What to do with an inherited disorganised colection?

[Guest oppala]

I have inherited a huge collection of pre-decimal British coins and, I'm sorry, but I'm no coin collector. The collection seems to be very disorganised and I would like to put it into some sort of order to dispose of it. There are thousands of coins, some sorted into small plastic wallets, with half-crowns, shillings and florins sorted into wallet-sheets (by year). However most of the coins are just loose in boxes.

1. How best to sort and organise them?

2. What should I be looking out for?

3. What to do with the excess? (Dare I suggest scrap metal? I estimate I have about 10kg of brass Threepenny pieces alone, if there is a better way to dispose, I would happily give it a go)

4. How to dispose of the coins of interest? Dealer? Ebay? If dealer, how best to identyify reputable that might be interested?

I've tried to make a start with the sorting but even after 4 hours on it this pm, I feel like I've got nowhere.

Thanks in advance for you help.

Mike

[Chris Perkins 228]

A respectable dealer would be me for example!

Where are you located?

The 10kg of brass threepences will be scrap metal, except the 1946, 1949, 1951 and any that are absolutely as new with full lustre.

I'd say, forget the dates as with average circulated coins the dates are not that important, especially when you factor in the time involved. Usually, the bulk of the value is in the silver, so concentrate on the pre 1947 silver coins. Then let me know how many of each denomination you have. Any that are pre 1920 contain more silver, so keep an eye out for those too (they are always much scarcer).

Coppers are usually just worth scrap, but I do pay a little more for pre George VI coppers.

[scott 145]

well you should look out for edward V11 florins those sell well as do anything before that

it would be wise, before going down the scrap option to check for key dates and any decent coins, we can always help with anything you wish to enquire about indvidually

[1887jubilee 37]

I have inherited a huge collection of pre-decimal British coins and, I'm sorry, but I'm no coin collector. The collection seems to be very disorganised and I would like to put it into some sort of order to dispose of it. There are thousands of coins, some sorted into small plastic wallets, with half-crowns, shillings and florins sorted into wallet-sheets (by year). However most of the coins are just loose in boxes.

1. How best to sort and organise them?

2. What should I be looking out for?

3. What to do with the excess? (Dare I suggest scrap metal? I estimate I have about 10kg of brass Threepenny pieces alone, if there is a better way to dispose, I would happily give it a go)

4. How to dispose of the coins of interest? Dealer? Ebay? If dealer, how best to identyify reputable that might be interested?

I've tried to make a start with the sorting but even after 4 hours on it this pm, I feel like I've got nowhere.

Thanks in advance for you help.

Mike

Dear Mike

There is nothing more exciting than a collection to examine. If you are a total novice there are any number of people who will offer to have a look at it for you the problem is knowing the ones who may have a vested interest and knowing the ones who will give you an honest and fair appraisal. In the first instance I would get hold of the Chairman of your local Numismatic Society and ask them to come and have a look. He or she will be able to tell you what kind of "collector" , "Numismatist" or plain horder your relative was. They will also be able to pull in experts from their society or specialists from museums or auction houses to help with pieces that are unfamiliar. They should also be able to give some recommendation as to disposal. Most local societies like my own in Plymouth do this free. Alternatively you could ask a local auctioneer to have a look at least his interest is in making the most of the collection though he will inevitably not be an expert in all areas. I hope this helps. Happy new Year. Andrew

[£400 for a Penny ? 0]

Mike,

Lucky you.

I'd say you have two options.

1. Relax, take your time and don't put yourself under pressure. The collection was probably put together over years, why should you be expected to know exactly what's what in 4 hours ? Buy a good reference book and get a few coins out every now and then when you feel like it. The chances are, like any collection, there will be a few centre pieces that are of interest and value and a whole heap of rubbish. It's much better if you can identify this yourself.

or..

2. Panic and sell it without ever really understanding what it was you were left.

OK, so you are no kind of coin collector, but it isn't rocket science.

Take a step back, breathe, and do some reading. Don't treat it as a chore to be got off your list, treat it as fun and you never know what you might find/learn.

You can always come on here and ask questions.

[RLC35 289]

Mike,

Lucky you.

I'd say you have two options.

1. Relax, take your time and don't put yourself under pressure. The collection was probably put together over years, why should you be expected to know exactly what's what in 4 hours ? Buy a good reference book and get a few coins out every now and then when you feel like it. The chances are, like any collection, there will be a few centre pieces that are of interest and value and a whole heap of rubbish. It's much better if you can identify this yourself.

or..

