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What to bring when you sell coins or gold (and what to leave at home)
The metal, the ID, the paperwork if you have it. Not the toothpaste. Not twelve heirs on speakerphone. Not a story that replaces a receipt.
You do not need a briefcase and a lawyer. You need the stuff, and you need to be able to say yes or no.
Bring
- The metal. In something that does not spill on the counter.
- A photo ID. Why.
- Any invoices, grading papers, or “I bought these at this shop in 2019” receipts. Helps on cost basis talk later. Receipts.
- A simple list if the lot is big: eagles, junk face, jewelry, “weird.”
- A second person if that makes you comfortable. One second person. Not a committee.
Do not bring
- A cleaning kit. Don’t.
- A printed eBay listing for a nicer example than yours
- A Red Book with your finger on a retail column. The Red Book is not a buy list.
- Every sibling on FaceTime unless they have already agreed who can accept a bid
Sort if you can
Bullion. Jewelry. Collector candidates. Face-value change. Sorting. If you cannot, we will. You will wait longer.
Call ahead if it is large
Cash in the drawer is not infinite. Call ahead. Weekend pricing is its own thing. After-hours spot.
You can say no
The bid is not a spell. Walk away. Take the metal home. Think. Come back, or do not.
Part of the coin shop counter wiki · visitors & collectors · NumisQ Learn
Extra pad history for what to bring when you sell
You do not need a briefcase and a lawyer. You need the stuff, and you need to be able to say yes or no. Bring the metal in something that does not spill. A photo ID. Why: shops buy from a person they can identify, and large cash can mean Form 8300. Any invoices, grading papers, or “I bought these here in 2019” receipts help on cost basis later. A simple list if the lot is big: eagles, junk face, jewelry, “weird.” A second person if that makes you comfortable. One second person. Not a committee.
Do not bring a cleaning kit. Don’t. Do not bring a printed eBay listing for a nicer example than yours. Do not bring a Red Book with your finger on a retail column. The Red Book is not a buy list. Do not FaceTime every sibling unless they have already agreed who can accept a bid. POA.
Sort if you can
Bullion. Jewelry. Collector candidates. Face-value change. Sorting. 90% through 1964. 40% Kennedys 1965–70. War nickels 1942–45. If you cannot sort, we will. You will wait longer. Call ahead if it is large. Cash in the drawer is not infinite. Weekend pricing is its own thing. The bid is not a spell. Walk away. Take the metal home. Think. Come back, or do not.
Leave with a ticket that matches the pile. That is the whole visit.
People also ask
Do I need an appointment for three Eagles? Usually no. A life’s stack, yes.
Is ID required? Plan on it. Large cash, definitely.
Can I bring a scale? You can. We will still use ours, on zero, in front of you.
What if I forget the receipts? You can still sell. Basis is your later problem.