Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 1)

The Value of Gold in a Era of Paper Assets, Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds...

The facts behind the increasing demand for gold and silver, rare coins, and historic collectibles from the U.S. Mint...

No other substance on Earth embodies the unique characteristics of gold. Its yellow luster and beauty are unsurpassed. Since the earliest days of man, it has been admired, molded, shaped, and worn as a symbol of wealth and good taste.

The romance and lure of gold is enhanced by its historic use as a storehouse of wealth. Gold's value is intrinsic. Its value is a measure of the true wealth and the stability of national currencies the world over. Throughout history, every paper currency has become totally worthless over time; yet gold remains.

The precious metal gold cannot be created or destroyed or altered. It forever remains one of the most liquid investments with no geographic boundaries. Gold is bought, sold, traded, and stored in most parts of the free world with complete privacy. Likewise, U.S. gold coins enjoy many of these unique advantages.

In a world where paper currencies come and go, where paper money can be depreciated 25% to 30% overnight, the price of gold cannot be manipulated by any single nation or borrower. On the contrary, gold is the foundation of today's world monetary system.

Acquiring U.S. gold coins put you in great company through American history. Prior to 1933, all U.S. paper currency was backed dollar for dollar by gold reserves. Today, paper dollars are backed only by a government promise, nothing more.

For investors who value gold, they recognize the safety, privacy and instant liquidity of U.S. gold coins. As official legal tender, each coin has a guaranteed weight and gold content.

Numismatic coins, especially the pre-1933 U.S. gold coins are highly sought after by astute collectors and investors for more than their pure gold content. The Saint-Gaudens, the Liberty series, and the Indian Head U.S. gold coins are admired and collected worldwide for their historical significance, beauty, and rarity.

Unlike gold that is minted by the tons annually, U.S. Gold coins minted prior to 1933 have a fixed and limited supply. No more will be minted ever and the older they get, the more highly prized they become as important pieces of American history.

We hope your visit will encourage you to add more rare and valuable U.S. gold coins to your collection and to learn how to build sets that will appreciate in value and be greatly admired for many generations to come.

Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 2)

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 today's 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 enclosed "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, it's 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 your 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 importance 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 coin's 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.

Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 3)

Putting Rare Coin Market Cycles to Work for You...

Until recently many people believed U.S. stocks would go up forever.

However, recent crashes in high tech stocks and the overall stock market correction left many investors with huge losses. Clearly, market cycles are changing.

The return of high inflation, combined with a slowing economy, suggests it's more important than ever to move into safer, more profitable investments in the coming market cycle.

Balance and Diversify Your Portfolio - We believe you can profit handsomely by diversifying your portfolio with investments currently undervalued. Everyone agrees gold, hard assets, and commodities have been out of favor in the past decade. For many reasons, we feel these sectors are most likely to be top performers in the next market cycle.

Move To Hard Assets in Bad Economic Climates - For that reason, it’s important to consider moving into hard assets, gold, and U.S. Rare Coins. Prices are attractively low today compared with past market highs. The table below details recent cycles for the U.S. Rare Coin Market showing increases ranging from 348% to 1,195%.

$1,000 Invested in Rare Coins Worth $57,977 - Collectors Universe researched the U.S. Rare Coin Market carefully based on a study of 3000 Rare Coins. The graph above shows $1,000 invested in rare coins in 1970 would be worth $57,977. The conclusion is that U.S. Rare Coins have produced superior profits over gold bullion or Dow Stocks.

Buy Rare Coins During Market Lulls - Since January of 1970, the U.S. Rare Coin Market has had eight very definitive market cycles. There have been three complete Bull and Bear Market cycles since 1970. To maximize profits, collectors prefer to acquire coins that are currently undervalued. They hold their coins and wait until a Bull Market when investors move in and bid up coin prices– then they sell and take their profits.

The most profitable period for the U.S. Rare Coin Market showed increases of 1,195% from December of 1975 through March of 1980. This market cycle parallels a time of high inflation in the U.S., rising gold prices, and a very weak economy– a market cycle that appears to be on the horizon ahead.

