Commemorative coins, bullion and notes. Small, valuable and judged under a loupe, so protection and photos matter most.
The kit our builder picks for a typical Coins and banknotes seller. Change the answers to fit yours.
Lighting
A smaller app-controlled panel for a key or fill light.
Microphone
Keeps your voice clear when you turn away from the phone.
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Coin capsules in a range of sizes come first, then small padded envelopes and a pocket scale that reads to a tenth of a gram. A loupe or magnifier lets you check marks and grade before you list. Cotton gloves stop fingerprints on proof finishes.
Add a light tent or two soft panel lights for photos. Coins reflect everything, and diffused light stops the glare that hides detail.
Put the coin in a capsule, then tape the capsule to a small square of card so it can’t slide around. Slide the card into a padded envelope and seal it well. A loose coin can work its way out through an envelope corner.
For several coins, tape each capsule to the same card in a row. Heavier bullion lots go in a small box with padding.
Kit for this step
Store capsuled coins in a coin tray or a labelled box, sorted by country and then date. Give each coin a stock number and write it on a small label on the capsule edge. Keep the stock list on your phone so you can check what you have during a show.
Keep coins dry and away from PVC flips, which can damage the surface over time.
Kit for this step
Photograph both faces of every coin, straight on, in diffused light. Add an angled shot to show lustre and a close-up of any mark or scratch. Buyers zoom in, so put your effort into a sharp photo before any styling.
Put the country, denomination, year and any variety in the title. If you mention a grade, say who graded it or describe the condition in plain words.
Kit for this step
Whatnot runs coin and bullion shows, and buyers like seeing coins turned in the light. Use an overhead phone arm and keep each coin in its capsule on camera. Line up lots in order before the show.
Pack each sold coin straight after the show, capsule to card, and tick it off the show order list.
Kit for this step
Most single coins go as a Large Letter in a padded envelope, but check the weight and thickness against Royal Mail’s current size guide. For valuable coins use Royal Mail Special Delivery or a tracked, signed-for service, and check the compensation limit against the coin’s value.
Past 50 orders, buy capsules in bulk in your common sizes and pre-cut card squares. A stock spreadsheet with location codes keeps you quick on busy days.
Kit for this step
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
Complete kits for one kind of seller, costed and laid out.
What most orders like these go by, at today’s published prices. Prices checked 6 October 2026.
Royal Mail 2nd Class Large LetterUsual£1.55 to £2.70
Single cards in a rigid mailer, jewellery and other flat items up to 750 g that fit through a letterbox.
Royal Mail Tracked 48 Large Letter£2.90
Higher-value cards and flat items up to 1 kg that need tracking and a delivery photo.
Royal Mail Tracked 48 Small Parcel£3.75
Clothing and small boxed items up to 2 kg, with tracking for less than untracked 2nd Class.
Loose coins in envelopes. They work their way out through the corners.
Clear cases that keep fingerprints off a coin.
Bubble-lined envelopes for small, light items.
Step-by-step help for the jobs that come next.
Coin buyers zoom in on every mark. Keep each coin in a capsule from the moment you buy it, and photograph both faces in even light.
Coins are light and small, so most orders go in a padded envelope as a Large Letter. Weigh to the gram: bullion lots can push past the weight limit.
Yes, but check the compensation limit for valuable items and choose a tracked, signed-for service for anything worth more than the standard cover.
For anything sold on its own, yes. Fingerprints and scratches cost more than the capsule.
No. Cleaning almost always reduces a coin’s value, and collectors can spot it. Sell coins as found.
Tax rules for selling coins and bullion vary by item and by how often you sell. Check HMRC’s guidance or ask an accountant if you sell regularly.
Use diffused light from the side, a dark background and shoot straight on. Turn the coin slightly for a second shot to show lustre.
Coins are listed on Vinted in the collectables area. Mid-value coins and sets sell there; rarer coins tend to reach more collectors on eBay.
