Rare Coin Valuation and Price Guides

Coin Price Guides are useful among collectors. In brief, coins are tiny disk shaped metal pieces of currency. Coins come in various categories that are valued as per their face value, currency coins come with an amount printed on them and the printed amount is the price of the coin. Rare and Historical coins are those that were made centuries before us, these rare coins are very significant in finding out historical information about our ancestors. Historical coins can fetch a very high price in the market; the pricing of the coin is also based on the significance, quality, condition, uniqueness and beauty of the coin. Gold coins or Silver Coins are mostly bought as an investment; the price of these coins usually depends on the market price. Due to fluctuations in the economy there are no set price guides therefore the price of Gold and silver coins also fluctuates. Coin Pricing is based on certain criteria's- * The coin must be made of a valuable metal; and the pricing of this coin will be close to the market price of the metal. * Coin should be of standardized weight and purity. * The marking on the coin has to be genuine and marked only by an authorized authority. * Pricing of the coin also depends on the date printed on the coin, as well as its historical significance. From time to time coin collectors come across coins that are very difficult to analyze a price, for instance a coin collector may own a very unique coin that cannot be priced due to its unclear marking or worsened condition, on such occasions the pricing of the coin is based on the demand of the coin or how many coin collectors are interested in the piece. Sometimes a very unique coin will not be as well priced, as a coin that is relatively plentiful in nature and this is simply because the more common coin is in higher demand by the coin collectors. For example there are only 30,000 dimes of the 17th century, where as there are nearly 4,000,000 20th century dimes, yet the 20th century dimes are sold at a higher price than the 17th century dimes, and this is only because the 20th century dimes are more popular among coin collectors. Generally coin prices keep varying, the general rule in the coin price guide is the rarer the coin the higher the coin value, still there are some exceptions as in this case; a 1913 marked Liberty head Nickel was sold for $1,000,000 as there are only 5 pieces of such coins, where as 1000 year old Chinese coins were sold for not more than $100-$200 as there were a number of these coins available. Coin grade also influences the coin price guide, coin grade depends on the condition, the better the condition the higher the grade will be and the higher price the coin will fetch. However you should bear in mind that the monetary valuation of a coin is not everything, even if one coin does not have a high market value it does not loose its significance as it can still be very much a part of your collection. If you are interested in pricing, you can get Coin Price Guides that come in print (soft cover and hardcover) and they are also available online in digital format.

What Affects the Value of a Coin ?

When just beginning in coin collecting, often the first question is: “What is the value of my coins?: and the answer is that the coin will cost as much as you are willing to pay for it and the amount can vary greatly. For example, a coin dealer’s offer can be considerably less than a coin collector that really wants your coin badly to add in his or her collection.

Here are some factors that go into finding the true value of a coin.

1. Grade or condition of the coin. Your coin will be worth or valued more when it is in good condition. When in a perfect or unblemished mint condition, an “uncirculated” coin will be worth many times more than a similar coin that has been in circulation.

2. The rarity of a coin is the principal basis for a coins value. Generally, the rarer that a coin is found to be, the higher it is priced. Do keep in mind that rarity has very little influence on the coins age. Chinese coins are a thousand years old normally sell for about ten dollars since there are so many of them; while a “1913 Liberty Head Nickel” can sell for up to or over a million dollars because only five specimens are known to be in existence.

3. What is the Demand? There are coins that are greatly in demand; sought after by many collectors, and if that a particular coin is in great demand the price will be even higher. Even comparatively plentiful coins can mandate higher value when they are popular with coin collectors.

4. Coin Bullion value. A coin's precious metal content can help determine its value. A platinum, gold or silver coin will not, in general sell for less than the coins value when melted.

For example, “1916 D dimes” are much more common than the “1798 dimes” yet in spite of this, “1916 D dimes” sell for so much more because there are many more individuals collecting 20th century dimes than 1700 dimes.

Here’s how you can determine the approximate value of your coin:

1. Properly, accurately, and correctly recognize and classify your coin, and know the to place value on that coin. You can do this successfully by examining your coin in a catalogue or online with the “coin price guide”; this will give you an idea of the going rate and price of your particular coin and you can determine the approximate value of your coin.

Everyday coin values are changing; so you need to use a “coin price guide” that is updated on a daily basis to obtain the current coin value. Look at online sites that offer step by step guidance on how to recognize your coin the proper way.

2. Grade your coin based on your thorough observation and examination of its current condition.

3. Consult coin catalogues for a list of retail prices in or estimates of your coins retail value. “A Guide Book of United States Coins”, popularly known as "The Red Book" to coin dealers and collectors, provides information on retail coin prices for US coins and is available in libraries, coin shops and bookstores. “The Standard Catalog of World Coins” (in volumes) is a guide commonly used by coin dealers and collectors as well, to provide information on world coins and is available in many public libraries.

