DIdn't have any significan coins, but what my dad had, my son wanted more for sentimental value than anything so he got them.

I've had other things though - "collectible" Franklin Mint type things, none of which were worth a fraction of what was paid. And I still have part of my father's file cabinet to get through. It sits in a closet and I do some here and there. My grandmother had a pair of Dresden style compotes that had a very special story behind them, but if there was any wrtten record of it, it didn't get passed along. The story was told -- they were delivered, she said, in a armoured truck with great ceremony and set in place by men wearing white gloves. When we were visited her house when I was young, we were cautioned if we were active anywhere near them. I was tasked with trying to find an appropriate place for them. I researched. I contacted a museum. No interest. I think they belonged to a German general or something and the value was tied up with that history more than inherent in the items themselves - at least as far as I can tall, but there is no record of that They are sitting in a cabinet in my living room. Their greatest value appears to be guilt and mystery. They are partof the history that faded too soon when my mom had early Alzheimer's. I wonder if many of these special things have more value in stories -- stamps and coins in the experience of collecting them more than a treasured item that retains or gains value.

“Their greatest value appears to be guilt and mystery.” Boy, do I know that feeling. Getting rid of the items that ”have value” and the sentimental items nearly did me in when cleaning out my mother’s house. Maybe its just one of those rites of passage that mostpeople go through at least once on their life.

I recently took three bankers boxes packed with the almost last of my mothers papers to be shredded.

Sometimes selling it in a lot for less money is ultimately more profitable relative to your time. I sold all the good furniture at DH’s family home to a reseller for about a third of the retail price and none of the work to sell them. She filled a uHaul and everyone won.

think about that option

My FIL was an acculumulator of all sorts of things-gas pumps, covered wagons, antique fire engines, large denomination bills. My DH just sold 2 $1000 and 3 $500 bills. We looked on line and saw some currency auctions where similar had sold. DH ended up taking them to our local coin/jewelry/clock shop and they gave him pretty much the same price without oaying auction fees.

An employee of FIL was a Vietnam Vet. He brought these two vases home, smuggled out of Vietnam in his backack so the story goes. My DH has gone on for years how valuable these vases were. We would roll our eyes at him. We emptied out FIL's house last suummer. Google lens has many vases very similar to the ones in my basement for `$100!. We tell DH they came from VIetnam Dollar Store and every Vet smuggled ones out. He gets a ittle salty about that.

You just never know the value of things.

My childhood stamp collection is now in my possession thanks to my mother.

I did find some info on some big ( as in size) old bills. They were among the last large bills printed, called horse blanket bills. They have sold for aaround $100 on ebay. At least that’s something.

1929spanish, I feel the same way. Anything I get is a bonus since I never paid for this stuff.

Vietnam Dollar Store. Funny.

RN, my dad was in Japan in the occupation, and traded cigarettes and stockings for ivory. It’s really handsome. But it can’t be sold unless we can prove it’s from before a certain year. We can’t. Trying to find pictures where they can be seen to date them, not yet. May as well be from the Japan Dollar Store.

As with all 'collectables' they are worth what a buyer will give you for them. The internet has many thinking their things are worth more than ever before. Antiques had their day two decades ago. Interest is down so 'worth' is down. I imagine it's the same for stamps and coins. They are a collection of a time gone by. Your time and mental health is worth something. Unless you love the work I would take them to the most reputable dealer and be glad he took them at all. Many of these beloved collections are ending up in land fills as the next generation just isn't into it. No doubt the pendulum will swing again, so do you want to leave them to your grand children and they can see then if their value came back? #2DD bought a complete Lenox set of dishes at a garage sale. She LOVES them. They tested positive for lead. Replacements Ltd sells a plate for $30 but will give her less than five when you take out the postage she would have to pay to mail them in. She had hoped to at least recover te $100 she paid, but that is unlikely. If she purchased them from Replacements it would cost her over a thousand. The Antiques Road Show has us all thinking the VALUE of an item can be ours.

I feel for you, ded ( and everyone else chiming in). I think I shared that after we had downsized and moved here, having shed lots and more lots of stuff, DH and I went to a talk at the library about auctions and downsizing. The speaker was great and really emphasized that 98% of what we hold on to , assuming it has $ value, was, in fact worth that------"back in the day".

