Where to Sell Your Upgraded PCGS Washington Quarters: eBay or Coin Shows? A Dealer’s Deep Dive into Fees, Liquidity, and Net Profit

The Venue You Choose Can Make or Break Your Net Profit

After two decades of moving high-grade Washington quarters—through eBay listings, dealer bourse floors, and private sales—I can say it plainly: where you sell matters as much as what you sell. Whether it’s a PCGS MS67 CAC quarter with rainbow toning or a 1941-S you suspect could crack MS68+, the choice between eBay and a coin show isn’t just about where the buyer sits. It’s fees, speed, reputation, and the gap between what a dealer will pay you and what an end collector will pay you.

I’ve reviewed thousands of PCGS Washington quarters under reconsideration. I’ve watched collectors agonize over whether to push for a plus grade or list now. The forum chatter about eight pieces—a 16-D Buff, a 1964-P MS67 CAC quarter, a 1944-S in 67 CAC—highlights the gamble. But once those coins come back graded, the next gamble is where to sell. That’s where I want to focus today.

eBay Fees: The Hidden Cost of Digital Sales

If you think selling on eBay is just “list it and collect,” you haven’t read the fine print. As an online dealer, I factor in every fee before I even think about margin. Here’s what I see every time I list a high-grade Washington quarter:

• Final Value Fees: eBay takes 10-13% of the sale price, depending on your seller status. On a $500 PCGS MS67+ quarter, that’s $50-$65 gone before you see a dime.
• Insertion Fees: Minimal for standard listings, but premium or gallery features add up.
• PayPal or Managed Payments: Another 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Many buyers still prefer PayPal, and you can’t always force managed payments.
• Shipping and Insurance: PCGS-certified coins need insured, tracked shipping. That $15-$25 hit is non-negotiable if you want the coin to arrive safely.

So if I sell a 1941-S MS67 CAC quarter for $400, I’m looking at roughly $50-$60 in eBay fees, $12 in PayPal, and $20 in shipping. My net is already $308. Compare that to a coin show where I might sell the same coin for $380 to a dealer who buys it outright—but more on that in a moment.

eBay fees are predictable, but they’re relentless. I’ve seen collectors list a coin at $500, only to net $340 after all fees and shipping. That’s a 32% haircut. On lower-value coins, the percentage is even worse.

The Plus Grade Premium on eBay

One thing eBay does well is expose the plus grade premium. A PCGS MS67+ Washington quarter consistently sells for 15-25% more than a straight MS67. The CAC designation adds another 10-15%. I’ve watched a 1964-P MS67 CAC quarter with original color fetch $350 on eBay, while the same coin without the CAC might sit at $280. The digital marketplace rewards specificity—you can target buyers who search for “MS67+ CAC Washington quarter.” On a coin show floor, you can’t guarantee that level of buyer intent.

Coin Show Etiquette and Dealer Buy Prices

Now let’s talk about the bourse floor. I’ve been buying coins at shows for over 15 years, and I can tell you that dealer buy prices are almost always lower than what you’d get from an end collector on eBay. Here’s why:

• Dealers need margin. If I buy a 1944-S MS67 CAC quarter from you for $300, I need to sell it for $380-$400 to cover overhead, show fees, and profit. I’m not in the business of charity.
• Show etiquette matters. You don’t walk up to a dealer’s table and demand top dollar. You build rapport. You show the coin. You let them examine the luster, the toning, the surfaces. The better the relationship, the better the price—but even then, I’m typically offering 20-30% less than retail.
• Time is money. At a show, I’m buying 50-100 coins in a day. I can’t spend 10 minutes negotiating one quarter. I make an offer, you counter, we shake hands or we don’t. There’s no “Buy It Now” button.

I’ve seen collectors walk into a show with a 16-D Buff that they suspect could get a plus designation, only to sell it to a dealer for $200 when it might have fetched $300 on eBay. The dealer’s buy price reflects their need to resell, not the coin’s true market value.

The 1941-S and 1941-D Advantage

Take the 1941-S mentioned in the forum discussion. That coin has “incredible luster, color and surfaces,” according to the submitter. If it upgrades to MS68+, it becomes a top-tier Washington quarter. On eBay, that coin could easily hit $600-$800 because end collectors are searching for that specific grade and date. At a coin show, a dealer might offer $450-$500. The gap is significant, and it comes down to liquidity and buyer intent.

Liquidity: Where Does Your Coin Move Fastest?

Liquidity is the unsung hero of coin selling. A coin is only worth what someone will pay for it, and the speed at which you can find that someone determines your real return. Here’s how I break it down:

• eBay offers global liquidity. A buyer in Japan, the UK, or rural America can find your listing in seconds. That’s unmatched by any physical venue.
• Coin shows offer localized liquidity. You’re selling to dealers and collectors in the room. If the coin doesn’t move that day, it goes back in the case.
• CAC and plus grades move faster online. Because the grading tier is searchable, buyers actively look for MS67+ CAC quarters. I’ve listed a 1949 Washington quarter with vivid toning and sold it within 48 hours. The same coin might sit at a show for days.

