Monday, March 23, 2009

Ten Dollar Gold Eagle Coin - Diversify With The Gold Eagle

Is the Ten Dollar Gold Eagle Coin part of your gold portfolio? With the current decline in stocks, bonds, and other investments, now is a great time to consider investing in this magnificient piece. While the dollar has lost value in recent years, gold has increased in price and value. This is just one very important reason why you should think about making this gold coin a part of your bullion portfolio. Adding gold and silver coins to your collection is a safe-haven investment. Gold doesn't corrode, rust, tarnish or dull with age. In fact, it is one purchase you can make that is certain to make you more financially secure in the future. Recently, there has been an unprecedented demand for gold and silver in the United States. There are few investments these days that are virtually risk free, but collecting gold coins is an exception. Putting together a coin portfolio is one of the safest and most risk free ways you can invest your savings. Of course, the value of your gold coins depend on the uniqueness and rarity of your pieces. If you are a collector you probably know that in 1933 gold coins ceased to be minted as an attempt to improve the economy during the depression. Most coins were melted, which is the reason for the scarcity and rarity of some of these coins. Why should you include the ten dollar gold eagle coin? It has maintained its worth over a long period of time, and will continue to appreciate in value. Over time, you will accrue a very valuable portfolio by adding unique and rare coins to your collection. You can actually secure your future by having a good collection of gold and silver coins. Usually, the value will only increase, and your portfolio can be sold at a huge profit. This is the perfect way to insure that you will have a happy, financially stress-free retirement. Gold is extremely stable in value, and since gold coins are no longer produced it makes sense to secure your pieces as soon as possible. This lets you avoid either paying too high of a price later on, or not being able to get your hands on one at all. No portfolio is truly complete without the ten dollar gold eagle coin - add this must have to your collection!
Source: articlealley.com

Saturday, March 21, 2009

President On The Dime

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the president on the dime. The obverse side which shows the bust of Roosevelt, also has the legend "Liberty" along the rim, and the motto "In God We Trust". The date of issue is also found on the obverse of the dime with a corresponding mint mark located above the date. The reverse design is a flaming torch and two different branches of leaves, olive leaves to the left and oak leaves to the right. It also includes "United States of America" is above the torch , "One Dime" is written below the torch, and the motto "E Pluribus Unum" is written sort of in the background of the dime just below and behind the torch.. This design was first introduced in 1946 and is still in use today.
Who was Franklin D. Roosevelt?

Franklin D. Roosevelt, who is the featured president on the dime, was 42nd President of the United States (32nd under the 1787 Constitution). He was born on January 30, 1882 on his parents property of Hyde Park, in New York. He was elected to an unprecedented four terms, 1933 - 1941, and died in office. He remains the only U.S. president elected more than twice. And in fact, an amendment to the the US Constitution (22nd Amendment) only allowed presidents to serve 2 terms, due to his 4 terms of office. Since 1946, Roosevelt's portrait has appeared on the obverse of the U.S. dime. This honor was bestowed upon him for his many achievements, but the dime was a symbolic reference to the March of Dimes, an effort of find a cure for polio, which Roosevelt founded in 1938.

Roosevelt, the president on the dime, has had a bit of competition with a new act to replace the long lasting reign of Roosevelt's bust on the the front on the dime with a new bust of Ronald Reagan. Of course, the March of Dimes has greatly opposed this Act, along with Nancy Reagan, to allow Roosevelt's bust to remain on the obverse of the dime, to keep the honor of FDR in lasting memory for his work with the March of Dimes. I guess we will see who becomes the new president on the dime. Hopefully, FDR will remain on the face of the dime, and the US Government can find another respectful way to honor Ronald Reagan.
Source: thecoinalley.com

Coin Collecting is a Fun Hobby

Coin collecting is a fun hobby to start and the thrill of hunting for old coins is enough for many people to continue doing it. Other people consider coin collecting an investment, something they can receive a profit from. If you are one of those people, then you can find several types of coins in this article that will help you determine what others are looking for.

Most coin collectors will look for only a specific kind of coin that will make their collection more valuable and interesting to buyers. Others are collecting for sentimentality and are looking more at the coin’s uniqueness.

Series collectors are those looking for a series of coins that mark every year and every design change made in that coin.

Type collectors are those people who are looking to get one of each coin where there were/are changes made.

Ancient coin collectors are those people looking for coins spanning the years 650 BC – 450 AD. This is the time when coins were invented and there were silver, gold and bronze versions made. It also marks the time when Roman emperors were the rulers and most of them feature famous Roman emperors, Roman towns, or gods.

