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“In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation.” ~Alan Greenspan, 1966.
One of the things every investor quickly discovers is that there are no sure deals or “can’t lose” investments in this wild and wooly world. There is always risk in the marketplace. Always. The key to success is to weigh the pros and cons of every investment, and determine the prospects of success. I remember a time when we were told that old rare coins were a “guaranteed” moneymaker. During the 1970s and 1980s, Salomon Brothers published an investment index that showed that the price of rare coins had never declined.
During this time, Harry Browne appeared in an ad on the Howard Ruff Show holding a silver dollar, and declared, “They arent making any more of these…”
But limited supply isn’t the only determination of price. Demand is also important, and demand for collectibles fell sharply after 1989. The Professional Coin Grading Service produces a long-term rare coin index: the PCGS 3000 Index. For the past 10 years, rare coins have had their ups and downs. Right now, they are enjoying a major bull market, though they have a long way to go to match the dizzy heights of the late 1980s.
Now Is a Good Time to Buy “Old Money”
I’ve always had a fascination with historical coins and currency, and now is a good time to buy. Old money is hot! I recommend you buy coins you actually enjoy owning and learning about. For example, several months ago I bought two Roman coins for my wife. She teaches Sunday School, and was thrilled to receive as a birthday gift coins with the image of Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor who ruled in the New Testament period.
One day, she passed around the coins to her class, and everyone was fascinated to hold coins that existed in Jesus’ time. She told the story of when Jesus was asked if it was okay for Jews to pay taxes to the Romans. Jesus asked to see a coin. “Whose image is on the coin?” he asked. “Caesar,” they said. Then Jesus declared famously, “Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods.”
Roman coins sell for several thousand dollars apiece, depending on condition and rarity. (At a sale of Roman gold coins in May in Zurich, some top-quality coins sold for double their estimates.)
Valuable Coins, Valuable Lessons…
Last year, I taught a class on Money and Banking to 120 students at Columbia University. I spent some time educating them on the origin and mysteries of money, and why paper money has value today - even though it’s not redeemable in gold, silver or other assets.
The great Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises answered this puzzler with his “regression theorem.” Un-backed paper money has value today because it used to be backed by gold and silver - until we went off the gold standard in 1933 and the silver standard in 1964. I drove home the point by giving each student an 1881 uncirculated silver dollar. Why 1881? Because it is the date that Ludwig von Mises was born. I buy “Morgan” silver dollars in rolls of 20 - in uncirculated condition - and give them to friends and relatives as gifts, and sometimes as tips for a job well done.
The Rare Coins I’m Buying Now: Unusually Good Deals for Extraordinary Currency
Lately, Ive been buying the 2005 American Eagle Silver Dollars, which are slightly larger than the Morgans, and have exactly one troy ounce of silver in them. The American Eagles cost less than $10 each - a real bargain. Common dated Morgan silver dollars in BU condition sell for less than $30. (Lately, rare coin dealers have been hoarding the Morgans and repackaging and selling them on television, thus driving up the price. Buy them now before it’s too late.) Your best bet is to buy high quality coins. I also love to collect gold coins, especially the Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles and the foreign gold bullion coins, such as the Mexican 50 Peso, the Canadian Maple Leaf, and the Vienna Philharmonic (with musical instruments on one side and the opera house on the other).
As you can see, you do have some choices when it comes to investing in rare coins. But do be sure to buy high-quality coins, whichever ones you choose.
Dr. Mark Skousen is Chairman of Investment U, a free, twice-weekly investing newsletter that helps people become better investors for a lifetime. Dr. Skousen is a professional economist, financial advisor, university professor, author of over 20 books, and frequent columnist for publications such as the rare coins article listed above.
With the numerous investment opportunities available in the world today, some of the most basic investments are often overlooked. Take for example the often-ignored art of investing in collectable metals such as rare coins, silver bars, and other precious metals. Literally practiced for centuries around the world, many investors are now beginning to see the advantages of investing their money in physical objects to complement the investments that they might make in the stock market or other investment fronts.