You can also check current coin prices by basing it on the actual dealer coin price found in magazines and newspapers or online auctions such as Yahoo, Coin World, eBay or Teletrade.

Always keep in mind that you are not collecting coins primarily for money; you collect for enjoyment and self gratification, and profit is to be last consideration. The plain fact that a certain coin does not have a large monetary value, does not necessarily suggest that it is no longer interesting or fascinating or that it must not be included in your collection.

Each coin will have a certain interest in itself, regardless of the condition that it is in and regardless of its monetary value. There will always be a certain characteristic that will draw you to that particular coin; so when it does, then you should have it in your collection. Good luck!

Grading Coins In Coin Collecting - The 6 Types Of Coins To Know About

The quantity of the coins you hold does not judge your ability in coin collection. One other important thing that you have to keep in mind is the quality. The coins are graded on a scale of 0 - 70, which was introduced by Doctor William Shelby, and this process was called "Penny Whimsy".

Following are the methods in which the coins are graded:

1. Mint State Coins

These types of coins almost have a value of about 60 - 70 on the scale. This kind of coin has no flaws, whatsoever. Many coins that belong to this category are shiny, new, unworn, and uncirculated.

2. Almost Uncirculated Coins

"Almost Uncirculated" coins are rated 50 - 58 on Doctor Shelby's scale.

The coin collectors must always know the various locations of high points in this type of coin. The best way to check this coin is to see the difference in the light reflection in the various high points. This is the specialty of the "Almost Uncirculated" coin, and this is how it differs from mint state coins.

3. Fine Coins

These kinds of coins are further classified as:

(i) Extremely Fine Coins which range from 40 - 45. Mint luster will be present in this coin.
(ii) Very Fine Coins which range from 20 - 30 or even 35. These are the coins that could have been in use for around 1- 3 years, and the minor details might not be present anymore.
(iii) Fine Coins range from 10 - 20, depending on the closeness of the details in the coin. These coins generally are worn out, yet have their design.

4. Good Coins

These coins are of three types, "Very Good Coins, and "Good Coins" and "Almost Good Coins".

Most of the intricate details would have disappeared by now. But, the weak designs will still remain, and they can be observed. Otherwise, the high points in the coin are smooth.

Generally, the "Very Good Coins" get to have the full rims, and the mint mark, along with the date will be visible in case of "Good Coins". "Almost Good Coins are worn out!

5. Fair Coins

These kinds of coins are totally worn out, but they can be identified with what remains. As long as it is identifiable, it is good!

6. Basal Coins

These kinds of coins can be identified as coins, but then, what kind of coin it is, is hard to say.

These are the classifications in which the coins can be graded. Always remember that the grading knowledge of coins will give you an edge in your coin collecting spree.

Coin Collecting Software - Can Make Things Far Easier!

There are many people who enjoy the activity of coin collecting for their own personal fulfillment. Such people enjoy collecting coins as a hobby. Apart from being hobbyists, many people collect coins as an investment. These people invest their money in different coins of high value in the hope that one day these coins will turn in a profit for them.

Irrespective of the reasons coin collectors collect coins, this activity is a time consuming and endless process. There are literally million coins in circulation and different coin collectors consider collecting these. For instance, there are international coins, Statehood Quarters, limited edition coins and rare coins that are yet to be collected because they are still in circulation among consumers. Although a coin collector can collect just about any coin, most investors and hobbyists prefer to collect valuable coins.

But, as stated previously, finding these kinds of limited edition, rare and other such valuable coins takes a long time and needs a lot of patience and perseverance. Purchasing is the first factor that needs to be considered. There are a number of coin collectors who miss out on various options available to them while looking to increase their valuable coin collection. If you want to add valuable coins to your coin collection, the best way would be to meet professional coin dealers. There is also the option of using the internet and going to online auction websites.

Although it is ideal to seek help from online auction websites, coin dealers and the internet in order to increase one’s valuable coin collection, many people are not sure on how to select. The coin collecting software plays an important role here. There are many different formats in which coin collecting softwares come, but all coin collecting programs have a common goal; to make it easy for all hobbyists and professional coin collectors to collect coins.

One of the most frequently asked questions regarding coin collecting software involves the price. There are many softwares that are free and these are usually sought after. Although free coin collecting programs are available for downloading, these softwares are usually limited. There are many free softwar programs that provide the user with a list of coins that any enthusiastic coin collector will want to examine. Usually, these software programs give the user the option of checking out coins once acquired and added to the collection. From these points of view, free coin collecting software may seem ideal for organizations, but it is always a good idea to spend a little money, perhaps around $100, and purchase a professional program.

