Graded coins in Philadelphia
Sell PCGS and NGC Graded Coins in Philadelphia
A coin sealed by PCGS or NGC comes with its grade printed on the holder, which makes part of our job easier. We still look at every slab in front of you, check the coin against its label, and write an offer for each one.
Private appointments across Greater Philadelphia. We call back the same business day.
How graded coins are priced
A graded coin starts with the number on its label, on the 1 to 70 Sheldon scale. From there we look at the coin itself, since two coins with the same grade can differ a lot in eye appeal. Current collector demand for that date, mint mark and grade sets the price, and gold or silver content keeps a floor under it. Each slab gets its own line on the written offer.
What sets the offer on a graded coin
- The grade on the label sets the starting point.
- Eye appeal within that grade can move the offer up or down.
- Date and mint mark decide how many collectors want the coin.
- A cracked or scratched holder is noted on your offer.
- Gold and silver content keeps a floor under common graded coins.
Graded coins we buy in Philadelphia
- PCGS graded coins
- NGC graded coins
- Graded Morgan and Peace dollars
- Graded U.S. gold coins
- Graded early copper
- Graded proof coins
- Graded Gold and Silver Eagles
- Older slabs in their original holders
What happens when we meet
- 1
Call or send the form
Tell us roughly what you have. We call back the same business day and set a private appointment at a time that suits you.
- 2
Bring everything as it is
Don't clean, polish or sort. Bring the jars, albums and jewelry box, plus a government-issued photo ID if you plan to sell.
- 3
Watch each piece get checked
Date, mint mark and grade for coins. Karat for gold. Non-destructive testing and a calibrated scale, right in front of you.
- 4
Take the written offer, or don't
Say yes and get paid that visit by cash, check or wire. Say no and leave with everything plus the item-by-item list.
Selling in Philadelphia
Slabbed coins from Philadelphia collections
Collectors around Philadelphia have been sending coins to PCGS and NGC for years, and their slabs end up in all sorts of places, from a gun safe in Bucks County to a desk drawer in Haddonfield. By the time those coins reach us, the seller is sometimes a son, daughter or spouse who never handled them and is not sure what the labels mean.
The label does a lot of the explaining. It names the coin, the date, the mint mark and the grade on the 1 to 70 Sheldon scale. A Philadelphia coin from before 1980 usually shows no mint mark at all, because the Mint here left most of its coins unmarked for most of its history. A letter on the label points to a branch mint: CC for Carson City, which struck coins from 1870 to 1893, O for New Orleans, S for San Francisco.
Think of the number on a slab as a starting point. Two coins graded the same can look very different, one with bright, even luster and another with dull or blotchy toning, and collectors pay for that difference. We study each coin through the plastic for eye appeal, then weigh it against current collector demand for that exact coin and grade.
Heirs sometimes assume a slab means the coin is rare. Plenty of graded coins are common dates that someone sealed to protect them or to learn the grade, and their price reflects that. Others, like a scarce Morgan date or a high-grade early cent, can be worth far more. We sort them at the table, and the written offer makes it clear which is which.
Selling graded coins privately keeps the process calm. You never have to set out a box of slabs on a folding table at a coin show while strangers look on. We meet one on one, by appointment, at a place set when you book, and for larger collections you can ask about a home visit. Gold and silver in raw coins get non-destructive testing and a calibrated scale.
Say yes to the written, item-by-item offer and you are paid the same visit, by cash, check, or wire for larger sales. Say no and every slab goes home with you, plus the list. Bring a government-issued photo ID to sell. Sellers from Princeton to West Chester can call 215-798-9204, and we return calls the same business day.
Sellers come from
Questions
Common questions
Is the price of a graded coin printed on the label?
No. The label shows the coin, the date, the mint mark and the grade, but not a price. Price comes from current collector demand for that coin in that grade, plus eye appeal. Gold and silver content sets a floor for bullion-type coins. We explain how we reached each number on your written, item-by-item offer.
Do you buy coins graded by companies other than PCGS and NGC?
Yes, we look at them. PCGS and NGC slabs are the ones most collectors know, so they are the simplest to price. Coins in other holders are evaluated on the coin itself: date, mint mark, our own read of the grade, and eye appeal. Your written offer notes which holder each coin is in and how we priced it.
My slab is cracked. Can I still sell the coin?
Usually, yes. A cracked or scratched holder does not change the coin inside, though it may need a new holder before a collector buys it. Do not pry it open. Bring it as it is, and we will look at the coin and the label together and note the holder's condition on your written offer.
Why would two coins with the same grade get different offers?
Eye appeal still counts within a grade. One MS63 Morgan dollar might have clean, bright luster while another has spotty toning or a distracting mark right on the portrait. Collectors pay more for the better looking coin, and our offers follow that. We point out what we see on each coin, so you understand where the difference comes from.
Should I get my raw coins graded before selling?
Not always. Grading costs money and takes time, and many coins are not worth enough to justify it. Bring the coins to a free evaluation first. We will tell you which ones look like strong candidates for grading and which ones we would buy as they are, and you leave with a written offer either way.
Find out what your coins and gold are worth. Then decide.
- Free evaluation, with no obligation to sell
- Every piece checked in front of you
- A written offer, item by item
- Paid the same visit if you say yes
Request your free offer
Three quick questions. We call back the same business day.
or call (215) 798-9204