Token collectors are those who are looking for different kinds of tokens that were used in exchange for real money when there was a lack of coins. These tokens were used as local currency even if the government had not given permission for them to be used.

Coins are also graded. A coin’s grading depends on its condition and the price of the coin will rely heavily on that grade. It is important for a coin collector to know how to grade a coin to make sure that he is not swindled by individuals looking for a quick profit.

“Uncirculated” coins are those coins that are not showing any wear and tear or to referred to as “in mint condition”. A mint state (MS) grading depends on a coin’s luster, contact marks, hair lines and overall appeal. A coin can have a grade ranging from MS-60 (dull luster) to a flawless MS-70. Although MS-70 is considered unobtainable, a grade of MS-65 and higher will make a coin’s price shoot up.

Circulated coins are more forgiving, they do not take into consideration the amount of scratches and dirt a coin has gathered along the years. Grades for circulated coins will vary. AU (about “uncirculated”), EF (extremely fine), VF (very fine), F (fine), VG (very good), G (good), AG (about good), F-2 (fair) and P (poor) are used as indication of how much a coin is worth.

These grades are dependent on a circulated coin’s luster, visible wear, design elements and visibility of letters and numerals. Unlike “uncirculated” coin’s grades, these grades do not dramatically lower a coin’s value. This is wonderful for people who are looking just to complete a collection and do not care about a coin’s mint condition.

Pricing of a coin will usually be determined by a coin’s supply and demand. Very low supply and very high demand will make a coin’s price higher; however, high supplies of the coins will depreciate a coin’s value.

Demand is usually established by coin dealers where they take into consideration the number of people wanting to buy or sell the coins. Once a coin becomes difficult to find, coin dealers will usually make its price higher so that people are inclined to sell extra copies of their coins.

Grading and pricing a coin usually takes a lot of experience to master. Although there are several tips and guidelines to look for in grading a coin, only professional dealers have the final say on how much a coin is worth. It does not hurt to know this grading is done and why your coin was graded differently from what you thought.

Coin collecting is not really about investment, it should be a fun and thrilling hobby. While the overall goal of a coin collector is to complete a set of coins, learning what to look for in a coin is important to make sure that no one can take advantage of your need to complete a particular set.
Source: articlesbase.com

What are Factors That Affect the Value of Coins

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

The following are factors that can influence 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. Bullion value. A coin's precious metal content can determine its value. A platinum, silver or gold coin will not, in general sell for less than the coins value when melted.

4. 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.

For instance, “1916 D dimes” are much more abundant 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. Have fun!
Source: articlesbase.com

The Perfect Time to Sell Coins

When is the perfect time to sell coins? This may be a dumb question if asked of a coin collector however timing really does make a difference. There are times when a collector wakes up in the morning and suddenly makes a decision to sell his precious collection of coins. There are also times that a collector needs to give up his coin collections due for personal reasons and the idea of selling his precious coins may be the most difficult part. No matter what the reasons are, it is a fact that this does occur in the life of a coin collector.

There are many reasons why coin collectors sell their coins - there are coin collectors who are dealers at as well. Selling coins is their option and they may use it to generate income so that they can acquire other coins that they like.

Some collectors travel in search of a coin they want and during that travel, they may encounter coins that may not be qualified for their own collection but they buy them anyway. Upon returning home, they sell the coins they have purchased and make use of the money to buy the coins they are looking for.

There are also coin collectors who gather coins not just as their hobbies; these coin collectors use the coins as their source of income. They make a living from selling the coins that they collect. Sometimes they sell the coins to other collectors and price them higher than the usual price of the coins and this is appropriate if the collector owns limited edition or rare coins.

On the other hand, some collectors sell their coins because of other factors. They may sell coins because of personal reasons. Collectors sometimes decide to “give away” their collection because they no longer have any option but sell their coins. This is the most difficult situation for coin collectors as they often value their coins and as much as possible would not want to give them away - the coins may be memorabilia or may have sentimental value to the collector.

Once a collector has decided to sell his coins, he must consider if it is really the right time to sell the coins. Is the collector ready to give away his coins? Is the coin at higher price now? Will it do well and will he benefit from selling his coins? These factors should always be considered.

There are other options available to determine where a coin collector could sell his coins. He may want to sell the coins at auctions. Many people now prefer the option of putting their belongings up for auction and this is not limited to coin collections.