Other Rare Coin Market cycles since 1970 showed increases of 665% and 348%. Past performance is no guarantee of future value, but it is an indication of just how volatile and profitable collecting U.S. Rare Coins can be in uncertain economic climates when there's a flight to safety from stocks to hard assets.

Successful Coin Collector

So you want to become a successful coin collector. Well you have some simple concepts that you must learn in order for you to become a good coin collector, and lets face it, if you don't learn some key rules for collecting coins, you are not going to enjoy collecting coins.

* Well I would say that EDUCATION would be the most important factor for anyone to be a successful coin collector. Learn as much as you can about this wonderful hobby. Buy as many books and reading material on all aspects of coin collecting that you can get your hands on. This may even include subscribing to a few coin collecting magazines like Coin World. There are many online organizations, some listed on this site, that you can read about just about anything that there is to know about the hobby of collecting coins.
* Learn to be a coin collector. A true collector collects coins for the right reasons. It is what he loves to do, it is a true passion for him. It is what interest them the most and they study the market and learn what it is they are purchasing. Most collectors build collections for not only the feel of the hobby, but to make money as well. A true collector is building an investment and knows what he wants out of his collection.
* Make sure you know where to get the information you need to succeed in hobby. Coin magazines, brokers, and newsletters in the hobby are a great way to keep up with what is going on in the coin industry. In my opinion the greatest place to find information on the coins that you are looking to collect are from dealers and other collectors. Working with your local coin dealer, who is established and well informed would be one of your greatest relationships that you will have in your hobby.
* Another asset in con collecting is learning to grade your coins. Knowing how to grade coins will not only help you purchase your coins more accurately, but it will help you to identify with your coins to know their true grade and getting a better understanding of what your coins are worth. Lots of money is spent on purchasing coins without the knowledge of knowing what the true grade of the coin is. The coin collector assumes the person or dealer that he is buying the coin from is knowledgeable himself and trust him. This is not a very trusting practice, and in the end it could result in your spending lots of money on your coin collection.
* In the hobby of coin collecting, you will learn patience. Coin collections are built over many years, and beginner collectors will most often rush into collecting coins, with out learning the hobby first. This is a long term hobby, and some of the best and successful coin collector are collectors having 10+ years under them. If you are planning on collecting coins for profit. It is advisable to buy your coins with the intention that you are going to keep them for at least 10 years. This will insure that you will get a reasonable return on your coins.
* Having long and short term goals is the key to being successful in anything that you do. Well this holds true with coin collecting. Make sure you know what, where, how, and when, when it comes to coin collecting. Knowing your goals will help you become a successful coin collector and make your hobby more enjoyable.

Collecting Ancient Coins - A Classical Tradition

Roman nobles fascinated by Greek culture collected ancient Greek coins and antiquities during the reign of Augustus Caesar, when the art and science of numismatics began. There is no record of collecting ancient coins during the Dark Ages, but Renaissance magnates beginning with Petrarch collected portraits of emperors on Roman coins. Their willingness to pay high prices for fine portrait specimens led to the first numismatic imitations, Paduan medals struck by Cavino and other medalists of the time.

Different coin types attract different personalities. Ancient Greek coins fascinate collectors drawn to their artistic merit, while among ancient Roman coins, early Imperial issues attract those prizing realistic and imposing portraits of emperors and their families. Ancient Persian coins have special meaning to collectors interested in the history, culture and religion of Iran. Further East, the successors of Alexander struck unusual and attractive Indo-Greek coins in Southwest Asia. Ancient coins were issued in many metals: gold, silver, electrum (a natural gold-silver alloy), brass, bronze, billon (debased silver), potin, lead and even nickel. Ancient gold can be expensive, although some issues (notably those of the Byzantine Empire) are very reasonably priced. Ancient silver coins are normally well preserved, on the other hand bronze coins often circulated for long periods and many examples show considerable wear, as well as the effects of chemical changes.

