Coins & Currency
Morgan dollars by the roll, pre-1933 gold by the piece, and paper money from large-size legal tenders to small-size stars. Every coin in the case is attributed, and every price is written down before you ask.
In the cases
We stock what Bucks County collectors actually build sets from — not a little of everything, a lot of these six.
The backbone of American silver collecting. Circulated common dates from $34, better dates like the 1893-CC and the 1928 Peace attributed and priced individually, and a rotating case of certified GSA hoard dollars in original holders.
Typical stock: 200+ pieces, VG-8 through MS-66
Liberty Head and Indian Head quarter eagles, half eagles, and eagles, plus Saint-Gaudens double eagles when the market lets us buy them right. Priced against the day’s spot with the numismatic premium itemized separately.
Typical stock: 40–60 pieces, XF-40 and better
One good example of each design: Barber and Seated Liberty silver, Buffalo nickels, Indian Head cents, Walking Liberty halves. The honest way to start a collection without chasing dates.
Album starters from $12
British sovereigns, Mexican 8 reales and gold pesos, Canadian silver dollars, and crown-size silver from the trade routes. Strong on 19th-century material with readable dates and honest surfaces.
Sovereigns quoted daily off spot
Silver certificates, red-seal United States Notes, and Federal Reserve Notes from 1928 onward. Star notes and low serial numbers pulled aside and priced on their own merits.
Graded and raw, Fine through Gem CU
Pre-1866 broken-bank notes and National Bank Notes with Pennsylvania charters — Bucks County town names carry a premium here, and we keep a standing census of Bristol, Doylestown, and Newtown charters. If your family held one of these, we want to see it before anyone else does.
Recently traded
A sample of recent buys and sales, with the numbers we actually wrote on the flips. Ranges reflect the spread we quoted, not a wish list.
1885-CC Morgan Dollar
PurchasedOriginal GSA hard pack with card. Frosty luster, light bag marks on the cheek.
1908 Saint-Gaudens $20, No Motto
SoldWells Fargo hoard pedigree. Sold to a local type-set collector in under a week.
1928-B $5 Red Seal, Star Note
PurchasedStar replacement note, problem-free paper. Came in with an estate lot from Croydon.
1921 Peace Dollar, High Relief
SoldFirst-year high relief with just a whisper of rub on the hair curls above the ear.
1914 Indian Head $2.50
PurchasedSemi-key quarter eagle from a dresser-drawer accumulation. Incuse design, honest wear.
1899 $1 Silver Certificate, "Black Eagle"
SoldThe most asked-for large-size note in the shop. This one lasted three days in the case.
Appraisal service
Whether it’s a single gold piece or three generations of albums, we appraise on the counter in front of you — scale, loupe, and current price sheets in view the whole time.
What to bring
You do not need to clean, sort, or research anything first. In fact, please do not clean the coins — a wiped Morgan dollar can lose half its collector value in thirty seconds.
Grading primer
American coins are graded on the 70-point Sheldon scale — a 1 is barely identifiable, a 70 is flawless under 5× magnification. The difference between MS-63 and MS-65 can be hundreds of dollars, which is why the grade matters more than the date on most coins.
| Grade | Name | What it means on the coin |
|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good | Heavily worn; date and major devices readable, details flat |
| F-12 | Fine | Moderate even wear; all lettering sharp, some hair and feather detail |
| XF-40 | Extremely Fine | Light wear on the highest points only; traces of luster remain |
| AU-58 | About Uncirculated | The faintest friction on the high points; nearly full luster |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated | No wear; moderate contact marks, good luster |
| MS-65 | Gem Uncirculated | No wear; minor scattered marks, strong strike and luster |
PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Company) are the two third-party graders the market trusts. They authenticate the coin, assign a Sheldon-scale grade, and seal it in a tamper-evident holder — a “slab” — with a certification number you can verify online. A slabbed grade removes most of the argument from a sale, which is why certified coins trade at tighter spreads.
Usually not. Grading fees run $20–$40 per coin plus shipping and a month of waiting, so certification only pays for itself on coins worth roughly $300 and up. Bring your coins in raw — if one deserves a slab, we will tell you, and we can handle the PCGS or NGC submission for you.
Cleaning strips the original surface — the microscopic flow lines from the mint press that create luster. Graders mark these coins “details, cleaned” and the market discounts them 30–60%. Original toning, even dark toning, is almost always worth more than a shiny scrubbed surface. When in doubt, leave it alone.
Under a 10× loupe against published grading standards, checking the same wear points the services check — Liberty’s cheek and hair on a Morgan, the eagle’s breast feathers on the reverse. We tell you the grade we are paying on, and if you think a coin is better, we will walk through it with you at the counter.
Want list
Leave your want list with us — denomination, date, mint mark, and target grade. When one crosses the counter, you get the first call before it goes in the case. No deposit, no obligation.
Current requests: 1889-CC Morgan · 1911-D $2.50 · Doylestown national charter notes
