Although coin collecting has been a popular hobby among many for years, there are a far lesser number of those willing to dedicate the time and study to collect rare coins for investment purposes. The truth is that investing in rare coins isn’t rocket science, but for those who buy as a hedge against inflation or any other reason, the key words are patience, determination, and research. In fact, there isn’t a rare coin investor who doesn’t have still more to learn about the field. Fortunately, along with the guidance of a knowledgeable and experienced rare coin dealer, investing in rare coins can be very rewarding, financially and otherwise.

More Than Face Value

The first issue to consider before buying any rare coins is to determine whether you want to invest in coins for their melt value or their collectible value or numismatic value. The melt value is simply the value of the metal that the coin contains. On the other hand, coins that a purchased for their collectible or numismatic value, which are priced on factors like the type of coin, the year it was minted, the place it was minted, and its condition – or “grade.” Rare coins are most often valued for their collectible value since they don’t contain as much precious metal as melt value coins. Continue reading →