Coin Buyers Serving Evanston

Gold, bullion and estates in Evanston

Evanston is the first city north of Chicago on the lakefront, home to Northwestern University and to the Grosse Point Lighthouse at its north end. Sheridan Road follows the shore past the campus, and the Metra UP-North line runs through town on its way to Wilmette. The large older homes on these streets often stay in one family for decades, and most of the coins we buy in Evanston surface when one of those houses is being emptied.

Gold turns up often in Evanston estates. Pre-1933 U.S. gold is the classic find, with $20 double eagles in Liberty and Saint-Gaudens designs alongside $10 eagles and the smaller half and quarter eagles, all 90% gold.

A $20 double eagle holds 0.9675 troy oz of gold, so even a worn one carries close to an ounce. Dates and mint marks can lift a coin well past its gold value, and a Carson City or New Orleans mark is worth checking twice.

Modern bullion sits beside the old coins in many safe-deposit boxes here. A one-ounce American Gold Eagle is 22K, weighs 33.93 grams and holds one troy oz of gold, while Buffaloes and Maple Leafs are 24K.

Krugerrands, Mexican 50 pesos and bars from refiners such as PAMP Suisse or Credit Suisse show up as well. Bullion goes on a calibrated scale you can read and is priced from the live spot price.

Some Evanston collectors had their best coins graded by PCGS or NGC, which seal each coin in a plastic slab marked with a grade on the 1 to 70 Sheldon scale. We read the holder and then look at the coin ourselves for eye appeal before pricing it on current collector demand. Sterling silver flatware and holloware from the same households is bought by weight, since sterling is 92.5% silver.

Appointments are private and run Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm, and an estate with bullion and graded coins usually takes 30 to 60 minutes to go through. Bring a government-issued photo ID to sell.

If an estate holds more than you can comfortably carry, ask about a home visit when you call and we will tell you whether one suits the collection. Take the offer and the money comes the same day, by wire for a large sale, or turn it down and keep the coins and the list.