Big Apple Coins at 55 W 47th #430: a fourth-floor numismatic specialist behind the Coin Row windows

Big Apple Coins files its address as 55 West 47th Street, Suite 430, New York, NY 10036. Suite 430 puts the office on the fourth floor of a Diamond District building, behind the elevator security desk rather than at the street window. The category label on the listing is “Rare Coin Dealer” rather than “Bullion Dealer,” and the suite location reinforces that positioning — bullion windows live on the ground floor; numismatic specialists live upstairs.

Rare coin versus bullion: a meaningful distinction

The category split on Coin Row is not just marketing. A bullion dealer prices coins as metal content: spot silver times weight, less a melt margin. A rare-coin specialist prices coins as collectibles: a $20 gold piece that contains $480 of melt gold can be worth $1,200 if it is a sought-after date in collector grade. Sellers who bring certified Morgan dollars, key-date Lincoln cents, or condition-rarity 19th-century coinage to a bullion window will be paid for the metal, not for the numismatic premium. Big Apple Coins’ positioning suggests the right type of buyer for those pieces.

What “graded” means at this kind of counter

Numismatic specialists work with coins graded by PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) or NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation), the two major third-party services. A graded coin comes encapsulated in a sealed plastic holder with a certification number and a numerical grade from 1 to 70. The grade is the price-driver: a Morgan dollar in MS-65 might be worth six times one in MS-63. A specialist examines the holder, checks the certification number against the issuing service’s online registry, and assesses whether the coin is a strong example for its grade or a weak one.

Selling a raw (uncertified) collection

For raw collections, the conversation shifts. A rare-coin specialist will sort the material into bullion-grade pieces, key dates that should be sent to a grading service before sale, and the bulk that has no significant premium. The dealer may offer to handle the grading-submittal step on the seller’s behalf and pay after the coins return graded, or pay a discounted price on the raw collection for an immediate transaction. The seller should understand which option is being offered before accepting any number.

Calling: scoping the intake

The listed number is +1 212-321-0073. For an upstairs specialist suite, the right first call describes the collection’s rough composition (early American copper, US silver type, world gold, etc.) and asks whether an appointment is preferred. Most upstairs counters accept walk-ins during business hours but prefer appointments for collections over 50 pieces.

Getting to 55 West 47th Street Suite 430

The address is a 5-minute walk from 47-50 Streets–Rockefeller Center B/D/F/M and 47th-50th Streets/Times Square. The building lobby has a security desk and a tenant directory; suite 430 is reached via the main elevator bank. Most upstairs offices on this floor follow the same intake pattern.

Editorial note. Honduras Collectibles is an independent directory and does not buy or sell coins. Prices and percentages quoted reflect industry-typical ranges and are indicative only. We do not provide investment advice.