What Does it Take to Find & Hoard Valuable Coins

Silver Prices are Still Down, But Overall Demand is Up!

2014-02-05T14:37:00.000-08:00

For those of you who loosely follow the stock markets and commodity prices will by now have figured out that silver has been on a flat trend. The way I examine it, is it's a prime time to stack up on all of your favorite bullion, whether it's silver bullion bars and rounds or scrap silver. The stock market has a lot to do with the trending nature of the precious metals market. If the economy is robust and the dollar is performing well, people will have less of a need to hedge against that with any one of the precious metals. However, the same can be said for the opposite. Here's a look at some of the silver product trends:

Uncirculated Mint Silver Products - Now when I bring this up, I really mean the bullion products like Silver Eagles and Maple Leafs. And not the hyperpriced commemorative coins or any of that mess. These are still trading at a monumental premium, most outlets and online bullion dealers sell one ounce rounds for upwards of $10 over spot. Just last week, I paid $6 over spot for the new 2014 Canada Maple Leafs. I expect this trend to continue, even if silver dips down even further.

Junk U.S. 90% Silver - Still a continuing choice among older stackers, any pre-1964 junk silver is trading at unheard of premiums. Most Walking Liberty Halves and Mercury Dimes are retailing for at $3 over spot per one dollar face. Now why is this? I think it has a lot to do with the pliable availability of the stuff and the penchant for older, classical type coins has always been a hot spot among junk silver stackers. But have no fear, I would call around for quotes, because there are still plenty of dealers that are sitting on kegs of these coins. Deals can be had reasonably.

Buyer Beware

Misc. Foreign Silver Bags - Wowzers, there's nothing more risky than buying up a bag of foreign material. The biggest x-factor with this stuff, is the wide array of varying compositions that are available. You might pay a lot less for the group, but you'll have to invest valuable time sorting and researching what you have and try to turn it into some sort of profit later on down the road. Very difficult to achieve unless you are a foreign coin expert or if you can negotiate a great buy.

40% Silver - We all love the occasional Kennedy 40% half dollar. But if you're a big time stacker/physical investor, 40% silver is not for you. The premiums are still there at a retail standpoint, but if you're buying to sell for a profit, 40% will yield the lowest return on investment. It's just not as popular because the silver content is so much less than sterling or junk U.S. Unless you are stacking for budget, I would highly encourage you to look elsewhere.

Breaking News: Mount Rushmore 5 oz. Silver America The Beautiful Puck Heading for Quick Sellout

2013-12-03T08:48:00.001-08:00

Here's a quick update on what chronicles to be the quickest selling America the Beautiful 5 ounce silver round since the program's inception in 2010. The updated figures haven't been tallied yet and usually release every Tuesday, so I will update this blog as soon as the new numbers have been released. But if you're looking for an opportunity to make money on another popular designed hockey puck, the Mount Rushmore is for you.

At a paltry mintage of only 25,000 Philly minted
pieces, the Mount Rushmore ATB is on
pace to beat out the previously sold out
Hawaiian Volcanoes from a year earlier. Once
a $200 buy from the mint now fetches $500-$600
on the secondary market.

Another Opportunity?

If you have missed out on the last quick seller, the Hawaiian Volcanoes hockey puck. Then I would highly encourage those that have the extra money for the holidays, to pick up what would be the next highly successful profiting opportunity. At it's release, the Hawaii "P" minted pucks were available through the mint at a price that pales in comparison to what it sells for in the secondary market. As of this writing, the Hawaiian pucks sell raw for anywhere in the $500-600 range. At over 2x the issue price, this was a tremendous buy and sell event that hasn't been seen for a mint issued product since the 25th anniversary American Silver Eagle Set. I anticipate similar action on the Mount Rushmore hockey puck, so it's definitely something that most opportunists should be aware of.

The Value Proposition Driver?

What can be said of the success of the Hawaiian Volcanoes ATB, can also be said of the Mount Rushmore ATB. In that design aesthetics and history plays a huge roll in a product's success The Volcanoes example exhibited a striking design that really popped and fascinated with every design element. Even with the low relief technology, both the Hawaiian Volcanoes and Mount Rushmore excelled in one thing, utilizing fresh design with 3D looks. What we have are the hallmarks of a successful product with "just right" mintage figures. I anticipate a sellout this week. Thank the timely holiday release with a hot design, because this was the perfect scenario for what will be a money maker.

Looking for U.S. Coins With the Best Profit Return? Consider Cherrypicking These Series

2013-09-03T13:31:00.002-07:00

Cherrypicking, cherrypicking, cherrypicking...that's exactly what it will take to make great money in the hobby. Contrary to what the experts think about numismatics, coins can bring phenomenal potential in the market that is dominated by bullion demand. As some of you have seen, we have just been through a nice downward spiral in precious metals over the spring and summer months. So if you're not an investor or an armchair stacker that buys more than 1000 ounces of any one precious metal, then there's not a whole lot of money to be made because the profit is minimal with the paltry gains. But if you're looking to turn around 50%-5000% in profit with one coin, then cherrypicking valuable varieties is for you.

