Hi guys! Well, the title says it all! I am totally, absolutely, completely, utterly clueless when it comes to numismatics. I have always loved the idea of old and unique coins. I always look in my change for coins with different and unique designs, and set these aside in a jar . To me, numismatic coins are interesting in the same way an art painting is: because they have a unique historical significance, unique properties and a history behind them. I must confess I have never "bought" into the mint limited mintages series, not that the coins are not interesting, but rather because it looks like to me it's somehow an artificial recreation of scarce circumstances that attract premium: that's my clueless vision of it and I know it is very limited in scope, but I am more interested in the old stuff I wonder how you guys treat your numismatic coins: I mean, beyond the collector's spirit, do you see them as an investment like art can be for instance? Something that will appreciate in value over time and could be sold down the road at a capital gain? Does the market behave that way? Investing in PMs, I am not looking for a to the moon scenario , rather a capital preservation after inflation. I wonder what your thoughts are regarding numis in this regard? It seems to me very similar to art (painting for instance) on its concept, but a lot less trouble to store and take care of! I don't know how liquid the market would be though... Obviously a lot less than PMs. Keen on hearing your thoughts for a total newbie Cheers guys!
It's a slippery slope, with more bizarre customs & quirky traditions than freemasonry... Once you learn the handshake, have a loup surgically inserted into your face and get the 'umm, ahh & oooooh!' right you'll be in there...
Another newbie opinion here, Phiber... but first and foremost the numi's I have, I initially base purely on aesthetics... it has to appeal to me and speak to me before anything else, or have some kind of significance that I can relate to. Much like a piece of fine art would. Secondary is the investment aspect. I try and collect numi's in as perfect condition as possible, regarding their "minimum melt value" which translates to me trying not to pay stratospheric premiums. If they are - or become - extremely collectable, then I view them as a sound investment, as demand in the market dictates. Having said that, I think a balanced stack of bars and coins is a sound idea.
They are art and in many cases very beautiful things to look at and treasure and learn about. They can be made yesterday or 5000 years ago and still be remarkable. Coins have survived the test of time far better than the vast majority of other elements of human civilization and show us a glimpse of our past world without even leaving home and thats very cool. are they worth it? As a modern day example an unopened 50c RAM 1c roll in the right year (1968) is worth $4000 today. Thats extraordinary growth. 1 cent = $80 bucks each,, 1 cent of Silver back then is now worth 10 cents 1 cent worth of Gold in 1968 is worth 39 cents today And i guess ultimately storage is key to that longevity of grade and final end result if selling it eventually or breaking it up is what your after? Getting the right year may be impossible or out of budget. so i try putting away 2nd 3rd and even 4th next lowest mintage. pennys are a great example of lower mintages worth way more in a short space of time. was 1930 25 46, now,, 31 15 15h 1920 no-dot or double dot. 56 k.g etc etc etc the oldest isnt always the best. 10 years ago apart for the top 3 Pennys, the rest where shrapnel. not any more. But they do peak and stagnate. The same 50c roll above wont be worth $35k in another 45 years i would think, but still worth having regardless.
Hi guys, Thanks for the answers, much appreciated. So, my next question is: where do I start? Apart from reading thought the forum, are there any sites you can point me to? Any dealers in particular I can have a look at to familiarise myself with the different items and build some sort of sense of value in this market? I had a look at the mint's website today out of curiosity. Saw a few gold coins with announced mintages in the 200. I am guessing this is quite low mintages. But as to wether they will hold any value over time, I guess this is anyone's guess?! Plus the fact there is no history behind it, or no way to ensure the mint will not replaced the coins for sales down the road. Any good resources to look at to get started would be great. Cheers
All right, i've ordered an issue of the Coin & Banknote magazine - any good? Any websites for me to spend more of my money?