Biblical coins attract those interested in early Christianity and ancient Jewish culture. Such collectors may desire to find a "Tribute Penny" denarius of the emperor Tiberius, a "Widow's Mite" lepton, a "Thirty Pieces of Silver" shekel or coins of historic personalities such as Herod and Pontius Pilate that they can buy online. All of these biblical coins may best be appreciated when presented in their historical context -- the special theme of Classical Coins.

Numismatic literature, in addition to its informative content, is also a significant collecting subject. Elegant engraved illustrations of Greek and Roman coins in early numismatic books are treasured today by collectors. Catalogues offering ancient coins for sale, either at fixed prices or at auction, are also an important source of reference information and die study illustrations for ancient Greek coins, Roman coins, Biblical coins and Persian coins. Such catalogues sometimes become primary references, for example the Pozzi and Shore sale catalogues.

Classical Coins offers a wide selection of numismatic books, monographs, sale catalogues and other references that you can buy online through our website. These can be good investments, since they recently have been appreciating even faster than the coins they describe.

Who And What Are Rare Coin Collectors?

There are collectors of various degrees that collect various types of items. Some collectors collect figurines, others stamps, there are collectors of tin boxes, and collectors of rare coins. In truth, any type of merchandise ever invented and sold probably has a person who collects it.

Rare coin collectors are distributed around the world and are probably the most diverse type of collectors in the collecting game. While other type of collecting requires a certain level of wealth, or unusual interest in toys or boxes, rare coins, to some degree interests everyone; after all, we are talking about money.

Coin collecting can begin at any age, when a child receives their first penny, for example, or an adult who finds a coin that they have not seen since their childhood. Money tends to strike a cord in all of us, and coin collecting can be an interesting component in that interest. Rare coins often draw interest because of the amount of money it is worth. A double eagle $20 gold coin for example, in mint condition can go for nearly a half a million dollars. That is an outstanding number, and for an individual who has a number of rare coins, it can be like winning the lottery.

Rare coins do not simply fall into a lucky persons lap as a rule. Usually rare coins are sought after and searched for over time. However, there are those lucky few who's family simply kept coins stored in a box and over time it got forgotten and before they knew it, they had a handful of rare coins. In other cases, rare coins are found quite by accident and are not discovered until the coin has been passed from person to person over time. Often, rare coins are purchased before they become rare, by someone who has the insight to recognize the potential worth of the coin.

Regardless of how the rare coins are received, rare coin collectors are proud of what they have and are always trying to either grow their collections or create new ones. These portfolios are often farmed out to businesses that specialized in the acquisition of rare coins. Such businesses typically have an inventory of rare coins in stock for those parties who are interested in developing a rare coins portfolio. These companies need to simply be told what rare coins a client is looking for and they began to find the coins for them

Coins and Coin Values

A coin is usually a piece of hard material, usually metal or a metallic material, usually in the shape of a disc, and most often issued by a government. Coins are used as a form of money in transactions of various kinds, from the everyday circulation coins to the storage of vast amounts of bullion coins. In the present day, coins and banknotes make up the cash forms of all modern money systems. Coins made for circulation (general monetized use) are usually used for lower-valued units, and banknotes for the higher values; also, in most money systems, the highest value coin is worth less than the lowest-value note. The face value of circulation coins is usually higher than the gross value of the metal used in making them, but this is no longer generally the case with historical circulation coins made of precious metals. For example, the historical Eagle (U.S. coin) contained .48375 troy ounce of gold and has a face value of only ten U.S. dollars, but the market value of the coin, due to its metal content, is now many times the face amount.

Exceptions to the rule of coin face-value being higher than content value, also occur for some non-monetized “bullion coins” made of silver or gold (and, rarely, other metals, such as platinum or palladium), intended for collectors or investors in precious metals. For examples of modern gold collector/investor coins, the United States mints the American Gold Eagle, Canada mints the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf, and South Africa mints the Krugerrand. The American Gold Eagle has a face value of US$50, and the Canadian Gold Maple Leaf coins also have nominal (purely symbolic) face values (e.g., C$50 for 1 oz.); but the Krugerrand does not.