He quipped about stamps and coins,

"Want to feel young? Go to a stamp or coin show , if you can find one, and you will likely be the youngest person there". The market of those who valued those things, has been dying off.

This is not saying that some of what you have may really be worth something but it was eye opening.

And yes, we have, still, in our storage area in our basement, one shelf on a bookshelf, with those blue coin books and other stamp books.

I did take some to a coin place to ask, and they glanced and said they would pay for the metal.

So for now we still have them all. I may check with DH and see if he would entertain showing them to our grands. Our 8 yo is super interested in baseball cards so ....

Find a reputable dealer by calling the numismatic society and philatelist society. Unless you had some interest in the subject and enjoyed it, it is not reasonable for you to have to wade throught this task.

Your job is to idenitfy the right place to sell it all. That is your only job. And it is ok for it not to be perfect. It is ok that someone else will profit; they are profiting from their unique knowledge, which is totally fine.

Then take it all go to Chatahm this September to watch the fish come in.

I see we posted at the same time. That is a good idea and I really really can appreciate your statement "And it is ok for it not to be perfect. It is ok that someone else will profit; they are profiting from their unique knowledge, which is totally fine."

Thanks. I can always depend on myfriends to bring me back to reality. There is a reliable coin and stamp store near me and I will dump the whole mess in their lap.

If I pass the owner driving a Ferrari someday, so be it.

Hope I get enough to buy a nice fresh lobster roll at the Chatham Fish Pier.

💯 I would be thrilled with a lobster roll right about now.

When my FIL passed away around 15 years ago, DH and DS went through the coin and stamp collections. Most netted metal value and a few added together purchased a Barbie sized beach house!

MIL passed recently and DH expected to spend money and time on clearing out the house. They found a local estate auction company and the sale made enough money to cover a profit for the estate company, clearing/cleaning out the whole house and a bit of profit for the heirs. There was nothing really amazing or valuable in the house. Just a typical middle class home, with many of the items being purchased 60 years ago when they bought the house.

Great advice you've received here, Ded. My sister inherited my dad's coin collection when he passed. She doesn't know what to do with it, and she travels pretty "light" in life. I'll share this info with her.

I don't collect much, but I do have several savings bonds that have, by now, reached maturity. They were regular gifts as a child from relatives. I keep meaning to take them to the bank, but that's just not an errand I've put on my calendar yet.

Feathers, I threw my bank into a frenzy when I brought in a savings bond from 1979. They looked at me, said please wait and had to get help. I felt ancient and these young clerks tried to figure things out from a year that was way before they were born.

Oh, no, Arapaho! Most of mine are from the early '70s. I'll have to call ahead--thanks for the heads up :-)

Dedtired, I've got some coins I've collected - started when I sat near a guy at work who was really into collecting. You are helping me to get going because I need to dispose of most since I don't want to keep them forever. 

My sons each received savings bonds when theywere born. We cashed one in to help make the down payment on the house. The others just sat in a drawer and I finally gave them to each kid. They thought the bonds had been growing in value since they were born. Big disappointment! They had all matured years before and with inflation, werent worth much.

Arapaho, happy to help. Hope all has been well since tulipmania.

This - " Your job is to identify the right place to sell it all. That is your only job. And it is ok for it not to be perfect. It is ok that someone else will profit; they are profiting from their unique knowledge, which is totally fine."

is one of the best responses I've seen online in quite some time. I wish I had posted here when I was sorting through my parents' stuff, because it overwhelmed me too.

Dedtired - I felt your message in my bones. Been there. Almost cried too - in fact I am sure I did shed a few tears. Just reading your post took me back. I remember standing in my parents' house and wailing, "I don't need a dumpster, I need a match!"

Which is why I reacted so strongly to Mtn's post. I guess some of us get caught up in thinking it needs to be perfect. I felt so strongly about not "letting my parents down" in terms of how I handled their 80 some-odd years of garbage/treasures. LOL.

I can't add a thing to that brilliant advice, just wanted to let you know I heard you on this.

Are any of the coins gold? If they are, they are worth more than you think.

