First State Coins
Wilmington, Delaware
- Address
- 53 Greentree Dr., Wilmington, DE, 19801
- Phone
- (314) 192-5352
- Website
- firststatecoins.com
- Private form — use Email shop
First State Coins is your first choice for coins, gold and silver! We have been buying and selling for over 40 years. Check out our online store today!
Dealer location
Shop address — not a coin show venue.
Collector notes
Visiting a coin shop
A few notes before you walk into First State Coins in Wilmington, DE. These rotate daily. They are general collector etiquette from CDXList — not this shop’s house rules. When something is unclear, ask the person at the counter.
Do not crack a graded holder in the shop
PCGS, NGC, ANACS, and CAC holders are part of the product. Opening one at the counter to “see it better” can wreck the value. If you want it out, that is a decision you make at home, not a demonstration.
Never step behind the counter
That side of the glass is staff only — even if you “just want to show them something in better light.” Hand the coins across. Wait to be invited if they have a viewing area. Crossing the rail uninvited is how visits end early.
Do not assume every shop takes a credit card
Many do. Some do not. Some take cards on retail and prefer another method when they are buying from you. None of that is a trick. Ask, “Do you take cards?” before you empty your wallet. If they say no, that is an answer, not a negotiation.
Know roughly what you brought
You do not need to be an expert. A simple list — silver dollars, a few proofs, a bag of wheat cents — helps. “I have no idea, you tell me” on a mixed box is fine once. It is harder when the box is huge and you cannot say what you want out of the visit.
“Best I can do” is a sentence, not an insult
They have to sell it, hold it, and stay in business. You can say no. You can ask if they can do better on part of the lot. You should not treat a firm number as a personal slight. A calm “I need to think about that” is enough.