To site an example of my most recent find, I recently bought a tiny lot of wheat cents through a dealer network that I've been working with here in California. Now I'm not too naive, but I'm real sure that these have been picked through of most of the rare dates that are synonymous with the series. However, I'm about 99.9% sure that the varieties have been left unscathed by the naked eye. About half way through the 2000 piece lot, I found an amazing mint state red/brown 1956-D re-punched mintmark variety, it's designated 008 through Wexler's files and has that unmistakable and completely separated mint mark that is south of the primary D. In comparison to what I had paid for each piece (.05 cents), I turned around and auctioned this little gem on eBay to the tune $36.25. And not including fees and shipping.

Now here's the whopper, let's calculate the exact percent increase from what I originally invested to what I grossed before fees. I subtracted the current value ($36.25) minus the starting price (.05 cents) to get $36.20. Then I'll simply divide the resulting dollar amount by the starting investment value to get 724. And finally, I'll multiply the result from step two by 100 and I'll come out with the staggering number of 72,400%. Now this is not typical and is an extreme example of a great cherrypick. But I'll be frank, these types of gains are much more common than you would leave it to be, especially in the Lincoln cent series. And this is why the Lincoln cent series makes it into my top 5 U.S. coin series that hold great potential. Let's look at some others.

#5 - Morgan Dollars

Simply put, Morgan dollars were the quintessential coin of the latter part of the 19th century. Nothing screams out Americana than a great big silver cartwheel in your hand. What some holders of these giant disks may not know, is that millions were produced during a time when die maintenance was of low priority. With these low maintenance standards of the dies, there are a great deal of ridiculous varieties to be found in all dates of the series, even the plentiful 1921. Referring to previous auction estimates, some of the rarest Morgan varieties can sell for many thousands of dollars if it's in VAM world's Top 100 list. For more information, please visit www.VAMworld.com

#4 - Mercury Dimes

Albiet a short series in some regards, the Mercury dime series has plenty to offer in terms of great varieties. Some of the well know dates include the 1942/1-D, 1936 DDO and just about any quasi common date with full split bands. The most recent "big flip", turned out to be an eBay auction set of 1942 BU dimes with P-D-S coins. The Denver example was the overdate with great looking split bands. In the end, the new owner got it graded NGC MS65+ FSB, turning $20 into $20,000. Clutch buy for sure!

#3 - Half Cents & Large Cents

There's never been a larger collector base than the Early American Coppers people. The great thing I love about these coins is there are a wide range of dates and designs that encompass a true marvel in collecting varieties. The prices on these go from mild to wild in hurry, but if you can cherrypick a sought after variety, you will quickly exceed the benchmarks. Online references are rather small, but if you can find books published by the originating attributors (Cohen - Sheldon - Newcomb), these are the premier sources for getting you hooked on historically important coins.

#2 - Indian Head Cents

Gaining in popularity ever since Richard Snow has begun to take his interest full force in the series, Indian Head Cents are probably the best and most prospective on this list. Jaw dropping 1888/7 overdates and early white cent variants are coming to the forefront on various message boards as of late. All I can say about Mr. Snow's conquest is ...thanks for making this a variety hunters dream!!

#1 - Lincoln Cents

No series comes close to cherrypicking dominance than the Lincoln cent series. There's more than meets the eye here, lots of doubled dies, RPM's, OMM's, transitionals, errors, and a comprehensive grading core that breaks down mint color from brown to red. In addition, there's a wide support of online resources from some of the favorite pros in the hobby. Here's a short list of those sites:
www.coppercoins.com
www.lincolncentresource.com
www.doubleddie.com

Here's the example of my 72,000% return on my investment. This is the
elusive 1956-D Lincoln Cent with repunched mintmark that is separated south
of the primary mintmark. Varieties like this exist with continuous searching
and knowledge!

Don't you know? Your Bank Tellers Are Taking Your Silver!

2013-08-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

Just the other day I was happily greeted with not one, not two...but three separate bank tellers at my normal Friday drop spot. As usual I fly in undetected from any need of bank rolls or loose half dollars in their trays and drawers. I begin with a simple request to cash a check and withdraw some funds for our big trip. Next, I proceed to ask for any half dollars, whether loose or rolled up. At the very breathe of my final word in this request, the teller then moves the transaction forward by replying, "As a matter of fact I have $3.50 in halves, would you like them?" It was so close, I saw some light colored edges in there and they were well within my grasps until... The teller next door asks my teller, "Did you pull all the silver out of those?" As quickly as I had those banked into my mental ownership bucket of beautiful 40% wonder, my wonderful teller grabbed the three out of the stack in no time.

"I have $2.00 I can give you, would you still like to have them?" With a snide remark, I say "No thank you, seems I have no use for them anymore."

And that was that, it would turn out to be a lonely walk back to my car...

Life is a hobby, but your hobby is not your life! Enjoy it responsibly : )

2013-07-12T14:07:00.001-07:00

Trending: 150th Anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg Makes Numismatics of the Era HOT HOT HOT!

2013-07-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Missed Opportunity?