There is also a higher chance of having the coin sold at a higher price since auctions include bidding processes. Buyers may bid for a higher price especially if the coin being sold is of rare quality and has a higher value.

A collector may also want to put up a website to advertise the coins that he would like to sell. The Internet is the easiest way for collectors to search for coins. In addition, putting the coin on the Internet will make the selling an easier task. The collector may put up his own website and place the pictures of his coins and some brief descriptions on it. He should also note how much he is willing sell them for.

There are other options too: the seller may want to do a dealer-to-dealer negotiation. He can go directly to coin dealers and sell his coins. The dealers then can sell the coins that they purchased to other dealers.

It is important to compare prices between one dealer and another as there is always a chance that one dealer may buy the coins at a higher price than other dealer. It is wise to shop for dealers and then decide which you one you want to deal with.

It is also recommended that collectors who decide to sell their coins use a coin grading service. It is very important so that the seller not end up a loser when he sells his coins. By using a grading service, the seller will be able to set a price that is based on the assessment made by the grading service who will determine the actual value of the coins.

Most importantly, coin collector should not clean their coins once they have decided to sell them. If they do, the value of the coins will depreciate.
Source: articlesbase.com

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Coins Minted In Gold, Silver And Platinum As Investments In Metal

Coin collecting goes back over many centuries. It is man's inborn nature to collect something. And coins are one of the most popular collectable objects. The collection of coins, whether by professionals or amateurs, is called Numismatics. This article is a list with the most popular coins made from precious metals. People always collect coins, especially ones which are minted from precious metals like gold, silver and in later years from platinum. The early technology of coin-making was very primitive for many centuries. And many sorts of coins had very varied shapes.

It is well known that the first coins were minted in Lydia (this kingdom was placed in the south western part of modern day Turkey) in about 560 BC. And those coins were made of gold. The first silver coins were coined in Greece, in the state city of Argos in about 700 BC.

The first platinum coins were coined in Russia in 1828. There were 3, 6, and 12 ruble coins. The minting of Russian platinum coins was stopped in 1844. Platinum coins were never used as widely as gold coins and silver ones. Some other countries minted coins made from platinum, but they were commemorative coins for collectors, not intended for daily use.

Every country has minted gold and/or silver coins. There was a long period when people used gold and silver coins as an instrument of payment in their daily lives. But from 1933 year making gold coins was almost stopped for daily use in all countries of the world. Many countries still mint coins from precious metals, but their minting is for commemorative coins that are not made for daily shopping, such as in supermarkets. This is because the precious metals scrap price of the precious metal present in most of these coins now is higher than their face value as legal tender coins. Precious metal refiners such as http://www.goldscrap.co.uk/ will accept all types of Gold, Silver and Platinum bullion coins and scrap metals, paying the highest rates for your investment bullion and coins.

There are almost as many reasons for collecting coins as there are people collecting them. First of all, gold, platinum, silver and other precious metals has always been one of the best ways for keeping and increasing your savings. This means gold, platinum and silver coin collections are a good idea for your investments. Really, sometimes your coin investments can increase in value from 25% to 100% per year. What Bank can offer you so large a yearly income? Of course, you are unable to get any cash until you sell your coins. Investment in gold coins, platinum coins and silver coins is not generally subject to reducing prices. Make sure, you chose a coin dealer that has a good reputation before you start to invest your money in any coins. Conduct research on how long a dealer has been in this business. Never purchase coins from an unknown dealer, if you cannot check his/her business reputation. Because there are a lot of swindlers trying to sell fake coins these days. So, be careful every time when you buy coins from new sellers.

Three main factors determine the value of coins - condition, rarity and age. The value of commemorative gold, silver and platinum coins is always more than their face value. And prices are growing quickly on many commemorative coins and coins bearing certain dates. In some cases, the price can increase by up to 200% in just one year! Also it is a very interesting hobby to collect coins. Every coin is a piece of the human history, and you can touch this history your own hand.
Source: ezinearticles.com

Why Coin Collecting is Very Interesting as a Hobby

Coin Collecting is fun for all ages. In a nutshell, a coin is a disc shaped piece of hard metal, issued by the governing bodies as a form of money transaction. Coins have been an integral part of money transacton for centuries now .In ancient times coins of all kinds were used as the primary form of currency. Coins such as Gold coins Silver coins even Platinum coins have been a very played a very prominent part in money transactions during medieval period.

