← Back to articles · Hobby & visiting shops ·
Sort it before you arrive (or plan to wait)
One bag of everything is a puzzle. Four piles are a ticket. Shops will sort it either way. Only one of those is fast.
A contractor bag of “all the metal in the house” is how you spend two hours watching someone make piles.
That is allowed. It is not efficient. If you want a number before lunch, sort.
Four piles that save everybody
- Known bullion — eagles, maples, bars with names
- Junk silver — 1964 and earlier dimes/quarters/halves, war nickels
- Jewelry / scrap — chains, rings, dental, broken stuff
- Collector / I-do-not-know — anything you think might be more than melt
Junk vs eagles vs bars. 90% vs 40%. Karat jewelry.
What not to do while sorting
Do not clean. Do not peel slabs open. Do not throw the “dirty” coins in a vinegar bowl. Don’t clean.
Do not throw away the ugly holders. Papers and boxes can matter on some mint products.
Estates
If you are three heirs with a dining table, photograph first, then sort, then pick one speaker. Inherited metal. Power of attorney if that is the situation.
If you refuse to sort
Fine. Say so. Bring a book. We will still be decent. The clock is just longer, and the bid might come in chunks as piles finish.
Part of the coin shop counter wiki · visitors & collectors · NumisQ Learn