What a fair price looks like
Condition on WishThrift is described by the seller against five grades, and nobody inspects them on your behalf — so the description and the photographs are what you are buying on.
| Condition | Typical | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| New with Tags | £200 (~$266) | Unused, tags or seals intact |
| Like New | £170 (~$226) | Barely used, no visible wear |
| Good | £130 (~$173) | Light signs of use, complete and working |
| Fair | £90 (~$120) | Heavily used, or a described fault or missing part |
| For Parts | £50 (~$67) | Not working or incomplete, sold as seen |
Sterling guide ranges with an approximate US dollar equivalent at £1 ≈ $1.33 (July 2026). Sellers set their own asking price; these are a starting point for judging an offer. All five grades explained.
The checklist before you pay
Undisclosed restoration and over-cleaning, both of which reduce value permanently and neither of which shows in a straight-on photograph.
Run through these before money changes hands — they are the things that decide whether coins is worth what is being asked:
- Cleaning, which permanently damages surfaces and value
- Wear that drops the coin into a lower grade
- Common dates held in large numbers
- Edge knocks and scratches
And the things worth paying more for, because they hold their value:
- Scarce dates, mint marks and low-mintage issues
- Original, uncleaned surfaces
- Professionally graded and slabbed coins
- Precious metal content on bullion issues
Common faults and fakes
Prints sold as originals, and reproductions sold as period pieces. Look at how the image sits on the surface: a printed dot pattern under magnification settles it.
Ask directly whether anything has been cleaned, restored or reframed, and ask for raking-light photographs taken from the side, which reveal surface repairs.
WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or grade anything, and no marketplace check replaces your own. If a seller will not answer a direct question about condition or origin, that is the answer.
Questions to ask the seller
These are the three that get asked most often about coins, and the answers tell you most of what you need:
Answer truthfully. Collectors spot a cleaned coin instantly from the hairlines and unnatural brightness, and an undisclosed clean destroys trust as well as value.
If it is not professionally graded, describe the wear plainly rather than assigning a grade. Photographs let buyers grade it themselves, which they prefer anyway.
Say what you know from the year and type rather than guessing from colour. Composition changed on specific dates for most currencies and that is easily checked.
Also worth establishing before you commit:
- Identify the date, mint mark and denomination precisely
- Weigh it if precious metal content is relevant
- Compare against sold results for the same date and grade
Photographs to ask for
If the listing does not already show these, ask — a seller who has the item will send them in minutes:
- Obverse and reverse of each significant coin, filling the frame, in even light
- The date and any mint mark, close enough to read
- The edge, on coins where lettering or milling matters
- The whole lot together for a bulk listing, plus any case, certificate or album
Details to confirm before you commit
- Denomination, country, year and mint mark
- Metal and weight, and fineness for bullion
- Whether graded and encapsulated by a third party, or ungraded
- Honest description of wear, toning and any damage, without cleaning it first
Live coins listings
Nothing matching is listed at the moment. Browse art & collectables for what is live now, or everything on the site — stock changes daily and new listings are free to post, so it is worth checking back.
When to buy
Steady year round to a specialist audience. Bullion tracks the metal price and sells any time; collectable coins sell when correctly identified, which is the real bottleneck.
Prices move against that cycle for a buyer: the cheapest time to buy is when sellers are listing most, not when demand peaks.
Paying and collecting safely
WishThrift does not process payments, hold funds or offer buyer protection — you agree the price and the method with the seller directly, which is what keeps the platform free on both sides. Meet somewhere public where you can, inspect before you pay, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed. Be wary of any seller who wants to move the conversation elsewhere before you have agreed anything.
Selling one instead?
If you already have coins sitting unused, it is free to list and there is no commission — the price you agree is the amount you keep. Read how to sell coins for what to photograph and how to price, or what coins are worth at each condition grade.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pay for used coins?
Around £3 to £130 in good condition, more for barely-used examples and less for anything with a described fault. Compare against the seller’s photographs rather than the grade alone.
How do I check coins before buying?
Ask directly whether anything has been cleaned, restored or reframed, and ask for raking-light photographs taken from the side, which reveal surface repairs.
Is buying coins second hand safe?
Yes, with the ordinary care any private sale needs. WishThrift does not authenticate, inspect or hold funds, so inspect before you pay where you can, meet somewhere public, and keep the conversation on the site. Undisclosed restoration and over-cleaning, both of which reduce value permanently and neither of which shows in a straight-on photograph.
See also: all buying guides · coins value guide · selling coins · Art & Collectables · condition grades.