Coin collecting software, as stated previously, varies, but there are a number of professional coin collectors and hobbyists who prefer to pay for the software programs they use. These professional software programs, apart from outlining the worthiness of a coin, will also allow you to check off the coins that are in your collection. All values are kept current by regularly updating using the option of automatic updates like yearly updates.

As discussed earlier, all coin collecting software and in particular the paid ones benefit professional coin collectors and coin hobbyists. Even if you are not certain about using a software program to help you collect coins, it is always worth the shot to see what it is about. A few minutes online should do the trick as any ardent coin collector will not fail to see the many benefits of using a software for collecting coins.

Russian Coins Phenomenon

Reading latest news you could see titles like “Sale of Russian Ruble Paves the Way in Goldberg Coins Pre Long Beach Auction”, “Russian Ruble (1714/3 PCGS EF-45) fetching $46,800” and going through Russian Coin forums, you will see topics, such as “Russian Coins Prices are MAD” and “This hobby is becoming too expensive”.

Russian Coin market has exploded this year! The prices for most quality Imperial Russian Coins (pre 1917) has grown 100% and keep going up. Coin Dealers are confused and if you call most of them you will hear the same answer: “We don’t have any Russian Coins in the inventory right now. Russian Coin Market is hot.” So, who is buying Russian Coins and how it can be possible for the coins prices to grow 100% in just 1 year?

We believe, to understand what happened you will need to go back in the history. Russia went through very difficult times in 20th century; people struggled to feed their families and had little interest in expensive hobbies, such as collecting coins. A lot of silver and gold coins were melted down or converted to jewelry. We know how many Russians coins were minted, but no one knows how many coins survived through all these years of weak economy. Even now all Imperial Russian Coins can not be exported from Russia, so there circulation of such coins outside of Russia is limited to Russian coins smuggled illegally or Russian coins kept by generations of Russian immigrants.

You could see that demand for Russian coins started to grow 5 years ago when Russian economy just started to recover. It’s easy to conclude that the recent growth in Russian coin prices is related to booming Russian economy. In fact, if you compare results of coin auctions in Russia with Russian coin auctions outside of Russia, prices for the same Russian coins outside of Russia are 10-30% below than inside of Russia! The demand is coming from Russia itself where more and more people find investing in coins to be very rewarding. Russian coins on European and North American auctions are bought through proxies and coming back to Russia and western Russian coins inventories, which were not very good from the beginning are depleting. There is a huge demand, which drives the prices up and with quality Russian coins going to private collectors and investors you can find that some rare coins sold in the auction in January are selling for twice as much in June. This is unbelievable 100% Return on Investment in 5 months!!! And, people were saying stock market brings highest returns. The one million dollar question is for how long the prices for Russian Coins can growth and would this market overheat and crash one day.

We know that every market has its ups and downs and 100% growth is not sustainable in the long term. From the other hand, if we compare coin prices for British and American coins to Russian coins, we can still see that rare Russian coins are still selling for much less than British or American coins of such rarity. For the largest country in the world with, such an interesting history, Russian coin market is still in the developing stages and we believe it will be booming while Russian economy is doing well and a lot of experts suggest that Russia might finally have a bright future.

If you are interested in taking a part of this rally and have little or no knowledge on Russian coins, following are some suggestions, which you will need to consider. As in any growing market there are people, who are trying to exploit and profit from it in a fast way. There are more and more fakes of Russian coins, which are coming to the market, which are worthless, but can be sold to inexperienced collectors or investors for thousands of dollars. People looking for bargains are ending up buying these fakes without realizing that they were cheated. Our advise it to stick to the coin dealers, who specialize in Russian coins, there are still some, such as www.MyCoinDealer.com, which have quality Russian coins in the inventory. Avoid auction sites, such as Ebay, where (don’t be surprised) a lot of Russian coins sold as original will end up to be copies! Buy coins certified by NGC, ANACS or PCGS. Apart from certifying that coin is genuine, certified Russian coins are graded according world standards. When you buy “raw” (uncertified) Russian coins, which is a high possibility they are overgraded or can end up to be cleaned or worse - fakes. You pay a premium on certified coins, but it’s worth it. The fact is that even experts can’t tell if the coin is fake by looking at the picture and without certified agencies, coin market would be doomed. Try to do some research to learn about coin grades, clean coins, coin toning and coin varieties, we suggest you to visit http://www.mycoincollecting.com/ to read more information on these topics. For example, Liberty Gold Dollar of 1879 would cost you around $350 in (AU) About Uncirculated grade and $7000 in Uncirculated MS-67 grade and if you haven’t seen a lot of these coins you won’t even tell the difference between the 2. Our advice, that you should buy VF-30 – XF-45 1700-1810 Russian coins and AU or MS-65 1810-1917 Russian coins. These experienced the highest market value growth in the recent years and we believe will keep going up. Russian Gold Coins and Platinum Russian Coins were appreciating fast because of the recent growth in Gold prices, so if you believe the price for gold is going up and can afford such coins, you might find to look at Russian Gold Coins a bit closely.

