Rare Coins of Raleigh Review

Rare Coins of Raleigh operates out of a storefront at 3611 Spring Forest Road in Raleigh, North Carolina, buying and selling rare coins, precious metals, paper currency, tokens, and numismatic books and supplies.

The shop has been at its current location since around 2009, according to the "13 years later" timeline the owners give on their About page, which puts the business at roughly 17 years old as of 2026.

It's run by John "Doc" Yancho and Brian DeBartolo, and it markets itself as the largest coin shop in North Carolina.

What They Sell and What They Do

The shop's product line covers five general categories: rare and collectible coins, precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium), paper currency, tokens, and coin-collecting books and supplies.

On the services side, they offer want-list sourcing, layaway plans, trade-ins for collectors upgrading their holdings, appraisals, and outright purchases of full or partial collections.

Doc Yancho has collected and dealt in coins since the 1950s, with a particular specialty in Hobo nickels and Standing Liberty quarters.

Brian DeBartolo, a partner and the shop's IT administrator, focuses on early U.S. coin varieties and U.S. paper money. Shanna Millis manages the office and can answer questions about shows and services.

The business also runs a live spot price feed for gold, silver, platinum, and palladium on its website, powered by nFusion Solutions, so customers can check current metal values before walking in.

That's a practical touch for anyone deciding whether to sell bullion on a given day rather than guessing at market conditions.

Inventory and Sample Pricing

Stock rotates since much of it comes from estate purchases, trade-ins, and show buys, but the online shop gives a sense of what typically moves through the store. Here's a snapshot of items listed at the time of writing:

Most of these carry third-party grading from PCGS or NGC, which matters more than the sticker price for anyone evaluating whether an asking price is reasonable. A graded 1878-CC Morgan Dollar with a CAC sticker at $1,200 is priced in line with what that coin typically brings at auction in MS64.

The 1955 Doubled Die cent, a well-known error coin, is listed with a specific variety attribution rather than a vague "rare cent" description, which is a good sign for buyers who want to know exactly what they're getting.

Customer Reviews

Rare Coins of Raleigh holds a 4.2 out of 5 rating on Yelp across 30 reviews as of early 2026. Recent comments describe staff as knowledgeable and fair on pricing, with several reviewers mentioning repeat visits to sell silver by the ounce or to have collections priced.

One reviewer specifically praised Doc for being informative and kind during a silver purchase. Another called the staff helpful with "a great inventory of coins."

The picture isn't uniformly positive everywhere. The shop's Better Business Bureau profile lists it as not BBB accredited, and BBB records show one complaint that the business failed to respond to.

Among the reviews visible on that profile, one customer called the business "extremely excellent and reputable," while another complained about how materials they provided and returned were handled.

That mix is worth knowing going in: the volume of reviews on Yelp leans favorable, but the BBB complaint history suggests at least one transaction went sideways without resolution.

History and Trade Affiliations

The shop's own account of its founding is casual: Doc and Richard reportedly decided on a whim to open a coin shop, signed a lease the next day, and built the business from there.

Whatever the origin story, the shop has stayed in the same general area of Raleigh for close to two decades and now bills itself as the largest coin shop in the state. It's also identified on its website as a veteran-owned business.

Rare Coins of Raleigh lists membership in ten numismatic organizations:

• North Carolina Numismatic Association (NCNA)
• Georgia Numismatic Association (GNA)
• American Numismatic Association (ANA)
• The Original Hobo Nickel Society (OHNS)
• Tennessee State Numismatic Society (TSNS)
• Blue Ridge Numismatic Association (BRNA)
• Florida United Numismatists (FUN)
• Society of Silver Dollar Collectors (SSDC)
• Virginia Numismatic Association (VNA)
• Richmond Coin Club (RCC)

They're also a member of the Certified Coin Exchange, a wholesale trading network for dealers, under member ID RA3. Membership in a network like CCE generally signals that a shop has enough trading volume and standing to participate in dealer-to-dealer wholesale exchanges, which isn't something every local coin shop qualifies for.

Beyond memberships, the shop does regular shows. Doc and the team say they attend at least one show almost every weekend, traveling up and down the East Coast for larger coin club events in addition to hosting shows of their own.

Location, Hours, and Contact

The hours are on the longer side for a specialty shop, with weekday evenings open until 7 PM, which helps buyers and sellers who work standard business hours. Saturday hours run shorter, and the shop is closed Sundays entirely.

Conclusion

Rare Coins of Raleigh is a long-running, well-connected coin shop with a solid Yelp track record, a wide inventory spanning cents to gold, and deep ties to the regional numismatic trade circuit.

Anyone planning a significant sale or appraisal should still bring documentation and confirm terms in writing, given the one unresolved complaint noted on the shop's BBB profile.