Watch: CoinWeek Goes Bust Buying $200 Graded Silver Coin “Mystery Box”

What happens when a knowledgable numismatist drops $200 on a graded silver coin “mystery box” on eBay?

You’re about to find out.

CoinWeek editor Charles Morgan couldn’t resist the opportunity to take a shot at a 20-coin lot of NGC- and PCGS-graded silver coins, containing what the seller promised would be three silver dimes, 15 silver quarters, and two silver half dollars (with some of the coins being in Mint State).

At $199.90 for the box, he’d have to average $10 a coin to break even.

Did he do it? Not even close – which goes to show that you should always temper your expectations when you’re buying blind coin lots. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose.

Sometimes you go bust!

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Charles Morgan
Charles Morgan is an award-winning numismatic author and was the editor of CoinWeek from 2015-2025. He is currently working for PCGS. He authored the book 100 Greatest Modern World Coins (2020) for Whitman Publishing. He also served as Governor of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) from 2021-2023, where he was bestowed the Glenn Smedley Award. Charles is a member of numerous numismatic organizations, including the American Numismatic Society (ANS).

3 COMMENTS

  1. Interesting video, enjoyed your commentary. The lot could best be described of interest only to a beginner or novice (the kind of casual collector who buys the stuff advertised in the glossy inserts found in Sunday papers). Would like to see if the seller would accept a return. Most eBay sellers loathe negative feedback and will go out of their way to avoid it. A few years ago I purchased a number of assorted PCGS slabbed statehood quarters at rock bottom prices (many of the slabs were scratched) and still wonder why I bothered. Benjamin Franklin said it best: A bargain is something you buy but didn’t really want.

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