Oct 28, 2013 | advice, coins, gold, investment, markets, silver
I always welcome email from readers and the curious but I received an email with an interesting question. My correspondent had become interested coin collecting as an investment and wanted to know if I knew where to find out how much the gold coins would be worth in 10 or 20 years. Channeling my inner Edward Moore (from his play The Gamester) or Dr. McCoy for the Star Trek fans, I replied “If anyone knew the answer to that question they would rich beyond the dreams of avarice!”
This is not the first time someone asked me what I thought would be the price of rare or gold coins in the future. It is also a question that I do not like to answer since I am a collector and not an investor.
Markets are difficult to predict. Even the experts get it wrong. For example, a simple Internet search will find articles that appeared in MarketWatch, Reuters, and The Guardian from the United Kingdom predicting $2000 per ounce prices for gold. In March, the financial site The Motley Fool had an article saying that gold could hit $2000 per ounce next year.
In reality, gold opened the year at 1670.95, the high for 2013 and is 1309.64 as of Friday’s (October 25) close. Even with a small spike in August, the trend is going down. But does the trend mean that gold will still go down?
Kitco gold chart for 2013 through October 21, 2013
Trying to read the financial tea leaves has long been a sport for the financial pundits. One pundit writing for Forbes noted that the dollar strengthened while gold and crude oil dropped while last week, another pundit from Bloomberg wrote that stocks and gold rose as the dollar falls on the reaction earnings that have been topping estimates and the prediction of slower economic growth predicted by the Federal Reserve saying it will maintain its stimulus program. In between, an analyst at Yahoo Finance was predicting “a major turnaround in the US Dollar versus the Euro, but gold prices may actually outperform versus the Greenback.”
Predicting the price of gold and rare coins can be a similar test of ones nerves. One interesting way to look at the market is to see what the PCGS3000 Index says. The PCGS3000 index uses a sampling of collector coins, type coins, varieties, and differing grades to create a market index. Their sample are considered classic coins (1792-1964) including gold and early commemoratives to total 3000 coins.
This recent history of collector coins shows an upward trend over the last year as the economy has improved (see graph below on the left). However, looking over the last 10 years (graph below on the right) the peak occurred before the economy turned sour at the end of 2008 and has largely remained flat since falling to a low in 2010.
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PCGS3000 one year graph showing an upward trend
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PCGS3000 ten year chart showing the unpredictability of the coin market
Does this mean gold and rare coins are not a good investment? If you bough during the run up in value in 2008, you are behind. However, coins purchased from the beginning of the ten-year chart should yield a better return for investors.
Those thinking that gold coins may be a better investment might want to consider that the price of their coins will be tied to the price of gold. Both the PCGS Generic Gold Coin Index (below on the left) and the PCGS Mint State Rare Gold Coin Index (below on the right) almost mirrors the gold market over the last year. In fact, looking at the 10 year history the Mint State Rare Gold Coin Index almost mirrors the PCGS3000 Index while the Generic Gold Coin Index is all over the place and does not even follow the price of gold for the last 10 years.
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PCGS Generic Coin Index for the past year
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PCGS Mint State Rare Gold coins showing a downward trend
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PCGS Generic Gold Index for the last 10 years shows almost no trend
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PCGS Mint State Rare Gold Index seems to mirror the PCGS3000 index.
While you are thinking that this may be particular to gold coins, investors in 20th Century Coins (see chart below on the left) and Morgan and Peace Dollars (below, right) may be scratching their heads looking for a better return.
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PCGS Morgan and Peace Dollar Index for the last 10 years
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PCGS 20th Century Coin Index may indicate that coins from our recent past may not be a good investment.
As a layman, what appears to be a hot market is the very high end market. These are the extremely rare coins, coins with extraordinary pedigrees, and unique collectibles. Not every collector or investor is going to be able to own a 1794 Flowing Hair dollar that sold for $10 million last January, the George Walton 1913 Liberty Head Nickel, or a 1880 Coiled Hair Stella which is really a pattern that sold for $2.5 million in September. Even rare copper coins are selling at a premium.
1857 Seated Liberty half dime
Predicting the coin market is more difficult than stocks and commodities. With the capital markets there is company performance data, yield of crops, world conditions, and a lot of measurable factors that the professionals use. None of that exists in the coin investing market. Prices can be predicted by rarity to a certain degree, much of the pricing appears to be based on emotion: what will you pay for the coin. For instance, if the 1794 Flowing Hair dollar sold for $10 million what would the only legal-to-own 1933 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle sell for today? It used to hold the record for the most ever paid for a single coin when it sold at auction for $7,590,020 (including buyers premium and the $20 that was required to monetize the coin) in 2002.
In case you were interested, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator, adjusted for inflation, the price paid for the 1933 Double Eagle in 2002 is $9,867,321.33 in 2013 dollars. Even adjusted for inflation, the price does not beat the 1794 dollar!
If you are interested in trying to test this market, I wish you well. I am a coin collector not an investor. I do not think that will change. However, if you are looking for an interesting investment market, I hear the market for classic cars, including the muscle cars of the 1960s and 1970s are an affordable and growing market. And if you do not want to enter that market for investment, at least you can consider an emotional purchase—like I did!
