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Finding a coin dealer in the Twin Cities area who will give a straight answer about what something is worth used to require a fair amount of luck.
American Rare Coin & Collectibles, based in Bloomington, Minnesota, has operated out of the same location since 1987 and built a reputation as one of the most transparent precious metals and numismatic dealers in the Midwest.
With over 100,000 transactions completed and a staff carrying more than 200 years of combined numismatic experience, the shop has become a go-to resource for collectors, estate attorneys, financial advisors, and families navigating inherited coin collections.
Key Takeaways
- ARCC has operated from the same Bloomington, MN location since 1987 and has served over 100,000 customers.
- The dealer is actively buying coins, bullion, U.S. gold, silver dollars, currency, and sterling silver at competitive market prices.
- Free appraisals are available with no obligation to sell, and large transactions are handled immediately or by appointment.
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Who Is American Rare Coin & Collectibles?
The shop opened in 1987 as a small storefront. Thirty-seven years later, it still operates from Bloomington, about 10 miles south of Minneapolis, and positions itself as one of the few full-time coin and bullion trading operations in the Midwest that handles everything from a single silver dime to six- and seven-figure estate liquidations.
The staff carries memberships in major numismatic organizations, including the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG), the American Numismatic Association (ANA), and grading services PCGS and NGC.
Those affiliations matter because PNG membership, in particular, requires dealers to pass background checks and adhere to a strict code of ethics. Not every coin shop in the region qualifies.
The Minnesota Coin Market: What Sellers and Buyers Are Dealing With in 2025
Gold crossed $3,000 per troy ounce in early 2025, a level that pushed a lot of inherited and stored metal out of closets and into the market. Silver trended above $32 per ounce for extended stretches.
That kind of price environment makes accurate appraisal more consequential than usual. A $50 spread per ounce on a collection of 50 ounces of silver is $2,500 left on the table.
The Twin Cities market has a specific character worth knowing:
ARCC tracks live spot prices for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium on its website, updated in real time. That transparency is deliberate.
Walk-in sellers can see the same numbers the dealer is working from, which reduces the information asymmetry that has made coin shops a trust problem for decades.
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What ARCC Buys
| Category | Buying Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Gold Coins (circulated and uncirculated) | Actively buying | All grades considered |
| U.S. Silver Dollars (Morgan, Peace, Eisenhower) | Actively buying | High regional demand |
| 90% and 40% Silver Coinage | Actively buying | Dimes, quarters, half dollars pre-1965 |
| Gold & Silver Bullion Bars and Rounds | Actively buying | Standard and large-format bars |
| Foreign Gold Coins | Actively buying | European sovereigns, foreign issues |
| U.S. Currency (paper money) | Actively buying | Collectible and circulated notes |
| U.S. Mint and Proof Sets | Actively buying | Annual sets, commemorative issues |
| Sterling Silver (flatware, hollowware) | Actively buying | Common in estate collections |
| Scrap Gold and Silver Jewelry | Selective | Volume and grade dependent |
| U.S. Cents and Nickels | Selective | Key dates and better grades preferred |
The selectivity on scrap and lower-grade base-metal coins is honest. Most dealers buy that material at such thin margins that the transaction isn't worth either party's time without meaningful volume. ARCC says as much directly on its website.
What ARCC Sells
The retail inventory skews toward accessible bullion and graded U.S. coins. Sample in-store prices at the time of writing included a $20 St.
Gaudens Double Eagle (VF grade, 1907-1933 range) at $4,603.22, a $10 Liberty Gold Eagle in VF condition at $2,306.76, and a 1 Gram Valcambi Suisse Gold Bar at $167.09. A 1 Kilo Germania Cast Silver Bar listed at $2,668.81.
Those prices move with spot. The shop also operates a sister site, CoinsOnline.com, for additional bullion and coin purchasing. Buyers who can't make it to Bloomington in person have that option for online transactions.
The Appraisal Process
This is where ARCC separates from pawn shops and general antique dealers. The appraisal is free and carries no obligation to sell. For straightforward collections, assessments happen on the spot during walk-in hours.
For larger or more complex estates, the shop recommends booking an appointment so specialists can give the material proper time.
Estate attorneys, bank trust officers, and probate professionals regularly refer clients to ARCC specifically because the shop handles the paperwork and transaction details that make estate coin liquidation cleaner.
That referral base, built over nearly four decades, is its own signal about how the business operates.
The mail-in option is available for sellers who are not local to the Twin Cities. Sellers ship material, ARCC evaluates it, and either sends an offer or returns the items. The process is outlined on the website with clear instructions.
How ARCC Stacks Up Against Online Selling Options
eBay, Heritage Auctions, and Stack's Bowers are legitimate alternatives for certain types of material. The tradeoffs are real and worth laying out plainly:
ARCC handles six-figure and select seven-figure transactions regularly. That scale means the shop can absorb large estates without needing to cherry-pick only the most valuable pieces.
Certifications and Industry Standing
ARCC holds memberships in or certifications from five major numismatic organizations:
The PCGS and NGC submitter status matters practically. Coins in PCGS or NGC holders trade at premiums over raw coins because the grading removes uncertainty about authenticity and condition.
An authorized submitter can get a coin slabbed at standard turnaround fees, which adds value to a seller's collection before it goes to market.
Reputation Signals Worth Knowing
The shop has been nominated for Minnesota Best, a regional recognition program, and actively solicited votes from its customer base in 2025. The customer count cited on the website is 100,000 satisfied customers over the shop's history.
That number is self-reported, but the volume is consistent with 37 years of continuous operation as a full-time dealer in a metro area of 3.7 million people.
The referral network from estate attorneys, financial advisors, and bank trust departments is the more telling data point.
Those professionals have fiduciary obligations to their clients and don't refer casually. When ARCC cites those professional referrals as a significant source of business, it reflects a track record that gets tested every time an attorney recommends a dealer to a grieving family liquidating a parent's estate.
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Practical Details for Visiting
- Location: Bloomington, Minnesota (same office for 30+ years)
- Walk-ins: Welcome during business hours
- Appointments: Recommended for large collections or estates
- Appraisals: Free, no obligation to sell
- Payment: Immediate upon purchase agreement
- Mail-in: Available for out-of-area sellers
- Online buying: Additional inventory at CoinsOnline.com
Scheduling an appointment is available directly through the ARCC website at amrarecoin.com.
Conclusion
American Rare Coin & Collectibles has operated long enough and at enough transaction volume that its reputation is built on something more verifiable than marketing copy.
For Twin Cities residents dealing with inherited coins, precious metals, or an existing collection, it is one of the few local options with the scale, credentials, and institutional trust to handle the full range of what that work involves.