CoinVac
The Journal
What Is My Silver Quarter Actually Worth? Working Through Melt Value
A pre-1965 Washington quarter isn't worth 25 cents in silver terms. Here's the actual math behind melt value, worked through step by step with a real quarter.
22k, 18k, or 14k? Why Gold Purity Changes Everything About Melt Value
Two gold coins can weigh exactly the same and be worth wildly different amounts in melt value. Purity — not weight — is usually the number doing the real work.
Reading the Sheldon Scale: What Actually Separates MS-63 From MS-65
Two Mint State grades that sound almost identical can carry very different prices. Here's what a grader is actually looking at between MS-63 and MS-65 — and why it matters.
From Poor to Mint State: The 10 Coin-Grading Tiers, Explained
Poor, Good, Very Fine, About Uncirculated — coin-grading vocabulary sounds like a foreign language until you see what each tier is actually describing. Here's the full walk-through.
How Rare Is Your Coin, Really? Mintage vs. Survival Rate
A coin's original mintage figure is only half the rarity story. What survived the decades since is the number that actually matters -- and it's almost always much smaller.
Why a Coin With a Huge Mintage Can Still Be Rare Today
Millions struck doesn't mean millions survive. A look at the specific forces -- melting, hoarding, simple loss -- that can make a once-common coin genuinely hard to find decades later.
Building a Running Total: How to Value a Growing Collection
Most collectors have no idea what their collection is actually worth in total -- not because it's hard math, but because nobody keeps a running total. Here's how to build one.
How Grading Fees Compare to the Value They Add
Third-party grading isn't free, and it doesn't always pay for itself. Here's how to think about whether a specific coin is worth sending in for certification.
Junk Silver: What 90% Silver Coins Are Worth by Weight
Pre-1965 dimes, quarters, half dollars, and silver dollars are all 90% silver -- but they're not all worth the same multiple of face value. Here's the breakdown by coin.
1965 and the Clad Switch: The Day U.S. Coins Stopped Being Silver
For over a century, U.S. dimes, quarters, and half dollars were struck in real silver. Here's why that stopped in 1965 -- and why it happened almost overnight.
Choosing the Right Holder: Flips, Tubes, and Slabs by Coin Size
Flips, tubes, and slabs all protect coins, but they're built for different jobs and different quantities. Here's how to match the holder to the coin -- and the collection.
How to Store a Coin Collection Without Ruining It
Bad storage is one of the most common ways collectors accidentally damage their own coins. Humidity, handling, and the wrong holder material do most of the damage -- here's how to avoid all three.