Call it what you will, with the upending focus on one of the bloodiest events in U.S. history, any Civil War related item is selling for many times more than what they were this same time last year. While there are scores of speculators who dwelve into this specific period in history regularly, there are the late bloomers who only feel the need to pick up any civil war period (1861-1865) items because of the nationwide stories, press releases, and multi-generational interests surrounding its 150th anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg. And then they come to find out that they are spending at the minimum 2x the money for even the most worn out Indian Head Cent. What I've come to find out in the recent weeks, especially as of this writing where we are in the heart of the 152nd anniversary of the onset of the war, any famous confederate 1861-O half dollar strikes are commanding nearly double the money, and more lower graded pieces are reaching for 3x the money in a setting like EBay. Which is a crazy proposition considering that as we move on from the historic milestone, that coins such as the 61-O will slowly move back to 2012 prices. So let's examine a few popular series of numismatics that are steaming hot movers for the 152nd summer of Civil War love:

1861-1865 Seated Liberty Coinage

One of the most popular collectibles regarding the Civil War era, the forementioned date range of the seated coinage are hot pickups at any time of the year. Most collectors can obtain modest condition seated dimes and half dimes for less than $50. Grab a New Orleans minted half with the diagnostic die cracks for authentic confederate flavor, these dies were reused and retooled by confederate minded individuals to keep striking these wonderful coins as newly prepped dies were simply not available. The right die pairings equal big bucks in the series.

1861-1865 Indian Head Cents

The range of dates signifies a funky time in the making of the earlier small cents. Not only were the coins white because of the copper and nickel mix, but they were thick in size. I would say larger in thickness than your household nickel of today. During 1864, a slick add in of Mr. Longacre's intial made it's way in the form of a letter "L" on the ribbon. And the white metal combination was ditched in favor of the more recognizable 95% copper/5% zinc formulation. Prices are still reasonable for most dates short of a 64-L or high mint state example.

Lots of problem free examples are available and are quite attractive.

Civil War Tokens & Store Cards

What you may not have known is that regular circulating coinage during the civil war were heavily hoarded. With failed attempts of replacing the hoarded coins with paper currency, merchants decided to take matters into their own hands by producing their own form of "money" in the way of store cards and tokens. Very affordable and plentiful for the armchair Civil War enthusiast, they provide a wide array of designs from many states. There are store cards from rare vendors such as die sinkers and funeral parlors that are the strongest sellers in the list. While patriotics and general store cards are among the most affordable and widely available. Truly a series for all budgets!

And that concludes the brief market summary of the Civil War era collectibles. What most should understand, is that it's not only a "right now" specific event where collectors should invest in this popular subject. But should look at it in the aspect of a continuously driven market where these little guys will only appreciate in the years to come. If you thought the 150th anniversary of the Civil War is crazy, just wait until the magnanimous 200th anniversary...now there shouldn't be any question in the validity of this tenuous era.

With Down Silver Prices, Patience Becomes a Virtue

2013-05-30T08:55:00.004-07:00

Finding the right times to buy physical bullion in any form when the overall precious metals segment is down,will test every ounce of patience for the prospective investor. First you have to call dozens of companies to see if they have the stock to sell that is reflected on the current market trends. If that doesn't work out, calling out the secondary resources such as dealers and brokers for the bullion is the definitive next step. At the end of the phone calls, emails, pop ins and any other method of communications, you may end up empty and you might just lose out. The stark reality to today's bearish bullion market is simple. These outfits that sell bullion in its purest form are simply running on empty themselves, or they're withholding their allotment until silver climbs back to levels where they've made their initial buys at. Even if you can find some to buy, nine times out of ten they will be asking some abysmal premium that is reflective of $30/oz. silver or $1,700/oz. gold.

Keep in mind what most successful investors practice, when PM prices are down, investors become collectors of rarities. When PM prices are up, they return to being investors in bullion. The determined will adapt to the market trends, which will make them money in all scenarios. No longer will you have to play the same game that most other linear minded investors do. Keep this handy tip in mind and patience will not be the only virtue that you will possess. Keep on stacking and hunting my friends!

Coin Roll Hunter Finds Acclaimed 1955 Doubled Die Cent!

2012-07-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

Amazing finds are often hard to find, but when mountainman2 on coincommunity.com found the highly acclaimed 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln Wheatie on June 28th, the emotions started to pour. Initially, MM2 picked up a bank box of cents from his local bank and does what every aspiring treasure hunter sets out to do, and that's to find the pick of a lifetime. And boy did he nail it. The 1955 was a dark patina, pretty grimey, but the diagnostics were unmistakable. Few members doubted the authenticity, and rightfully so as there are counterfeit examples that exist in the market. MM2 enlisted the aide of C.D. Daughtrey of coppercoins.net to verify the diagnostics by using nice, high quality images provided by the owner. After a day or so, Mr. Daughtrey was able to deliver the great news to MM2.

As of now, the owner is going to submit this coin to a third party grader to get the "genuine" tag, as a real grade is not expected with the reverse damage. This way there won't be any doubt to the authenticity if the even he decides to sell what would be dubbed, the most sought after Lincoln cent in history. Initial estimates look for the coin to achieve $1,000-$1,200.

Now a bigger incentive for prospectors to continue bugging our banks for rolls!

