Fort Myers - Susan Bachman thought this would be a good time to sell some of her gold coins and old jewelry but she ended up getting far less than she should have for her golden goods.

Bachman sold five liberty coins and some jewelry for about $1400 to a jewelry store in Fort Myers who told her they were paying her about $600 for the coins alone.

The next day she realized she may have sold too soon and called a coin broker for an estimate. When he told her he'd buy the same coins for $400 a piece she knew she'd made a mistake.

"I thought on I've been a dummy, I had been a dummy."

At melt value alone a 1/2 ounce liberty coin is worth around 475 dollars at market value, according to a broker with Goldline International. Once historical value and mint condition is factored into the appraisal a liberty coin can be priced upwards of $525.

Stories like Bachman's have become all too common according to brokers.

"The worst case we've had in the last few weeks was offered $1200 for 5 gold coins.Well we looked at the coins and paid him 125-thousand for the coins and still made a living," said Mike Joyce of Gulf Coast Coin & Jewelry Brokers of Fort Myers.

Joyce has been in business since 1975 and says seller should be wary of buyers doing business at parties and in hotel rooms.

"I just can't believe that people do business there. I mean you wouldn't see your doctor or your lawyer in a hotel room why would you sell your family heirlooms that your family has worked so hard to accumulate and give them away I don't understand it."

Joyce said its important to find a trustworthy buyer by checking their reputation in your community, asking how long they have been in business and finding out whether or not they are registered with a numismatists organization.

Susan Bachman said she wishes she would have at least called a few different brokers to find the best sale, but instead she trusted the first place that made her an offer.

"I was hoping they would do the right thing or at least get close."

Brokers also added that people interested in buying gold need to follow the same rules of thumb to find reputable dealers. The price of gold and other precious metals changes each day on the futures market, and potential investors should check it before making a purchase.

If you are in the market to buy or sell gold here are some websites that can offer assistance:

http://www.marketwatch.com/tools/marketsummary/futures/contracts.asp - Futures Market

http://www.goldline.com/  - Goldline International, Inc.

http://www.gulfcoastcoin.com/ - Gulfcoast Coin & Jewelry Brokers, Inc.