What’s a COA worth?

[Thomast]

So over the weekend I purchased a proof 4 coin sovereign set from a large online dealer. 
received an email from them saying there’s an issue with my purchase, so I’ve called them up thinking the worst. 
turns out the set doesn’t have the original COA in the box, so they offered a full refund or a discount of £126 on the set which I happily accepted. 
 

is an original COA really worth £126? 

id have been happy with £10 off or free delivery 

[AR03]

In my opinion, in Proof coins, COA is worth a lot. Most people (including me) can't differentiate a proof from bullion unless different design, so the COA and original box matters a lot to verify it's authenticity. 

[Spyder]

go on ebay and you can buy a COA  for your set for about £10-£15. I would say that you have got a result there. 

[Petra]

If you are into slabbing coins then a coa is worthless 

[SeverinDigsSovereigns]

Some proof coins come with no CoA. Pre-graded coins which the mint sends straight to NGC then some auction sites, for instance, have boxes but not numbered CoA.

In principle it's just a piece of paper, and it's the coin you're buying, not the certificate. Same applies to grading. But you see the price difference between graded and loose coins. An NGC or PCGS plastic coffin adds more sales value to the coin than the CoA but the little piece provides a sense of completion. If you have OCD then yes, it's worth a lot.

[Nick1368]

Back in 2019 I used to own a set of 1989 three coin proof sovereign which I ended up selling the coins individually on the forum ,  I also sold the empty box and COA for £45  .

so I think £126 refund for COA is quite generous and sign of an honourable dealer .

Edited November 6, 2023 by Nick1368

[Agaupl]

I think the dealer did the right thing. CoA is worth a different price based on the coins and the personal opinion. I’d question buying a second hand set without a coa for instance, even if you can just buy one of eBay. I had a similar issue with a large size platinum bar, where I had to question it with the dealer, they didn’t bring it up to me, but they then offered a good deal on resale which I was happy with. 
what I would say is I don’t know who the dealer was you dealt with but I’d buy from them. Solid service 

Edited November 7, 2023 by Agaupl

[Darr3nG]

Do you need the CoA if you wanted to get it graded (labelled) as a set? @GoldDiggerDave?

[Agaupl]

5 minutes ago, Darr3nG said:

Do you need the CoA if you wanted to get it graded (labelled) as a set? @GoldDiggerDave?

No as you grade coins individually. Coa more important with ungraded coins imvho 

[Darr3nG]

22 minutes ago, Agaupl said:

No as you grade coins individually.

There are definitely (NGC) graded sets, labelled as such. I'm just unsure if a box/CoA is required for this.

Example from Ebay:

[Sovhead]

18 hours ago, Thomast said:

So over the weekend I purchased a proof 4 coin sovereign set from a large online dealer. 
received an email from them saying there’s an issue with my purchase, so I’ve called them up thinking the worst. 
turns out the set doesn’t have the original COA in the box, so they offered a full refund or a discount of £126 on the set which I happily accepted. 
 

is an original COA really worth £126? 

id have been happy with £10 off or free delivery 

Cracking deal, keep your eyes open on eBay for one, I bought a 1/10th Proof gold Britannia from a forum member last week all in original RM packaging with no COA, I got the original COA on eBay for a fiver 👍🏻

Edited November 7, 2023 by Sovhead
Typo

[SiCole]

25 minutes ago, Darr3nG said:

There are definitely (NGC) graded sets, labelled as such. I'm just unsure if a box/CoA is required for this.

Example from Ebay:

Early doors with the memorial gradings the COA wasn't needed. I don't think many people (myself included) knew or wanted them putting them as a set when/if they get sold down the line.

I think later down the line you did need to send box and COA in but Dave can say better on that. Luckily they stopped the set on the label for the coronations. They just decided to give everyone 69's instead so swings and roundabouts. 

 

[Darr3nG]

2 minutes ago, SiCole said:

Early doors with the memorial gradings the COA wasn't needed. I don't think many people (myself included) knew or wanted them putting them as a set when/if they get sold down the line.

I think later down the line you did need to send box and COA in but Dave can say better on that. Luckily they stopped the set on the label for the coronations. They just decided to give everyone 69's instead so swings and roundabouts. 

 

I thought I remembered this being mentioned by Dave.

I wonder if it is required for older sets now too? If so, it makes having the CoA a must (assuming you want the set label).

[GoldDiggerDave]

1 hour ago, Darr3nG said:

Do you need the CoA if you wanted to get it graded (labelled) as a set? @GoldDiggerDave?

No.  There is the very odd exception, for new coins with very tight cut off dates and shipwreck coins. 

 

[GoldDiggerDave]

34 minutes ago, SiCole said:

Early doors with the memorial gradings the COA wasn't needed. I don't think many people (myself included) knew or wanted them putting them as a set when/if they get sold down the line.

I think later down the line you did need to send box and COA in but Dave can say better on that. Luckily they stopped the set on the label for the coronations. They just decided to give everyone 69's instead so swings and roundabouts. 

 

69’s are now 70’s with my magic 🤗

[GoldDiggerDave]

Also @Darr3nG submitting coins as a set could potentially have a negative effect if you split and sell the set, and or the other issue if the coins in the set you grade don’t all get the same grade you wanted, so swapping them out will mix the sets up. 
 

Same for first release, getting a mixed result means you are shopping around to buy other  FR for the set 

 

 

 

[Darr3nG]

2 minutes ago, GoldDiggerDave said:

Also @Darr3nG submitting coins as a set could potentially have a negative effect if you split and sell the set, and or the other issue if the coins in the set you grade don’t all get the same grade you wanted, so swapping them out will mix the sets up. 
 

Same for first release, getting a mixed result means you are shopping around to buy other  FR for the set 

Totally agree - as you well know, I always opt for the standard/traditional labels on my graded coins, for just this reason.  

 

Anyway, this thread is about CoA's and their value, so we're saying that they do have some importance for grading sets, but not all...

[Agaupl]

2 hours ago, Darr3nG said:

There are definitely (NGC) graded sets, labelled as such. I'm just unsure if a box/CoA is required for this.

Example from Ebay:

NGC!

[apachebleu]

On 07/11/2023 at 07:03, GoldDiggerDave said:

69’s are now 70’s with my magic 🤗

 

[Ignorant]

Short answer to the op question; it depends on the coin.

[jason94151]

I wonder what about hand signed COA, like the SOTD sovereigns.

[SeverinDigsSovereigns]

40 minutes ago, jason94151 said:

I wonder what about hand signed COA, like the SOTD sovereigns.

Depends on who signs it I suppose.

[jason94151]

On 11/11/2023 at 07:07, SeverinDigsSovereigns said:

Depends on who signs it I suppose.

Oh now I'm wondering whose signature coa is worth collecting, or is this more what postion that signs the coa?

[SeverinDigsSovereigns]

6 hours ago, jason94151 said:

Oh now I'm wondering whose signature coa is worth collecting, or is this more what postion that signs the coa?

If the His Majesty signs it himself it will be very much worth collecting. Or you could get, say, Elton John to sign the Elton John coins. 

Portraits with authentic signatures and hand-written letters go on the collectable market and do quite well.