Quick answer
Melt value is the metal content at today's price. Collector value depends on rarity, demand and condition, and for some coins it's far higher than melt.
What melt value means
Melt value is what the gold or silver in a coin is worth at today’s spot price. It’s the floor: a silver coin is very unlikely to sell for less than a dealer’s usual percentage of melt.
When collector value is higher
Some coins sell for much more than their metal:
- Rare dates and mint marks. Low-mintage years can be worth many times melt.
- Condition. Uncirculated coins with original shine are worth more than worn ones.
- Errors. Double strikes, off-center strikes and wrong-planchet coins can be valuable.
- Older and less common coins, especially many Morgan dollars.
Before you sell for melt
- Don’t clean coins. Cleaning lowers collector value.
- Look up your dates in a coin price guide.
- Show anything unusual to a coin dealer before selling it as “junk silver”.
Common-date, worn coins usually sell for close to their melt value.
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