Preparing for Silver's Season of the Running with the Bulls

2012-07-11T15:27:00.001-07:00

Predictions are a long and funny joke running around the precious metals market these days. A burning candle at the end of summer's play usually signifies a tide shifting in the economy. Holiday spending brings a ramp up in manufacturing, an increase in jewelry sales, and a long borne ideal that precious metals "should" be heading higher in outworldly markets are all characteristic examples of after-summer market should be's. Sadly, the last four years of silver activity has been anything but consistent. High prices in 2010 didn't occur during the holidays, in fact, it was the beginning of the year through May, close to the end of the fiscal year for business. In addition, it's been told that gold should be dropping to a closer ratio to silver by now or silver rising sharply to that same ratio, nope, not even close. So what makes us think that our precious metals market should be running with the bulls at the end of the year?

Investing in silver, let alone precious metals, should be treated like preparing for a big natural disaster. Buying insurance in the event something bad happens, but mostly never does, but there's the peace of mind. Preparation and longevity are the keys to being a successful investor in this market. Even if you buy now, I sure would pull the trigger with the low $27 spot prices of silver, you can ensure that you're locked into a historically positive performing investment. It's better to have ownership of the paper or physical means than to not have it when the time arises that silver is shooting to the stratosphere. In essence, making a move now will not look foolish, but an intelligent move to make sure you have a play in the metals market come October through the end of the year.

So when exactly is a good time to prepare for a bullish silver market? Right now, when the market is cool and the summer breezes are warm. Anything scrap with a purity of .999, .925 , .900 and even .800 are phenomenal choices. They are a bargain close to melt than any "made for market" bullion that the world's mints sell. Scrap or junk silver is so plentiful right now, most dealers are taking a loss to make the sale, often times selling with no premium whatsoever. So if you have some free money sitting around for a silver investment, try going after some of these pieces before early September rolls around. You won't get the bargain if you wait longer, let alone the opportunity to prepare of what could be a burgeoning silver season.

America the Beautiful Quarters Are Flies On the Wall

2012-07-11T12:16:00.002-07:00

Stranger than fiction these days, can anyone imagine what it's like to be the modern collector that often steps over pre-1965 silver to find America the Beautiful quarters? Following on the heels of an exhaustive campaign for value driven Americana, speaking in terms to the state quarters fiasco, the ATB series comes with little to no fanfare as a mere followup with the hopes that it will succeed like it's predecessor did. And it's with good reason, ATB quarters rival the state editions with a fraction of the mintage, making their existance in circulation null and void.

A long suppressed coin roll hunter found a scant few in his $1000 box run, as scarce as finding pre-1965 90% silver and probably long overlooked as a possible collector piece 100 years from now. And if you think this is remotely relevant, then how about the massive five ounce hockey pucks the mint has decided to produce at miniscule rates to shadow the ATB series? It's a clear and deepening trend toward, what's a fad/trend today that we can take advantage of tomorrow and be profitable? Or how can we capitalize on a hot precious metals market? But you know what, I think what it really comes to is...so when are we expecting the release of the five ounce gold and palladium variety of the ATB? Yeah right...and now we know why collectors and bullion stackers are a dwindling breed every day. The existing releases of five ounce silver bullions are selling as slow as the final run of new Pontiac Azteks while they have no problem charging a knife wielding premium in relation to the actual bullion value.

The ATB is longing to be what the two and three cent pieces are in it's day, a low mintage fly on the wall. And it's also awaiting another 7+ years of agonizing releases with even lower mintages. In conclusion, it's with this careless and ungratifying gimmick driven marketing that might one day turn the coin collecting hobby into stamp collectors obscurity.

Why the US Mint Needs to Go Old School to Save Our Coinage??

2012-07-11T08:52:00.002-07:00

Let's face it, when it comes to our modern coinage, the US Mint is no longer winning the popularity contest of classic, etched in memory, designs. Instead, what is generated on our monetary landscape, are countless low relief designs that are uninspiring to the eye. And as thankfully as we can attribute the proper credit, our high tech machines and computers are making it all easy. What I think is happening in this day and age, is a feeling of "content" in regards to how these coins are designed and laid out for a specific release. There really are not engravers preparing the final die plates, but only the conceptual cast molds. The first initial mock up, is generally hand graved, but the final product becomes computer rendered and finally laser etched to prepare the final dies to be used in the minting process. The transition began sometime in the mid-1980's at the advent of modern commemorative coinage. Additionally, the heralded American Silver Eagle had been a by-product of computer generated design.

The Need To Go Back To Open Design Competitions

Let's take a step back in time for a moment... George T. Morgan was the "go to" mint engraver for engineering some of the most wonderful designs in US coinage history. After a lull in our dollar coin, the Morgan series proved to be an American icon. It's what made the west, and it turned some pretty remarkable trademarks with the utilization of the unique New Orleans and Carson City facilities. Morgan dollars have become some of the most sought after pieces to this day, not just because of the silver content, but of what symbol they have created in the 19th century. What Morgan and Barber accomplished, opened a wide door for future opportunities within the craft of engraving and design. And the beginning of open design competitions paved the way for overnight success for would be artists that want a piece of the pie. The treasury department recognized this and quickly sent out broadcasts for the next series, and the next and so on.