This 1974 Plymouth Gold Duster with a 225 Slant 6 is a memory that is on a truck on its way to is new home in my garage!
Gold charts are courtesy of
KitcoThe coin market charts are all from
PCGS and their
PCGS3000® index.
Half Dime image from Wikipedia.
Jul 13, 2013 | advice, ANA, technology
On Friday, I received a notice to renew my American Numismatic Association membership by the end of this month. Even though a few people wrote to me after the election saying that they would not renew their membership, I believe that the ANA is still a good organization worth of the support of every numismatist regardless of age, experience, and collecting interest. My only question is whether to change to the basic level to save trees.
Members renewing at the Basic level can read The Numismatist online or via my computer or the iPad app. I stopped using the iPad app for a while after having problems. The app was updated and seems to be working fine now. I think I would prefer to read it on my iPad than the paper version. It is more portable. However, if the program could be converted to work with Apple’s Newsstand, the ANA may be able to find a new revenue stream by selling individual issues.
After the election I received a lot of complaints about the the ANA and how it operates. In many cases, I agree with the assessments but I also see where there are changes coming and all of the changes are for the better!
First and foremost, the ANA is being dragged into the technology of the 21st century. In a move started by former Executive Director Jeff Shevlin, the ANA has engaged Amos Digita, the technology arm of Amos Press, the publisher of Coin World. Anyone who has seen the positive evolution of the Coin World website and has read Coin World Next online can see examples of their work. Working with Amos Digital is a very positive step for the ANA.
Between Amos Digital, the commitment of the ANA staff involved, and the Technology Committee (which I am a member) the future to better the ANA’s technology is looking very good!
Technology alone is not going to make the ANA a better organization but the technology will provide a platform to make the ANA more responsive to its members. Technology can help with virtual clubs, education, and to bring the information out to the members. Technology can enhance shows and deliver some of the content to the members who may not be able to attend the shows.
However, technology is only an enhancer—a tool to make the ANA better for you. The problem is that those of us who are putting the tool together may not know what will make the ANA a better organization for you. What do you want to see from the ANA? How can the technology be used to make your experiences better?
Although I have some ideas, I am a systems guy. I put together systems to do what my customers want. And even though I know what I want as a member, it is only my opinion.
As a member of the ANA Technology Committee I want your opinion. What do you want from this tool? How can the ANA use these tools to make your experience as a member the ANA better? I am handing you a blank sheet of virtual paper (the comment section, below). Let me and my fellow Tech Committee members know how we can use this tool to better serve the membership.
Medal image courtesy of Wikipedia.
Mar 9, 2013 | advice, base metals, coins, copper, nickels, US Mint
A few weeks ago, I wrote about a one page collection starting with the one cent coin. The set also included an example of a half-cent to cover the lowest denomination of coins produced by the U.S. Mint.
The concept of the one-page collection is to create a meaningful collection using a single 20 pocket page that holds 2×2 holders. Using this format, I can create any type of collection without being bound to the albums and folders that are published by the numismatic press. I can also personalize the collection with information I find and other stories, some that I write.
When creating a one page collection, I am looking at ungraded coins that could be graded Fine or better and costs under $100 each. While I try to keep purchases under $50, having the ability to go over for certain coins gives me a little flexibility while staying closer to affordable.
I was asked what I used as a price guide to determine affordability. For full disclosure, I had been consulting the NumisMedia Online Fair Market Value Price Guide of collector coin. The site is free, updated monthly, and is the same information printed in their monthly publication. The NumisMedia Online Dealer Price Guide as well as their printed version requires a subscription.
Since my first one-pager was of the lowest denominations, I will move up a bit and put together a collection of 2, 3, and 5-cent coins.
The first coin struck by the newly created Mint was the half disme in 1794. As one of the original coins designated by the Coinage Act of 1792, legend has it that the coins were struck using silver donated by Martha Washington. Although there is no proof that our first First Lady donated her silver, it makes for a good story.
The first half-dismes were really not struck for circulation but over 86,000 coins of the 20.8 grains (1.35 grams) of .8924 fine silver were delivered to Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson (under the First Coinage Act, the Mint was placed under the Department of State). Originally designed by Robert Scot, the early Flowing Hair and Draped Bust half-dimes (the “s” was dropped in 1796 since it was silent anyway). Production ceased in 1805 with the shortage of silver.
Production picked up again in 1829 with the Capped Bust design by William Kneass and continued until 1837. After the passage of the Act of January 18, 1837, the weight of the coin was reduced to 20 5/8 grains (1.34 grams) and the fineness raised to .900 silver. For this change, Christian Gobrecht’s Seated Liberty design was used for the new coin.
This is where the series gets interesting. First, there was a change in design in 1838 to add stars to the obverse. In 1853, to show that the size and weight was change, arrows were added to the date from 1853 through 1855 before being removed in 1856 when the weight was returned to the old standard. In 1860, the legend was move to the obverse replacing the stars and the reverse laurel leaves were made larger.
The silver half-dime was made through 1874 after the successful release of the copper-nickel coin we call the Shield nickel. Nobody is sure when the coin started to be called a nickel, especially since it is made of only 25-percent nickel. It has been speculated that it was called a “nickel” because of the composition while it circulated along side the silver half-dime.