In the pile of stuff that DH took from his friend's house after his death that I posted about before were a few of those Franklin Mint collection coin things. They had a full set of a couple different sets. Long story short, they were gold. They melt them down for the gold. With those and some other coins and some gold jewelry, they got $40k. That's a lot of lobster rolls!

Gold and silver values are very high right now.

FWIW, hubby & I are long time fans of Antiques Road Show on PBS. I love how the appraisers and guests share so much of the history/backstories of the many inherited and found items. There are years of archives of the shows and clips, along with links in the 'About' setcion - I wonder if there's any help to be found there?

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/

Hugs, ded. 💕

So glad to hear this. I need to gather up my sh*t and do the same.

Very true about gold being high right now.

My assumption is that most of the coins people have collected are not gold, unless they intentionally invested in gold.

Took a family friend recently to the local jewelry store that I trust. She had a repair and some pieces she wanted to sell. The gold she wanted to sell didn't look like much if you held it in your hand, but it netted her $3,500.

WTG, dedtired, for taking the initiative and going to the store. And awesome on the payout.

Good job getting the task done!

What a fun update, Ded! So happy for you.

My father was a very avid stamp collector. He collected Scott #1s in multiples on cover. That means, for any given country, the first postage stamp they ever issued (as determined by a certain publication, Scott's), used on an actual envelope, in a pair or more.

He tried to get me interested in this hobby, and I briefly had a most impressive collection of Pink Stamps of the World (at age 11). Then, boys.

He also collected coins, but only gold coins. He liquidated his collections before his passing but over the years he had often given BU (brilliant uncirculated condition) gold coins as gifts, and or as jewelry if AU. I wear a few of them, and have given some to my DDs and DS. I used to give my nieces and nephews small gold coins for presents to carry on the tradition. I should make sure they all understand their value.

When I was in HS, I used to borrow my Mom's jewelry, including a pendant with what is known as a $10 Indian Head gold coin. I lost it somewhere in a fast food restaurant. My parents were nice about it, but when I got my first job after college, I replaced it for my Mom. Many years later she gifted it to me.

The $10 Indian Head Gold Coin (also known as the Indian Head Eagle) is a historic pre-1933 U.S. coin designed by renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Struck from 1907 to 1933, it contains $2,189 to $2,300+ in gold melt value and generally sells between $2,300 and $6,500+ depending on its year, mint mark, and numismatic condition.

I think the real win is having this done. We here can have an idea of value, but there's a limited audience in younger generations. Check this off your list, and enjoy whatever you do with the profits.

My one bit of advice-- sell as a single lot. Otherwise someone could come and take only the best pieces and then you're stuck trying to sell the rest of the drek.

That's great, Ded!

FYI to those that have not gathered and sold, call a few places ahead of time to ask what their spot price is currently and their percentage (which can range from 5%+). Previously, I've sold at 5% and 15%. Not a big difference when selling very little, but adds up fast the bigger your check.

It felt really good to come downstairs this morning and see that box of coins was finally gone. Ive learned a lot in the process.

The only things I brought home, other than the stamps, was a bunch of Susan B Anthony quarters ( I’ll keep those in the car for the meter) and a stack of $2 bills.

Mtn, that story is touching. Im sure you were heartsick to lose that piece of jewelry . Your mom must have been so touched that you replaced it.

I still have to deal with a pile of jewelry, but that can wait for another day.

You have inspired me, Ded. My dad had a huge coin collection, and after he died DH (who is knowledgeable about coins) and I divided it three ways and I sent my two brothers each their third. My third still sits in an upstairs closet nine years later. So, I am going to make an appointment, take it all in and sell it. Our sons don’t want it.

I also have several pieces of inherited jewelry that I will never wear and DD doesn’t want. I am also going to take it to a reputable place, have the diamonds removed and sell the gold. Maybe I’ll receive enough to have the diamonds set in a new piece that I will actually wear.

Hugs to you, Ded. Things that belonged to beloved family members can carry emotional weight, but I have held onto these items long enough and am at peace with not burdening my children with more ”stuff.”

There's nothing special about $2 bills, not worth saving. Spend 'em.

Congrats on shedding another weight!

My dad was famous for his $2 bills. He paid his golf bets with them, gave them to kids, tucked them in birthday cards. He would say, put this in your wallet. You won’t spend it, but you’ll always have $2 when you need it. He was right! Little kids felt rich, and his friends said they came in handy.

