About Us

Hello, and welcome to Original Skin Coins! My name's Max and I'm a Seattle-based online coin dealer - I've been an active seller on eBay, Amazon, Etsy and other online platforms for nearly two decades. I can offer all of the same coins here at a lower price, thanks to lower fees. I don't have everything listed on this website, but I'm always happy to set up a new listing for you. Contact me if interested, and I can tell you what my direct price would be.

What does "original skin" mean?

"Skin" is another term for "patina", the toning that develops on the surface of a coin overs years of natural exposure to the environment. Processes like cleaning, polishing, and dipping strip the natural patina off of a coin, artificially brightening the coin's surface, damaging the luster, and leaving small scratches. Many experienced collectors prefer coins that have been largely untouched by those types of tampering (though some level of cleaning is unavoidable in removing dirt and mineral deposits from ancient coins).