Why Naugatuck Residents Drive to Hamden
Downtown Naugatuck has gold buyers, and Waterbury has several long-standing coin shops plus pawn shops on East Main and Wolcott Street. Most of them weigh your silver and hand you a number based on melt — without checking for rare dates, mint marks, or collector premiums that can be worth many times the metal content. For a jar of common wheat cents that is fine. For a collection that a grandparent spent decades building, it is not.
Those shops are closer to you than we are. We are about 25 minutes down Route 8, in Hamden. But we are a licensed, buy-only coin dealer: we lay your collection out and go through it piece by piece, identify every coin, check dates and mint marks, assess condition, and separate items with numismatic value from those worth melt. We show you the live spot price, walk you through how we calculated each offer, and hand you a written itemized offer to take home. No loans, no collateral, and no pressure to accept.
The drive from Naugatuck is simple: Route 8 south to the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) east to exit 61, then Whitney Avenue north to 2285 Whitney Ave. About 18 miles, 25 minutes. An alternative is Route 63 south through Bethany and Woodbridge into Hamden.
What We Evaluate: Coins, Currency, and Collections
Collections from rubber-works and Peter Paul families
Naugatuck is rubber-town. U.S. Rubber — later Uniroyal — employed generations on the Rubber Avenue side and in Millville, and the Peter Paul plant turned out Mounds and Almond Joy bars for decades. Many collections we see began with a grandparent who worked at one of those plants and set aside silver dollars, war-era coins, and Indian Head cents through the 1930s to 1960s. Every item is examined on its own merits instead of being lumped into a single bulk-melt price — just bring the whole collection in the jars, envelopes, or boxes it came in.
World coins from Portuguese and Italian families
Naugatuck has one of the Lower Naugatuck Valley's largest Portuguese communities, plus Italian and Polish families who settled here across generations. Coins brought home from Portugal — escudos in various denominations — turn up alongside U.S. silver in estate collections from Union City and the Church Street area. Italian lire and other European coins show up too, sometimes mixed with postwar service coins. We identify and evaluate world coins the same way as U.S. coins: individually, with dates and conditions noted, and with collector value separated from metal content.
Morgan and Peace silver dollars
Morgan dollars (1878–1921) and Peace dollars (1921–1935) show up in more Naugatuck estates than almost any other coin. All of them contain silver, yet specific dates and mint marks — particularly those struck at Carson City ("CC") — fetch significant premiums well beyond their melt value. We check the date and mint mark on every individual dollar — the lot is never weighed together as one batch.
Pre-1965 U.S. silver coins
Dimes, quarters, and half dollars dated 1964 and earlier are 90 percent silver. They are often called "junk silver" but are worth well above face value at current silver prices. Scarce dates within the series are tough to locate and sell for more than their silver content would suggest. We sort through every coin individually rather than weighing the lot.
Wheat cents and Indian Head cents
Wheat pennies (1909–1958) and earlier Indian Head cents can be worth more than face value, with certain key dates worth hundreds. A jar of old cents from a Naugatuck estate may contain something worth pulling out. Bring the whole jar — do not clean them first.
Proof sets, mint sets, and old paper currency
Uncirculated proof sets and mint sets from the U.S. Mint can hold premiums beyond their silver value, particularly vintage issues still in their original government packaging. Silver and gold certificates, along with notes predating the Federal Reserve, may be worth considerably more to collectors than their stated denomination. If you found old paper money in a Naugatuck estate, bring it — a bank will only give you face value.
Grading, condition, and why it matters
A coin's condition is the single biggest factor in its value — for an identical date and mint mark, the difference between a "Good" grade and an "Uncirculated" grade can run into the thousands. We grade each piece right at the counter and explain exactly how the condition influences the price we offer. You do not need to grade anything yourself. Above all, do not clean your coins — any polishing, dipping, or scrubbing will ruin the original surface patina that collectors prize, and a cleaned coin can lose 50 to 90 percent of its numismatic value. Just bring it all exactly as you discovered it, whether it looks grimy or tarnished.
The Connecticut 10-day hold
Connecticut law requires licensed dealers to hold non-bullion items for 10 days before reselling. The hold discourages theft and allows police a window to cross-reference items against reported stolen property. Your payout is not held up — you walk out with your check the very same day. The hold restricts our resale timeline, not your payment date. Bullion coins and bars are exempt.
Simple 3-Step Process
Professional evaluation with same-day payment. No obligation.