If you’ve ever considered investing in coins and precious metals or if you’d just like to learn more about this alternative to stock investment, then the information below should get you well on your way to making your first coin and precious metal investments.
Why Invest in Coins?
Coins are one of the oldest forms of currency, and some of the most lasting reminders of eras gone by. Some coins from ancient days are made of gold, silver, copper, or even clay, and can be easily identified by the pictures used by those who minted the coin as to when and where the coin was made.
Putting money into collectable coins can be a practical way to invest, since many of the coins that serious collectors purchase are quite rare and often are made of high-value materials which only increase their value. As no additional coins from the era of those you purchase are being minted and they become increasingly harder to find as years go by, the value of many coins continues to rise among private collectors. Complete sets of coins tend to bring more as a group than the individual coins that the set is made of, though some coins of exceptional rarity may surpass even that price.
The Practical Approach to Metal Investment
In addition to coins, many investors prefer to purchase precious metals such as gold or silver to add some security to their investment plan. Even when stocks and bonds fall in value, there will always be a market for certain metals… especially those that can be used in jewelry and have been used as a basis for various economies.
Of course, just because something has value doesn’t mean that you should use all of your investment money to buy it. When buying precious metals, you should always temper your investment with other forms of investment. This helps to protect you against theft, since there are no easily traceable methods of finding stolen gold or silver bars and coins.
One of the better ways to supplement these purchases is by investing in the index market, especially in the precious metals that are represented there. That way you can keep track of the value of the metals that you physically own, and reap an additional benefit from owning shares of the metal index as well.
Using Coins and Metals to Supplement Investments
Coins and precious metals can be used as a wonderful supplement to traditional investments, giving you something physical that can be relied upon in addition to the stocks and bonds that you might own. You might choose to invest in indexes as suggested above, or you might choose to use index investment as only a portion of a well-diversified investment portfolio.
Regardless of which you choose, dividing your money and applying some of it toward physical investments such as coins and metals can help to protect your investment money from losses while reaping you the greatest benefit.
You may freely reprint this article provided the following authors biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.
Buy quality! Buy quality! Buy quality! Thats all you hear these days when you are considering rare coins as an investment. First, are you really buying coins as an investment, or merely for the pleasure of owning a piece of history? That is sometimes the real dilemma for many collectors, or is it investors? Everybody wants to make sure that their investment is protected, but there are no guarantees, especially in rare coins. In fact, some rare coins take years to appreciate to the point of being able to sell it profitably.
Hey, I would love to be able to plunk down $100,000 for a 1919-s Standing Liberty Quarter in MS67 condition certified by PCGS. There is only one coin with this date certified by PCGS as of February 7th so it is the finest available. But not many of us have that luxury. I dont, and I suspect you do not either. Its hard to comprehend paying more for a single coin than my first house cost. And while the rarest and finest of all rare coins have reached stratospheric prices, what does this leave the rest of us? Not much, unless you are willing to do a little work.
So if my interest is in rare coins as an investment, what do I do? Well, there are many other coins and options you can choose. First, lets review what drives the price of a coin.
1. Demand.
Demand, perhaps is the biggest driver of price. A clear example of this is the 1909 S VDB with a mintage of 484,000 and an estimated retail value of $720.00 in G4 and $7,500 in MS65 vs. an 1879 Shield Nickel. The Shield Nickel had a mintage of only 29,100 yet the estimated retail value of a G4 is only $415 while the MS65 example is $1,950. To further illustrate this point, PCGS has certified 703 MS65 Red 1909 S VDB cents and only 27 MS65 Shield Nickels. How many Shield Nickel collectors do you know vs. Lincoln Cent collectors?
2. Scarcity.
Generally speaking, putting demand aside, the more scare/rare a coin, the higher its value. This is usually very true, especially when comparing dates within the same series. Scarcity should not be confused with overall mintage. During the silver booms, many, many silver coins were melted for their bullion content. Additionally, some coins with higher mintages can be quite rare in certain grades such as higher MS condition coins due to weak strikes, etc.
3. Condition.
This is the most obvious one. When comparing the same coin, the better the grade, the higher its value.
4. Age.
Although age can have some factor, I would rate it lower than the three above.
