How much are a bunch of old silver dollars worth found lots of them when cleaning out my grandfathers house?

Question

How much are a bunch of old silver dollars worth found lots of them when cleaning out my grandfathers house

there from

1881,1882,1887,1888,1900,1901,
1904,1921,1922,1923,1924,1934

its 300 + of them i stopped counting

and there is a 5 pesos Mexican coin its the same size as the US silver dollars its from 1948 and is made of silver

about half of them look brand new and the others look black on the front and back but silver colored on the sides

nobody knew they were there not even my grandfather we found them in the back of a dresser and they had to be there for the past 25 years i dont know how long he had them before that

about 50 of them have a s mint mark on them

i dont remember the rest of them i got tired of looking at them

Answer 1

We really need to know dates and mintmarks on all of the coins. Pictures depicting the condition of each coin would also be very beneficial.

1 - Take your coin to a local coin dealer (trustworthy ones can be found - shop around). It never hurts to get a second opinion. They will be able to tell you so much more by evaluation the condition of the coins. They will also know the amount minted and what it is going for in today's market.

2 - Try posting pictures on this website (there are many experts here that can help you evaluate it - there also may be people willing to buy if you are trying to sell):
http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/default.asp

3 - Repost this question and include pictures. You can use websites like http://www.photobucket.com and include the link in your question.

Good luck!

P.S. You should not clean your coins. Most coin collectors see cleaning a coin as the equivalent of stripping down antique furniture and refinishing it.

When cleaning, the surface metal of the coin is often stripped. Anything used to scrub the coin will leave scratches (even 100% pure silk will leave hairline scratches). Most cleaning products will have some type of reaction with the coin's metal and the surface metal can also be removed in this manner.

Your best bet is to leave the coins alone. Cleaning the coin will leave traces - which can be found by the knowledgeable collector - who in turn will not buy the cleaned coin. Also if you ever wanted to send your coin into a grading company, they can recognize signs of cleaning and will send your coin back in a "cleaned" slab (also called a "body bag" in the coin world) - which is usually a greatly decreased value.

If you absolutely must must must clean your coins do not use the method described above as it will react with the metal in your coin. Use 100% acetone (do not use fingernail polish remover!). It must be 100% pure because other additives will react with the coin metal. Place your coin(s) in the solution for several minutes (do not leave in for long periods of time). Rinse your coin(s) in distilled water. Next remove your coins and either pat dry with a soft cloth or allow the coin to air dry (air drying is better as you don't risk scratching the coin with the cloth). NEVER scrub your coins!

I would still advise you to leave your coins as they are. They may not be bright and shiny but that is what most collectors prefer.

Answer 2

You need to take them to a coin dealer or two is better. You can get an idea of their value by getting a Coinage or Coins magazine, they have retail price guides. Though you won't get those prices, they can clue you into which ones are valuable and which are common. If there is a coin club in your area they will help you. As what was already stated by others, the date and mint mark are needed and the coins need to be graded. The mint mark is on the back at the bottom area. No one here can actually help with such a large amount, it would be too time consuming. The Mexican coin sells for around $15.

Answer 3

Buy the Guide Book to American Coins, exact title I don't remember. It's not terribly expensive. It will help you evaluate each dollar as to year and condition. Some might be quite valuable, others worth little more than their silver content.
Barnes & Noble probably has this book and it will be very worth your while to spend a few evenings with it.
An important bit of advice. Do NOT buy coin cleaner and shine up these dollars. It will destroy a lot of their value.
Been a while since I was a collector but current prices should be no less than 20-25 dollars each if they have no additional numismatic value.
Don't dump these coins until you know the value of them!
Best of luck to you! Tink

Answer 4

So cool how you found them!!! Treasure!!!
Do you know about coins ?? You need to educate yourself a bit about mint marks, coin grades, and other things. They are truly made of silver, so keep silver prices in mind. Some like the Morgan dollar are sought after by collectors. You will need to get a recent coin magazine or book, and also go to a reputable coin dealer to get them appraised. You might also do some checking on the internet.
They are definitely worth something !!!

Answer 5

We found a bunch of old silver dollars while cleaning out my Grandmother's home this year too. I would suggest taking your coins to a coin show in your area. There you can get an appraisal of their worth.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

I'm not to sure about it..but you have a lot of money into those coins.....do you want to keep them?...if not put them on e-bay for auction..but before document yourself on the value of the coins