Helpful links, info and more!
Maine Antiques Digest: The Best Antique Publication Around!
https://www.maineantiquedigest.com/
Auctionzip: the best place to search via zip code for auctions!
https://www.auctionzip.com/oh.html
PCGS Coin Photograde
https://www.pcgs.com/photograde
IRS Publication 561 (02/2020), Determining the Value of Donated Property
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p561
Replacements.com: an unparalleled selection of china, silver and more. A great resource for determining the name of your pattern.
The prices are expensive, and generally we find they are best as a relative indicator; in most markets you will not come close to getting the prices they sell at! Exactly as their name implies, they are a great example of the difference between “fair market value” and “replacement value”. Yes, items they sell are higher prices than most other sellers. But they have the item you need, in stock, in great condition, exactly identified, and ready to ship. This is the essence of replacement value. If you just ground up your mother-in-law’s favorite sterling spoon in the disposal, you need to replace it now. You aren’t trying to spend months searching out the lowest price!
Informative Videos
Live Silver and Gold Prices
There is often a lot of confusion about “spot price”. Spot is the price now -whenever now is- that the metals are valued by the markets. Spot is not the price you will typically receive for your precious metals. To begin with, other than bullion, which is fine, or pure, most items are an alloy of the metal. For example, 14K gold is 58.5% gold and 41.5% other metals. The spot minus the percent of non gold is often called “melt value”. But even the melt value is commonly significantly higher than the amount you will receive in the end depending on what you are selling and who is buying it.
There is always a certain profit margin any buyer aims to make, but there are no official rules on what is a fair margin. Gold buyers and precious metal dealers are not obligated or legally required to pay a particular minimum, so the final percentage of the spot price or melt value varies wildly. Furthermore, they typically base their price entirely on the metal content; usually a fraction of the true value. They do not consider the worth of the item at all; the scarcity or artistry is not factored into their offer. For example, vintage Tiffany & Co. sterling items are desirable and command prices much high than the silver value.
At Ohio Coin and Antiques, we are not precious metal dealers, we are antique and coin dealers. We therefore consider the item as well as the gold or silver content; rarity, craftsmanship, beauty, condition and marketability are among the things we think about when making a purchase offer.
