{Category Archives} CoinLink
The Best and the Worst of 2008 - CoinLink
Dec 30 at 7:07pm
As 2008 winds down, one of the medias favorite preoccupations is to compile “Best Of” lists for the past year and “Predictions” of what may come to pass for the next. Having precious little ability to foresee the future we have decided to just stick with a short Top 10 List of some of the Best and Worst things that happened in the numismatic community during 2008.
Our choices are presented in no particular order, but each covers a topic that made us think about coin collecting and/or the hobby and business of numismatics in a different way. No doubt each of you may have your own choices…
Read article: The Best and the Worst of 2008 - CoinLink
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What’s Hot/What’s Not: End of 2008 and Beginning of 2009 - CoinLink
Dec 30 at 12:12am
What a difference a year makes. I can remember sitting down in December 2007 to compile my annual What’s Hot/What’s Not list for 2008 and thinking “every area in the market is so strong right now, what am I going to force myself to list as ‘not hot?” Fast forward to December 2008 and now it seems like I have to pull ideas out of the hat like Numismatic Rabbits to come up with areas that are hot while the “not so hot” areas seems a lot easier to ponder.
…OK, enough of the prelude. Let’s get to the heart of the matter and discuss the Hot/Not Hot list of 2009.
Read article: What’s Hot/What’s Not: End of 2008 and Beginning of 2009 - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink, Uncategorized
Article Tags: CoinLink, Doug Winter.
Is Collecting by Date a Thing of the Past? - CoinLink
Dec 11 at 11:11pm
Is the age of collecting by date or variety over? Have coins become so expensive and collecting so complex that it is inevitable that new collectors will focus solely on type coins? As a dealer who sells rare gold coins to both highly specialized date collectors and to sophisticated type collectors I think numismatics is definitely going through a change but that collecting by date remains (and will continue to be) very popular with a certain type of individual.
Read article: Is Collecting by Date a Thing of the Past? - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink
Article Tags: CoinLink, Doug Winter.
12 Great Values in the Rare Date Gold Market Priced Below $5,000 - CoinLink
Dec 2 at 10:10pm
In this economy, everyone likes a good value. If you don’t have the discretionary funds for coins now that you had a year ago, every last dollar counts. This brings us to the question at hand. Are there good values in the rare gold market in the $5,000 and under price range? And if so, what are they? This article is focused on twelve of the better values that come to mind in the gold dollar through half eagle denominations. I think there are dozens of other pieces that could be added to this list.
Read article: 12 Great Values in the Rare Date Gold Market Priced Below $5,000 - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink, Gold Coins, Rare Coins
Article Tags: CoinLink, Doug Winter, Gold Coins, Rare Coins.
True Rarities Brighten Gloomy Baltimore - Pinnacle Rarities Market Report - CoinLink
Nov 29 at 11:11pm
There was noticeably less business being conducted at this year’s Baltimore show than is the norm for the well run Whitman venue. The coin festivities began with a Stack’s auction November 18th and 19th. Unless the coins were problem-free, and not easily replaceable, they tended to sell cheaply or not at all. The current economic climate has caused some reverberations in the world of numismatics. A larger percentage of buybacks than normal appeared on the books and some bargains were definitely to be had.
Read article: True Rarities Brighten Gloomy Baltimore - Pinnacle Rarities Market Report - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Collector Shows, CoinLink, Rare Coins
Article Tags: CoinLink, Pinnacle Rarities, Rare Coins.
New Auction Records Set at Stack’s CoinFest Sale! - CoinLink
Nov 21 at 8:08pm
On November 7, Stamford, Connecticut played host to the second annual CoinFest show, the largest regional coin show in the New York metropolitan area. Stack’s, the official auctioneer of the event, proudly showcased The Haverford Collection. This sale featured two exciting collections of U.S. paper money, along with a nice selection of U.S. coins to complete this well-rounded offering.
Up first was the Haverford Collection, a diverse and high quality group of obsolete proof notes that sent prices soaring to an all-time high. Breaking records at every turn, the sale of the Haverford collection proved that the market for obsolete proof notes, as well as other specialized paper money niches, is more robust than ever.
Read article: New Auction Records Set at Stack’s CoinFest Sale! - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Auctions, Coin Press Releases, CoinLink, Stacks
Article Tags: CoinLink, Stacks.
The Queen of Carson City Gold: The 1870-CC $20 Double Eagle - CoinLink
Nov 19 at 9:09pm
An 1870-CC Double Eagle ($20 gold coin) is ‘again in the news’ as one will be auctioned by B&M during the evening of Friday, Nov. 21st, at the Baltimore Convention Center. It is graded “EF-45” by the Numismatic Guaranty Corp. (NGC). It is certainly the same 1870-CC Double Eagle that was sold by Stack’s on January 16, 2008 in New York, at which time it was not certified.