Our early US commemorative coinage launched the campaign of "outside" artists to test their skills at designing some of the storied pieces we collect today. Give credit to James Earle and Laura Gardin Fraser for masterpiecing what would become the most popular of such coin, the Oregon Trail Commemorative. The pair won the rights to design the master concept for the coin, a splendid obverse of a wagon riding through the prairie sun while the reverse has a backdrop of the United States with the depiction of an indian with an outstretched arm to stop these travelers. Today, it's the consumate key piece that most collectors want in any grade. This is what today's coins need, symbolic, traditional, high relief, and unique content to symbolize our coinage. We need to go out and find our talent in the field, to this day, there are many more willing professionals that want the chance to make an impact in today's numismatics. In the end, the coins don't need to be silver anymore, but they do need to be works of art that inspires tangible thought about what America needs it's roots to return to.

Treasure Hunter Finds Rare 1870-CC Seated Half While Metal Detecting

2012-07-05T09:17:00.002-07:00

Back in mid-May, a buddy of mine, Joe had the opportunity to come across one of the rarest Seated Half Dollars known in existence. There she was, an 1870-CC gray plug sitting in some dirt in a remote field in upstate New York, little what he knew what treasure was hiding among the attached dirt and grime of that little gray disc. The most remarkable aspect of this story wasn't just the find, but the fact he used an entry level $250 Garrett Ace 250 metal detector to pull what could price out to be...a new car, a 2 carat engagement ring, or simply pay off $15-20k in bills! With that said, get the big picture as to the potential value?

There was some early speculation among buddy numismatics of the authenticity of the aforementioned 1870-CC half, as most believe that only these would exist more on the west coast. The closer you are to the Carson City mint, the more likely you will come across a Carson City minted coin in any denomination. So in turn, words like "counterfeit" or "fake" made its way around the room of tenured collectors like wild fire. There was only one thing Joe could do to debunk the mystery, and at the advice of his fellow collectors, he sent it off to NGC to get graded and authenticated. But before hand, the coin made it's way to NCS, a company that restores coins better than any doctor in the business. If everything plays out according to plan, this will chronicle to be one of the best finds in metal detecting history in the U.S.

So here we are a month and a half later, the coin came back a nice AU-50 Details by NGC. It's a high grade, and the details designation won't detract would be buyers from obtaining one of the rarest half dollars. And it's a remarkable grade for something that's been buried for over 100 years. For more on this story and the current progression of this year's Philadelphia Heritage auction, check out: http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=119362&whichpage=1

US Half Cents: Why You Should be Collecting Me?

2012-05-09T10:02:00.001-07:00

Some long time numismatists would argue the collectibility of half cents largely because they are a mere shadow of the more widely sought after large cent denomination coins. I would tend to disagree as both denominations hold their own unique pedigree in the coin collecting hobby. Half cents, while sharing most of the same design characteristics in it's 64 year tenure, is a completely approachable type set from a budget standpoint. Comparable years to the large cents will generally sell for 30-40% less for the mid-grade type pieces. Which makes buying popular Draped Bust and Classic Head types more affordable and they are the most popular design elements in the entire run. For instance, try buying a VF graded Classic Head large cent in it's populous year (1810?) compared to say, and an 1828 Classic Head example in the half cent of the same grade. It's a near night and day cost comparison, and we're talking hundreds of dollars! So as can any collector see, it's truly a budget conscious type for those wanting the legacy of 200+ year old coinage. Advantage: Half Cents!

The next great anomaly for half cents, is its low cost availability for its itsy-bitsy mintage figures. An 1803 half cent is reported to have less than 100,000 pieces produced in it's time. What you may not know, is that nice graded pieces command no more than $100-150 for VF-ish grades. The same goes for the short lived braided hair range of half cents, at the most there was more than 100k pieces produced for only a couple years (1851 & 1853). The prices might seem quite a bit more for the braided hair cents, but look at how much higher grade pieces go for (XF+) and decide that it is a more appealing item to have and collect than comparable large cents. Most braided hair pieces were at one point hoarded and there are lots of high-end condition pieces available in the secondary market at super affordable prices. Collectors will clearly see the difference in cost for the grade and overall mintage figures with little online auction research. Advantage: Half Cents again!

And finally, collectors can have their cake and eat it as well, these half cents are Sheldon/Newcomb attributable too! Early draped bust coinage for the copper denoms, have many die pairings and varieties that aficionados yearn for. General armchair cent collectors usually don't pay too much attention to Sheldon or Newcomb attributions, but cherry pickers make their living doing this as these attributions sell for a lot bigger money than perceived Red Book pricing to the right collectors. Properly attributed half cents sell real well in the secondary market and collectors of such pieces have been paying top dollar for the rarity that eludes them. Pick up a book like Penny Whimsy if you plan on trying out old copper and you won't go wrong. It's the ultimate resource and half cent collectors will find plenty of reasons why it's a no-brainer collectible. Advantage: Tie.

So all in all, at a cost perspective to collectibility standpoint, half cents no doubt takes home the golden trophy. Low mintage, affordable grades, and the same affinity of design as the large cents, are you convinced yet?