As a collectors piece, coins are assessed of their value by their rarity their historical significance their condition and their demand with collectors.Coins Collecting is a very interesting hobby ,some collect coins as a hobby and some for business interests .Some collect coins for their genuine keenness to own a rare piece and some collect coins as a form of investment or for business purposes.

Collecting coins is a form of accumulating or say dealing of coins .Coins which are most recurrently collected are rare pieces which were in circulation for a very brief period before they disappeared,or coins which were minted with some kind of error ,collecting coins can also be collecting of very rare magnificent coins which date back to centuries and hold high value historically.

Collecting of coins has been a hobby for many centuries, then hobby of Kings and Aristocrats, collecting coins then was merely by choice and curiosity for rare art. Modern coin collecting began somewhere in the 14th century , the beginner being Poet Petrarch an Italian scholar is believed to own some of the finest coins ever found in history.

In Aug 1962 the first time ever international convention of coin collection was organized by the American Numismatic Association and the Canadian Numismatic Association. Collecting of coins usually begins by collecting and saving coins which you have received in circulation, but saved the coin as its unusual appearance caught your interest.

Coin collection can begin as a memory of an international trip , or by chance you receiving a very old coin in circulation. His occasional hobby of coin collecting can lead to becoming a very expensive hobby too, as sometimes rare beautiful pieces which catch you interest ca be priced at a very high value. On the contrary this hobby of coin collection can also in the bargain get you rich rewards in exchange for a historical coin which you managed to get your hands on.
People like Louis Eliasberg is a well known collector who is the only man who managed to collect a complete set of well know United States coins.

In Coin Collection the condition, the rarity of the coin is vital to place a value on it.
Coin collecting can become a very aggressive activity, as coin collectors keep thriving for collecting some of the most rare most unique and historical coin .Coin collecting can be of various kinds some are interested in collecting coins belonging to a particular nation ,some like collecting coins of various nations ,some are interested in coins only with historical significance where as there are collectors whose interest lie o error coins too.

While coin collecting as a hobby ca be very interesting, those who collect coins for business purposes have to have well enough knowledge in this field.
Coin Collecting - give it a try!
Source: coin-articles.com

How Coin Dealers Survive in These Competitive Field

Coin Dealers are people, too. YOu see, coins are a very vital mode of money transaction, since centuries our ancestors our forefathers grandfathers and even our children tomorrow will use coins for their daily circulation. Today banks have evolved the use of bank notes ,still for smaller denominations coins are used and will be used forever as a means of currency.

Coin collectors are those people who have a passion for coins ,coin collection may be for hobby as well as professional purposes. People who collect coins only as a hobby are known as coin collectors.

Coin Dealers are those coin collectors who collect coins for the purpose of trade, coin dealers are traders and dealers of coins who buy and sell coin for profitable purpose.
They buy and sell coins, on profit basis.

Coin dealers are different from coin collectors. Coin collection has been known as the hobby of the rich and famous .Coin collection is a very expensive hobby and further this small time hobby can further generate to become a full time profession.

A coin dealers work is very competitive activity, it's a full time profession where one has to be well skilled and experienced in identifying coins and grading them.

A common reason for dealing in coins is larger gains in shorter times. Coin dealers are quiet like investors as well as collectors, in a way they too collect coins. The only difference is they are not one specimen or hobby collectors or investors who would buy only valuable coins for investment. Coin Dealers would buy every coin they can lay their hands on, the only aspect they look out for is a good deal.

Coin prices depends a lot o the demand of a particular specimen ,in this aspect coin dealers are the one who create the demand for particular specimens. For example the demand for 18th and 19th century coins is always high and a coin dealers would easily be ably to make a profit on these specimens of coins.

Coin dealers are always on a look out for ancient rare coins ,in this case they can anticipate higher profits, coins from medieval times like the Roman , Greek Indian Parthian Ostrogothic coins are quiet popular with coin dealers. The most poplar of the lot are the Israelite coins these coins have originated from Israel and are very quiet popular with coin dealers. The most poplar of the lot are the Israelite coins these coins have originated from Israel and are very profitable for a coin dealer.

Coins are often a reflection of their times, as well as historical events that took place during that time, such historically significant coins fetch a very high price and are very popular among coin dealers.