The U.S. nickel is unique in that it is the only coin that has been made of the same .750 copper and .250 nickel composition since its introduction in 1866 except for the silver alloy used during World War II from 1942-1945.
Starting this collection with an easy to find 1865 3¢ Nickel
Bought this 1865 2¢ coin from my coin club’s auction
Beginning with the Liberty Head “V” nickel, most of the coins should be easy to find and not cost a lot of money. In fact, it may be easier to find an 1883 Liberty Head nickel without the “CENTS” on the reverse, also called the Racketeer Nickel, than an 1883 nickel with the “CENTS” in Fine to Very Fine grades. It may be easier to find a 20th century version that would fit this collection nicely.
For the rest of the series, you can find nice coins at all grades without problems. Just be aware of the major varieties, such as the two types of Buffalo nickels, and the modern changes in the Jefferson nickel. It should be fun to complete this set:
✓ 1964-1873 Two Cent piece: When I started to look for a an example of a two-cent coin, I was surprised as to how many I could find that were nicely preserved and affordable. Most VF-XF coins in this series can be purchased for $40-60 or even less if you find a dealer having a good day.
✓ 1851-1873 Silver Three Cent piece (trime): It will be difficult to find silver three-cent coins from 1863 through 1872 because most were melted in 1873. One of the best examples I have seen were the 1852 coins. Not only are they affordable but the mintage of over 18 million make them the most available coins of the set.
✓ 1865-1889 Nickel Three Cent piece: After the two-cent coin, this was the other coin minted in reaction to the hoarding during the Civil War. Early dates are easily found because of their mintage figures in the millions and for affordable prices. It should not be difficult to find a nice Extra Fine coin for around $40.
✓ 1829-1837 Capped Bust half-dimes: If you want a real challenge, put together a typeset of all half-dime types. Part of the problem with that is the Flowing Hair half-dimes will cost thousands of dollars, if you can find them. For the average collector, I suggest a Capped Bust half-dime to start the five cent part of this set. Based on the price guides and what I have seen at dealer tables, you should be able to buy a nice one graded around Fine for $60-65. This should be a good representative start of the five cent series.
✓ 1837-1873 Seated Liberty half-dimes Types 3 & 4: No collection is complete without a representation of Christian Gobrect’s Seated Liberty design. Inspired by the similar image of Britannia, Gobrect posed Miss Liberty in the same manner except holding a union shield and a phrygian cap on a pole that signifies liberty and the pursuit of freedom. For this set, I recommend the 1853-1855 “Arrows at Date” (Type 3) variety. Aside being affordable at $60-70 in XF, the arrows tell the story of how the composition was changed while the coin was being used. The “Legend on the Obverse” (Type 4) variety is an interesting change and would be even more affordable. For the “Arrows at Date” variety, you may want to consider finding one with the “O” mint mark from the New Orleans mint to keep it interesting. “Legend on the Obverse” varieties from San Francisco are affordable and would make for an interesting addition to this collection.
✓ 1866-1833 Shield nickel: Rather than worry about the “Rays” versus “No Rays” types, I decided on the “No Rays” to keep this coin around $40. However, it is your collection and if you what to spend about $100 for a VF-XF Shield Nickel with Rays, go ahead since it will give your collection a little more depth.
✓ 1883 Liberty Head nickel “Without Cents” When Charles Barber designed the coin, his idea was to use a Roman numeral “V” on the reverse and not include the word “CENTS.” Since the three-cent coins used the Roman number “III” it was a logical progression. However, since the coin was about the same size of the $5 gold-half eagle, the Liberty Head nickel was gold plated in an attempt to pass them off as the $5 gold coin. These coins were then nicknamed Racketeer Nickels. It was then decided to add “CENTS” to the bottom of the reverse. After this decision was made, people thought that the coins would be recalled and started to save them, thus making it easier to find the 1883 without CENTS nickel than it is to find an 1883 with CENTS coin.
✓ 1883-1912 Liberty Head “V” nickel: Most XF coins in this series will be around $40 each, if you can find them. It is easy to find very worn coins and very expensive to find the higher grades. In fact, if you can find a nice XF 20th century issue, that would make a nice entry in this collection and only cost around $30.
✓ 1913 Type 1 Buffalo nickel: This iconic American design by James Earle Frasier ranks as one of my favorite. While it is a great design, the coin did not wear well and it is possible to find a lot of coins where the dates have been worn flat. On the reverse, Fraser designed the coin where the buffalo (actually, an American Bison) is standing on a grassy mound. On the mound was the denomination and mint mark. This high surface wore easily in circulation. It was later changed to remove most of the mound for a line. You can find nicely preserved Type 1 Buffalo nickels from Philadelphia for around $25. Spend as little as $10-15 more for an example from Denver. San Francisco coins will be $40 more.
✓ 1913-1938 Type 2 Buffalo nickel: Basically, the mound was hollowed out leaving the buffalo standing on what looks like a line. While not as aesthetically pleasing, it did preserve the denomination and mint mark on the reverse from wear. Best bet for this collection is to find a late 1930s example for $10-15. If you spend a little more, you can own an uncirculated 1935 or 1936 with a mint mark for $35-40. These make stare-worthy coin in any collection.
