Republic Coin Inc.

What types of payment do you accept?

We accept all major credit cards - MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express.  Also, checks, wire transfers and check-by-phone.  All checks must clear before orders can be shipped.

How do you ship your packages?

All coins, unless otherwise stated, are shipped via U.S. Postal Service.  All packages are insured  and all require a signature.  Packages are sent in plain boxes with no mention of coins or rarities on the outside.  All coins are wrapped securely with the utmost attention paid to their safe arrival.

What is your return policy?

Unless otherwise stated, there is a fifteen day money back guarantee.  All returns past fifteen days will be treated as a purchase by Republic Coin Inc.  In order to receive a full refund, credit or exchange (minus shipping costs), all coins must be sent to Republic Coin Inc. in their original unbroken container by U.S. Postal Service, registered insured mail.  All bullion item sales are considered final upon confirmation of trade and no refunds or returns will be accepted.

What is numismatics?

Numismatics, in it's broadest definition, is the study of currency.  This includes coins, tokens and paper money.  It does, however, usually refer to only the study and collection of coins.  A numismatist, therefore, is simply a fancy name for a coin collector.

How are coins graded?

Coin grading is a very detailed topic.  This will give you a general overview.  Coins are numerically graded 1 through 70 from lowest to highest.  Only modern coins grade 70 which is an absolutely perfect, flawless coin. Coins are also graded with descriptive terms such as: About Good (AG), Good (G), Very Good (VG), Fine (F), Very Fine (VF), Extremely Fine (EF), About Uncirculated (AU), Uncirculated (UNC), Choice Uncirculated (CH UNC), and Gem Uncirculated (GEM UNC).  The terms Mint State (MS60) and Uncirculated (UNC) are interchangeable and refer to coins with no worn areas.  Coins that have damages that do not occur naturally are called culls.  An example would be a coin with a hole drilled through it to wear as jewelry or one that was bent.

When a coin is certified by a third-party grading service like NGC or PCGS, it will usually have a descriptive as well as a numerical designation.  For example, a coin could be graded VF20, AU50 or MS65.  Every type of coin has very specific guidelines for the way that coin should look in a particular grade.  For detailed descriptions of the conditions of coins, consult the American Numismatic Association of Grading Standards.

What are Certified Coins?

Certified coins are coins that have been evaluated for grade and authenticity by an independent third party grading service.  The three main grading services are: NGC - Numismatic Guarantee Corporation, PCGS - Professional Coin Grading Service and ANACS - American Numismatic Association Certification Service.  When coins are submitted for certification, they are given a number of 1 through 70.  This number indicates the condition of the coin.  More is discussed on this topic in the section - "How are coins graded?"  Once the coin is graded, it's sealed in an airtight plastic slab.  All the information about the coin-date, condition, type, etc. is sealed inside the slab as well.  Many people prefer to buy certified coins; especially when they are more expensive pieces.  It provides and guarantees the grade and authenticity.  This can be very important to new collectors who do not have the expertise to grade coins themselves.  Even though a coin is graded, however, it should always be judged by the buyer for eye-appeal and quality.  The bottom line is, you have to like the coin and feel that it's priced fairly.

How do I sell my coins?

Republic Coin Inc. offers a two-way market for it's clients and will repurchase any coins sold at the current market value.  We will also make offers to purchase coins you have acquired from any other sources.  Coins can also be sold through thousands of dealers and auction houses located throughout the United States and the world.

What is bullion?

The term bullion refers to gold, silver or other precious metals that are traded based on their value of their weight as opposed to any numismatic or collectible value.  Bullion can be traded in the form of legal tender coins such as the American Gold Eagle or in bars and ingots.  Many bullion coins can be used in an IRA (Individual Retirement Account).  Bullion values are determined by daily spot market prices with premiums added by the manufacturers and sellers.

What does Proof and MS mean?

A proof coin is specially made, usually with sharper detail and a brilliant, mirror like surface.  They can be made with polished planchets and/or dies.  Proof coins are mostly made to be presentation or display pieces. It's a term that refers to to the method of manufacture and it's not a grade.

MS means mint state.  Any coin that has a numerical grade of 60 or better is considered MS.  A mint state coin can have a grade as high as 70.

Should I clean my coins?                                                       

This is very common question and not always a simple answer.  The short answer is that coins should never be cleaned because they will no longer be original.  The surfaces will change and can often be unattractive.  The value of a coin can be drastically reduced by cleaning it.  However, coins are sometimes cleaned by highly qualified experts.  This can be true of shipwreck coins and ancient coins which would otherwise be impossible to appreciate.  Indicate that a coin is cleaned on the slab if it's deemed necessary.