Sell Rare & Key-Date Coins in Denton, TX
A coin becomes rare through its date, its mint and its condition, all three at once. We check each one with you and give you a plain answer, good news or not.
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, by appointment
- Gold and silver weighed where you can see it
- Have a photo ID with you
- You never have to sell
- Booked ahead, so the time is yours
When this page is the right one
When you think a coin is worth more than the number on it or the metal in it, and you want to be sure.
- A date or mint mark on one of your coins matches something you read about.
- You own slabbed coins from PCGS or NGC and want to understand them.
- You spent years building sets. Our collection page explains how we keep albums and runs together.
- You have an old coin and simply want an honest opinion on whether it is special.
What a key date is
Every series has a date and mint that is harder to find than the rest, and that coin is its key. Classic examples include the 1909-S VDB and 1914-D Lincoln cents, the 1916-D Mercury dime and the 1893-S Morgan dollar.
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A small mintage
In some years one mint struck only a few hundred thousand of a coin while another turned out tens of millions of the same design.
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A low survival rate
Melting, loss and decades in pockets thinned out many issues. A coin made in large numbers can still be hard to find in nice condition.
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Varieties and mint errors
Doubled dies, overdates, repunched mint marks and off-center strikes each have a following. The 1955 doubled die Lincoln cent is the best-known example.
The famous dates are the ones people fake
Key dates get counterfeited and altered more than any other coins, often by adding a mint mark to a common date or reworking a digit. We study every one closely before we talk about an offer.
Reading the mint mark
Two coins with the same date can have very different stories because of one small letter.
- Its spot depends on the series. On Lincoln wheat cents it sits below the date. On Buffalo nickels it is on the back, under the words FIVE CENTS.
- A blank spot on an older U.S. coin usually means it came from Philadelphia.
- Letters you will meet: D (Denver), S (San Francisco), O (New Orleans) and CC (Carson City).
- Use a magnifier. A mint mark can be worn flat, clogged with dirt, or, on an altered coin, added after the fact.
Holding a coin that might be scarce?
Call or send the form to book a time. Leave the coin in whatever holder it is in today, and we will examine it with you.
Grade, and the damage cleaning does
Coins are graded on a 70-point scale, from barely identifiable at 1 to flawless at 70. Toward the top, a single point can make a large difference.
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Wear on the high points
Circulation rubs down the tallest parts of the design first: hair above the ear, the cheek, the eagle's breast feathers.
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Original luster
The satiny glow a coin had when it left the press. Once it is rubbed or cleaned away, nothing brings it back.
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Contact marks
Bag marks, rim nicks and scratches count most when they sit in the open fields or across the portrait.
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Strike and eye appeal
A full, sharp strike and attractive, even toning can set one coin apart from another with the same grade.
There is no undoing a cleaning
Polish, baking soda, dips and erasers all strip the original surface and leave telltale hairlines. Experienced buyers see it right away, and the grading services label cleaned coins as such.
How we judge a possible rarity
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Identify each piece
First we identify each coin: series, date, mint letter and the holder it came in.
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Gold and silver weighed where you can see it
The scale sits in plain view, so you see every reading.
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Weigh collector value against melt
Date, mint letter and condition can lift a coin above its metal. We show you which of yours that covers.
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Walk you through the offer
You hear how we reached the number. Then take it, turn it down, or sell just some of the items.
Coins graded by PCGS or NGC
These are the two largest U.S. grading services. Each seals a coin in a hard plastic holder with a label showing its grade and a certification number.
- Slabbed coins are welcome. Keep the holder sealed.
- We read the coin through the plastic, so never crack a holder open.
- Raw coins are fine too, as are slabs from smaller grading companies.
Most old coins are common, and we will tell you so
Age by itself seldom adds much value. Huge numbers of century-old coins still exist.
If that is what you have, you will hear it plainly, along with what the coin is worth to us.
What to expect when you bring a rare coin
Here is the path from that first phone call to a clear answer. If you would like a second set of eyes, bring someone along.
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Make contact
Call (940) 209-8220 or use the request form. We return form requests by phone during business hours.
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Set the time and place
We meet by appointment only, weekdays from 9am to 5pm, at our private Denton office, your home or a secure location such as your bank. A bank works well for a valuable coin kept in a safe deposit box.
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Bring the coin as it is
Leave it in its flip, album page or slab, and bring a photo ID.
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A straight answer, then your decision
We go over the date, mint mark and surfaces with you and tell you what we see. Any offer is yours to take or leave, one coin at a time.
Photos let us prepare
The request form takes up to four photos: the side with the date and mint mark, the reverse, and the slab label if there is one. Send Photos
Rare coin sellers around Denton
We are based in Denton, the county seat and home to UNT and Texas Woman's University, and see sellers by appointment. Times are rough estimates from the Denton square, without traffic.
Corinth is about 10 minutes down I-35E, and Lewisville about 21 minutes, just across Lewisville Lake. Other Denton County towns appear on our service area page.
For everyday coins, see the sell coins page. Our overviews on selling gold and selling silver weigh collector value against metal value.
Questions about rare coins
Is my coin a key date?
Find the date and mint mark, then check them against a reference book for that series. Or bring it to us and we will look at the date, mint mark and surfaces together, including any sign the coin has been altered.
My coin is over a hundred years old. Does that make it rare?
Not on its own. Plenty of coins from the early 1900s were made by the tens of millions and are still common. How many survive, and in what condition, matters far more than age.
Should I get my coin graded by PCGS or NGC first?
Not always. Grading carries a fee and can take weeks, and it only pays off for certain coins. Show it to us first and we will give you our honest opinion on whether grading makes sense.
Would cleaning make my coin look better to a buyer?
It does the opposite. Cleaning leaves fine hairline scratches and removes original luster, and collectors mark a cleaned coin down hard. The harm is permanent.
Can I confirm the grade on a slabbed coin myself?
Yes. The label on a PCGS or NGC holder has a certification number you can enter on that service's website to see the coin and grade on record.
Book a time with us
- Based in
- Denton, TX, serving Denton County
- Hours
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, by appointment
- Where we meet
- At our private Denton office, your home or a secure location such as your bank
- Bring
- A photo ID and the items you want us to look at
For privacy and security, we share our office address by phone once your appointment is set.
Our purchase evaluation is an offer to buy. It is not a formal written appraisal for insurance, probate or tax use.
Get a quote
Three quick questions. We call you back on a weekday. Or call now: (940) 209-8220.