To summarize, Russian Coin market is still maturing and although 100% increase in price in 1 year seems crazy, it can be explained that Russian coins were overlooked in the past and were very cheap before and just start to get appreciation and demand they deserve in the recent years.

The History of Gold Coins Issued by Usa

The first gold coins in the United States were issued back in 1795. The Unites States Mint set the value of the U.S. Dollar at 24 grains of gold. The value was based in accordance with the world price on the precious metal, which at that time was $19.39 per troy ounce.

The U.S. gold coins started to be issued in seven different mints around the country as the Western Frontier of the Unites States began its expansion. The mints were set from Philadelphia to San Francisco. The sizes of coins varied from one dollar gold piece to fifty dollar denomination. It is worth mentioning that at that time the U.S. mints issued coins that were worth their weight in gold.

In 1834 and 1837 U.S. Congress modified the gold specifications by setting the price of gold at a mark of $20.67 per ounce. When the Great Depression occurred in 1933, President Roosevelt made gold an illegal asset for the citizens of the United States. During this period, by Roosevelt's order, all gold coins were returned to U.S. Treasury and the melted into gold bars. After that the value of the U.S. dollar coin was set to $35 per ounce. The global outcome was to decrease by 40 percent the buying power of the dollar

When millions of gold coins were melted into gold bars, they became very rare and thus highly sought by various collectors. According to money experts only about one percent of gold coins can be found today. Each gold coin that survived till nowadays is highly valued by collectors and investors.

Every gold coins minted in the United States before 1933, is valued on individual basis according to its date, rarity, appeal among various collectors and its grade.


What is Rare Coin Grading Worth?

Coins that fall under the category "rare" are graded on ANA (American Numismatic Association). The scale ranges from 1 to 70. Coins are certified authentic and then PCGS or NGC, two leaders in providing coin grading services. For example a gold coin graded 1 has a slightly visible date, very wear and its value is a little above its weight in gold or precious metals. Obviously the better the coin is preserved the more a collector or investorinvestor in willing to pay for it.


Double Eagles

1933_double_eagle_gold_coin_reverseVery often a collector starts his Gold Coin Collection of U.S. coins minted before 1933 with a $20 Double Eagle. Note that from 1849 to 1907 U.S. Mist issued the Liberty series. The Mint then changed the design of the Double Eagle into Saint-Gaudens. The latter were minted in the period between 1907 and 1933.

Starting a collection of Pre- 1933 U.S. gold coins is advantageous for several reasons:

"Pure Gold Content" - this means that each coin includes almost 1 troy ounce of gold.

"A Double Profit Opportunity" The gold market is continuously changing and $20 Double Eagle gold coins already have a history showing the continuously rising value, which goes 2 to 3 times higher in value if compared to the gold bullion alone.


The 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle Coin

One of the most valuable, if not the most valuable, coin is considered to be the 1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle1933 Saint-Gaudens Gold Double Eagle. It actually was never officially issued. Still it appeared from 1907 until 1932. Although in 1933 there were 445,500 Double Eagle minted, none were released into circulation because of the changes made in currency laws during the Great Depression.

The result of the Great Depression was that president Franklin Roosevelt took America off the gold standard. The gold coins were drawn out of circulation and afterwards were not issued anymore. Besides, people had to return the ones they had

Later, in 1933, the Double Eagle coins were declared illegal. It was prohibited to own any of the gold coins, unless they had a collectible value.

The same year Gold Double Eagle coinsGold Double Eagle coins were ordered to be melted by the U.S. Mint. By 1937 billions of gold bars were made out of these unique coins.

A few coins have escaped from being melted down. In1933 two of them were given by the Mint to the U.S. National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institute. These two Gold Double Eagle coins were known as the only legal specimens to ever become part of a coin collection. Still by 1952, eight additional coins were discovered. These were confiscated by the Secret Service.

Today 19 of the some of most valuable 1933 Gold Double Eagle coins are owned by a Philadelphian jeweler, Israel Switt.

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.