2. Panic and sell it without ever really understanding what it was you were left.

OK, so you are no kind of coin collector, but it isn't rocket science.

Take a step back, breathe, and do some reading. Don't treat it as a chore to be got off your list, treat it as fun and you never know what you might find/learn.

You can always come on here and ask questions.

400 for a penny,

That is really good advice! Who knows, they might even become a collector as a result!

[Guest oppala]

Thank you all for your advice, very welcome indeed. Clearly the collection was built up over time and I will not do it any disservice by trying to unload quickly.

For those that offered to look at it, I'm based between Heathrow Airport and Twickenham.

I will post here over the coming weeks, questions and updates. Will also try to make contact with the local Numismatic Society.

I hate to disappoint but I sincerely doubt I will pick up on this as a new interest. The love of my life (after my wife) is much larger discs of 12-inch vinyl.

Happy New Year to you all.

[Chris Perkins 228]

West London kind of area isn't too bad. I'm around London between 20th and 27th January.

If nothing else, I can tell you (usually very quickly) what the potential worth is; if they are significantly more than metal value etc. Usually with huge lots like this, we are talking an accumulation rather than a carefully selected collection. I won't be expecting to find anything with a significant collectable value (but I do know what I'm looking for).

I can have a look and make an offer. Then you can do what you whatever like with them! If I don't buy them, give me a few quid towards petrol, cup of tea and use of the loo and I'll be on my way. You can also value some of my vinyl.....I've got a Beatles White Album somewhere, gatefold with the grey embossed serial number on the front. And most Beatles and Pink Floyd, Led Zep on Vinyl. But, just like with coins, I suspect there is a massive difference between an average White Album and a perfect White Album. It's the same with any collectable.

I can understand that the collectors out there would love to sort through for days and days, looking for a coin worth 50p instead of 2p! But to most, it's just hassle and takes up precious time, especially when you don't know what you're looking for and have to refer to books and websites etc beforehand.

Email me: cp@predecimal.com

[Peckris 579]

Thank you all for your advice, very welcome indeed. Clearly the collection was built up over time and I will not do it any disservice by trying to unload quickly.

For those that offered to look at it, I'm based between Heathrow Airport and Twickenham.

I will post here over the coming weeks, questions and updates. Will also try to make contact with the local Numismatic Society.

I hate to disappoint but I sincerely doubt I will pick up on this as a new interest. The love of my life (after my wife) is much larger discs of 12-inch vinyl.

Happy New Year to you all.

Oh I'm a record collector too! Though an accidental one, after discovering that my 60s and 70s vinyl was suddenly worth a bob or two. And just this morning I was musing on the similarities between coin and record collecting : in both areas, the balance of "worth" is between condition, rarity and demand/popularity. In coins, we place a premium on "first strikes", but these are much less recognisable than first pressings, where there is usually a matrix number or sleeve / label difference to make ID much easier.

I suppose my Deviants album, "Disposable", on the Stable label is my rarest (worth between £75 and £90?), while The Who "My Generation" on Brunswick (which as I'm sure you know, was a chart album), fetches between £150 and £200! Coin values are subject to the same logic ... be prepared for the sobering news that the bulk of your coins MIGHT be the equivalent of a scratched 7" copy of The Real Thing's "You To Me Are Everything"

[Guest oppala]

Apologies for the long silence, I thought I would provide an update.

After the initial excitement of getting this collection sorted, life took over and I had to concentrate on other matters. Last weekend I was galvanised into doing something about it.

The brass threepenny bits first, I had already removed all 1946/1949 and anything that looked near unused and shiny (about 70/80 of these), I took the remainder to a scrap metal merchant. A bit of a shock when I was told I had 145kilos of these, he paid £2.10 per kilo. Nice result to a morning's work I thought.

The remaining collection of

half crowns (1920-mid 60's, at least 40 examples of each year with many unsorted)

florins

shillings

sixpences

a few silver threepennies (mostly mid 40s I think)

farthings

pennies

remaining brass threepennies

and a few foreign

(the silver made up at least 90% of the bulk)

- I sold to a dealer in Kent. I was very pleased with deal and it concluded the whole matter. My wife was very pleased "to be shot of it all" and she now has her dining room back to normal use.

Thank you all for your advice and interest and wish you every success in your endeavours. I will be returning my attention to the 2nd love of my life (see earlier post) and would happily reciprocate advice and assistance to anyone that has questions in this area.

Best regards, Mike

ps. When back home and clearing up, finally putting the house back in order, I found 3 threepenny bits in the bottom of a box. I shall keep these as a momento of this affair.

