shows may be a pct of CPG. I also like PCGS CoinFacts MV on PCGS Coins in my PCGS app.

GoldFinger1969

I find the TREND going back 5-10 years to be very instructive for a coin series. Both TPGs have graphs showing the price direction over long periods of time.

For a quick-and-easy analysis of where the coin's price has been, it's not bad. I find the pricing in the PAST to be more accurate than recent price changes that haven't been "smoothed" out yet.

FWIW, I think PCGS's data source is high on Saints; I see MS-65 1924's quoted at $2,750 (down from $3,000) and MS-66 1923-D's at $6,000 (!), up from $5,500. I never know if the data source is "high" by using a CAC coin or a clearly-undergraded one...or low because it quotes a clearly overgraded coin. Only way to check is to look up actual auction results from that time.

Russell12

I use https://www.coinworld.com/coinvalues

dsessom

@Russell12 said:
I use https://www.coinworld.com/coinvalues

Never knew this existed. It's a pretty darned accurate resource!

johnny010

Auction results
eBay sold history less 12%

Piano1

Good morning, everyone.

As always, my post has resulted in lots of valuable information. Russell12, I also never heard of coinworld.com/coinvalues. I haven't figured out how to navigate it yet (not much time) but it's on my to-do list. I will also make a note of "Ebay sold history -12%", johnny 010. Another helpful tidbit.

You all are the best! Thanks.

Piano1

GoldFinger1969

@dsessom said:

@Russell12 said:
I use https://www.coinworld.com/coinvalues
Never knew this existed. It's a pretty darned accurate resource!

Can we determine what source they are drawing the prices from ? I agree, pretty useful and another "check" on pricing accuracy.

Alot of these sites may draw from the same price/auction sources, but they may employ different algorithims that produce different estimates. Not sure, just speculating.

lilolme

@GoldFinger1969 said:
Can we determine what source they are drawing the prices from ? I agree, pretty useful and another "check" on pricing accuracy.

Alot of these sites may draw from the same price/auction sources, but they may employ different algorithims that produce different estimates. Not sure, just speculating.

.
I have the coin world bookmarked and have looked in the past but did not find anything describing where the values come from or what they are (low, average, high retail, slabbed, accurately graded raw....). This page is all I saw but maybe I have missed the information.

https://www.coinworld.com/coinvalues

dsessom

I have cross referenced several different coins, and the prices seem quite accurate for PCGS/NGC graded coins. They even have historical pricing which is handy as well.

jmlanzaf

@johnny010 said:
Auction results
eBay sold history less 12%

Why ebay sold less 12%? The sold price is the price paid.