Ok then, considering all these factors, how do I find nice coins that I can afford that will not only appreciate in value, but appreciate at a higher rate than other coins? I think the key word here is “nice”. Coins other than Mint State coins can appreciate in value if you know what to look for. Look at the 4 driving factors of price again. They are demand and scarcity. Take a good look at the following chart. The chart shows a good comparison of some different coins. Some you might consider a good investment and some you may not. The main comparison I am trying to make is from 2005 to 2006. I had an old issue of Coins Magazine from November 1973 so I thought I would throw those values in as well.
First, lets look at the 1877 Indian Head Cent, the key of the series. In a one year period of time, the value of the coin rose 18-19% depending on condition. The 1909 S, the coin with the lowest mintage of the whole series rose only 2-3%. Take a look at the mintages. The 1877 had over 2.5 times the coins produced than the 1909 S yet is valued much higher. Part of this is demand and there are probably less 1877 dated cents to go around.
Next, take a close look at the 3 Lincoln Cents in G4. While the 1909 S and 1931 S are considered keys just as the 1909 S VDB is, it is the 1909 S VDB that has risen in price while the 1909 S did not budge and the 1931 S moved ever so slightly. It is interesting to note though that in XF condition the 1909 S VDB stayed the same.
Compare the mintages of the 5 above coins to the 1879 Shield Nickel. A mere 29,100 nickels were produced that year yet the price for a G4 is a paltry $415
So, what does this all prove? To me, it proves that picking coins solely for investment is as tricky as playing the stock market. You just never know what may be the hot item. Certainly, key issues will continue to rise and will probably rise at a higher rate than non-key issues. If you are truly set on buying rare coins as an investment and you cannot afford the high-end items then keys in some of the lower grades may be the way to go.
What will be the next “hot” coin? Only time will tell and your guess is as good as mine. I suspect that with more and more interest in Lincolns, especially with the upcoming changes to the Lincoln Cent, there will be more demand for Lincoln Keys, but that is only a guess. Others to keep an eye on are the 1932 D and S quarters. The State Quarter program has created more interest in quarters. This is just pure speculation. As for me, I will just continue to buy the coins I like.
As always, happy collecting!
Keith Scott
www.mountainviewcoins.com
coins@mountainviewcoins.com
Keith Scott has been a coin collector for over 30 years and owns a small mail order/online store (www.mountainviewcoins.com)
An associate of mine remembers receiving as a child a big paper bag of old US silver dollars, some going back as far as the late 1890s. Sometime between then and today he has misplaced that old paper bag. To this day he wonders if any of those coins might have been worth something.
There is no arguing that coin collecting is one of the biggest and most expensive hobbies in the world. The price tags of some old coins would turn your hair grey. In this article were going to review the 10 most rare coins in existence. Wait until you see what some of these are going for.
Starting at number 10, there are the “proof gold” coins. Today the mint strikes millions of these coins every year and sells them to collectors from all over the world. However in the 19th century the mint struck only a few thousand of these each year and only a handful of proof gold coins. These are very rare and very expensive and sell very well in good and bad market times.
At number 9 we have early US gold coins struck between 1795 and 1834. These were minted in denominations of $2.50 $5 and $10. Today these coins are very rare in any condition and super rare in mint condition.
Coming in at number 8 we have the Liberty Seated Dollars. These coins are said to be the most beautiful ever made and one of the rarest of the 19th century coins. Both circulation strikes and proofs are very rare.
Hitting the chart at number 7 we have a very odd coin that was minted between 1875 and 1878. These were twenty cent pieces. Unfortunately the coin looked too much like a quarter to catch on with the public and there was no real commercial need for the denomination. Today they are highly prized collectors items. These coins today are very rare in top condition.
Number 6 on the coin hit parade are the Barber half dollars. These were minted between 1892 and 1915. They are one of the coin markets most important issues. They are collected by both “date” and “type” collectors and are the rarest of the 20th century silver type issues. These are very rare coins and to find one in gem condition is a once in a lifetime occurrence.