[Peckris 579]

Apologies for the long silence, I thought I would provide an update.

After the initial excitement of getting this collection sorted, life took over and I had to concentrate on other matters. Last weekend I was galvanised into doing something about it.

The brass threepenny bits first, I had already removed all 1946/1949 and anything that looked near unused and shiny (about 70/80 of these), I took the remainder to a scrap metal merchant. A bit of a shock when I was told I had 145kilos of these, he paid £2.10 per kilo. Nice result to a morning's work I thought.

The remaining collection of

half crowns (1920-mid 60's, at least 40 examples of each year with many unsorted)

florins

shillings

sixpences

a few silver threepennies (mostly mid 40s I think)

farthings

pennies

remaining brass threepennies

and a few foreign

(the silver made up at least 90% of the bulk)

- I sold to a dealer in Kent. I was very pleased with deal and it concluded the whole matter. My wife was very pleased "to be shot of it all" and she now has her dining room back to normal use.

Thank you all for your advice and interest and wish you every success in your endeavours. I will be returning my attention to the 2nd love of my life (see earlier post) and would happily reciprocate advice and assistance to anyone that has questions in this area.

Best regards, Mike

ps. When back home and clearing up, finally putting the house back in order, I found 3 threepenny bits in the bottom of a box. I shall keep these as a momento of this affair.

Well, I already posted (see previous) about record collecting. Did you actually see it?

We can't really start a thread about it, (except in the Absolutely Nothing To Do With Coins space) but I'd be interested to know what your record collecting interests are.

[Guest reluctant_numismatist]

HE TOOK THE BLUE PILL!!!

Oh well, in my case the question "What to do with an inherited disorganised collection?" can be answered by:

- Join internet forums.

- Start buying stuff on eBay.

- Get burned buying stuff on eBay.

- Buy pricing guides to work out what's what.

- Learn from experience and make good deals on eBay.

- Start hiding brown packages arriving in the post from the "domestic authorities".

- Start visiting coin dealers in person to alleviate problem with above.

- Spend 10x more at dealers than would have on eBay ("Oooh let me see your half-crowns whilst we're at it...")

- Spend many enjoyable hours cataloguing and organising into coin flips and albums.

I picked up my late father's stamp collection last time I visited my mother a couple of weeks back, I stopped actively collecting stamps in 1986, but I'm now looking at his Empire/Commonwealth 1935 George V Jubilee, 1937 Coronation, 1946 Victory, UPU, '53 Coronation etc... sets and thinking "Ooh, he's got a gap there, I wonder if there's one of those on eBay?..." Aaaargh! What is it about collecting? :-)

[azda 982]

Yes my Frau has verbally slapped me for the incomings of packets at a frequent rate, i'm gonna have to hide things now, i feel like am having an affair lol

[Guest reluctant_numismatist]

i feel like am having an affair

Having seen some of your aquisitions of late that would probably be the cheaper option.

(Hmm, that's an interesting discussion topic; which is more enjoyable? Coins or....)

[azda 982]

i feel like am having an affair

Having seen some of your aquisitions of late that would probably be the cheaper option.

(Hmm, that's an interesting discussion topic; which is more enjoyable? Coins or....)

She got a bit grumpy today when i told her i got an 1854 sixpence lol, i'm waiting on 3 packets, i hope they come all at the same time so i can just have the 1 bollocking and get it over and done with

[£400 for a Penny ? 0]

Can I just at this point, introduce the concept of having one's packets sent to work ?

I had a consignment of de-activated Lee Enfield rifles sent to work once - "there's a very interesting package arrived for you, we've all been prodding it, we'd love to know what it was?"

Trust me, you wouldn't understand....

Coins are easy though, no need to wait until dark and then furtively dart to the car boot and emerge looking like Chuck Norris, you just walk in the front door whistling with it in your pocket, free as a bird.

[azda 982]

If war breaks out we're all coming to 400s for a coffee and a rifle

[£400 for a Penny ? 0]

If war breaks out we're all coming to 400s for a coffee and a rifle

Alas, I have moved them on.

Now if you think shifting a 1787 Shilling in EF is a challenge, try getting rid of half a dozen Lee Enfields...

Psst, Mate, wanna buy some rifles......

[azda 982]

If war breaks out we're all coming to 400s for a coffee and a rifle

Alas, I have moved them on.

Now if you think shifting a 1787 Shilling in EF is a challenge, try getting rid of half a dozen Lee Enfields...

Psst, Mate, wanna buy some rifles......

I bet that was interesting and very difficult, unless you're in London or Manchester, then i'd say you sold them rather easily