Stack’s auctioned another, the Husky collection 1870-CC, in June 2008, which was NGC certified Extremely Fine-40 at the time. For a price of $299,000, George Huang of Legend Numismatics bought the Husky 1870-CC.
Read article: The Queen of Carson City Gold: The 1870-CC $20 Double Eagle - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink, Gold Coins
Article Tags: CoinLink, Gold Coins, Greg Reynalds.
Thoughts on PCGS’s New “Genuine” Holders by Doug Winter - CoinLink
Nov 18 at 9:09pm
PCGS recently announced that they plan to begin encapsulating coins that would have formerly been “body bagged” in the past for reasons such as damage, cleaning, and artificial toning. How does this affect the day-to-day operations of my firm and inventory and what are my personal feelings about such coins?
The new PCGS “genuine” holders will have zero impact on DWN. My orientation has always been towards choice, problem-free coins and it is highly unlikely that I will be selling coins in “genuine” holders or even recommending them to my clients.
Read article: Thoughts on PCGS’s New “Genuine” Holders by Doug Winter - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Certification or Grading, CoinLink, Professional Coin Grading Service
Article Tags: CoinLink, Doug Winter, PCGS.
Record Price for a Morgan Silver Dollar: More than $1 Million for an 1893-S - CoinLink
Nov 17 at 2:02pm
When the Norweb 1893-San Francisco Mint dollar was auctioned for $355,500 in Nov. 1988, collectors were stunned. Nobody then thought that a Morgan Dollar could be worth more than a quarter of a million dollars. Indeed, until the Norweb III auction, a Morgan Dollar had probably never before sold for as much as $150,000.
Morgan silver dollars were minted from 1878 to 1904 and, again, in 1921. None of the business strikes (as opposed to Proofs and other special strikings) are very rare. Several dates, however, are extremely rare in MS-65 and higher grades, the gem quality range.
Read article: Record Price for a Morgan Silver Dollar: More than $1 Million for an 1893-S - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: CoinLink, Greg Reynolds, Morgan Silver Dollars, Silver Coins.
The Most Important New Orleans Gold Coin - CoinLink
Nov 6 at 2:02pm
After a probable absence of over a century, perhaps the most important New Orleans gold coin in existence is coming back to its ancestral home. My friend Paul Hollis, a coin dealer from Metairie (a suburb of New Orleans), has arranged for the unique Proof 1844-O eagle to be placed on exhibit at the New Orleans mint. This coin, with an estimated value of $2.5 million, goes on public display November 1 and will also be taken around Louisiana on tour by Hollis.
Read article: The Most Important New Orleans Gold Coin - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink, Gold Coins
Article Tags: CoinLink, Doug Winter, Gold Coins.
Collecting Coins in Difficult Economic Times - CoinLink
Nov 4 at 9:09pm
If you are like most people, the last few months have been tough on your pocketbook let alone your psyche. We are, at least for the immediate future, in tough economic times. For some people, there are difficult decisions that have to be made: which bills get taken care of, can the mortgage be paid, do we eat dinner or fill the tank with gas. Fortunately most coin collectors are faced with decisions that are much less dramatic.
Read article: Collecting Coins in Difficult Economic Times - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink, Uncategorized
Article Tags: CoinLink, Doug Winter.
Eliasberg Gold Results and Observations from St. Louis - CoinLink
Oct 21 at 8:08pm
I recently returned from the St. Louis Silver Dollar coin show and the Scotsman auction, which was held in conjunction with the show on October 17th. I wasn’t originally going to attend this event as I’m not a big fan of St. Louis and wasn’t really anxious to travel right now. But the combination of a collection of superbly pedigreed gold coins (see below) and a desire to get a handle on this confusing coin market inspired me to make last second plans to go to the City with the Large Arch.
Read article: Eliasberg Gold Results and Observations from St. Louis - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Auctions, CoinLink, Gold Coins
Article Tags: CoinLink, Doug Winter, Gold Coins.
Stack’s Autumn Sale Nets over $2 Million! - CoinLink
Oct 20 at 10:10pm
Two weeks ago, Stack’s held its annual Autumn Sale, a carefully selected group of coins geared towards both the advanced collector and the budding numismatist. The Autumn Sale took place on September 24, 2008 in New York and proffered an impressive offering of U.S. coins that featured many classic rarities as well as a nice selection of more affordable numismatic properties.
A pleasing assortment of popular and affordable colonial issues paved the way for a sharp 1793 Wreath cent that had the details of an EF-45 or better coin; it brought a strong $19,550, an excellent start to the sale.
Read article: Stack’s Autumn Sale Nets over $2 Million! - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Auctions, CoinLink, Rare Coins, Stacks
Article Tags: CoinLink, Rare Coins, Stacks.
