Mount Vernon Coin Company Review

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Mount Vernon Coin Company has been selling coins and precious metals since 1976, first out of Alexandria, Virginia, and since 1993 from its current home in Annapolis, Maryland.

That's nearly five decades in a business where reputation moves slowly and mistakes follow you. The company operates a full-service retail shop at 45 Old Solomons Island Road and runs a mail-order catalog that reaches customers in all 50 states.

For collectors and investors in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, it's one of the few local options with that kind of inventory depth and institutional history.

Key Takeaways

• Mount Vernon Coin Company has served over 200,000 customers nationwide since opening in 1976 and is a lifetime member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA).
• The company carries certified coins graded by PCGS, NGC, PMG, ANACS, and ICG, with a 21-day return policy on most items.
• Customer reviews are largely positive across more than 2,400 on-site submissions, though isolated complaints about coin condition and slow order fulfillment do exist.

Company Background

The move from Alexandria to Annapolis wasn't arbitrary. Annapolis sits roughly 30 minutes from both Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, putting the shop within reach of two major metro markets.

The Baltimore-Washington region has a dense collector base, and the city hosts the Whitman Expos coin shows at the Baltimore Convention Center multiple times a year, drawing hundreds of dealers and thousands of attendees each cycle.

The March 2026 Whitman Spring Expo alone featured more than 200 dealers alongside a Stack's Bowers showcase auction. For a shop like Mount Vernon, that regional energy matters.

Owner Robert Hambleton runs a staff of 10. The company describes itself as a lifetime ANA member, which requires adherence to the organization's code of ethics and provides access to its authentication and dispute-resolution resources.

 For buyers unfamiliar with the numismatic market, ANA membership from a dealer is a meaningful credential, not just a marketing line.

What Mount Vernon Coin Company Sells

The inventory spans a wide range. Here's a breakdown of the main categories:

The range here is broader than most regional dealers. A buyer looking for a circulated 1858 Flying Eagle cent and another looking for a 2022 Royal Canadian Mint Gold Maple Leaf can both shop the same catalog. That's not typical for a shop this size.

Pricing and Shipping

Pricing at Mount Vernon tracks the market reasonably well. Multiple customer reviews specifically mention prices coming in lower than competing dealers, which is worth noting in a hobby where markups vary widely.

For bullion, premiums over spot have historically run in the 2–5% range depending on the product, though these shift with market conditions.

Shipping goes through the U.S. Post Office as insured or registered mail, with packages insured for full declared value. Free shipping kicks in on orders over $200; orders below that threshold carry a flat fee. Payment options include all major credit cards, PayPal, and check.

The return policy gives buyers 21 days from receipt to return purchases for a full refund, provided coins are in their original unopened holders. There are carve-outs: Gold and Silver Eagles, 90% silver coin rolls, and gold and silver bars are excluded from returns.

That's a standard policy structure in the bullion segment and worth knowing before ordering.

Customer Reviews: What Buyers Actually Say

The company's own site shows over 2,400 reviews with an 86% five-star rate. That's a decent signal, though on-site reviews should always be read alongside third-party sources.

On eBay, where the company also sells, the feedback sits at 99.7% positive across more than 17,000 transactions. Those numbers are harder to massage.

Recurring themes across positive reviews:

• Coins arrive in the condition described and packaged securely
• Prices are competitive compared to other dealers
• The layaway program gives collectors flexibility on higher-priced pieces
• Staff communication tends to be responsive and knowledgeable

Negative reviews exist and should be weighed seriously. The most significant complaint pattern involves buyers receiving coins they believe were cleaned or misgraded.

One account on ComplaintsBoard described a large purchase where multiple coins came back from third-party grading as improperly cleaned. That's a serious allegation.

The company does sell certified PCGS and NGC coins alongside raw (uncertified) inventory, so buyers purchasing raw coins carry more grading risk than those buying slabbed pieces.

The safest approach, as some reviewers explicitly note, is to focus on certified coins when buying remotely.

There are also occasional complaints about slow shipping despite prompt payment. The company's FAQ shows phone support runs Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM EST.

The Local Market Context

The Maryland numismatic market has some distinct characteristics right now. The Baltimore Convention Center's Whitman Expos draw collectors from across the Mid-Atlantic, and the regional scene is active.

At the same time, Maryland has applied a 6% sales tax on bullion and numismatic sales over $1,000, with an exemption for transactions at the Baltimore Convention Center. That tax structure affects how some buyers approach in-store versus show purchases.

For collectors within the Baltimore-Washington corridor, Mount Vernon sits in a useful spot geographically. Virginia dealers, particularly in the Northern Virginia suburbs, benefit from the absence of that same sales tax threshold, which has reportedly driven some cross-border purchasing.

That said, Mount Vernon's mail-order business reaches buyers nationally and operates outside the foot-traffic dynamics of local tax arbitrage.

The regional coin show calendar also matters for context. Whitman's Baltimore expos typically run three times a year, and Mount Vernon's staff attends dozens of major shows annually to source inventory. That acquisition strategy tends to produce a broader and more current selection than shops relying solely on walk-in trade.

BBB Status and Credentials

Mount Vernon Coin Company is not BBB accredited and currently holds a B- rating from the Better Business Bureau, attributed in part to a failure to respond to one complaint.

Not having BBB accreditation isn't unusual for coin dealers, and a single unresolved complaint on a long operating history isn't necessarily alarming. But it's worth flagging for buyers who weight that metric.

The ANA lifetime membership is the stronger credential here. The ANA maintains a dealer code of ethics and provides a mechanism for members to escalate disputes, which is more directly relevant to numismatic transactions than BBB status.

Ordering Experience and Customer Service

Orders can be placed online, over the phone, or through the mail. The website carries the bulk of the active inventory, and buyers can sign up for email alerts on new arrivals and special offers.

Phone lines are open Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM Eastern. Several customer accounts describe getting direct access to staff who can answer grading questions, discuss current market values, or help identify what would fit a specific collection gap.

The layaway program deserves specific mention. It allows buyers to put a coin on hold and pay it off over time, which matters more than it might seem in a category where a single desirable piece can run several hundred to several thousand dollars.

Long-time customer John Gorman, writing in a review on the company's site, credited the layaway option with making it possible for him to acquire a coin that would otherwise have been out of immediate budget.

That kind of flexibility is not universal among coin dealers, particularly for mail-order operations.

Buyers who visit the Annapolis store in person can inspect coins before purchasing, which removes one of the main risk factors in remote coin buying.

The store is located 30 minutes from both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., making it accessible to a significant portion of the Mid-Atlantic collector base without requiring a dedicated trip.

Who Mount Vernon Coin Company Works Best For

It's a less obvious fit for buyers who need rapid order fulfillment or who are purchasing high-value raw coins where grading disputes could be costly.