Guide · Selling
Selling gold and silver coins
How dealers price bullion coins versus collector coins, and how to get the best offer for each.
Last updated October 2, 2026
Coins fall into two groups, and dealers price them very differently.
Bullion coins: priced from the spot price
Modern bullion coins, like the American Gold Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf or Krugerrand, contain a fixed amount of metal. Dealers usually quote them as spot price plus or minus a set amount. Our coin and bar reference lists the exact metal content of each, with a live melt value.
- Expect an offer close to melt value for common bullion coins in good condition.
- Damaged, scratched or spotted coins may be offered less.
- Original mint tubes and boxes help a little. They matter less than they do for bars.
Collector coins: priced on rarity and condition
For older coins, the date, mint mark and condition can be worth far more than the metal. Common Morgan dollars trade above their silver value, and rare dates can be worth thousands of dollars.
- Never clean a coin. It is the most common way people destroy value.
- Handle coins by the edges.
- Get an opinion from a coin dealer before selling old coins for metal.
- Coins in sealed holders from a grading company have a grade and certificate number you can look up on that company’s website.
US coins that contain silver
Dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier are 90% silver. Kennedy halves from 1965 to 1970 are 40% silver. Nickels from mid-1942 to 1945 are 35% silver. See US silver coins.
Dealers often price 90% coins by face value: “$1 face” means any mix of dimes, quarters and halves adding up to one dollar. Uncirculated, $1 face value holds 0.7234 troy ounces of silver. Dealers often use about 0.715 ounces to allow for wear.
Getting the best price
- Sort coins into bullion and possibly collectible.
- Check today’s live price and each coin’s melt value.
- Get two written quotes, at least one from a coin dealer.
- Compare offers as a percent of melt, using our calculator.