Bring Your Items
Drive down from Naugatuck to 2285 Whitney Ave, Hamden. Bring your coins, currency, jewelry, or estate items as-is — no need to sort or clean anything first.
Free Evaluation
We go through every piece individually in front of you — checking dates, mint marks, condition, and both melt and collector value. We walk you through the math.
Written Offer & Same-Day Payment
Accept the offer and receive payment by check the same day. Or take the written offer home and decide in your own time — no pressure, ever.
Directions from Naugatuck
Two routes from Naugatuck to our Hamden shop at 2285 Whitney Ave.
Take Route 8 south from Naugatuck to the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) east. Continue on Route 15 to exit 61, then turn right onto Whitney Avenue north. Haven Coin is at 2285 Whitney Ave on your right. About 18 miles, 25 minutes.
Take Route 63 south from Naugatuck through Bethany and Woodbridge into Hamden, which becomes Whitney Avenue. Haven Coin is at 2285 Whitney Ave on your left. A more scenic route that avoids the highway.
Our Address
2285 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518
~25 min from Naugatuck
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions from Naugatuck residents about selling coins.
Is it worth driving from Naugatuck to Hamden to sell coins?
For a handful of common silver coins, maybe not. For a full collection, an estate, or anything that might have numismatic value beyond melt, the 25-minute drive down Route 8 is worth it. A licensed buy-only dealer who evaluates every coin individually, shows you the math from the live spot price, and hands you a written offer will typically recover more than the gas money — and you will not get that level of attention at a pawn shop or storefront gold buyer.
My family worked at U.S. Rubber and saved coins for decades — how do I know what is valuable?
Bring everything as you found it. Many Naugatuck collections we see were started by grandparents who worked at U.S. Rubber — later Uniroyal — or the Peter Paul plant and saved silver dollars, war-era coins, and Indian Head cents through the 1930s to 1960s. We identify each coin, note its date and mint mark, assess condition, and separate pieces with collector value from those worth melt. You do not need to know what anything is — that is our job.
I found Portuguese escudos and other world coins mixed with U.S. coins — do you buy those?
Yes. Naugatuck has one of the Lower Naugatuck Valley's largest Portuguese communities, and many families brought coins home from Portugal alongside their U.S. savings. Portuguese escudos, Italian lire, and other world coins can carry collector value above their metal content depending on date, denomination, and condition. We identify and evaluate world coins the same way we do U.S. coins — piece by piece, in front of you. Bring whatever you have, mixed or sorted.
Do you buy whole collections from estates in Naugatuck?
Yes. We evaluate entire estate collections piece by piece, never lumped at bulk melt. If you are clearing a family home in Union City, Millville, downtown near the Green, Straitsville, or anywhere in Naugatuck, bring everything as-is — no sorting or cleaning required. We can also provide documentation suitable for estate purposes.
What is the 10-day hold and does it apply to my coins?
Connecticut requires licensed precious metals dealers to hold non-bullion items for 10 days before reselling. This holding period is a consumer protection designed to deter theft and give law enforcement time to check items against stolen property reports. Your payment is not delayed — you receive your check the same day you accept the offer. The hold affects when we can resell, not when you get paid. Bullion coins and bars are exempt from the hold entirely.
How is this different from the coin shops and gold buyers in downtown Naugatuck and Waterbury?
Downtown Naugatuck has gold buyers, and Waterbury has several long-standing coin shops plus pawn shops on East Main and Wolcott Street. A pawn shop or storefront gold buyer typically offers melt value for whatever you bring in, without checking for rare dates, mint marks, or collector premiums. We are a buy-only coin dealer — we evaluate every coin individually for collector value above melt, test in front of you, show the math from the live spot price, and give you a written offer to keep. No loans, no collateral, and no pressure to accept.
Can I get an appraisal without selling?
Yes. Evaluations are free and carry no obligation. Many people from Naugatuck come in simply to learn what they have — what each coin is, what it is worth, and whether anything is rare — before deciding whether to sell. You receive a written offer to take home and think about.
Helpful Resources
Everything you need to know before your visit from Naugatuck.
Sell Coins in Connecticut
How selling coins works at a licensed CT dealer — evaluation, offer, and same-day payment.
Learn moreSell an Inherited Coin Collection
What to do when you inherit coins — bring them as-is, no need to sort or clean.
Learn moreFree Appraisals
Professional coin and currency appraisals with no obligation to sell.
Learn moreWhat to Do With an Inherited Coin Collection
Step-by-step guide for handling a collection from a family member's estate.
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