Historically, a great number of coinage metals (including alloys) and other materials have been used practically, impractically (i.e., rarely), artistically, and experimentally in the production of coins for circulation, collection, and metal investment, where bullion coins often serve as more convenient stores of assured metal quantity and purity than other bullion.

Coins have long been linked to the concept of money, as reflected by the fact that in other languages the words “coin” and “currency” are synonymous. Fictional currencies may also bear the name coin (as such, an item may be said to be worth 123 coin or 123 coins).

The value of a coin: In terms of its value as a collector’s item, a coin is generally made more or less valuable by its condition, specific historical significance, rarity, quality/beauty of the design and general popularity with collectors. If a coin is greatly lacking in any of these, it is unlikely to be worth much. Bullion coins are also valued based on these factors, but are largely valued based on the value of the gold or silver in them. Sometimes non-monetized bullion coins such as the Canadian Maple Leaf and the American Gold Eagle are minted with nominal face values less than the value of the metal in them, but as such coins are never intended for circulation, thse value numbers are not market nor fiat values, and are never more than symbolic numbers.

Most coins presently are made of a base metal, and their value comes from their status as fiat money. This means that the value of the coin is decreed by government fiat (law), and thus is determined by the free market only as national currencies are subjected to arbitrage in international trade. This causes such coins to be monetary tokens in the same sense that paper currency is, when the paper currency is not backed directly by metal, but rather by a government guarantee of international exchange of goods or services. Some have suggested that such coins not be considered to be “true coins” (see below). However, because fiat money is backed by government guarantee of a certain amount of goods and services, where the value of this is in turn determined by free market currency exchange rates, similar to the case for the international market exchange values which determines the value of metals which back commodity money, in practice there is very little practical economic difference between the two types of money (types of currencies).

Coins may be minted that have fiat values lower than the value of their component metals, but this is never done intentionally and initially for circulation coins, and happens only in due course later in the history of coin production due to inflation, as market values for the metal overtake the fiat declared face value of the coin. Examples of this phenomenon include the pre-1964 US dime, quarter, half dollar, and dollar, US nickel, and pre-1982 US penny. As a result of the increase in the value of copper, the United States greatly reduced the amount of copper in each penny. Since mid-1982, United States pennies are made of 97.5% zinc coated with 2.5% copper. Extreme difference between fiat values and metal values of coins causes coins to be removed from the market by illicit smelters interested in the value of their metal content. In fact, the United States Mint, in anticipation of this practice, implemented new interim rules on December 14, 2006, subject to public comment for 30 days, which criminalize the melting and export of pennies and nickels. Violators can be punished with a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned for a maximum of five years.

To distinguish between these two types of coins, as well as from other forms of tokens which have been used as money, some monetary scholars have attempted to define by three criteria that an object must meet to be a “true coin”. These criteria are:

1. It must be made of a valuable material, and trade for close to the market value of that material.
2. It must be of a standardized weight and purity.
3. It must be marked to identify the authority that guarantees the content.

First coins: The question of the world’s first coin has long been and still is debated. Among numismatists, it is debated whether the world’s first coins originated in Lydia, China, or India (where coins were known as karshapana). One early coin from Caria, Asia Minor, includes a legend “I am the badge of Phanes,” though most of the early Lydian pieces have no writing on them, just symbolic animals. Therefore the dating of these coins relies primarily on archeological evidence, with the most commonly cited evidence coming from excavations at the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, also called the Ephesian Artemision (which would later evolve into one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world). Many early Lydian coins were undoubtedly struck (manufactured) under the authority of private individuals and are thus more akin to tokens than true coins, though because of their numbers it’s evident that some were official state issues, with King Alyattes of Lydia being the most frequently mentioned originator of coinage.

The first Indian coins were minted around the 6th century BC by the Mahajanapadas of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The coins of this period were punch marked coins called Puranas, Karshapanas or Pana. The Mahajanapadas that minted their own coins included Gandhara, Kuntala, Kuru, Panchala, Shakya, Surasena, and Surashtra. Some argue that Indian coins were developed from Western prototypes, which the Indians came in contact with through Babylonian traders.