Fancy Currency Serial Numbers - Does the note need to be in great condition to be worth the most?

2012-03-27T15:22:00.001-07:00

Collectors of fancy serial numbers, star notes, and low print run blocks always strive to most extreme and rare combinations in existence. Generally, collectors of star and low print run block notes would need to be in extraordinary condition to reward any sort of premium return. Fancy serial number collectors on the other hand, will pretty much scoop up any condition note short of rag status and will pay all the money for it in the end. So what exactly are the fancy serial number patterns most collectors will pay more for in circulated condition and up?

Low & High Serial Numbers - These are a tough find in circulation anyways and most notes are found straight from a new bank strap to begin with. The price increase can be tremendous for those first or last 100 serials in any condition. However, notes like the one pictured to the side of this article, need to be in that crisp higher condition to warrant all the premium. What's the price difference? How about $100-150 for grade sensitivity.

Ladders 1-8 or 8-1 - First of all, any straight 1-8 or reverse ladder serial will garner a ton of money in any condition. They're tough to find, only two exist per block, and they are probably the prettiest fancy serial one will come across. Brand new 2009 series ladders have sold for upwards of $1k+!

7 or 8 in a row - Just as tough as a ladder, the "in a row" serials are a tough note to find in circulation. What can collectors do to have a chance at scoring one of these? Real easy, go to your bank and pick up some BEP fresh bank straps. The odds are long but if you find one, that's easily a $500-1k note all day long, even ungraded! Worn and circulated examples don't really exist in this serial pattern, which is why most "in a row" notes are sold in Choice Crisp or higher.

Amazing Georgia Quarter Planchet Strike Error - A $1k Investment Turned to $5k!!

2012-02-13T12:27:00.000-08:00

One of our good friends on Cointalk (CharlesNC) recently sold his amazing 1999 Georgia Planchet Strike Error. What chronicles to be an amazing find in the error world, publications such as CONECA thrive on such finds. What this error is, is simply a Georgia Statehood Quarter struck on a nickel planchet. It's conceivable that a nickel had been originally struck with it's devices and upon exiting the machine, was lodged in the mobile hopper device that accepts the coins as they are struck and sent out to packaging. And when the hopper is transferred to the quarter producing dies, the lodged struck nickel planchet falls into the die and is subsequently struck with the design you see here.

From the get go, this coin was originally acquired through a sale with a fellow coin collector who had decided to quit the hobby. CharlesNC (Cointalk Handle) obtained a number of errors and varieties, but the Georgia quarter was the most interesting. Charles then submitted the piece to PCGS, came back with the error designation and decided it to be a great idea to auction it on EBay to test the waters. What some believed the coin would conservatively price out around $1500-$2000 actually sold for $5000. A 500% return in what would be a notable error coin for the marketplace. Photos of the quarter are headlined on the side of the article page. Enjoy the breathtaking photos of such a nice find!

Revisiting the Advent of the Next-Gen $100 Bill - Why the New Bill Could be an Error Collector's Dream

2012-01-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

The design and engineering characteristics are nothing short of amazing on the next generation $100 bill. As the following article from July 2010 will illustrate, newer and more revolutionary printing will accompany more and more flaws in the printing processes. Therefore, all those road blocks have since postponed the release of the new bill. What collectors and strap searchers will find in these new bills will be nothing short of plentiful. Offset printing, mismatched serials, ink bleeds, and a wide variety of errors are just a scratch of the surface. Here's the c/net article that first broke ground on the printing process at the BEP:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-20009315-52.html

It could be another 12-18 months before we see the new bills in circulation, but it will be a fascinating release as the new design will forever initiate a new structure for future Federal Reserve Notes to come. The old "green back" will soon be just an afterthought...and ultimately a more collectible piece for those that want to revisit the olden days.

The Flip & Profit Coin of the Month - 2011 D US Army Commemorative

2012-01-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

A quickie update for the second week of the year. If you haven't jumped on board the 2011 25th ASE train, then here's the next big buy and flip opportunity.

2011 D US Army Commemorative Clad Half MS69 PCGS or NGC (New Release or First Strike)
With an initial mint release price of about $20, nobody could have predicted the runaway success of the US Army commem. With a mintage of just 39,461 pieces for the Uncirculated example and 68,349 proofs, it's a low mintage run profiling one of the most storied branches of the US armed forces. Realised eBay auction prices have ended conservatively this week in the $85-100 range for the slabbed examples. Some have toppled $125-150 for the auctions that have ended on an evening timeline!!

Despite big prices, the good news is that there are deals still to be found. Collectors will have to scour third party sites like Paradise Mint and Littleton, but believe it or not you can still double your money by taking advantage of these prices. How long the trend will last is anybody's question, but I can see some stabilizing here in the next month or so (through February 2012). I predict a range of $50-60 on average a fair estimate. And what's even more enticing to buy the raw pieces, is that there are no MS70 examples as of yet! I would venture to guess a first graded of such will command astronomical money. Still not too bad for a "clad" coin that lots of people bought for $20.

