Document and Entity Information - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Nov. 05, 2019
Details
Registrant CIK	0001599117
Fiscal Year End	--12-31
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	000-55323
Entity Registrant Name	Mentor Capital, Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	77-0395098
Entity Address, Address Line One	511 Fourteenth Street, Suite A-2, A-4, A-6
Entity Address, City or Town	Ramona
Entity Address, State or Province	CA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	92065
Entity Address, Address Description	Address of principal executive offices
City Area Code	760
Local Phone Number	788-4700
Phone Fax Number Description	Registrant’s telephone number, including area code
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		23,139,837
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3