For Christmas, my client gifted me, 33 Barbers and a Mercury 0

[Pisca]

I hope you sung the title to this post like the 12 days of Christmas. 

Backstory: I clean houses for work. I have been in majority of my client's houses for around 6 years and have become very close with some of them. I have a client in her 90's that isn't in good health. I have been helping her go through some of her things over the last couple of months. She has an old box full of old coins from the US and other countries. She gave me an old medicine bottle full of coins without even looking to see what they were. When I got home, I opened the bottle to find 33 Barber Dimes and a Mercury Dime. 

After several hours with a loupe and magnifying glass, I have gotten year and mint for all. I am only questionable about one. Years range 1892-1916 and the Mercury is 1941 P. This post is about the Barbers. The Mercury was just an added bonus. 

I know condition is everything when it comes to coins. All of them are in circulated condition. However, there are a few that I consider to be in good condition for the age. Most coins I have seen that age are extremely worn. Some of these are very worn and were hard to determine year. 

I have attached pictures of both sides of the dimes. Also, a picture with the year and mint for each one labeled. I will be happy to get individual, up-close pictures, if needed. I can add them to a comment. I did include picture of the Mercury since I mentioned it in the post.

Now to my questions... 1. Do you think there are any in good enough condition to have graded? I have never had anything graded so advice is appreciated on the process. 2. What would value of the whole lot of 33 be if I were selling to an individual? Dealer? I don't plan to sell them, but it is always good to know value in case of an emergency. 3. Any information that you would like to share about Barber dimes is also welcomed. I am always interested in learning something new. I only know basics about the dimes. 

Thank you for taking the time to help people like me. 

[Sandon]

   Welcome to the NGC chat board.

   Your coins are all well-worn examples of common or relatively common dates. None would remotely be worth the $23 per coin NGC grading fee that would apply to them, plus $10 per order processing fee and shipping and insurance costs.  The best coin appears to be the 1913 at the end of the second row, which is in Choice Very Fine or so condition, with a current (and record high) retail list (dealer selling price) value of $15-20 per Coin World and CPG. The other Barber dimes that have full rims on each side (Good or better) and are not very dark (corroded) have current retail list values of approximately $5-8.  Those that have incomplete rims, dates or letters (About Good or lower grade) or are corroded and the 1941 "Mercury" dime are probably only worth their silver value, currently about $1.75 per coin at $24 per troy ounce for an unworn silver dime, which contains about 0.0723 oz.

   It is unlikely that any dealer would pay more than 60% of the retail list values for the coins that are worth more than silver value.  The coins valued at silver value would also be discounted due to their likely being underweight due to wear and for the "spread" between buying and selling prices for bulk silver coins.

[RWB]

A very nice gift. Sounds like you've gotten much pleasure from them -- more than any small monetary value.

[Pisca]

On 12/31/2022 at 1:55 PM, Sandon said:

   Welcome to the NGC chat board.

   Your coins are all well-worn examples of common or relatively common dates. None would remotely be worth the $23 per coin NGC grading fee that would apply to them, plus $10 per order processing fee and shipping and insurance costs.  The best coin appears to be the 1913 at the end of the second row, which is in Choice Very Fine or so condition, with a current (and record high) retail list (dealer selling price) value of $15-20 per Coin World and CPG. The other Barber dimes that have full rims on each side (Good or better) and are not very dark (corroded) have current retail list values of approximately $5-8.  Those that have incomplete rims, dates or letters (About Good or lower grade) or are corroded and the 1941 "Mercury" dime are probably only worth their silver value, currently about $1.75 per coin at $24 per troy ounce for an unworn silver dime, which contains about 0.0723 oz.

   It is unlikely that any dealer would pay more than 60% of the retail list values for the coins that are worth more than silver value.  The coins valued at silver value would also be discounted due to their likely being underweight due to wear and for the "spread" between buying and selling prices for bulk silver coins.

Thank you for the info. I know they are not worth a ton. I wasn't sure about the cost of grading. I do have a couple of half dollars and dollar coins I have considered grading so this helps decide about them.

[J P M]

Welcome Pisca, It is a cool gift to get. As Sandon and the others have said they are a bit worn out. If you try to sell them you will not get much above the melt price. I would just buy a small Whiteman coin book and fill the holes with them.