Update 1/9/2012 2:56pm: In addition to the mint, nearly all 3rd party vendors has reported selling out the uncirculated clad version of this coin. A couple sources carry the lesser expensive proofs, but for the same money that the uncirculated pieces were going for. As of this time, local dealers and auction sites will generate the best chances of finding this commemorative. Buyer beware of the prices, they are extremely volatile at this point.

Bank Note Fancy Serial Numbers - Premium Configurations Collectors Look For

2011-12-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick listing of some sample currency serial number configurations. Be sure to check your paper notes from change, the bank, and everywhere else you receive these at. Additionally, be sure to check sites like eBay, Heritage, and reputable dealers with online albums to get a general idea of how much these uncommon and rare bank notes go for. Without further adieu, here is your list of fancy number combos:

*Low numbers - I 00000025 G   generally anything under 500 is considered a low number and will get you a premium
*High numbers - I 99999975 G   again the same applies here, the more nines up to the first 6 is key
*Trinary           - I 62232626 G   not a huge premium for these, but they are neat and uncommon
*Binary            - I 27777272 G
*Radar             - I 21155112 G   Tough to find and neat, dollar varieties sell for good money, lots of collectors for these notes
*Super Radar   - I 94444449 G   Super difficult to find and very collectible
*Solid 8          - I 88888888 G   Every digit is the same for all 8 numbers
*Solid 7           - I 44444544 G   7 of the digits are the same, not necessarily in a row
*7 in a row       - I 77777771 G   More of a premium and scarce, huge money to be made here
*Ladder           - I 12345678 G   Every digit is one higher or lower than the previous digit
*Repeater        - I 12371237 G   Second half of the serial number is the same as the first half
*Radar Repeat - I 60066006 G   Both are a radar and a repeater
*Binary Repeat - I 51515151 G   Extremely tough, the first two numbers repeat over
*Double Quad - I 11114444 G   The first four digits are the same and the second four are the same

Aside from the fancy number notes, be sure to keep your eye out on star notes, red, blue and lime seals, and other older notes. Have fun searching those cash straps and enjoy!

November 19th Santa Clara Coin Expo - Recap & Purchases

2011-11-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

November's bay area coin & stamp show, Santa Clara Coin Expo, provided some grim moods with it's last showing in the bay area. I knew this was going to be the organization's last show, so my general perception was geared more towards, what are going to be the questions going forward? Most of what was asked, generally by the customer to the dealer was, "Where are you headed to next?" Unfortunately, this questioned brought out some pretty stark choices for the San Francisco bay area. The Fremont Coin Club, San Jose Coin Show, Livermore, Cupertino? It was a veritable list of small venues and clubs that were the only choices outside of a show like Long Beach or Las Vegas, it was small, if not unexciting crop of choices for this area in California. So where would I go from here? It's anybody's guess, but at the least I have my great selection of local dealers who would be able to provide me the service and selection I'm opting for. Ultimately, I'll miss the show scene in Santa Clara.

And so, what were my latest pick-ups at the show this past weekend? Well, I'm in the midst of putting together a Dansco 7070 type set, it's roughly 60% complete. My goal for the show was to find a VF grade Classic Head Half Cent. I've probably searched through 25-30 and liked maybe two of the bunch. The Classic Head design is so difficult to find in great shape, which results from some expensive choices, even in the VF+ grades. For the collectors that didn't know, these coins didn't have the sharp strikes, this can be attributed to the antiquated screw presses that were used at the time. So to find one with sharp details and no problems was going to be a daunting task, and I knew it coming in. Ultimately, I went with the 1828 13 stars variety. The coin exhibited a clean strike, great details in the hair, no porosity or corrosion, and it had an even chocolate patina. Relative to the grade, I got a great deal on this half cent for only $70, about $25 less than market value!

Other acquired pieces included a pair of beautiful Seated Liberty dimes and a seated quarter. The first dime is an 1850, VF in grade and exhibits an attractive "circulated cameo" appearance/color. This is the look and grade I'm aiming for in all of the 19th century coins for the type set. And again, the second dime is a beaut as well, final year 1891 w/legend, VF in condition with the same circulated cameo look. Third, the seated quarter was a CircCam 1854 w/arrows, VF in grade with a nice reverse, very strong coin and grade! Finally, other impulse buys included: 1837 Hard Times Token "Executive Experiment" (VF), 1966 Italy silver 500 Lire (MS63), 1964 Canadian Mint Set, 1861 Nova Scotia Large Cent (VF), Alaska Bird House Token, Rexhall Good Luck Wheat Cent Token, a couple pre-1964 quarters and an upgrade 1915 Barber dime for the type set (VF). I was surprised I didn't spend as much as I thought, I was ultra selective in the coins I was looking to acquire. All in all, it was a fun weekend, and the family had a great time as well.

Coin Roll Hunting Dimes, Quarters or Half Dollars: Which Yields the Most Silver?

2011-11-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

Just beginning coin roll hunting? It's a popular activity for the coin aficionado and for bullion stackers alike. Hunters go their local banks and purchase boxed up rolls of coin at the prospect of making big on bullion metals or rare varieties, the possibilities are endless. Cents yield lots of copper, nickels privide a nice and steady array of nickel content, but which denomination outside of that provides the most bang for you time? First of all, hunters need to have the knowledge how deep dimes, quarters, and half dollars potentials are. The following are quick pros and cons of each denomination and your possible returns on your money.

