NumisMaster

Do you have a coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment

The latest tool in coin identification and pricing is online guides. There are a few guides out there but the most well known is NumisMaster powered by Krause Publications. Krause is the one of the top collectible and hobby publishers in the world. Expanding their reach from newspapers to magazines to books and now a searchable database.

The concept is simple they just put all the data they gather on ancient, world, Canada, and U.S. coins and currency online and you can search it for value or varieties. At the same time you can keep track of each coin you have or want.

The screenshot above shows the series of Bermuda 1 Cent 1970-1985. The first column gives all the years and versions, like proof , matte, mintmark, design, etc. The second column gives you the mintage, if available many moderns are not. The next columns are the value for fine, very-fine, extra-fine, uncirculated, brilliant-uncirculated, and proof. The final column lets you add the coin either to your portfolio or want list.

After adding the coin and grade the next visit to the same page will have the coin you added highlighted.

Notice a problem?
You can only add one coin at a time. So if I added 1970 then I have to start the search all over again to add 1971 or 1970 at a different grade.
Solution: simply add a checkbox to every year and grade and maybe even a blank box to add quantities because sometimes I have multiple coins from the same year and grade.

I am using a one month free coupon to access every coin guide. Normally to have full access to all seven guides it is either $79.95 a year or $12.95 a month. There are also cheaper options if you want to buy just one of the guides.

What's good?

• Huge up to date database
• The ability to customize each coin's description saved to your portfolio
• You can upload your own images

Disappointments

• Hard to navigate
• Many pictures missing
• You have to join and the sign in page is not automatic
• Values seem a bit low
• Price is good but I still feel weird buying something you cannot hold in your hands (this point may only be valid to me)

Overall
It is a great tool but needs some improvement. I put up 193 coins and it says my collection is valued at $8.70. Granted none of these coins were rare but still just for currency exchange rates or base metal I would expect two to three times that estimate. Notice the first screenshot where anything below extra-fine has no value.

There is a great future in this service especially when it becomes smartphone compatible.

Do you have a coin and want to know how much it's worth? Leave a comment