Both badon and I address the current weakness in the markets in the latest list commentary: http://www.livebusinesschat.com/smf/index.php?topic=4862.0
Good commentary overall. When prices start to tumble I think people get discouraged very easily. It's hard to keep emotions out of any investment, especially when so many of us use what little free cash flow we have to fund these hobbies, investments, etc. As far as I can tell so far, modern Chinese coins are somewhat isolated from spot movements, so that should be comforting to those on the forum that are have only recently been getting into them. Will there be weakness, yes. Will it last, it could. Will it be worth it in the long run, yes. I'm far more confident in my Lunars and Pandas than I am in the general bullion market. I think graded coins will hold up better during times of weakness than OMP, but to me, that could be a big opportunity. My strategy so far has been to snag any OMP "bargain" I can if I think it will grade well. I'm pleased so far. And I think this current environment will yield many more bargains in OMP and loose form, and if they can be viewed in person first, even better.
You are right that numismatic coins are much less volatile than the underlying metal prices. It's one of their chief advantages. Of course, the cheaper the coin, the more closely it is tied to spot price. The biggest issue with the big declines we are seeing in the spot markets is that it shakes confidence.
Thanks for posting the lists and recommendations! I noticed that Badon mentions that all lunars are good coins to buy at the moment. I've come across a set of 4 2010 lunar tigers in the shops here in Germany. It has the flower, the round, the rectangle and the color in a leather case. The price is close to 1600 usd, which is close to pricepedia prices for the 4 individual coins. Would this be a good investment? Or is it better to try and find good offers on the individual coins online?
Kinda interesting how while the gold and silver prices recently took a dump, I saw the price of a 1984 1.9oz Gold Set sell for over $1.1Million USD - a special variety of course.
Nothing wrong buying a set. Germany especially has a reputation for damaging coins though, so make sure they are in good condition. Ideally, buy graded, but I realize that is difficult in Europe. If that's not available, make sure they are mint sealed.
