Whether your grandfather passed down his collection in his will or you stumbled across some rare currency at a garage sale, a coin appraisal could garner you some significant profits. If you’re hoping to trade in your coins for the maximum amount, use the following tips to your advantage.

How to Prepare for a Coin Appraisal

1. Do Not Clean

Before your appointment, leave your coins as-is. While you might assume that cleaning them would increase their value, this is a much different selling process than that of a home or car. If you try to clean your coins, even with products marketed for coin cleaning, you could easily damage the fragile piece by leaving scratches and scuff marks, which will instantly lower the value of your collection.

2. Leave Them in the Packaging

How did you receive your coins? In individual plastic packages, or in a binder with slots for each one? However they came into your possession, leave them that way. The packaging could inform your appraiser about the coins’ origin and history. Also, trying to remove them from the packaging could cause the same damage as any cleaning efforts.

3. Organize Them

If possible, try to sort your coin collection by year and type; for example, uncirculated versus circulated, foreign versus domestic, or nickel versus copper. If you received your coin collection in a single container, such as a box or sack, remove the loose coins immediately. When held in the same bag, they’ll rub up against each other and incur surface damage as you carry them.

If you have a collection and are hoping to receive a professional coin appraisal, get in touch with Coins Plus of Cincinnati, OH. Since 1972, they’ve educated eager collectors on the wonders of currency, from rare coins to gold bullion. They’re also known as a "National Award Winning and PNG Dealer,” so you can trust them to offer a fair assessment of your collection. For more information on their offerings, visit the website, or call (513) 621-1996 to make an appointment today.