What's a Fair Price
Greeting's Remmy... Ah... The all magical question... What is she worth... I have family and friends who used to ask me how much their coins were worth, thinking that because the coin(s) were old, they were worth a lot of money.
All I've known is that the coins rarity, condition, and appeal, is the guide line to what a coin is worth.
I've educated those family members and friends as to this fact, and their anticipating look of having found or thinking they have in their possession a valuable coin, turns into a chucks look, and you see the euphoria gradual come back to normal.
The grade of a coin (condition) is another aspect of its worth. It's common practice for a coin collector, or numismatist to have their coin graded by the major well know grading companies to inspect, grade, and set a grade for a coin, and this is where our dug coins come in, as they are always graded as, environmentally damage, but the god news is that even an environmentally coin which is very rare will demand a higher price, and is noted in the red book.
Example: The Holy Grail of the Barber Dimes - The 1894 S Barber Dime, commands and are worth thousands, and dig one in very good condition, even more bucks, but get a hold of the proof in mint condition, over a million bucks.
Example number two... and perhaps you've read about this one. A newbie with a low end detector, goes and dig a barber 1901 S Quarter Dollar, and cashes it in for thousand's of dollar's. We all look forward to dig a 1916 D Merc, or a 1916 Bare Breasted on one side Standing Liberty, or 1877 Indian Head.
Slabbing these coins could bring in a higher price, but is it worth the addition money that has to be paid for grading. If the coin is in very good shape, I would slab it regardless if one is going to sell or not, or just selling them as is with ones own interpretation as to condition, also has its advantage, as one would ask the buyer to look and guess or agree to the condition of a dug or even circulated coin.
Lastly, I have a few dug coins, Barbers, Mercs, Standing Liberty, Walkers , that look like the day they were minted, and of course would demand a higher premium is I should decide to sell them, but owning one of these coins in that condition, only makes me hold on to them to either enjoy the day I dug it, and felt that satisfaction of bringing it to light, and just pass it on to my children with a note as to its value, and let them decide if they will sell it, or keep as a memento and pass it on to their children. These of course are my opinions and others may add other thoughts as t dug coins... Happy Hunting every body, oh, and remember that saving your silver of worn, circulated silver coins in weight, also brings home a premium, you have a hundred pounds of silver, you are looking at a very nice windfall, regardless if you sell them on fleebay, and pay the fees, or on a forum like ours or a numismatic forum where people like us sell and or trade our coins...
The Ghost Of East Harlem...
Philo
PS To agree with another member, it's what people are willing to pay, because they need the coin for there collection, or just the appeal of the coin, and the "I got to have this coin"