Midway up the chart at number 5 is the 1917 Type One Standing Liberty Quarter. This coin was made for only 2 years. The exposed breast of Miss Liberty caused such a commotion that they had to radically change the design midway through 1917. Since the 1916 is a 5 figure rarity (in the 10s of thousands of dollars) this coin is essentially a one year issue.
At number 4 are the Mercury Dimes. Even though this dime was minted between 1916 and 1945 proofs were made only between 1936 and 1942. Mercury dimes minted between 1940 and 1945 are actually reasonably priced and sell for about $50 a piece. The proofs are a little more expensive.
Just 2 spots from the top at number 3 is the Walking Liberty half dollar. This is also one of the worlds most beautiful coins and extremely popular with coin buyers. These coins are very hard to find in mint condition. All five of the issues between 1941 and 1945 have made the all time rare coins price list.
Falling just short of number 1 at number 2 is the Texas Commemorative Half Dollar. This is actually the number 1 commemorative coin on the all time rare coins price list. Between 1934 and 1938 about 150,000 of these coins were minted. Only about 60 to 80% of those have survived to this day and only 50% of those grade MS65 or better. So this is indeed not only an extremely rare coin but actually considered scarce.
Finally coming in at number 1 is the Saint Gaudens. This $20 piece is probably the worlds most well known coin. It is one of the most beautiful coin designs in history. This is one of the few coins that didnt drop in price during the 1980-1982 bear market.
In a future article we’ll cover how coin collectors go about getting rare coins and where they can be found both on and off line.
Coin Hunting or ‘Coin Shooting’ as it’s often called, is not only very fun to do, but it can easily be very profitable. Finding just one gold piece or any rare coin can easily pay for the cost of the metal detector. When it comes to Coin Hunting or ‘Coin Shooting’, there are some places that I call ‘hot spots’, or the best places.
Riverbanks - Ponds - Lakes - Swimming Holes: These locations are true treasure hunting top spots. The Riverbank is a huge area that can provide a lifetime of detecting. River banks were used as ferry crossings, and some had covered bridges with toll stations. The local old timers may be able to tell you where the local fishing and old swimming spots were. Remember many of the old fishing spots were also drinking and partying spots, and at the swimming holes a lot of people took off their outer clothes, losing change as they did. And going back even earlier in the years, folks would take their clothes to the riverbanks to wash them in the water. The same goes for old farm ponds, many were used as a favorite summer time swimming spot or picnic area. The banks and shores of rivers, ponds, streams, lakes etc, are great locations for coins, jewelry, trinkets and more.
Schools - Churches: These are also ‘HOT’ areas for metal detecting, most towns or even rural areas have a school, some have multiple ones. Schools that are currently open during school season are a great place to find modern coins and even a few clad coins, also numerous trinkets, diecast cars, and cheaper jewelry items can easily be found on modern school grounds.
If you are as lucky as I am, then you live in a rural or country area that keeps a lot of their old buildings. I know where there are two old buildings that served as one room school houses, these places were open in the late 1800’s to the early 1940’s. Just imagine the wonderful finds these old grounds may be hiding. The old one room school houses also served as churches, social halls, farm grange buildings, and as meeting places for scouts, ladies aid societys and more.
Many old Churches and one room schol houses had there own treasure chests, that’s right. When these buildings were constructed, the local kids and adults would bury a chest on the grounds or under a corner stone of the building. The chest was a sort of time capsule containing coins, newspapers and other unique items from the time when the building was erected. Many of these old buildings rotted away over time, and folks forgot about the buried time capsule located near the corner stone.
Searching the land a church is on is like searching for a pirates loot, you never know what you may find. And a lot of churches are very old, even many of the modern ones are like schools, they are built on the grounds where old ones stood. Churches were often the first buildings built in many towns. Right here where I live are numerous churches, and one was built in the early 1700’s. Church buildings not only housed people on sundays but, most were wedding sites, reception halls, dance halls, dinner sites, ice cream social locations, group meeting spots and much more.