✓ 1938-1942,1946-2003 Jefferson nickel: Jefferson nickels come in four types with the left-facing portrait being the dominant coin of the series. With the exception of the 1939-D, you can find an uncirculated example for under $10. If you want an example with the mintmark on the reverse, select a coin from 1964 and earlier since the mint marks were move to the obverse starting in 1968 and no coins had mint marks from 1965 through 1967. Maybe you would want to add a 1970-S coin which was the last year the nickel was produced in San Francisco and had an obverse mint mark.
✓ 1942-1945 Wartime Silver Nickels: to reduce the amount of copper and eliminate the nickel that were need for the war, the Mint produced nickels using an alloy of .560 copper, .350 silver, and .090 manganese. To distinguish these coins from regular nickels, the Mint added a large mint mark over Monticello on the reverse. It was the first time the Mint used a “P” mint mark on any coin. Since the mint mark makes them unique, one from each mint would make a nice example. Maybe one from each year with each on representing one Mint. You can find nice uncirculated examples for an average of $5 each without looking too hard.
✓ 2004-2005 Westward Journey Nickel Series: After the success with the start of the 50 State Quarters series, to honor the 200th anniversary of the exidition by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in the newly purchase Louisiana Territory and westward, congress authorized this two-year four coin series to commemorate the journey. These modern circulating commemoratives are readily available and the four should not cost a lot of money, even as uncirculated coins. Make sure you find all four coins: 2004 coins with the left-facing portrait with the Peace Medal and Keelboat designs on the reverse. The 2005 coins had a wonderful obverse portrait designed by Joe Fitzgerald that included the word “Liberty” reproduced from Jefferson’s writing. The reverse included the American Bison and “Ocean in View.”
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2006-Present Front Facing Portrait: With the return of Monticello on the reverse, a new front-facing portrait by Jamie Franki based on the
1800 portrait painted by Rembrant Peale and includes the “hand written” version of “Liberty” on the obverse.
An interesting aspect of this collection is that the coins are of all the basic metals used in non-gold coins. The 2-cent pieces were made from copper while the 3-cent coins had one type made in silver and anther in nickel. While most of the 5-cent coins were made of copper-nickel, the wartime composition removed the nickel and lowered the copper content by adding silver and manganese. It is a good representation of coinage metals circulating in the United States.
This is one set where it was difficult to think about how to keep it to 20 coins. Depending on where you shop, your patience, and your budget, this is a collection that can easily be expanded.
If you decide to use this guideline for your set, do not limit yourself to my suggestions. Consider other options. Consider adding another page. Make it personal. Make it yours.
Most importantly: HAVE FUN!
Feb 14, 2013 | advice, cents, coins, copper, US Mint
Someone who may be interested in collecting coins may look at the options and think that they are too daunting. Guide books talk about series of dates, mint marks, and varieties. Type books talk about every representative type, even ones that are not affordable to the average collector. Then the folder and album publishers give their interpretation of what a type collection should look like. What the novice to average collector is left with is confusion.
Collecting coins, specifically United States coins does not have to be daunting. You can put together sets of your own design that represents any time or any period. What is great is that once you define your goals, you can have the fun in putting the set together and showing it off to friends and relatives. It is also something that you can develop your own story and include it in your own album.
Supersafe 20 Coin Pocket Page for 2×2 holders
An alternative to the pocket page are Gardmaster Coin Albums. Gardmaster is made by Collector’s Supply House of Paris, Ontario in Canada. Their albums are based on a slide system where the coins are placed into pockets of a strip and the strip is slid into the page keeping the coin in place without the need for an extra holder. The albums are a smaller size with a “Snappy” binder to remove, mix, and match pages. I discovered these albums while putting together a collection of Canadian coins. I then adapted a blank 16-pocket version to create a year set for large cents. You can do an Internet search to find a dealer who sells Gardmaster albums.
For these articles, I will stick with creating a collection using the 20-coin pocket page.
As a general rule, the coins in this collection must gradable at Fine or better and cost under $100. When I create a set of half-dollars and dollars, the limit will have to be raised because of the silver values and the rarity of earlier coins.
Since these are 20-coin sets, many die varieties are ignored to a certain degree. However, design and composition changes are always significant.
The first set I will create are the copper coins. Cents and half-cents were specified in the Coinage Act of 1792 that authorized the creation of the U.S. Mint. Under the new law, the half-cent and its larger cousin the one-cent coin was struck in pure copper from 1793 through 1857.
The first half-cent struck in 1793 weighed 6.74 grams and was 22 mm in diameter. Subsequently, the half-cent weighed 5.44 grams and its diameter varied between 22 mm and 22½ mm.
The 1793 large cent had two designs, the controversial chain reverse which was then changed to a wreath weighed 13.48 grams and varied between 26-28 mm in diameter. In the 19th century, the large cent weighed 10.89 grams and its diameter varied between 27 and 27½ mm.
Consistency in the size of both coins would not be achieved until the introduction of steam-based coining equipment starting in 1836.
