Widowers and then widows coins

[knibloe]

My mother in law collected coins on a small scale. She passed 10 years ago. My father in law remarried and he passed away a year ago. There was a small strong box of coins and then several small containers scattered here and there.

I helped the new wife figure their worth. They totaled just under $1000. The thing that struck me was that 60% of the value was in just 25 coins (mostly common Morgans). Another 15% was in coins that were only worth face value: statehood quarters, old nickels (40's and 50's)(2 war nics), loose change, pennies. Another 15% was junk silver. The remaining 10% had some value over face, but really not enough to bother with (200 items worth .50 each).

This experience and the experience with the man with 1.5 million wheats got me thinking about my own hoard. I save everything that might have worth some day. The truth is, a lot of it likely won't and if it does, who will have the time/desire/knowledge to go through it and realize it's value.

I believe that I will be divesting myself of stuff that I do not care about and only keeping:

1. Higher value coins that I already have.
2. My silver
3. My copper pennies.

The rest of the stuff I will be better off selling now and using the money for something else.

[InfleXion]

If you are going to sell, and this is a buyer's market IMO, then I agree you'd be better off selling the high premium coins right now and not to sell the other stuff for spot price. Not a bad time to move some cash into other buying opportunities either.

[wheeler_dealer]

Strange you should raise this topic. While searching for my Canadian dimes to liquidate I came across scores of small denominations and duplicates and I may soon start offering them to the community. My one son seems only interested in gold the other could care less. I have some ideas I want to pursue and this could provide some seed money.