Should I clean old coins before having them looked at?
No. Do not polish, wipe, dip, brush or otherwise clean the coins. Original surfaces can matter significantly to collectors, and cleaning can permanently reduce collector value.
Inherited a coin collection?
Don’t clean it. Don’t rush it. Start here.
If a parent, grandparent or family member left you coins, you do not need to become a coin expert overnight. The first job is simply to preserve the collection long enough to understand what is actually there.
Do Not CleanOriginal surfaces matter
Keep It TogetherLabels, holders & notes can matter
Private PhotosUp to 8 representative images
No ObligationA review does not require a sale
First 30 minutes
What to do before anything gets moved.
The biggest early mistakes are usually irreversible. Keep the collection stable while you figure out what deserves individual attention.
01
Leave the coins alone.
No polishing, wiping, dipping or “making them shiny.” Do not crack certified coins out of slabs.
02
Keep the original organization.
Do not throw away flips, envelopes, old boxes, albums, receipts, price tags or handwritten inventory sheets.
03
Take overview photos.
Photograph the collection as a group first. Then capture a few pieces that look older, certified, gold, silver or unusual.
What may deserve a closer look
Not every coin should be treated the same.
Certified coins — PCGS, NGC, ANACS, CACG and other third-party holders
Morgan & Peace Dollars — dates, mints, varieties and condition can matter
Gold coins — U.S. and world gold should be separated from common material
Silver Eagles & bullion — value can include both metal and collector premium
Older U.S. coins — cents, nickels, dimes, quarters, halves and type coins
Vintage holders — old white ANACS soapboxes, PCGS rattlers and certain early slabs can have collector interest of their own
Varieties & unusual labels — VAMs, doubled dies, overdates and other attributions may deserve individual research
Your first photo set
Five photos can tell a lot.
1. The entire collection laid out or shown in its boxes
2. Any certified slabs and their labels
3. Albums, rolls, tubes and original packaging
4. Gold, silver dollars and coins that look unusual
5. Inventory sheets, notes, receipts or collector records
What are you trying to accomplish?
There is more than one right next step.
Some families want to sell. Others need to divide an estate, understand value, document a collection or simply know what was left behind.
01 / UNDERSTANDStart a review →02 / ESTATERequest help →03 / APPRAISALRequest a review →04 / SELLShow Jesse →
What do I have?
Start with identification and a high-level review before deciding what happens next.
Estate / Family
Explain the estate or family situation so the collection can be approached in the right context.
Collection Review
Request an appraisal-oriented review. Formal scope and terms are agreed before a paid appraisal engagement.
Considering a Sale
If you may want an offer, Jesse can review the collection first. There is no obligation to sell.
Brevard County, Florida
Local is where Jesse G Coins starts.
Brevard County is the primary service area for in-person collection reviews and appraisal requests. The secure photo intake lets Jesse see what you have before either side commits time to an appointment.
Brevard County Coin Help →Outside Brevard
Large or unusual collection?
Out-of-area requests are still welcome for consideration. Substantial estates, unusual holdings, higher-value collections and other appropriate situations may justify travel or a different review arrangement. Acceptance is case by case.
Common questions
Before you do anything irreversible.
Should I take coins out of flips, albums or holders?
Usually no. Keep coins with their existing flips, envelopes, labels, albums, slabs and handwritten notes. Those materials can contain useful context about what the original collector knew or intended.
What should I photograph first?
Start with one or two wide photos showing the whole collection. Then photograph certified holders and labels, gold, silver dollars, older-looking coins, albums, rolls, boxes and any inventory lists or notes.
Do I need to know what the coins are before contacting Jesse?
No. A useful first review starts with scale and context. You can send a description and representative photos even if you do not know the dates, grades or denominations.
Do I have to sell the collection to Jesse?
No. A collection-review request does not obligate you to sell anything. You can begin by trying to understand what is there and decide what to do afterward.
Can Jesse look at the collection in person?
Brevard County, Florida is the primary area for in-person collection reviews and appraisal requests. The first step is still a private photo review. Out-of-area requests may be considered case by case when the collection and circumstances justify it.
I inherited a coin collection.
Start with a private overview and representative photos. You do not have to know what any of the coins are.