So when I was at an event at a notfor-profit he was deeply involved with, and I somehow arrived with no cash and no checks for the raffle buckets, I pulled out my $2 bill from the secret slot and dropped it on two tickets. Later someone wondered about that $2, and smiled when I told them about Dad, whom they remembered. THAT had value. I have since replaced that $2 bill, just in case.

So happy for you @dedtired. I can understand the relief of having that done. And not a bad unexpected windfall. Enjoy spending it on something fun!

Cashiers dont like $2 bills because registers dont have slots for them. The ”guys” at the coin and stamp shop said they are great for tips. I have to go to a wedding at a hotel in DC in the fall so they may come in handy for tipping parking valets, etc.

I tried to use a $2 bill a few years ago, and the cashier looked at me and said, "We don't take Canadian money."

I wish I were kidding. LOL. Of course the cashier looked to be about 12 too, so there's that.

I told her I doubt Canada put the United States of America on its paper bills, but she still got a manager to check to make sure it was ok to accept.

I still have the $2 bill from my mother, but it's just a memory of her. But she kept it "for emergencies", too. Today, my emergency stash in the secret compartment is a 20. Inflation, you know. Yes for tips. And I always used them for holiday donation kettles, too.

Glad you got that taken care of so easily, ded 🙂

Aren't Susan B. Anthony coins dollars, not quarters?

I have one my grandpa gave me in a little box when they were first issued - he wrote a message to me enclosed with it, that's why I saved it.

Are they? I didnt look closely. That would have been tragic to put them in the parking meters. Guess Ill deposit them at the bank.

This was great fun to read, ded! The time spent learning about your collection from the old-timers in the shop was entertaining and a bonus, in my view. Happy for you getting it done and being able to have a little extra cash to spend on something enjoyable and fun.

Although it has been years since my brothers and I had to deal with our parent’s stuff, there are still lingering items here and there for all of us as we move, downsize, and re-order our lives the past 25-30 or so years. This has been a reminder to me to get things done in that department, especially some of the jewelry. DD and I have often talked about it but not done anything yet. It’s time.

I have been buying graduating gifts for students who have just about everything anyway-an authentic silver bar for years now. They actually think it's cool to hold a real silver bar in their hands. It has gone up a lot over the last few years…yikes! But I just bite the bullet and buy it anyway...at least for now.

For many years, I've been throwing one in along with my son's birthday and Christmas gifts. He has quite a bit now.

Ok, add me to the list: Inspired by @Dedtired.

I went thru my jewelry box mostly to get rid of costume jewelry. I also culled fine jewelry I no longer wear, for like the 5th time, and let my girls take whatever they wanted. I gave most of it to the local charity shop.

But I had three pairs of earrings and a little pin that I thought were gold... but very light, hollow stuff. I had to get a piece repaired so I figured why not ask. I got $900. For a tiny palmful of nothingess.

Whoa, not bad at all, Mtn! Now I am inspired to sell my unused and broken gold.

Id really like to use these windfalls to buy something Id really like and wear. I have to keep this money somehow separated from my investments and household money.

Pretty good, mtn! I need the name of that shop ;)

I have 2 different sets of antique sterling silver flatware for 12, including serving pieces, each in those old heavy wood boxes they used to come in. One set I do use occasionally, the other is gathering dust. Just the melt value is in the thousands of dollars, which shocked me. I'm not sure if I have it in me...but if I don't, I'm sure whoever gets them after me will.

I also have too many earrings I'll probably never wear again, so that idea is a good one

Ally, my friend and I were talking about inherited silver flatware at lunch today. Neither of us has the heart to sell family ”heirlooms”. Absolutely none of the grandchildren live a lifestyle where they’d use fancy place settings. It seems silly to hang on to it. It might make more sense to sell it and share the money.

It is a tough choice. Both sets came from different grandparents (mine and my spouses). Nobody wanted them decades ago, I took one set because they were going to ask like $20 at a garage sale! Wonder how they would feel about that decision now...

@Ally De I bet they are kicking themselves. I made the mistake of giving a family member a very large, newer set of formal sterling silver. Only to find out it was sold not long afterwards, along with many other items. I am no longer in contact with this person, for other reasons.