Why Southington Residents Drive to Hamden
Center Street and Queen Street have jewelers and gold buyers who will look at your coins, and neighboring Meriden and Bristol offer additional options. The difference to compare is process. A counter that weighs your silver and quotes a single melt figure is not checking for rare dates, mint marks, or collector premiums that can run many multiples of the metal content. For a jar of common wheat cents that may not matter. For a collection a factory family spent decades assembling, it does.
Our shop in Hamden is about 25 minutes south via Route 10 through Cheshire. As a licensed, buy-only coin dealer, we spread 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 is straightforward: Route 10 south through Cheshire to Hamden, then Whitney Avenue north to 2285 Whitney Ave. About 25 minutes. An alternative is I-84 east to I-691 east to the Wilbur Cross Parkway south to exit 61, then Whitney Avenue north — a good option when Route 10 is backed up.
What We Evaluate: Coins, Currency, and Collections
Collections from Southington’s factory families
This is a manufacturing town at heart. Peck, Stow & Wilcox — known as Pexto — made tinsmiths’ tools at the Center Street factory from 1870, and Clark Brothers Bolt Company produced carriage bolts in Milldale for over a century. The families who worked those plants saved coins across the same decades the factories provided: silver dollars, wartime alloy cents, and Indian Head cents from the 1930s through the 1960s. Many collections we see trace to a grandparent at one of those operations who tucked pieces away paycheck by paycheck. Every piece gets judged individually — we never fold a whole collection into one flat melt quote. Bring the box as you discovered it.
Italian lire and Polish złoty alongside U.S. silver
Southington’s Italian-American and Polish-American communities are large and long-established, and multi-generational households often hold a mix of world and U.S. coins. Italian lire, Polish złoty, and other European coins turn up alongside domestic silver in the same estate box. We evaluate world coins for both metal content and collector demand, identifying the issuer and era of each piece. Bring the foreign coins even if you think they are base metal — some carry surprising value.
Proof and mint sets from 1960s through 1980s estates
The drawer that shows up in nearly every estate here is the one full of sealed government proof and mint sets from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Earlier issues still in original Treasury packaging can carry premiums above their silver content. Later sets are more common and trade closer to face value. We open each envelope at the counter and separate the sets with collector upside from those worth melt.
Morgan and Peace silver dollars
Morgan dollars (1878–1921) and Peace dollars (1921–1935) turn up in more local estates than any other coin. Every one holds silver, but specific years and mint marks — particularly the Carson City issues — carry collector value far above their metal weight. We examine each dollar one at a time, noting the year and mint, instead of offering a single melt price for the whole stack.
Wheat cents, Indian Head cents, and old paper currency
Wheat pennies (1909–1958) and earlier Indian Head cents can be worth more than face value, with certain key dates worth hundreds. Bring the entire container — and please leave the coins unwashed. Oversized silver certificates, gold certificates, and pre-Federal Reserve banknotes can also trade at several times face value. A retail bank hands you only face value; older notes often hold collector premiums that only a currency specialist will spot.
Grading, condition, and the Connecticut 10-day hold
Grade can change a coin’s value dramatically even when the date and mint are identical. We assess the wear on every piece and explain how it shapes your payout. Do not clean your coins — buffing or dipping removes the natural toning that collectors prize, and a botched cleaning can erase half or more of a coin’s collectible value. Connecticut law requires licensed dealers to hold non-bullion items 10 days before reselling, a consumer protection that deters theft. You still walk out with a check the same day you accept. Bullion coins and bars are exempt.
Simple 3-Step Process
Professional evaluation with same-day payment. No obligation.
Bring Your Items
Drive south from Southington through Cheshire 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 Southington
Two routes from Southington to our Hamden shop at 2285 Whitney Ave.
Take Route 10 south from Southington through Cheshire straight to Whitney Avenue in Hamden, then north to 2285 Whitney Ave on your right. About 25 minutes depending on traffic.
Take I-84 east to I-691 east, then the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) south to exit 61. Turn right onto Whitney Avenue north to 2285 Whitney Ave on your right. A good alternative when Route 10 is backed up.
Our Address
2285 Whitney Ave, Hamden, CT 06518
~25 min from Southington
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions from Southington residents about selling coins.
My Southington family saved a mix of world coins and U.S. coins — what should I bring?
Bring everything. Italian lire and Polish złoty turn up alongside U.S. silver in collections from households with roots in those communities, and we evaluate all of it. World coins are assessed for metal content and collector demand, while U.S. pieces are checked date by date for rare issues. One visit covers the entire box.
I found a drawer of proof and mint sets from the 1960s through 1980s — are they worth anything?
Often yes. Sealed government proof and mint sets from that era turn up frequently in local estates. Earlier issues still in original Treasury packaging can carry premiums above their silver content, while later sets from the late 1970s and 1980s are more common and trade closer to face value. We open each envelope at the counter, check the dates and mint marks, and separate the sets with collector upside from those worth melt.
Are there coin dealers in Southington?
Center Street and Queen Street have jewelers and gold buyers, and neighboring Meriden and Bristol offer additional options. The difference to compare is process. A counter that weighs your silver and quotes a single melt figure is not checking for rare dates, mint marks, or collector premiums that can run many multiples of the metal content. For a jar of common wheat cents that may not matter. For a collection assembled over decades by someone who understood coins, a specialist review is the right choice. We provide that review, about 25 minutes south through Cheshire in Hamden.
How do I get to your shop from Southington?
Take Route 10 south through Cheshire straight to Whitney Avenue in Hamden, then north to 2285 Whitney Ave. About 25 minutes. An alternative is I-84 east to I-691 east to the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Route 15) south to exit 61, then Whitney Avenue north — useful when Route 10 is congested.
What is the Connecticut 10-day hold?
Connecticut law requires licensed precious metals dealers to hold non-bullion items for 10 days before reselling. This waiting period is a consumer protection that deters theft and gives law enforcement time to check items against stolen-property reports. Your payment is never delayed — you receive your check the same day you accept the offer. The hold controls when we can resell, not when you collect your money. Bullion coins and bars are exempt entirely.
Can I get an appraisal without selling?
Yes. Evaluations are free and carry no obligation. Many residents drive down 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. No pressure, ever.
Do you buy old paper currency?
Yes. Large-size silver certificates, gold certificates, red-seal United States notes, and pre-Federal Reserve banknotes can be worth multiples of face value among paper-money collectors. If you found vintage paper currency in a local estate, bring it — a bank will only give you face value, and many older notes carry collector premiums that only a specialist dealer will recognize.
Helpful Resources
Everything you need to know before your visit from Southington.
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.
Read articleWheat Penny Value Guide
How wheat pennies are valued — key dates, mint marks, and what makes them worth more than one cent.
Read guideSilver Dollar Value Guide
Morgan and Peace dollar values — how dates, mint marks, and condition drive collector premiums.
Read guideShould You Clean Old Coins?
Why cleaning coins destroys collector value — and what to do instead.
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