While coin collecting is a hobby coin dealers are a full time profession, and any person entering this field professionally have to be well experienced and skilled. Grading is a very import and S factor while dealing with coins and a coin dealer has to be well versed in grading of coins too.
Source: thecoinalley.com

How Coin Price Guide Determines the Price of Coins

Coin Price Guides are useful among collectors. In brief, coins are tiny disk shaped metal pieces of currency. Coins come in various categories currency coins which 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 which belong to centuries before us ,these coins are rare and very significant in finding out historical information of our ancestors ,these coins 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, these coins are mostly bought as an investment the price of these coins usually depends on the market price. There can be no price guide as with the fluctuations of the economy the price of Gold and silver coins will also fluctuate.

Coin Pricing guide is based on certain criteria's-
*Coin must be made of valuable metal, 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 of the marking on the coin has to be genuine and marked only by an authorized authority only.
* Pricing of the coin also depends on the date printed on the coin, as well as its historical significance.

Coin collectors from time to time come across such coins too which are very difficult in analyzing their price ,so clarify sometimes a coin may own a very unique coin whose price cannot be determined due to its unclear marking or worsened condition in such occasion the pricing of the coins is based on the demand the coin or how many coin collectors would be interested in your piece.

Sometimes a very unique coin would not be as well priced as a coin which is relatively plenty in nature and the simple reason would be as the coin is in more demand by the coin collectors. For example there are only 30000 dimes of the 17th century where as 20th century dimes are nearly 4,00,000 still the 20th century dimes are sold for higher value than the 17th century dimes the only reason being the 20th century dimes are more popular among coin collectors.

Generally coin price keeps varying, the general rule in the coin price guide is rarer the coin higher the coin value ,still there are some exception in this case too for example a 1913 marked Liberty head Nickel was sold for as high as $1,000,000 as there are only 5 pieces of such coins ,where as 1000yrs old Chinese coins were sold for not more than $100-$200 as there were number of these coins available.

Coin grade also influences the coin price guide, coin grade depends on the condition, better the condition higher will be the grade and higher will be the price the coin will fetch.
However one should remember 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 it can still be very much a part of your collection.
Coin Price Guides come in print (softcover and hardcover) and online in digital format.
Source: articlesbase.com

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

This is How Coin Prices are Determined

Coin Prices sure can vary. As coins are used as a primary form of money transaction for centuries together, nowadays there are various forms of currencies Bank Notes Paper Money Card Mony Wire transfer ,whereas in olden times barter was the main form of transaction then coins were minted and they became an integral part of transactions.

In the early century coins were usually made out of valuable metal like Gold Silver Platinum.
One of the earliest coins were produced in Lydians ,these gold coins have high historic as well as valuable metal ,so definitely these coins would be highly pirced.

Around 1933 all countries stopped using valuable metal for currency ,and the use of nickel copper became popular for making coins used as currency.
In today's times lower denomination money coins are used and Bank notes for higher denominations. Precious metal like Gold Silver Platinum coins are now minted only for the purpose of coin collection or for Investors.

Gold Silver Platinum coins are bought as an investment, as till date investing in these kind of coins is a safe and secure investment. Coin Prices for these valuable metal coins depends on the prevailing market price of the metal.

Coin Prices of these valuable coins also depends on their weight and purity of the metal.
Rare coins or Old coins are known as collectors item, basically only a coin collector is interested in a unique rare specimen ,which has no face value but high historical value.

Generally Coin Prices are generalized on basis of its condition the coins history its origin its uniqueness and its eye catching beauty and its design.

A rare coin with historical significance, is a steal historians are always after such ancient coins as coins help us gain a lot of knowledge of our ancestors. The historical importance the date the condition of the coin the mint the uniqueness all this will be taken into account while Pricing this coin. These rare coins are very high priced as they are very few specimens of the kind.
Coin grading also plays a very significant role n Coin Prices. The better the grade higher the value. As definitely a well graded coins are certified with authenticity and would fetch a good market price for the collector.

Sometimes Coin Prices also depend on the market demand of the coin, a coin may not be old rare or even have an historical significance but still would fetch a high Coin Price s the coin has a high demand in the collectors market.

Coins Prices need not be stable ,they fluctuate sometimes depending on the economy sometimes up and down in the coin collectors market.Coin Prices have to be careful verified before ,putting your savings into them. It is always recommended to verify the coin price and buy certified coins from proper experienced people as there are very strong chances of one being duped in this market.

In Coin Prices Coin grading plays a very vital role ,as grading certifies the authenticity and the true market value of the coin. So along with other factors grading is also given up most importance while fixing the Coin Prices.
Coin Prices sure can vary!
Source: ezinearticles.com