Indian Coins: The Tiny Fanams 001

Fanams are so small in size that most people are amazed that such coins were ever introduced. It is difficult to manage them, and it is more easy to lose them than hold on to them.

Pictures: Travancore Silver fanams, shown above a cenitmeter scale and below and Indian one rupee (modern) coin to give an idea of how small they were

Several reasons have been suggested for the small size, and perhaps all of them are right. One is the importance of gold in the Indian society. Giving gold to friends, relatives, and to the priests were practices embedded into the Indian fiber. However, this would be an impossible task for most people in society, seeing gold was always costly. It has been proposed that tiny coins made of gold would fulfill such a need in an ideal manner.

It is precisely because of this reason that the Mugal emperors like Aurangzeb, Farrkuhsiyar, Mohammad Shah, and Alamgir II issued half-fanams for use in Chiefly in their southern Kingdoms. These were issued from their southern mints at Gutti, Thadipatri, and Cuddppah.

There seems to be some merit in this proposal because even today such a practice exists in a couple of states in India where gold is an essential part of life. For example, in many places in UP, placing gold ornaments on the dead body is essential before a woman’s body is cremated. Thus they sell extremely light gold ornaments in these places which helps the rich and poor to fulfill the religious practice without spending a fortune.

Similarly, in Kerala (a state mad after gold), one-gram gold ornaments are common. People present these to relatives for marriage and other religious occasions. The small weight ensures that they do not burden the purchaser. Finally the family that get all these ornaments takes it to the goldsmith which melts them and makes a heavy ornament (or two), or exchanges them with heavier ornaments.

It has also been reported that in some places in Tamilnadu there was a practice of offering very tiny gold coins to the bride at the time of her marriage. These were then placed in the mouth of the dead body before cremation. Known as Pudu Panams (new money, probably an allusion to money given when she enters a newly wedded life) these were very small coins. In all probability these were gold fanams. Some people in Tamil Nadu are reported to practice this even today, but they no longer use gold coins or fanams for it.

There is always a possibility that some of the gold fanams seen today were minted specifically for such religious purposes, and that they were not “currency” in the real sense of that word. Only further investigation would help distinguish between the fanams that were minted for use as currency and the “fanams” that were manufactured (rightly) for this kind of religious practices.

Indian coinage can be understood only in the background of the peculiar history and social ethos of the country, and this can be a good explanation for the origin of gold (and then, silver) fanams in many places in India.

Coin Collecting

Coin Collecting is the hobby pertaining to collecting or trading of coins. Coin Collecting goes back as far as coinage itself. It originally started as the hoarding of coins in order to increase their value. Collecting coins for their artistic value came later on and was originally considered a hobby fit only for the rich (for obvious reasons).

There are many themes associated with coin collecting. Some collectors like to base collections off certain categories. For example, some might collect coins from different countries, some might look for specific years or periods, and others might look for specific mintmarks. There are many different categorizations that you could collect coins by.

Coin Value: The value of a coin can depend on a number of different factors. Two very important factors include the age and rarity of the coin. Often times a coin’s age can determine how rare it may be, but there are also a few other things that come into play. Many popular coins for collecting are coins that have been minted with errors are happened to of circulated for only a brief period of time. These types of coins are often much rarer because there are so few available to obtain. The most important factor in a coin’s value however is often it’s condition…

Coin Condition: A coins condition is determined by a number of different factors. The most important factor is the overall general wear of the coin. A coin’s condition can often be determined by a grading scale. One of the universally accepted grading scales is that of the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC). The following scale goes from 1 to 70 and includes both the numeric and adjectival grades:

MS 60-70 Uncirculated
AU 50, 53, 55, 58 About Uncirculated
XF 40, 45 Extremely Fine
VF 20, 25, 30, 35 Very Fine
F 12, 15 Fine
VG 8, 10 Very Good
G 4, 6 Good
AG 3 About Good
FA 2 Fair
PR 1 Poor

A coin is not always graded so easily, sometimes supplemental information is added to the description of the coin in order to describe its condition more fully.

