Eagles, Maple Leafs, Krugerrands, Sovereigns, Pesos and pre-1933 US gold. Authenticated at the counter and quoted against the live market — with collector value identified before anything gets treated as metal.
Every gold coin has a floor: the market value of the gold inside it. Some coins are worth exactly that floor and nothing more. Others — scarce dates, low mintages, high grades, pre-1933 US issues in decent condition — carry a premium that can be a modest bump or a multiple of the metal.
The mistake that costs sellers the most money is walking into a place that pays melt on everything. A common-date 1924 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle and a scarce-date one in the same condition contain identical gold. They do not carry identical value, and the difference belongs to you.
So we identify the coin first, then quote. If it is straight bullion, you get a clean price against spot. If it carries a premium, you get that instead.
Gold coins are the most counterfeited item in this business, so verification is not optional and it is not a formality. Weight and diameter are checked against published specifications — fakes almost always fail on one or both, because base metals cannot match gold's density without giving up dimensions. Sigma or conductivity testing reads through the coin. XRF is used where surface reading is appropriate. And a magnet screens out the crudest fakes immediately.
All of it happens at the counter, in front of you. If a coin does not pass, we show you why and hand it back.
Inherited collections arrive here constantly, usually in a shoebox or an old album with no inventory and no idea what is inside. Do not try to organize it or assign values first — and specifically, do not clean anything. Cleaning a collectible coin destroys its surface and can wipe out most of its premium in a few seconds with a cloth.
Bring it as-is. We will go through it with you, separate bullion from numismatic, flag anything worth grading, and quote each group separately so you can see what came from where. For large collections, call ahead so we can set aside proper time.
Graded coins in PCGS or NGC holders are straightforward — the grade is already established and the market for that grade is public. Leave them in the holders. Cracking a coin out of a slab to "see it better" destroys the certification and the premium that comes with it.
Coin types, dates and quantities if you know them.
Actual gold weight, not total coin weight — the alloy makes the difference.
| Coin | Purity | Gross weight | Pure gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Gold Eagle (1 oz) | 22K / .9167 | 33.93 g | 1.000 troy oz |
| American Gold Buffalo | 24K / .9999 | 31.10 g | 1.000 troy oz |
| Canadian Maple Leaf | 24K / .9999 | 31.10 g | 1.000 troy oz |
| Krugerrand (1 oz) | 22K / .9167 | 33.93 g | 1.000 troy oz |
| $20 Double Eagle | .900 | 33.44 g | 0.9675 troy oz |
| $10 Eagle | .900 | 16.72 g | 0.4838 troy oz |
| British Sovereign | 22K / .9167 | 7.99 g | 0.2354 troy oz |
| Mexican 50 Peso | .900 | 41.67 g | 1.2057 troy oz |
| 20 Franc (Rooster / Helvetia) | .900 | 6.45 g | 0.1867 troy oz |
Coins with collector premiums are quoted above these metal figures, not against them.
Modern bullion coins — American Gold Eagles and Buffalos, Canadian Maple Leafs, South African Krugerrands, Austrian Philharmonics, Australian Kangaroos, Chinese Pandas and Mexican Onzas. Historic and fractional gold — British Sovereigns, French and Swiss 20 Francs, Mexican 50 and 20 Pesos, Dutch Guilders. And pre-1933 US gold: Double Eagles, Eagles, Half Eagles, Quarter Eagles, Indian Heads, Saint-Gaudens and Liberty Heads.
For bullion coins, we pay against spot with a premium reflecting the coin, not raw melt. For pre-1933 US gold, common-date graded coins and low-mintage issues, the numismatic value can be well above metal content — and that is the number we quote. Melting a coin worth a collector premium would cost you money, so we identify it first.
Usually not. Grading fees and turnaround time rarely pay for themselves unless a coin is genuinely scarce and likely to grade high. Bring it in raw, and if it is a candidate worth submitting we will tell you that instead of buying it cheap.
Weight and dimensions first — counterfeits almost always miss on one of them. Then a Sigma or conductivity test, XRF where appropriate, and a magnet check as a basic screen. Everything is done at the counter where you can see it.
A single coin is fine. Rates improve on larger positions, but there is no minimum to walk in the door.
Both contain exactly one troy ounce of pure gold. Krugerrands are 22K alloy so they weigh more overall (about 33.9 g) while American Eagles are also 22K at about 33.9 g; Maple Leafs are 24K at 31.1 g. The gold content is the same one ounce in all three — the difference in what you get comes down to the premium each carries in the market that day.
Yes. Licensed dealers are required to record a government-issued photo ID on precious metal purchases in New York State and New York City.
30 West 47th St, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10036 · Walk-ins welcome, no appointment needed.