Large copper coins were eliminated by the Coinage Act of 1857. Signed into law by President Franklin Pierce February 21, 1857, this act repealed the legal tender status for foreign coins in the United States. It required the Treasury to exchange foreign coins at a market rate set by Treasury. This act discontinued the half-cent and reduced the size of the one-cent coin from 27mm (large cent) to the modern size of 19.05mm (small cent) that is still being used today.
First small cent was the Flying Eagle cent designed by James B. Longacre. The eagle was based on a design Christian Gobrecht used on the reverse of the Seated Liberty dollars. The Flying Eagle cent was a short lived series because of its difficulty to strike properly.
After having problems with the Flying Eagle cent, Longacre designed the Indian Head cent—which is not the image of an Indian but a representation of Libery wearing an Indian-style headdress.
Rounding out our copper collection is the Lincoln cent. Introduced as part of President Theodore Roosevelt’s “pet crime,” the Victor D. Brenner designed coin has been around over 100 years with a periodic change in reverses including the new Shield reverse that began in 2010, 101 years after the coin’s debut with the wheat stalks on the reverse.
Looking at over 230 years of copper coinage there is a lot to choose from to try to make a representative set. The following is what I came up with:
✓ 1840-1857 Braided Hair Half-Cent: A typeset of copper coins has to include a half-cent. To represent I am including a later version of the coin. Not only are these coins readily available but you can purchase a quality example for under $100. Choose one with nice features and a rich chocolate brown color to best represent this series.
✓ 1816-1863 Matron Head Large Cent: For large cents, I am picking two coins. For the early Matron Head cent, I would look at the early dates. They are readily available in better grades at reasonable prices. If you can find a version before 1836, that would represent the pre-steam press era.
✓ 1839-1857 Braided Head large cent: Walk any bourse floor and you will find later large cents that are nicely struck and at reasonable prices. If you want to spend more money you can find a red-brown example, but those with that deep brown color are well struck and wonderful. Having a large cent from this era is a good representation of the pre-small cent times.
✓ 1857-1858 Flying Eagle cent: Forget the lettering varieties. Concentrate on finding a nice coin that would grade Fine or Very Fine for your collection.
✓ 1859 Indian Head cent: This copper-nickel coin with a lauren wreath reverse is a one-coin type.
✓ 1864-1909 Indian Head cent: While there is a copper-nickel version whose reverse has an oak wreath with a shield over the wreath, the bronze version is a new composition with the same reverse. I consider the 1859 copper-nickel covers the composition and the bronze oak wreath reverse covers the change in metals. Coins from the 20th century are very available and affordable. In some cases, if you can spend more than $100 for a coin, you can purchase a nice red or red-brown example.
✓ 1909 VDB Lincoln cent: First year of issue with the “VDB” initials on the reverse is much less expensive than the San Francisco minted coins. For a few extra dollars you can even find a nice red or red-brown coin.
✓ 1909-1958 Lincoln cent: With almost 50 year of coins you can find an affordable example as a bright red coin. Spend a little more money and try for a 1909 cent without the “VDB” initials to get a first year of issue.
✓ 1943 P-D-S Lincoln steel cents: The only coin produced for circulation by the U.S. Mint that did not contain copper (the .999 silver coins contains .001 copper and the .9999 American Buffalo Gold Coin contains .0001 copper). This is worthy of adding one of each to this set.
✓ 1944-1946 Lincoln shotgun cents: Although they are Lincoln cents in every way as the 1942 and earlier cents, these coins were made from the spent shells taken from the training fields around the country. These coins might look a little darker and very available at higher grades for the average collector.
✓ 1959-1981 Lincoln cent with Memorial Reverse: These coins are made from .950 copper with the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse. These are the last copper coins struck for circulation. Adding a 1959 coin would give you the first year or add your birth year.
✓ 1982 Lincoln cent copper and copper-plated zinc coins: In 1982, the U.S. Mint transitioned from copper cents to copper-plated zinc coins. If you do not want to supplement this part with the entire seven-coin collection, then it is not a problem to ignore the lettering size and find an example of a copper and a copper-plated zinc coin. Otherwise, any coin from 1983-2008 Lincoln cent could be used for the copper-plated zinc coin.
✓ 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial cents: This four coin set should not cost more than 50-cents per coin. For a bigger challenge, find proof version that were struck on .950 copper planchets.
✓ 2010-today Lincoln cent with Union Shield reverse: The end of this set pending and further updates.
A page of Scott’s Large cent collection in a Gardmaster album
Another idea is to use the Gardmaster album, buy two 16-coin pages, and expand your collection. As you look through the types, you may want to start with my “Manageable Lincoln Cent Collection” for an idea on expanding your Lincoln cent typeset. From there, you can adapt those concepts to the other cent series.
Showgard pocket pages image courtesy of Vidiforms/Showgard.
Sep 24, 2012 | advice, coins, counterfeit, legislative, policy
It was reported that the third-party grading service ANACS has found a counterfeit 1934 Peace Dollar. Although the coin appears to be made with a genuine planchet, indications of heavy polishing and other flaws seen under high magnification has ANACS questioning the coin’s authenticity.
Senior ANACS Numismatist Michael Fahey was interviewed for the Coin World article does not believe that the counterfeiters used a previously struck coin and that the dies were made using a transfer process.
