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A written bid for a lawyer is not a Saturday cash offer
A lawyer needs a dated paper with a number for a file. That is a different job from cashing you out at the counter. Ask which number, what it costs, and how long it is good.
A lawyer does not need a Saturday cash bid. They need a dated paper with a number they can put in a file.
Those are different jobs. Mixing them is how both sides get mad. The person at the counter is trying to buy metal. The attorney is trying to show a court, an executor, or three siblings that someone counted the box.
Appraisal vs cash bid. Insurance paper vs a check. Sibling splits.
What the letter is
A written statement of what the shop would pay today, or what the lot would cost to replace, on a given date. Ask which one before anyone types.
The letter should say:
- the date
- whose metal it is, as far as the shop can tell from the papers
- what was counted (ounces, face, karat, pieces)
- whether the number is a cash bid or a replacement value
- how long the shop will stand behind that number, if at all
Those two numbers are not supposed to match. Replacement is higher. Cash is what clears the drawer. Bid and ask. Why spreads exist.
What it is not
- It is not a check
- It is not free by default. Looking at a box properly is work
- It is not good forever. Spot moves
- It is not a court ruling. The shop is not a probate judge. Who is allowed to sell
If they quoted a cash bid “good through Friday,” they should honor Friday.
What to bring
Papers that show who can sell. Photo ID. The metal. One speaker for the family. Inherited metal. Call ahead if the box is large. Bank box day.
How to ask
“I need a written bid for an estate attorney. What do you charge, what will the letter say, and how long is it good?”
If the shop will only give a verbal cash number, that is still useful. Do not treat a number said over the pad as a court exhibit.
This is not legal advice. It is how a counter and a law office talk past each other.
Insurance paper vs lawyer paper
An insurance appraisal is usually replacement. A lawyer often wants a cash number, or a range, for an estate inventory. Say which file the letter is for. Do not ask one Saturday ticket to do both jobs. Insurance vs a shop bid.
People also ask
Can you email the bid to my attorney? If the shop offers that, yes. Get the address right. The letter still needs a date and a definition.
Is a verbal number enough? For you deciding whether to sell, often. For a probate file, usually not.
What if siblings disagree after the letter? That is not a shop problem. Sibling splits. Photograph the lot before anyone leaves with a handful.
Continue in the coin and money library. Related visitor guides: for shop visitors.