Dime Rolls - Probably the easiest denomination to obtain in larger quantities and will yield more individual pre-1964 silver coins than others. Traditionally dime boxes come in either $250 or $500 groups. Finding silvers by searching edges in Brinks clear wrappers or by breaking bank wrapped rolls on the ends will allow hunters to re-wrap them in the same wrappers. Silvers come up frequently at a rate of 1-5 or more for a full case, which will build up your smaller bullion stacks. On the other hand, the downsides are substantial and could cost more in time. And how this works out is that these coins are small, if you have to re-wrap $500 worth of them using new wrappers, it could take lots of time. And the amount of silver you find is quite small compared to quarters or half dollars. One 90% silver dime at today's prices are worth about $2.27 ea. in melt value.

Quarter Rolls - Quarters are more readily available at the banks and they will usually carry plenty of cases because there is high demand among it's merchant services. If a hunter is fortunate enough to buy Brinks boxes that have "clear wrapper" rolled coins, that will help anyone spot pre-1964 coins real easy by looking for the pastey white edges. This will in turn eliminate the need to reroll them and all is needed is to return the rolls to a designated dump bank. But beware, like the dimes, lots of foreign coins that size are also found in quarter boxes. Canadian quarters are one such find and these generally exhibit the white edges that are indicative of silver finds. Another negative to searching quarters is that since the advent of the state quarter program, these quarters have seriously watered down rolls of clad as billions were minted from 1999-2009. Ultimately, this makes breaking into quarters for silver a difficult undertaking with less and less to be found.

Half Dollar Rolls - What makes searching rolls of half dollars so appealing is that there are tons of silver to find. Even with the climbing spot prices of silver, these 50 cent pieces contain the highest content of silver and will get you the most for your money. If anyone is lucky enough to come across older customer wrapped rolls, it's easier to find some older Walking Liberty and Franklin halves which are extremely desireable in the numismatic community. Aside from the pre-1964 90% silvers to be found, there is also a bracket of 1965-1970 half dollars that contain 40% silver. A little bit less, but still worth twice the amount in silver than two silver 90% dimes combined. A huge advantage! So what if any, are the downsides to searching half dollars? The negatives are few and far between. The biggest negative is the general availability. Banks traditionally don't carry full boxes of halves because they are tough to store and get rid of. The fed reserve charges banks a fee for returning and purchasing large quantities of unwanted coin, in this case all the clad halves. So this makes it a challenge to go to any bank and order some. Lots of tellers just won't allow ordering of cases, or they might charge you a fee for ordering. Moreover, some banks have laid the stipulation out that you can't return the unwanted rolls to the same bank. One more issue that's a growing trend, is that everybody is searching halves. It's the quickest way to hoard silver and provides the most return out of any other denomination available. I've found larger metropolitan areas are hardest hit because of the increase cost of living expenses. All in all, searching halves is worthy choice if you can obtain them.

Coin Roll Hunting as a Source to Finding Rare Coins and Precious Metals

2011-11-15T16:12:00.000-08:00

It's no easy task finding ways to take advantage of a hot precious metals market like Silver or Gold. With it's high prices and limited availability, treasure hunters who are just now hitting the search button are beginning to feel discouraged simply because there is less and less of the valuable metals at a reasonable cost. One hotbed of activity is the simple task of what treasure seekers dub "coin roll hunting" or CRH for short. Folks head over to their local banks and obtain full boxes of rolled coins in denominations of cents, nickels, dimes, quarters and half dollars. Here's how the process works and what gains can be made as a result of coin roll hunting.

First and foremost, decide what you want to find and what you ultimately want to achieve from coin roll hunting. Of course, every denomination has something to offer, even the lowly cents provide lots to desire. As not only a collector of bullion and numismatics (collector of coins), I run through about $500 in cents a month. To some it may not seem like much, but it's what I'm available to do in the time that I can dedicate to it. I could search all denominations, but by narrowing it down to only cents, I can enable myself to concentrate on collecting a specific variety or metal. In this case, I hold on to any pre-1982 cents as they contain 95% copper and I know I can easily make double the money by reselling these online. Additionally, I search for odds and ends like doubled dies, small and large mintmarks, wheat cents, and even some older Indian Head cents. As of November 15, 2011, pre-82 copper commands 2.3 cents, common date wheat cents yield 5 cents+ and common date Indian Head cents go for 1-2 dollars a piece in good condition. Overall, cents provide a wide array of collectibility for very little overhead, I spend more in time if anything else and there's a lot to find in just one box of $25.

So what does other denominations provide? That's real easy, anything outside of cents, folks have a great shot of finding pre-1964 90% silver coins, 1942-1945 wartime silver nickles, and 40% silver half dollars. Silver is on the rise, but more and more people are going out to their banks and obtaining boxes. Any which way you decide to search, you will find some real treasures and the leftover stuff can be returned to the bank. Inspite of what you might hear about coin roll hunting, there is still a lot of silver to find in those sealed boxes. In closing, coin roll hunting is an easy way to uncover precious metals and rare coins. It truly is a treasure seekers paradise!