Education
Coin collecting & precious metals, explained.
Insights from the experts at Washington Bullion.
Selling
How to Determine the Value of Your Coins
Date, mint mark, condition, and demand all play a part. Here’s how the pieces fit together.
Grading
Understanding Coin Grading: MS, AU, VF
A plain-English tour of the grading scale and what each abbreviation really means.
Selling
Sell to a Dealer or at Auction?
Speed, certainty, and fees — weighing the two most common ways to sell.
Bullion
The 5 Ratios Metals Buyers Watch
Gold/Silver, Dow/Gold, House/Gold, the DXY, and real rates — what each signals.
Collecting
Bullion vs. Numismatic Coins
One is valued by metal, the other by rarity. Knowing which protects your money.
Buying
How to Spot Counterfeit Coins
Weight, sound, magnetism, and the details fakers always get wrong.
For the Smart Buyer
Ratios that guide smart buyers.
Gold/Silver Ratio
How many ounces of silver buy one ounce of gold.
Dow/Gold Ratio
The Dow priced in gold — stocks versus hard assets.
House/Gold Ratio
Ounces of gold it takes to buy a typical home.
Dollar Strength (DXY)
The dollar against a basket of world currencies.
Real Interest Rate
Interest after inflation — a key driver of metal prices.
Frequently asked questions.
How do I know if my coins are valuable?
Value depends on date, mint mark, condition, and demand. Bring your coins in for a free appraisal and we’ll walk you through exactly what you have.
Do you buy coins from estates or collections?
Yes — estates and full collections are our specialty. We’ll sort, identify, and price every piece, and put the offer in writing.
Numismatic vs. bullion value — what’s the difference?
Bullion value is metal weight times the spot price. Numismatic value adds rarity, date, mint mark, and condition on top — sometimes many multiples of the metal.
How are your prices determined?
Every quote is anchored to live spot prices, then adjusted for condition and current collector demand. We show you the math.
Can I sell my gold and silver to you?
Absolutely — walk in during business hours or ship insured. You’ll get a firm offer before anything changes hands.