Woods - The woods can be awesome for metal detecting if one knows what to look for. Look for old paths, those are great places to detect along. Old paths in the woods served as shortcuts to open fields for farmers to get their equipment through, or for cattle to follow and more. In a wooded area not far from where I grew up as a child I know where there is an old path, now grown up with trees and bushes, most folks would overlook it or not know it’s history. My grandfather and dad built the road by blasting stumps with dynamite and by hand cutting trees. They used the path to quickly get tractors, and other farm machinery to another open field below the woods. Just imagine the number of times my own dad and grandfather probably sat along that old road, eating their lunch or sipping some cool lemonaid underneath the shade of a large tree. Any time someone sat along a road eating lunch, they would often pull an old cloth hanky from their pocket to blow their nose or even wipe their mouth, often losing some pocket change at the same time.
Another rare but great metal detecting site that can often be found in the woods is old stone foundations and old stone chimneys, each has the potential for a rare gold coin or a jar of old silver dollars. Remember at one time this old stone foundation or fireplace was part of a familys home, with kids playing, parties and numerous outdoor activites.
Some other great Metal Detecting sites are - Parks, Beaches, Old Ball Fields, Playgrounds, Fairgrounds, Camping Sites, Camps, Ghost Towns, Battlefields, Old Picnic Spots. Make sure that you have permission to search and dig in any location you are going to do your detecting at.
There is Computer Software that is made just for the hobby of Metal Detecting. The software is called: ‘Metal Detector - Treasure Hunter Professional’, and may be seen at this website address:
http://www.rb59.com/md/meal.html
By Robert W. Benjamin
Copyright © 2006
You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.
Robert W. Benjamin has been in the software business on the internet for over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost software for the past 25+ years. He first released products on the AMIGA and C64 computer systems in the late 1970’s-80’s.
RB59.COM Software
http://www.rb59.com/software
How to Collect Rare Coins For Fun and Profit
Time has proven that collectors tend to make the most money in rare coins because they search out “undervalued coins” and buy during market lulls. Buying in todays market climate offers you superb upside profit potential.
PUT IN PERSPECTIVE - Rare coins have an extremely limited, fixed supply which has historically increased in value when demand overwhelms availability. This fact is documented in the “Dow-to-Gold Report.” It clearly shows how rare coins go up as well as down in price with varying market cycles. We believe the most successful Rare Coin portfolios were built in down markets by systematically assembling a variety of choice, rare, and desirable coins, with a three to five year, or longer, holding period in mind.
HAVE A PRECISE FOCUS - Thousands of coins have been issued over the past 200 years. Very few collectors are experts on more than a few types of coins. For that reason alone, its important to build a relationship with a firm that employs a team of knowledgeable Rare Coin Specialists and Numismatic Experts that are recognized as pillars of authority throughout the industry. Together, we can help you define your areas of interest, your investment goals, and our team of specialists can then guide you to a specific area of U.S. Coins designed to be both profitable and extremely enjoyable.
THE FOUR FACTORS FOR SUCCESS - To profitably build a balanced and diversified Hard Asset Portfolio, you need to know the driving forces behind the U.S. Rare Coin Market:
* STRONG DEMAND - We recommend U.S. Rare Coins that have a broad base of both active investors and collectors. The more wealthy, sophisticated, and avid the base of buyers in an area, the more successful your portfolio should be in the long run.
* SMALL SUPPLY - We recommend U.S. Rare Coins of the highest quality for the date that you can afford. These are always the hardest to find, most desirable collector coins and have historically been top market performers. In our opinion, these coins are always in demand by collectors and will be the easiest coins to liquidate later, and turn the best profits.
* STRONG PERFORMANCE HISTORY - Take the time to review the price history of any rare coin you purchase. Rare coins that have a good history of 200% to 300% price increases during recent bull markets, usually offer you an excellent profit potential in the next hot market. While past performance is no guarantee of future value, undesirable coins are losers in any market. It is of utmost importantance to remember that each rare coin must stand on the value of its own individual merit related to grade, price, eye appeal, and rarity.