NGC discovered the “Blundered O” not included in the VAM references.
Regardless of whether one point is valid or not, the fact of the matter is that the ANACS staff who examined the coin found a lot of evidence that leads them to believe the coin is counterfeit. Finding counterfeit coins that get by experienced dealers and nearly fools the graders is a serious matter for the hobby. This is why the Hobby Protection Act needs to be strengthened so that we can stop something like this from hurting the hobby.
I will remind everyone that it is not too late to write to your representative and ask him or her to support H.R. 5977 the Collectible Coin Protection Act. In short, the Collectible Coin Protection Act will allow collectors, dealers, and grading services to bring legal actions that are much more effective, with much stronger remedies than previously existed. It will allow those harmed to work with the Justice Department to bring criminal actions, where appropriate.
The only way to ensure that H.R. 5977 becomes law, especially since we are approaching the end of this session in an election year, is to contact your member of congress will let them know that the numismatic community supports this Act and that their support is important. It can be worked on during the lame duck session and members of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets (ICTA) and the Gold and Silver Political Action Committee are working to see this law passed.
WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP!
There are only 11 co-sponsors of this bill as I write this post. We need more co-sponsors to get the attention of the House leadership.
First, see if your member of congress is not a sponsor of this legislation. The best way is to visit govtrack.us, scroll down and and select the “show cosponsors” link. If your representative is not there, here is a sample note to send them (complements of the ICTA):
As your constituent, I urge you to sign on as a co–sponsor of HR 5977, “The Collectible Coin Protection Act.” The bill was introduced on June 12 by Representatives Lamar Smith and Fred Upton, chairs of the Judiciary and Energy & Commerce Committees, respectively.
HR 5977 provides a means whereby US citizens can take legal action against purveyors of the high-quality counterfeit US coins entering our marketplace from China by expanding enforcement power of the Hobby Protection Act. The Hobby Protection Act has been in effect since its passage in December, 1975, but lacks enforcement power that HR 5977 now provides.
HR 5977 is revenue neutral and contains no controversial issues.
Please contact me if you have any questions or if I can provide any additional information. Thank you for your action on this.
Even though the House is not in session, members can still contact the Clerk of the House and ask that their name be added as a co-sponsor. The more names added, the better the chance that the bill will see action in the lame duck session.
Please take this opportunity and contact your representative today!
ADDED: If you do contact your representative, please leave a note here and let me know who you contacted. THANKS!
Image courtesy of NGC.
Sep 5, 2012 | advice, gold, investment, news
Gold Buyers Beware: Experts Caution Coated Tribute Coins Are Not “Gold Coins”
PNG Press Release: Temecula, California—With the price of gold recently increasing, people who want to invest in the precious metal should be cautious about the potential investment value of gold-plated “tribute coins,” according to the Professional Numismatists Guild (www.PNGdealers.com), a nonprofit organization composed of many of the country’s top rare coin and currency dealers.
Frequently advertised on television, the tribute items are replicas of popular United States Mint gold bullion coins, but are privately produced and often contain only a tiny amount of gold.
“These tribute replicas may be fine souvenirs and mementos as inexpensive medallions, but should not be considered an actual precious metal investment because they have only a razor-thin coating of gold and virtually no secondary market value as gold. They’re also not a United States Mint product, so they’re not even U.S. legal tender coins even though their designs may be similar to actual U.S. coins,” cautioned Jeffrey Bernberg, PNG President.
“Some of the look-alike tribute ‘coins’ are advertised as containing 14 milligrams (mgs) of 24 karat gold. That equals a minuscule .00045 troy ounce of gold; less than one-thousandth of an ounce. So, if the price of gold is at $1,690 an ounce, then 14 milligrams would be equal to only about 76 cents worth of gold,” he explained.
The Professional Numismatists Guild was founded in 1955. PNG members must adhere to a Code of Ethics that prohibits use of high pressure sales tactics and misrepresentation of the value of items being sold. PNG members also must demonstrate knowledge, responsibility and integrity in their business dealings, and must agree to binding arbitration to settle unresolved disagreements over numismatic property. A complete list of PNG member-dealers can be found online at www.PNGdealers.com.
For a copy of the informative pamphlet, “What You Should Know Before You Buy Rare Coins,” or a printed directory of PNG member-dealers, send $1 to cover postage costs to: Robert Brueggeman, PNG Executive Director, 28441 Rancho California Rd., Suite 106, Temecula, CA 92590. Phone: (951) 587-8300. Email at info@PNGdealers.com, or visit the web site at www.PNGdealers.com.
Aug 10, 2012 | advice, shows
Today began with a start later than expected when I get a text from home telling me that one of the air conditioners died and then from work saying the systems I am working on died. After I told my wife who to call for service, I didn’t have to worry about my wife handling the home situation while my work problems will be waiting for me on Monday.
So it was down the elevator, down the block a little, across the street, and I stride into the convention center just before the bourse opens to the public. While waiting for my table coverage, I walked over to the exhibits.
