Selling gold and coins from Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach has been an art town since the Laguna Beach Art Association formed in 1918, and two of America’s gold coins came from an artist too. In 1907 the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens designed the $10 and $20 gold pieces that the Mint struck until it stopped making gold coins in 1933. If you have gold coins like these, bring them as they are.
What we pay, before you drive
Today's prices follow the metals market. Add what you have to the slip for your estimated total, or see every coin and bar on what we pay.
The drive to our store
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From Laguna Beach: 35 min without traffic
SR-133, I-5 north, then SR-22 west
Laguna Canyon Road narrows to one lane each way through the canyon, so in summer festival season leave extra time.
Estimated amount we pay
| Item | We pay |
|---|---|
| Today, per coin | |
| $10 gold coins (Liberty Head and Indian Head) .900 fine · 27 mm · 0.4838 oz of fine gold each | $1,689 |
| $20 gold coins (Liberty Head and Saint-Gaudens) .900 fine · 34 mm · 0.9675 oz of fine gold each | $3,377 |
| $5 gold coins (Liberty Head and Indian Head) .900 fine · 21.6 mm · 0.2419 oz of fine gold each | $844 |
| Your items | |
| Add what you have, and each line prints here with what we would pay for it. | |
Gold coins from the art-colony years
The town’s early art colony and the last decades of U.S. gold coins overlap. The Pageant of the Masters began in 1933, the same year the Mint stopped making gold coins. The pieces that turn up from those years include:
- $20 double eagles, in the Liberty Head design (1850–1907) and Saint-Gaudens’ design (1907–1933).
- $10 eagles, including Saint-Gaudens’ Indian Head design (1907–1933).
- $5 and $2.50 pieces, including Bela Lyon Pratt’s Indian Head design of 1908 to 1929, with the picture sunk into the coin rather than raised.
Out through the canyon
Few roads lead out of Laguna Beach. The usual way to us is Laguna Canyon Road, the 133, which narrows to one lane each way through the canyon and widens after the 73. From there it is the 5 north and the 22 west.
The Pageant of the Masters and the summer festivals bring more cars to the canyon, so in summer leave extra time, or come earlier in the day.
Before you set out
Some older gold coins can be worth more to a collector, so we look at each one. Our guide on how much a gold buyer will pay explains how to compare offers in dollars.
For a single small coin, a buyer closer to Laguna is fine. For several gold pieces or a whole collection, call with your estimate first, then walk in.
What to bring, and what happens
Bring
- Your items, just as they are. Don't clean coins: it lowers what they are worth.
- A valid government photo ID, such as a driver's license, state ID or passport.
- You must be 18 or older to sell.
We weigh and test
Each piece goes on the scale and is tested in front of you. You see what we see.
We write it up
Every item gets its own line and its own amount, like the ticket above, so you can check each one.
You decide
Take the offer, or keep anything you'd rather hold on to. Either way is fine with us.
Questions from Laguna Beach
How can I tell a Saint-Gaudens $10 from an older one?
The Saint-Gaudens eagle of 1907 to 1933 shows Liberty in a feathered headdress on the front and a standing eagle on the back. The older Liberty Head eagle, known as the Coronet design, was struck from 1838 to 1907 and has no headdress. Bring either, and we look at each one.
Did the Mint make gold coins after 1933?
Not for everyday use. The Mint stopped making gold coins in 1933. American Gold Eagles, first issued in 1986, are bullion coins, and they are on What we pay too.
Is there a buyer closer to Laguna Beach?
There may be. For one small coin, a closer buyer is fine. For several pieces, check today’s prices in dollars and call with your estimate first.
Do I need an appointment?
No. Walk in during store hours.