* GENUINELY RARE - Finally, we recommend you acquire a selection of Genuinely Rare United States coins. There are fundamentally two ways to determine a coins rarity. That is “Condition Rarity” and “Absolute Rarity.” Condition Rarity is a coin that is rare in higher grades. Some coins are common in worn, circulated grades, yet there could be only five coins known to exist in higher mint-state grades of MS-63 to MS-65. Absolute Rarity is a coin that is rare in any grade. These are truly desirable gold coins that are hard to locate and acquire in all grades. These few coins that are Absolutely Rare in any grade are the “Blue Chip Recommendations” of the U.S. Rare Coin Market.
Steve is the ceo of cashcards-goldlynks rare/gold coin club he was the best isp in 1997 check out his about us page at http://goldlynks.tripod.com. This article is free for distribution. You can sign up for a free email course on buying and selling rare/gold coins for profit by sending an email to goldcoinsinfo@yahoo.com. Membership of the coins club is free to join at http://goldlynks.tripod.com
Everything you need to know about rare coins in one place. Tips, gifts, and books.
A Guide to Rare Coins in Circulation Today
It’s usually a small thing that turns regular looking money into valuable rare coins. Last year’s materials used instead of this year’s, a tiny symbol left off a minting die. Collectors covet the unusual and uncommon above all else, and these minor oversights result in a very limited number of coins. This means that supply is much lower than demand, and even something that looks almost exactly like a common penny can actually be a precious rare coin. Even more interesting is that many of these rare coins were released into circulation before anyone realized that a mistake had been made. Because not many people know what distinguishes precious rare coins from run-of-the-mill legal tender, these coins can remain in circulation for decades, until a lucky coin collector recognizes them.
How would you feel if you knew that you had handed over a penny worth $2,000 or more as change for a dollar? This guide will help you recognize a few exceptional American rare coins that you just might have lying around your house, shoved in a change jar, or tucked away into a pocket.
Rare Coins with Mistakes in the Printing
One of the most common mistakes that turn normal coins into limited rare coins is a mistake in the printing. In the case of a nickel minted in 1964, the problem happened when a plate was cleaned too often, and a part of one letter was worn away, leaving the Jefferson nickel with the inscription “E PLURIDUS UNUM.” It took collectors quite some time to catch on to the misspelling of the word “PLURIBUS,” but now these limited nickels are highly sought after. A similar problem resulted in the 1970-S Atheist Cent, when the motto “In God We Trust” was covered with a blob of metal, causing it to read only “In God.”
Another common oversight is when the mint mark, the tiny letter on most American coins that indicates which mint created the coin, is missing or incorrect. Some rare coins with this mistake include the The 1982 no-P Roosevelt dime. The Philadelphia mint used no mint mark until 1980, when it started stamping coins with tiny P’s. Yet somehow, a small number of dimes minted in 1982 were a throwback to the time before the mint mark, and bear no letter P. There were only a few coins with this error, and their scarce nature has made them valuable to collectors. A similar problem happened in Philadelphia a few years later, when the P on the die of some 1989 quarters was clogged with dirt, preventing the coins from being properly stamped.
Rare Coins with Double Printing
Minting problems don’t only involve the writing on the coin. Sometimes a problem with the die causes a coin to be double stamped accidentally, resulting in a very unusual form of rare coins. Some precious coins with double stamping include doubled-die Lincoln cents from 1972, 1983, and 1984, and a doubled quarter minted in New York in 2001.
Rare Coins with the Wrong Metals
Other than printing problems, another reason why rare coins can be minted is when the wrong precious metals are used to make the coins. American coins have undergone several changes in material. For example, during World War II, pennies were made out of steel, because copper was needed for the war effort. Nevertheless, a very few pennies were minted in 1943 out of copper instead. These rare coins are worth upwards of $200,000 today, and they look exactly like any other penny.
As you can see, sharp-eyed coin collectors can really make a profit by keeping their eyes for rare coins in everyday transactions. Most people wouldn’t look twice at a unique find like a 1943 copper penny or a dime that’s missing a letter nearly too small to see. By knowing what coins are limited and rare, you could make an exceptional find just sorting through your household change.
Charles Roman
Coins and Coin Collecting http://www.coinsandcoincollecting.com/ : your guide to getting the very best from your coin collection.
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