I remember a collector who submitted a 1964-D with rainbow toning under reconsideration. The coin came back MS67+ CAC. He listed it on eBay for $420. It sold in three days. If he had brought it to a show, it might have taken a week to find a buyer, and the offer would have been lower.

Online Reputation: Building a Brand Beyond the Transaction

As an online dealer, my reputation is everything. Every listing, every response, every shipping confirmation builds trust. When I sell a PCGS Washington quarter on eBay, the buyer sees my feedback score, my return policy, my grading verification process. That trust translates to higher prices.

Consider this: a collector searching for a 1964-P MS67 CAC quarter with original color will often pay more to a seller with 1,000+ positive reviews than to a first-time seller with no history. The coin is the same. The trust isn’t.

At coin shows, reputation is built through face-to-face interaction. You shake hands, you look someone in the eye, you promise provenance. That’s powerful, but it’s local. My online reputation travels with every listing, every review, every photograph I post. It’s compounding.

I always recommend that collectors who sell on eBay invest in clear, high-resolution photos—show the PCGS holder, the CAC sticker, the toning, the luster. A buyer can’t examine the coin in hand, so your images and description must do the work. I’ve seen coins sell for $50-$100 more simply because the seller took the time to photograph the reverse, the rim, and the toning under good lighting.

The PCGS Reconsideration Gamble: How Upgrades Affect Your Selling Strategy

Let’s tie this back to the forum discussion. The collector submitted eight pieces—including a 16-D Buff, a 1964-P MS67 CAC quarter, and a 1944-S MS67 CAC—hoping for plus designations or upgrades to MS68. The 1941-S and 1941-D with splendid reverses were also strong contenders. The collector admitted the 1964-D might not upgrade due to rim hits, but noted that rainbow toning could work in its favor.

Here’s the critical point: if any of those coins upgrade, the selling strategy changes entirely. A PCGS MS68 Washington quarter is a rare beast. As one forum member noted, “Silver Washington quarters in PCGS MS68 is a big ask.” But when it happens, the coin jumps in value—often $200-$400 above a straight MS67.

If you get that MS68+, you have two choices: sell it on eBay for maximum exposure, or bring it to a show where a dealer might buy it outright. The eBay route typically nets more, but it takes longer and carries fee risk. The show route is faster but at a lower price.

I always tell collectors: if the coin upgrades, list it on eBay first. Let the market tell you what it’s worth. If it doesn’t sell within two weeks, then consider the show circuit. But never sell a rare grade coin to a dealer at a show without first checking the online market.

The Cost of Grading vs. Potential Upgrade Premium

The grading fee for a reconsideration submission is $30-$50 per coin, depending on PCGS’s current pricing. For eight coins, that’s $240-$400. If even one coin upgrades to a plus grade, that premium can cover the entire submission cost. If a 1941-S moves from MS67 to MS68+, the value increase could be $300-$500. That’s why the gamble is worth it—but only if you have a clear selling plan afterward.

I’ve seen collectors submit coins, get upgrades, and then panic-sell at a show for below-market prices because they needed cash fast. That’s a mistake. Patience pays. The coin will sell at its true value if you give it time and the right venue.

Actionable Takeaways for Collectors and Dealers

1. Always calculate fees before listing. eBay final value fees, PayPal, shipping, and insurance can eat 30%+ of your sale price. Know your breakeven before you click “Submit.”
2. Target the plus grade premium. MS67+ CAC quarters sell for significantly more than straight MS67. If your reconsideration submission yields a plus designation, emphasize it in your listing title and description.
3. Don’t undervalue your coin at a show. Dealers will lowball you. Know the eBay sold-history for comparable coins before you negotiate.
4. Use eBay for high-grade, low-liquidity coins. If your coin is a 1941-S or 1964-P with exceptional toning, eBay’s global reach will find the right buyer faster than a show.
5. Build your online reputation. Every sale, every photo, every response builds trust. A strong feedback profile allows you to command higher prices.
6. Be patient with upgrades. As the forum discussion shows, upgrades are uncertain. But if you get one, the payoff can far exceed the grading cost.

Conclusion: Making the Right Call for Your Washington Quarter Collection

The Washington quarter series remains one of the most collected and actively traded series in American numismatics. From the 1941-S with its “incredible luster” to the 1964-P MS67 CAC quarter with unique color, these coins carry both historical significance and market demand. The PCGS reconsideration process—whether it’s a 16-D Buff with rainbow toning or a 1944-S seeking a CAC sticker—represents a calculated gamble that can pay dividends in grade and value.

But the gamble doesn’t end at grading. How you sell that upgraded coin determines your real return. eBay offers reach, liquidity, and the plus-grade premium, but at the cost of fees and time. Coin shows offer speed and face-to-face trust, but at lower prices and with less buyer diversity. As an online dealer, I’ve found that the best strategy is to use both: list on eBay first for maximum value, then fall back to shows if needed—but never sell a rare-grade coin for less than its online market price.

Your collection is more than metal and mint marks. It’s a story—of mint quality, of surviving the decades, of the graders’ eye, and of the market’s appetite. Respect that story by choosing the venue that gives it the most visibility and the highest return. That’s how you turn a PCGS submission into a profitable sale.

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