Top Five Tips in Selling Old Philippine Coins

If you have some old Philippine coins lying around, you might be wondering how to sell them and make some extra cash. Here are some tips to help you get the best deal for your coins.

1. Know your coins.

Before you sell your coins, you should identify their type, date, mint mark, condition and rarity. You can use online guides, books or catalogs to help you with this. Some of the most popular and valuable Philippine coins are the US-Philippine coins (1898-1946), the Spanish-Philippine coins (up to 1898), the Flora and Fauna series (1983-1994) and the commemorative coins (1946-now).

2. Research the market.

You should check the current prices and trends of Philippine coins in the market. You can use online platforms like eBay, Carousell or Facebook groups to see how much other sellers are asking for similar coins. You can also visit coin shops, auctions or shows to get an idea of the demand and supply of Philippine coins.

3. Clean your coins carefully. 

You should never use harsh chemicals, abrasives or metal polish to clean your coins, as this can damage their surface and lower their value. You should only use a soft cloth, water and mild soap to gently wipe off any dirt or dust. You should also avoid touching your coins with your fingers, as this can leave fingerprints and oils that can tarnish them.

4. Grade your coins professionally.

If you have some rare or high-value coins, you might want to get them graded by a professional coin grading service like PCGS, NGC or ANACS. This will give you an official certification of your coin's authenticity and condition, which can increase its value and appeal to buyers. However, grading can be costly and time-consuming, so you should only do it if you think it's worth it.

5. Sell your coins wisely.

You should choose a selling method that suits your needs and preferences. You can sell your coins online through websites like eBay.ph, Carousell.ph  or Facebook groups, where you can reach a large number of potential buyers, but you also have to deal with shipping, fees and scams. You can also sell your coins offline through coin shops, auctions or shows, where you can get instant cash and negotiate in person, but you also have to travel, pay commissions and compete with other sellers.

BONUS TIP: The price of a coin is ultimately the price that both you and the buyer are willing to accept. In short, it depends on how quickly you want to sell the coin, and how badly buyers want it.

What are your own tips and experiences? Share them in the comments!

How do you disinfect money from viruses?

A recent study has shown that viruses such as that causing the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can survive on plastic for three days, two days on stainless steel, cardboard for 24 hours, and copper for four hours. There is no direct study on banknotes but this SARS-CoV-2 is apparently nasty when it comes to surviving on surfaces. Banks in China were aware of this early on such that they were sterilizing banknotes through ultraviolet (UV) and heat treatments and subjecting them to "quarantine" for seven to 14 days before releasing them.

Banknotes and cons are potentially underestimated vectors for viruses, not to mention fungi and bacteria, because they are thoughtlessly circulated quickly across communities and beyond lockdown borders. So how can we sanitize money that we bring into our household?

COINS are easy to sanitize. Soak them in water with soap or detergent, rub their surfaces a bit, and you are done. Soap and detergents are designed to burst the structure of viruses and wash them away in pieces.

BANKNOTES are more tricky but the surest way is still washing them in soap or detergent. Polymer notes may be rubbed down like coins but absorbent banknotes made of paper, cotton, and other fabric will need to be soaked for a few minutes. They are designed to survive this unusual treatment but drying them will take some time. Alternatively, ironing non-polymer banknotes in high heat subjects them to surfaces in excess of 200°C and should kill viruses with a few seconds of pressing. Do not iron polymer notes as high heat can damage them.

Finally, whenever possible, use contactless payments.

Fake News: New Generation Currency II 2020

False information has been circulation on social media regarding the issuance of a new set of Philippine peso bills, including a new PHP 5000 banknote. The graphic, showing poorly edited images of the supposed new bills, originated from a fake Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas page on Facebook. Despite the poor quality of the graphics, they might have been passed as concept notes and they were shared widely on Facebook.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has expressly denied the plan to issue new banknotes. Further, the public is advised to only follow the official BSP Facebook Page.

The Philippine New Generation Currency Coin Series (Video)

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas released a video showing the full set of the New Generation Currency Coin Series with the 10-, 5-, and 1-Piso coins along with the 25-, 5-, and 1-sentimo coins.


The 10-Piso coin features Apolinario Mabini on the obverse and the kapa-kapa (Medinilla magnifica) plant on the reverse. It is also the first Philippine coin with a milled-edge lettering spelling out "Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas."


The 5-Piso coin, previously released in November 2017, features Andres Bonifacio on the obverse and the tayabak (Strongylodon macrobotrys) plant.

The 1-piso coin, features Jose Rizal and the waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana) plant.


The sentimo coins all feature a stylized Philippine flag with 3 stars and a sun. Their design only differs in the reverse. The 25-sentimo coin displays the katmon (Dillena philippinensis) flower, the 5-sentimo coin the kapal-kapal baging (Hoya pubicalyx), and the 1-sentimo coin the mangkono (Xanthostemon verdugonianus).


Notably, the 10-sentimo coin seems to have been phased out. Also, all coins are now silver in appearance which is sure to spell some trouble in differentiating similarly-sized coins.

Bonifacio displaces Aguinaldo in new 5 peso coin

To honor Gat Andres Bonifacio, the founder of the Katipunan on his 120th death anniversary this November 30, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) released in advance the new 5 Piso coin, the first of its new Generation Currency Coins.

Notably, Bonifacio displaces Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Philippine president who is rumored to have ordered Bonifacio's execution and who once occupied the coin. Bonifacio previously appeared on the 10 peso coin alonside Apolinario Mabini, Aguinaldo's key adviser.

Just last week, BSP released limited edition 10 peso coins featuring General Antonio Luna for his 150th birth anniversary. In 2015, a popular film Heneral Luna, was critical of Aguinaldo and his cabinet.

Bonifacio last appeared on the 5 peso domination, albeit on a banknote, in the Bagong Lipunan Series. After that, he occupied the 2-peso coin and then the 10 peso banknote alongside Mabini when the 2 peso denomination was demonetized. After the 10 peso banknote was demonetized, Bonifacio appeared with Mabini on the current 10 peso coin.