How to price old coins?

Contrary to appearances, how to price old coins is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. If an investor does not want to lose on his collection, he must know how valuable the numismats are, among coins. Lack of this type of knowledge very often causes huge losses. In order to gain on investment, it is worth finding out how much the old coins which you own are. How to do it? There are a few proven ways.

How worthy the old coins are - Sheldon's scale

One of the popular methods to determine how much old coins are worth is the Sheldon American scale, which was created to unify the valuation of one type of coin. The worst condition was called number 1, while the best number was 70. The price according to Sheldon's scale is based on using previously numbered coins. The base quality of a coin is increased as long as it is assessed on a scale of values. For example, old foreign coins in perfect condition will be worth as much as 70 times more than in the base state. Unfortunately, one of the most difficult tasks in this case is to assess the correct base value, referring to the year, origin and variants.

Old coins and the catalog value

The basic types of old coins have their own catalog, thanks to which the valuation of numismats can be determined. Their value is determined primarily on the basis of the degree of rarity of occurrence, the condition of the subject's behavior as well as the overall visual attractiveness. Of course, there is nothing to hide that while the first two parameters are acceptable to the majority, the determination of attractiveness is quite debatable due to the different tastes of buyers and sellers.

The value of the gold coin depends on the value of metal according to the current rate, mainly from the collector's value of the coin. The next step in assessing the catalog value is the market prices in the maximum dimension, on the basis of which the value increase ratio should be determined. The valuation for given behavioral states, the level of attractiveness and the degree of rarity is obtained by multiplying the maximum price of the most common coin by a factor raised to the power, depending on the degree of its uniqueness.

How much do old coins cost and when they lose value?

In the valuation of old coins the visual impression is very important the potential buyer. All scratches, chafes and injuries affect the disadvantage of the coin. The quality of minting is also extremely important, as it is a kind of description of the correctness of the minting press and the state of mint stamps.

Old coins which are distinguished by their deep stroke and all visible details will always achieve a much higher value than those minted shallowly and carelessly. Another important element determining how much old coins are worth is the quality of the used disc. The higher the quality of the puck, the higher the value. However, despite the many valuation methods, there is any difficulty in estimating the value of old Polish and foreign coins, the best solution is to contact specialist numismatists who will be ready to assess how worthy the coin can be.