Hi, I have recently inherited some old stamps & coins (and other old silver, copper stuff). I am not sure if they are worth something or nothing. Where can I get it appraise?

Also, how do you tell the different between silver coin and nickel coin? Same with gold.. How do you know when the coins are pure gold?

Thanks

Take them to a numismatics or philately shop, or buy a catalogue, or just check ebay to see what comparable items are being sold for.

Silver is a different colour than nickel. Nickel has more of a blank white shine whereas silver has a deeper shine with a very slight yellow hint. The patina is also different. Silver develops a blackish patina whereas nicklel turns grey. Of course this still doesn't tell you whether it is pure silver or some alloy, but experts should eb able to help you there. Of course most so-called nickel coins are not really pure nickel either but some alloy also containing several other metals.

The colour of gold is pretty unmistakeable. Study some gold items if you're not sure and you'll see what I mean. Bit again, this only gives you a first indication. An expert analysis would be needed to confirm.

Many times whilst standing outside Big Ben Pub in Niederdorfstr I've noticed a Philatelist directly opposite.
Failing that try here http://tel.search.ch/

Thanks for the information! I will look around in Zurich!

I do collect stamps but not professionally. Where are the stamps from? If it is within my collecting interest I might can buy from you. But of course it is just for fun and maybe you want to ask about the price from the shop then. My impression so far is unless it is very very rare and a complete collection else it is not easy to let go....like I am now selling Swiss FDCs in my other posts here... Anyhow PM me then.

To be honest if all you want to know is whether they are worth 'something' or 'nothing', it shouldn't be hard to find out that much for yourself. Have a look through the collections and take out a few items which the previous owner seems to have particularly treasured - maybe they're more carefully presented, set off by themselves in some way. If anything in the collection is valuable it'll be these, so find out what they are and google up some price lists.

If you determine the stamps are worth bothering a philatelist about, there is a shop called Philatelie Walter just around the corner from Bellevue in Zürich. The only numismatist's I know is Erwin Dietrich AG on Werdmühleplatz.

Also bear in mind that just because a catalogue claims the value is a certain amount or an expert tells you, that is no guarantee that you will actually get that amount. But of course it is a good strating point if you just want to know the value for insurance purposes or similar. Coins and stamps are not commodities and a certain degree of luck is involved in both buying and selling, as in is there somebody looking for precisely that item at the precise time you are selling. I've watched items on Ebay and have seen an item sold for 200CHF one week, and an identical item the next week being offered for 40 and not getting a single bid.