Where to Obtain Coins: In order to start collecting coins (or continue collecting), it is important to first know where you can obtain coins. There are small coin dealers throughout the country, and a brick and mortar store can usually be found with a little effort. The internet has caused most coin collectors to turn to the web however, as the inventory is often very large and it allows the collector to compare a number of different stores easily.

The Top Ten Mint State Saints

Much has been written about the $20 Saint-Gaudens series since it is quite possibly the most popular gold coin sought after today. I’d like to discuss the rarity/value relationship of the top ten scarcest dates, in mint state condition. I will exclude the 1933 from this discussion since there is only one coin legal to own and therefore unobtainable by the majority of registry collectors. Although most coins have appreciated in value over the last 10 years, the Saint-Gaudens series has been the area of some of the biggest increases. In compiling this list, PCGS and NGC population numbers are used as a starting point as well as CDN values over the last ten years. Needless to say, population report numbers are not entirely accurate due to resubmissions; however they do still represent a high degree of accuracy. The increasing popularity of registry sets makes such analysis important for current and future collectors. (All population data is current as of 2/2/07)

#10) 1908-S:

The 1908-S has the distinction of being the lowest mintage date (22,000) in the series (aside from the 1907 $20 High Relief) Since we are focusing on mint state examples today, some would be surprised to see this date in the top ten list, however with a certified PCGS population of 121 and an NGC population of 124 in all mint state grades I rank it number 10.

Most Uncirculated coins have soft satiny luster and an adequate strike. There are a small number of heavily abraded and unattractive lower grade mint state coins which came over from Europe in the last few years. None of those coins were above MS-63 in quality. This may be the reason that the CDN bid price has not adequately reflected this date’s value over the last 3 or 4 years. For example; 1908S has a current MS-63 CDN bid of $15,500. These have been trading at auction in the last year for between $19,578 and $21,850. The latter coin I purchased out of the ANR sale in Chicago, July of last year. Needless to say I resold the coin for a profit. The relative grey sheet value of the 1908S should therefore resemble the value of other key date Saints with equal rarity and population.

One date that comes to mind is the 1926-D. The combined certified population of both dates in MS-60-62 is 139(1908-S) and 123 for the 1926-D, roughly equal, yet the 26-D trades for over twice the price of the 08-S. Moreover in MS-63 the 1908-S has a certified population of only 31 while 1926-D has certified population of 50.

Once again, the current CDN bid for the 1926-D is $34,500, more than twice the 1908-S. It isn’t until MS-64 and above that the 1926-D establishes its higher rarity. One could therefore make the argument that the 1908-S is undervalued by today’s price levels. Still, the 1908S has appreciated in the last 10 years climbing from a Jan. 1997 MS-63 CDN bid of $7100 to today’s CDN bid of $15,500.

#9) 1926-D:

The 1926-D has always been considered rare. Most of the original mintage of 481,000 coins is thought to have been melted by the government back in the 1930’s. The only coins that survive today seem to be a few that made it over from Europe back in the 50’s and 60’s and some that were retained by collectors of the day. The PCGS population of 113 and NGC population of 90 in all mint state grades seem to bear this out. The 1926-D is extremely rare in grades above MS-63. When available, the 1926-D is usually well struck with good luster. CDN bid prices for MS-60-64 grades have more than doubled over the last 10 years

#8) 1927-S:

The 1927-S, even with its high mintage of 3,107,000 is another date that did not escape the government’s melting pot. Considered a great rarity even back in the 1940’s, on par with the fabled 1927-D, until a small group of coins were discovered in the 50’s and 60’s. Currently it is still a very rare date, with a PCGS population of 69 coins and an NGC population of 81 coins in all mint state grades. Most of the certified population is for grades below MS-64. When available, the strike can vary from full to being weakly struck in certain areas, however luster is usually good. CDN bid prices for MS-60-64 grades have more than doubled over the past 10 years. Even so, the 1927-S tends to trade for higher than CDN bid prices at public auction.