If you are following me on Pinterest, you would have seen quite a few pictures from the exhibits area. Not following the pack, I was drawn to the first set of cases on the right, even though that was the tenth case of the exhibit. It was full of chocolate. Not just chocolate but chocolate in the shape of coins. Coins, medals, and tokens from the United States and around the world. Chocolate notes, boxes of chocolate coins, a “million dollar” case of chocolate coins. Ten cases of chocolate.
There were some very interesting exhibits but two really stood out. One was a complete collection of Confederate currency that included a rare $1,000 note. The beginning showed that the exhibit was well researched and the collector did a great job finding the notes, but it needed something extra. It needed to do more than show off the notes. There needed to be more information interspersed with the notes rather than all up front. It would have made the exhibit more engaging.
The presentation was a problem with an exhibit that had National Banknotes representing all of the county of Pennsylvania. While the cases were divided by regions, there needed to something more than the notes and a sliver of paper describing the note. Maybe a little history, something about the region, anything.
But the best exhibit, in my opinion, were the pre-Civil War notes from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chattanooga grew up as a port town and then as a train stop, the exhibit not only presented the notes nicely with descriptions, and informative and fun. I was told that the exhibitor tried this before and took criticism from the judges seriously and improved his presentation. It was an excellent job.
The rest of my day was dealing with meetings, catching up with the ANA Technology Committee looking to help the ANA upgrade their IT technology to help serve the membership better, making sure the Maryland State Numismatic Association table is watched, and filling in at the last minute for Barry Stupper for his Money Talks discussion about the need for a political action committee.
In between running around, I was able to glance at a few tables. I’ve noted some people I want to visit in the process. I think I found someone with Maryland Colonial Currency who might have something I am looking for. The dealer said she would look in the stack of notes for me and I will drop by in the morning. I am also looking at some other foreign currency for an idea I have to do my own exhibit. I found a dealer who has a nice selection of early 20th century foreign currency who I also have to visit at some point.
Continue to follow me on Twitter and the pictures on Pinterest to see what comes up on Friday.
Oct 3, 2011 | advice, apps, coins, education, Red Book, values
One of the most common questions I receive is “what is my coin worth?” Which is then followed by, “why is this coin not worth more?” Both are good questions that cannot be answered in a quick email since price is determined on market value which is heavily influenced by the coin’s condition. Let me explain…
First misconception is that the older the coin, the more it is worth. While some of this is true, there are exception. Copper coin enthusiasts will tell you that the 1910’s Lincoln Cents are worth more on avert than the 1900’s Indian Head Cents, rarities not withstanding. But those rarities are represented of one of the significant drivers in the cost of a coin: supply and demand. Simply, if there is a lower supply for the coin and a high demand, then the prices will be higher. For example, there were only 484,000 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cents struck before the U.S. Mint stopped production of the coins to remove the “V.D.B” initials on the reverse. Although nobody is certain how many have survived, it is difficult to find a collector who does not want one in their collection. Low supply, high demand means high price.
Many of what collectors call “key date” coins are those that are in low supply. But not all of those coins have the same demand. One example is the 1909-S Indian Head Cent with a mintage of 309,000. Even though the supply is lower than the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent, its demand is not as high. With the lower demand, the average price of the 1909-S Indian Head Cent is lower than the 1909-S VDB. But if you looked at the price of the 1909-S Indian Head Cent at higher grades, the Indian Head Cent is more expensive. This is because the first year Lincoln Cent was save in greater numbers and there are a few more higher grade examples available. Fewer of the 1909-S Indian Head Cents were saved leaving a lower supply making the coin more expensive for those demanding a higher grade coin.
That brings up the second factor of price: the condition of the coin. The better the condition the more expensive the coin. Using the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent for an example, the “book price” of a brown cent (BN) in the average grade of Extra Fine (XF-40) is $1,300. If it was at the low end of being Uncirculated (MS-60), the coin is worth $1,680. A coin that has some mint red luster that can be classified as red-brown (RB) makes the coin worth $1,720. In higher grades, such as MS-65, the difference between having a 1909-S VDB in BN ($3,060) differs significantly from a RB cent ($4,230) which is less than if it was a full blazing red cent ($6,440).
Condition is a key factor. Even if you were to look up the price of a coin in almost any reference, you will find that the price is different for each grade. It is important that you know the grade of the coin. For U.S. coins, one of the best online resources for helping grade coins is PCGS Photograde Online. PCGS Photograde Online contains high quality images of pre-1964 coins in all grades so that you can compare your coin with the online images. If you have an Apple iPhone or iPad, you can download the app from the iTunes App Store (Photograde app was previously reviewed here).
Even with knowing the condition and rarity of the coin, pricing is more of an art than a science. Publishers of price guides look at market condition, reports of how coins are selling, auctions, and other factors to determine what they think a coin should be worth. Just remember, these guides are just guidelines. They are not definitive prices. Individual dealers set their prices based on how much they purchased the coin for, consignment agreements, what the price guides suggest, along with extra to make a profit. Depending on the dealer, coin, and circumstances, these prices are not firm and can be negotiated. However, if you are negotiating for a coin, you should know what the fair market value is of the coin. Otherwise, you will make the dealer upset and might not sell you the coin regardless of the price.
Negotiating tips will be the topic of another post in the near future.
