listing junk silver in swap list

Hi all, new to Numista, trader from the US here. This is my first forum post also.

I have a question about how to list junk silver in my swap list. "Junk silver" refers to silver coins that are either too common and/or too circulated to have any numismatic value, but rather are worth only the value of their silver content.

As an example, I have ~170 90% silver US Washington quarters of average circulation and/or common dates.

My junk silver is sorted by type, but isn't sorted by date or mint mark, and I'd prefer not spend the effort. But I do want to offer junk silver coins for trade (in addition to my numismatic-quality coins).

In my swap list, what I've done is pick a random date for a coin and make an entry for the quantity that I have, indicating with a public comment that the entry is a placeholder for that quantity of that coin, in avg circulation and mixed dates.

I'm curious if others have addressed this -- and if so how you list junk silver or bulk quantities of a particular coin.

Thanks and happy trading.

Hi Tim,

well - what is junk for you maybe collectable for another person. I myself like completing those Quarters, Half-Dollars, Dollars and other common US Coins, especially because they are common and well used and sometimes i like to imagine what history those coins may have.
I collect them by year and mintmark.

BR

I think you're on the right lines. Consider it as a really good alternative to cash. Simply agree on a price x face value is the easiest way.

One word of caution though, make sure you don't sell yourself short, junk silver prices are at an abysmal low and really the only way is up. Don't be talked into trading your silver for scrap value against someone else's coins at catalog value. I generally offer around 20x face value for US coins in such circumstances although it varies according to the swap. (It wouldn't make sense to offer such generous terms if my part was to include a lot of silver coins close to scrap prices but for base metal or premium coins, then yes absolutely) I can buy it locally for 12 or 13 x but that's cash not a swap. Different beast.

There, now all the hustlers and silver bugs can hate on me for a while.

Thanks for the input, BR. I collect by date/mm as well and this is the case for many collectors. The public comment I mentioned above indicates that I can try to fulfill specific requests dates/marks among these coins. There's no question junk silver is collectible -- remember, "junk silver" is just a term, not a judgment. In addition to age and wear, it's also very low premium coinage. This was more a question of whether there is a customary way of listing bulk/junk coinage in one's swap list.