Selling gold and coins from Rancho Mission Viejo
Rancho Mission Viejo is new, and so are many of its homes: its first village, Sendero, opened in 2013. If you moved here from a larger house, a box of coins may have come along unsorted. Before it goes back on a shelf, it is worth an hour at the kitchen table, and sorting first also tells you whether the drive makes sense.
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
-
From Rancho Mission Viejo: 46 min without traffic
I-5 north, then SR-22 west
Los Patrones Parkway, a free county road, runs north to Oso Parkway, where the 241 toll road begins; our time is for the 5.
Estimated amount we pay
| Item | We pay |
|---|---|
| Today, per coin | |
| $2.50 gold coins (Liberty Head and Indian Head) .900 fine · 18 mm · 0.1209 oz of fine gold each | $422 |
| $5 gold coins (Liberty Head and Indian Head) .900 fine · 21.6 mm · 0.2419 oz of fine gold each | $844 |
| Morgan and Peace silver dollars (1878–1935) .900 fine · 38.1 mm · 0.7734 oz of fine silver each | $34.94 |
| 90% silver dimes, quarters and halves by face value .900 fine · per $1 of face value | $32.30 |
| Your items | |
| Add what you have, and each line prints here with what we would pay for it. | |
Sort the box into piles
- Gold: U.S. gold coins dated 1933 or earlier, and bullion coins marked with their gold content.
- Silver dollars, Morgan and Peace, dated 1878 to 1935.
- Dimes, quarters and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier, which are 90% silver, and Kennedy halves from 1965 to 1970, which are 40% silver.
- Mint and proof sets, still in their packaging.
- Everything else. If you’re not sure about a coin, bring it along and we look at it.
Small gold coins are easy to miss. A $2.50 gold piece is 18 millimeters across, about the size of a dime, and a $5 piece is about the size of a nickel. Their Indian Head designs of 1908 to 1929 are sunk into the coin rather than raised, so they look unlike other coins in the box.
Villages on a working ranch
Rancho Mission Viejo is unincorporated and still a working ranch, with livestock, orchards and a nature reserve covering about three-quarters of its 23,000 acres. Its homes are in the villages of Sendero, Esencia and Rienda, and its Gavilán neighborhoods are for residents 55 and older.
When to call first
For one small coin, a buyer closer to home is fine. For a real lot, call with your estimate first, then walk in; no appointment needed. If you are settling a parent’s collection, our estates page covers how it works.
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 Rancho Mission Viejo
How do I find a small gold coin in a box of change?
Look closely at the small ones. A $2.50 gold piece is about the size of a dime, and a $5 piece about the size of a nickel. If you’re not sure, bring it and we look at it.
How can I tell silver coins from clad ones?
Check the date, then the edge. Dimes and quarters dated 1964 or earlier are solid silver at the edge; those from 1965 on show a copper-colored stripe there.
Is it worth the drive from Rancho Mission Viejo?
For one small coin, probably not; a closer buyer is fine. For a box with silver dollars, gold or a good amount of old silver, check today’s prices in dollars and call with your estimate first.
Do I need to sort the box before I come?
No, but it helps you decide whether the trip is worth it. Anything you’re unsure about can come along with the rest.