Coin Collection Value
The coin collection value is the most important aspect of coin collecting for most collectors. Many people regard coin collecting as an investment, so they need to be updated with market demands. In general, the valuation of a particular coin depends on its condition, mint rarity and denomination which is why collectors must build up their knowledge in these areas.
There are many price guides which are used for referencing by coin collectors. "The Standard Catalog of World Coins" by Chester L. Krause and Clifford Mishler manage to cover coins starting from 1601, all the way down to the present time in five volumes. In the book, coins are identified and their prices are listed. When trying to determine my coin collection value I have often referred to this publication and can personally recommend it as a good source of information.
A guide book for United States coins called the "Red Book" is published annually and is also a respected authority as a retail price guide. The "Blue Book" and the "Black Book" are also well established price guides to determine the value of a coin and thus the coin collection value. The "Coin Dealer Newsletter", more popularly known as "the Greysheet", is a price guide for coin dealers. The Numismatic News publishes prices for dealers, bidders and retailers. There are even online resources which maintain prices of coins like the "NumisMedia" website and a price guide for U.K. coins maintained by Tony Clayton can be found on his personal website.
As a rule rare coins are more expensive but rarity does not necessarily have to do with the age of the coin. Some Chinese coins which might be a thousand years old do not sell at high rates because they are common. The price of the coin also depends on the demand for the coin. If a lot of collectors want a particular coin, its price will get higher.
Collectors must also think about grade when establishing their coin collection value. Coin grading is a method of assessing the condition of the coin - the grade of the coin has a high determination of the eventual valuation of the coin. If a coin has been damaged its price will be reduced. Similarly, bullion also plays a role in determining value - the presence of precious metals like Gold and Silver increase the price of the coins as well. The aesthetical appeal of the coin has an effect on its price as well; it makes the coin more attractive for the collector. The American Numismatic Association has a 1-70 range for assessing coins, where 70 represents a faultless coin. The Numismatic Guarantee Corporation (NGC) and the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) are two organizations that go through the meticulous task of grading coins. Coins that have been certified by these reputable organizations have a higher value as their authenticity is more valid and reliable. ICG, Independent Coin Grading, and ANACS, handled by the American Numismatic Association are two other reliable grading services available.
Many people have accumulated tables of coin values which show coin collectors the values of particular coins – these tables can be built up over the course of a lifetime and can prove invaluable when establishing the coin collecting value; they give the collector the knowledge regarding which coins are worthy to be collected. There are also lists of coins worth collecting available with coins that are scarce ranked considerably higher. For example the 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent would be one of these coins. Items such as the legendary 1913 "V" nickel can be worth over $100,000. These hefty prices show why so many investors are willing to invest in coin collecting and expect high rates of return to their investments.
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