#7) 1931-D:

The 1931-D is part of what I call “the Fab 5” of dates in the $20 Saint-Gaudens series. The Fab 5 referring to the date run of Double Eagles from 1929-1932. These dates have been some of the most sought after and highest appreciating in the series. The original mintage of 106,500, while low, was not generally released into circulation and the majority of the coins were subsequently melted. The few that survive apparently came over from Europe as it seems that 31-D’s were struck primarily for export. As such, almost no circulated coins have been discovered to date (Certified PCGS and NGC population of only 3)

Total certified mint state population is 95 for PCGS and 50 for NGC. The vast majority of coins graded are in the MS-62-64 grades. When available, the strike and luster are usually strong but they are typically plagued by bagmarks. To illustrate the dramatic rise in value of this date, we go back to Jan. 1997 when MS-63 CDN bid was $16,000. As of January 2007, CDN bid is $75,000, an increase of nearly 370%! In MS-64 they have increased from a Jan. 1997 CDN bid of $21,000, to a current CDN bid of $90,000, nearly a 330% increase. The higher grades have fared nearly as well with MS-65’s increasing from a Jan. 1997 CDN bid of $50,000 to a current CDN bid of $103,000: up 106%. Recent auction results however show MS-65’s selling for $126,500. So in reality the increase has been on the order of 153%

#6) 1932:

The 1932 has the distinction of being the last “Fab 5” date in the run as well as being the last readily collectible Saint-Gaudens double eagle. The mintage figure of 1,101,750 is high; however like the rest of the 1929-32 date run, most were melted by the US government in the early 30’s. Since this date was never released into circulation, no circulated examples are known to exist and none have been graded by either PCGS or NGC to date. The current PCGS population in mint state is 57 and the NGC population is 71. The vast majority of coins graded are in the MS-64-65 range.

When seen, the 1932 is always well struck and lustrous. The 1932, like the rest of the “Fab 5” has appreciated tremendously over the last 10 years. In Jan. 1997 MS-63 CDN bid was $16,000. Current CDN bid is $60,000, an increase of 275%. In 1997 MS-64 CDN bid was $19,000. Current CDN bid is $75,000, an increase of 295%. Gem MS-65’s have also done well, appreciating from a Jan. 1997 CDN bid of $34,000 to a current CDN bid of $88,000, an increase of roughly 160%. However, current auction records show MS-65’s selling for $102,500-$103,500.

#5) 1931:

The 1931 is another date in the “Fab 5” run. Although the mintage of 2,938,250 is considerable, most coins never made it out of the government’s vaults and were subsequently melted. Just like the 1931-D almost no coins entered circulation. The combined PCGS and NGC population of circulated coins is only 2. The PCGS population in mint state is 74 and the NGC population is 40. The vast majority of coins graded are in the MS-63-65 range. The typical 1931 is of high quality with a very good strike and frosty luster. The 1931 is of slightly higher rarity than the 1931-D and 1932 overall, although in gem MS-65 condition both are rarer than the 1931.

In terms of appreciation over the past 10 years, the 1931-P has risen from a Jan. 1997 MS-63 CDN bid of $18,000, to a current CDN bid of $55,000, a 205% increase. In MS-64 they have increased from a Jan. 1997 CDN bid of $24,000, to a current CDN bid of $70,000; a 190% increase. Gem MS-65’s have appreciated from a Jan. 1997 CDN bid of $47,500 to an $85,000 CDN bid today, an increase of 79%. Although current CDN bid does not reflect this, I personally sold a MS-65 coin in the past year for $100,000 wholesale and have witnessed another trade for slightly more.

#4) 1920-S:

The 1920-S double eagle is a classic rarity. The original mintage of 558,000 coins was never widely circulated and it is apparent that most were melted by the government in the 30’s. No group or hoards have ever been discovered and this date does not appear in any groups of coins discovered in Europe. As such, it has been recognized as a rarity as far back as the 1930’s. The PCGS population in mint state is only 46 coins, the NGC population is 49. The vast majority of coins graded are in the MS-60-62 range.