A good place that I have found to determine what the fair market value is the NumisMedia Fair Market Value Price Guide. NumisMedia allows all web visitors to view the fair market values of the coins in all grades. For those at shows or visiting a coin shop doing quick research on their smartphone, NumisMedia offers a mobile version of their fair market value website at m.numismedia.com.
If you collect foreign coins, there are few, if any, online resources. Since I have an interest in Canadian coins, the best single reference is the Charlton Standard Catalogue, Canadian Coins. Now in its 66th edition, it is the definitive reference on everything minted by the Royal Canadian Mint and those issued by the provinces before the union. One minor drawback is that the images are in black and white. Also, the book is not available as an e-book, which would benefit mobile users.
The ultimate reference guide for world coins is the Standard Catalog of World Coins from Krause Publications. Not only are there volumes for the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st century, but all four volumes are available as PDF files on DVDs. Once the files are copied to your system, they can be downloaded to your e-reader or mobile device for taking on the road. The files are searchable and can help price your world coins. If you do not want the full catalog but want a few countries or regions of interest, Krause offers their “Coins of the World” for downloading. This will allow you to download on the section of the Standard Catalog that you are interested in.
Krause also offers sections of their U.S. Coin Digest for each coin type for download. This is a good service for those interested in just one type. For obsolete bank note collectors, Krause also offers sections of the multi-volume Standard Catalog of United States Obsolete Bank Notes by James A. Haxby as a per state download.
Other references you might consider are Whitman’s A Guide Book of United States Coins, also known as the “Red Book,” and Krause’s U.S. Coin Digest. Both traditional references are available for your favorite e-reader making them easily searchable and portable.
Using these references should help you understand what your coin is worth and why. Now go forth and build your collection!
Sep 28, 2011 | advice, auction, eBay, education
A few times a year, I am asked about how to sell your coins, currency, tokens, and other numismatic items on eBay. If you have not sold anything on eBay, there are a few good resources for you to learn the basics. But to be successful selling coins, you should include these extra steps:
- Know what you are selling. In over 200 years, the U.S. Mint has produced many coins. It may not be enough to know the denomination and date to figure out the type of coin you are selling. On a few occasions, the Mint produced two types of coins in the same denomination in the same year. One example was in 1921 when the U.S. Mint produced both the Morgan and Peace Dollars. It is important to know the difference.
- Understand the basics of grading. If you are selling coins that have been graded and encapsulated by a one of the grading services, then you do not have to worry about knowing the grade. But if you are selling ungraded coins, also known as “raw coins,” you should have an idea of the grade. You can estimate the grade by using the visual guide at PCGS Photograde™ Online. PCGS has created an app for iOS devices with the same pictures.
- Set realistic pricing. Not every coin is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. In order to set realistic pricing, you may want to look at recently closed auctions to see the prices realized. This is a good tool find an average price. If you are still unsure about the value of your coin, try looking up your coin in the Numismedia Fair Market Value Price Guide. There is a page for each coin type and the pricing is different for each grade.
- Take clear pictures of the front and back of the coin. Even if the coin is encapsulated by a grading service, many collectors want to see what they are buying. Taking the time to take clear pictures will enhance your listing and entice interested bidders into bidding on your coin. Remember, if you are selling graded coins, you must have pictures of the grading service’s label on both sides of the slab.
- Write a descriptive title. You may be selling a coin with great eye appeal, but collectors will not look at your auction if you do not tell them what your auction is for. Include the year, mintmark, and coin type in your title. If the coin is encapsulated, include the name of the grading company and the assigned grade. If the coin is not graded, use just the letters abbreviating your estimation of the grade (G, VG, F, EF, AU, and UNC for uncirculated). If the coin is a proof coin, make sure that is noted in the title.
When you list graded coins for sale on eBay, there is a rule that says you title may only include the names of four grading services: ANACS, ICG, NGC, and PCGS. If the coin was encapsulated by another service, you must remember to take a picture of the label and note the name of the service in the description. If you mention another service in the title, mention that the coin is graded, or include the grade assigned by another service, eBay may pull your auction for violating their listing policy.
Sep 16, 2011 | administrative, advice
Do you have a question?
Really… is there something you are trying to find out or do you have a coin you are trying to identify?
If so, drop me a note.
Over the last few weeks I have been receiving questions in some very odd places. Someone sent a question via Twitter about a coin that was made part of their avatar. Another person invited me onto Facebook wanting to ask a question. And recently, an anonymous person left a question as a comment to one of my posts.
I do not mind answering questions. In fact, I like the attention! And once I get past my ego loving the attention, I think I do a pretty good job answering questions. If I cannot answer your question, I have a few contact I can ask. A lot of times I learn something in the process, which satisfies my curiosity.
If you send questions asking about the identification of an item, I ask that you please send clear images of the front and back. These are great questions. Some of the images I have seen has lead to interesting stories including one about prohibition.
Please do not send offers to purchase or invest in anything. I will not respond to those requests.
Also, I treat all email as private communications. Private means that it will stay between you and me and will not appear on the blog. I will not publish anything we discuss on the blog without asking your permission. I promise!
You can click the link above to contact me or the Email Me link in the left column. Go ahead… make me learn something new!
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