questions → how can i exchange foreign currency for american?

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How can I exchange foreign currency for American?

This is beyond taking some left over money from a trip overseas and exchanging it, so bear with me.

When I was little, I collected coins from all over the world. My parents and family friends gave me coins every now and then, and long story short, I have a ton of coins from more countries than I can recognize. A lot of them are older, like from the 60s to 80s.

Does anyone know of any service where I could get the collection either appraised, or use coin clues to figure out the country of origin/ it's relative amount in USD?

I'm fairly certain if I tried to take this to an airport, they'd flat out refuse haha. I also know that a number of countries from which I have coins have switched the Euro, so I have no idea if that makes them collectible or basically worthless.

Any info anyone has would be really appreciated!

by thedogma
asked 4 months ago

4 Answers answer

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I'm pretty sure that there are local places in your area.

Your question title implied that you were just looking to exchange these coins for money, but the description seems as though you are looking for appraisals instead. Appraisals are different, and usually provide the replacement cost, while anyone purchasing them is going to give you less than that. They need to make a profit, after all.

Many coins are only worth their value in metal. Rarity is what makes a coin valuable, and the Euro is still pretty new. The coins it replaced are still out there by the millions. Unusual coins will have more value, but be prepared to find that they have less value than when they were minted.

There's a large container at the place I visit that has a huge amount of random foreign coins, and I will not crush your spirit by telling you the price for them.

shrdlu
4 months ago

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I just found a great list of coin dealers.

http://www.numismaster.com/ta/inside_numis.jsp?page=coin-dealers-online

There is bound to be one of those near you.

Here's a site that has coin grading tips. It's got a stupid splash screen, but just hit escape.

http://www.pcgs.com/prices/

shrdlu
4 months ago

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in general, unless the coin is rare, or silver/gold, anything minted after 1960 is worth no more than face value at best. Limited edition/commemorative coins notwithstanding. Even a 25 yr old US Mint proof set is worth less than the price they were sold at by the US mint 25 years ago ("retail" price may have increased, but the price a dealer/coinshop will pay you is maybe 25& of that retail price)

kamikazeken
4 months ago

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@shrdlu: Amazingly useful as always, thank you!

@kamikazeken: Yeah, I really figured as much, but they're just sitting in a bin under my bed in my parents house collecting dust, they'd be more useful to me in USD even if it's not that much per coin. Honestly the only ones that I'd expect MIGHT have any value would be the ones from the USSR, since it no longer exists. Beyond that relative face value's going to be more or less fine by me, were I to exchange

thedogma
4 months ago

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