When available, 1920-S is usually weakly struck with mediocre luster. It can be a challenge to find an attractive coin. This date has appreciated in value in all mint state grades over the past 10 years. In MS-63 quality, CDN bid has gone from a Jan. 1997 level of $35,500 to a current CDN bid of $71,000, an increase of roughly 100%. In MS-64, they have risen from a Jan. 1997 CDN bid of $55,000 to a current CDN bid of $135,000; a 145% increase. Gems trade very infrequently, however MS-65 CDN bid has risen from $75,000 to $150,000 in the last 10 years. It is likely that if an MS-65 did appear for sale that it would garner at least $200,000. The most recent MS-66 example sold was out of the Morse sale in November 2005 where it brought $517,500.

#3) 1921:

The 1921 is another classic rarity in the Saint Gaudens double eagle series. Few dates inspire such zeal in collectors. Most of the original mintage of 528,500 coins seems to have been largely melted, as evidenced by the small number of coins left surviving today. While it is probable that a small number of coins made it over to Europe, very few coins have appeared from that source to date. In terms of overall rarity, the 1921 is very similar to the 1930-S, except in grades above MS-63 where the 1921 is significantly rarer. In fact, one could argue that the 1921 is the hardest date to obtain in gem condition in the entire Saint-Gaudens double eagle series.

In Uncirculated grades, the PCGS population is 46 while the NGC population is 45. The vast majority of coins graded are in the MS-60-62 range. When found, 1921’s typically have an average strike with soft satiny luster. This date has done exceptionally well over the last 10 years with MS-60 graded coins rising in value from a Jan. 1997 price of $25,000 to today’s price of $85,000, a 240% increase. Similar results have occurred for MS-62 grade which have climbed from $45,000 back in 1997 to a CDN bid of $145,000 today. This represents a 222% increase. In MS-63 condition, CDN bid has risen from $51,000 in Jan. 1997, to today’s CDN bid of $200,000, a 292% increase. On that note, an MS-63 recently traded in the October 2006 Heritage sale for $218,500. This represents an increase of roughly 330% over 1997’s levels.

#2) 1930-S:

The 1930-S stands out as an important rarity. The original mintage of 74,000 coins was never released into circulation and was then sub sequentially melted. It is therefore likely that the only surviving coins were obtained directly from the mint in 1930. The 1930-S is one of the greatest rarities in the Saint-Gaudens series with fewer coins surviving in all grades than any other date aside from the famous 1927-D. While none were released in circulation, PCGS and NGC show a combined 2 coins graded in AU-58 condition. The remainder of the mint state population shows 38 coins graded by PCGS and 15 coins graded by NGC.

The majority of the coins graded are in MS-63-64 condition. When encountered, the 1930-S usually shows an adequate strike and soft luster, although bagmarks tend to be prevalent. As with the other dates on this list, the 1930-S has appreciated substantially in the last 10 years with MS-63 examples rising from a Jan.1997 CDN bid of $28,000 to $94,500 presently. This is an increase of roughly 240%. It is a similar result for the MS-64 grade which has risen from a 1997 CDN bid of $32,000 to the current CDN bid of $130,000. This represents an increase of 306%. Gem MS-65’s have shown similar appreciation.

#1) 1927-D:

This is it, the king of series as well as being the rarest 20th century US gold coin struck. Although pages could be written about this date, I will try to give you an abridged version. Out of the original mintage of 180,000, only 10-12 coins survive, with the rest being melted by the US mint. Current population data by both grading services support this as there are only 7 coins graded by PCGS and 5 by NGC. When seen, the 1927-D is well struck with excellent luster. In fact, only 2 of the coins graded are below MS-65 quality.

Out of the 10-12 coins estimated to survive, 3 are in the Smithsonian. This leaves at best 9 coins that can obtained by registry collectors. Prices for the 1927-D Saint-Gaudens have skyrocketed in the last 10 years with nearly any example bringing over $1,000,000 dollars. In Jan. 1997 CDN bid for MS-65 grade was $375,000. Current CDN bid is now 1.5M. The finest example graded is the Morse coin (PCGS MS-67) which sold for 1.89M, back in November 2005.