Unusual Items : Unique Quarter Eagle Struck on 3 Cent Nickel Planchet - CoinLink
Oct 16 at 7:07pm
Unique 1866 $2½ Struck on 3 Cent Nickel Planchet Certified by NGC.This numismatic discovery was certified in 2007 by NGC. It is one of two known U.S. Liberty gold coins struck on wrong planchets and certified by either NGC or PCGS as a mint error. The other known piece is a unique 1851 $20 Liberty struck on a cent planchet and certified by NGC.
Coincidentally, in 1975 I bought the 1851 $20 Liberty on a Large Cent planchet from Fred Weinberg. It was one of the highlights from the famous Dr. J. Hewitt Judd Collection.
Read article: Unusual Items : Unique Quarter Eagle Struck on 3 Cent Nickel Planchet - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Errors, CoinLink
Article Tags: CoinLink, Mint Errors.
Doug Winter Market Report - The Financial Crisis and Coins - CoinLink
Oct 16 at 7:07pm
If the Financial Crisis has proven anything, it’s that people seemed to have forgotten that stocks are volatile and that investing in the markets entails a degree of risk. Enough risk that you have to question the sagacity of middle-class people having the majority of their retirement funds tied-up in something as speculative as stocks.
Through all of this chaos, tangible assets such as precious metals and rare coins appear to have held up pretty well. As I mentioned in my last blog, the demand for bullion-related coins such as Liberty Head double eagles and Saints has been nothing short of incredible and after a few very slow weeks, I’ve noted…
Read article: Doug Winter Market Report - The Financial Crisis and Coins - CoinLink
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Doug Winter Market Report - How’s Business? - CoinLink
Oct 9 at 10:10pm
Coin dealers are lousy economists so I don’t want to waste your time discussing the economic background of the last few days. What I would like to share with you is my take on how it’s impacted my business and what I see are the short term effects of the credit crunch, liquidity crisis, Dow meltdown, etc. on the coin business.
My business was screamingly active in July and August. It slowed down considerably in September and it has been extremely slow in October. I have read on a few dealers’ websites that they are still selling lots of rare coins and that they have people calling from out of the blue purchasing items from their inventory. I think this is a crock.
Read article: Doug Winter Market Report - How’s Business? - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Dealers, CoinLink
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Fresh Material, Pedigrees and September Coin Auctions — Part 2 - CoinLink
Oct 9 at 10:10pm
The star of the September B&M sale was the freshest of material. It was an 1851 U.S. Assay Office, Augustus Humbert, California $50 gold coin that is graded MS-65* by the NGC. As it has never been on the coin market before, it could not have been any fresher. Evidently, it was found in the early 1970s at a location near where it was minted in 1851.
Yes, I was skeptical when I first heard this story. My inquires suggest, however, that this story could well be true. Information from three sources tended to ‘add up’ and fit together. It was thus a non-dealer consignment of a 100% fresh coin that has a curious story.
Read article: Fresh Material, Pedigrees and September Coin Auctions — Part 2 - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Auctions, CoinLink
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Fresh Material, Pedigrees and September Coin Auctions — Part 1 - CoinLink
Oct 7 at 10:10pm
In September, the Southern California rare coin auctions and the Long Beach Expo were lively and demand for rare coins was strong. There are three Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectible Expos each year, and Heritage conducts the official auctions. Prior to each Expo, Superior Galleries, the Goldbergs, and sometimes B&M, separately conduct coin auctions in the Beverly Hills area.
On the bourse floor, one leading wholesale firm had almost exactly the same total revenue for rare coins, along with almost the same profit margin, at the Sept. 2008 Long Beach Expo as at the Sept. 2007 event.
Read article: Fresh Material, Pedigrees and September Coin Auctions — Part 1 - CoinLink
Filed in: Coin Auctions, CoinLink
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Unusual Items: Martha Washingtom Die Trials - CoinLink
Oct 2 at 10:10pm
The Stacks 73rd Anniversary Sale upcoming on October 22nd has an items in the Patterns” section that many people may never have seen before: 1759 (1965) dime-sized die trial of Martha Washington
Reeded edge. Cupro-nickel and copper “sandwich” composition. Head of Martha Custis Washington to right, VIRGINIA arcs above, name low in right field, date below. Mount Vernon at reverse center, HOME OF THE WASHINGTON FAMILY around. NGC MS-65 Finest Known
Read article: Unusual Items: Martha Washingtom Die Trials - CoinLink
Filed in: CoinLink, U.S. Coins
Article Tags: CoinLink, Martha Washington.
Legend Market Report - Sept. 08 Long Beach Show - CoinLink
Sep 22 at 9:09pm
“Lackluster” is how we would best describe activity at the show. Dealers definitely had some cash flow issues and we heard several major generic/bullion dealers had margin calls on gold while others battled just to pay their ANA auction bills. Take away the roll coaster ride of the financial markets and gold, and even with poorer cash flows, it was hard to distinguish this Long Beach Show from any other held during the same time period.
Read article: Legend Market Report - Sept. 08 Long Beach Show - CoinLink
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