Coins are Selling at a Frenzied Pace!

These are unbelievable times, the kind that novels are written about and movies are made of. It is counterintuitive to believe that any business could thrive in the midst of a global pandemic, and even crazier to think that hobbyists would be spending unprecedented amounts of money when the economy is on the ropes. Would anybody believe that the financial markets would hit new highs during such a period, or that bitcoin could rise 2000% in value in a little over a year’s time? By the way, what exactly is a bitcoin? (…and don’t answer, “It’s a crypto currency”) Yes, these truly are unbelievable times, and there will certainly be some wild stories for future generations.

The coin market has been in lock-step with all of this insanity. It has been decades since we have been this starved for good numismatic material. Presently, sellers are in the driver’s seat, and until the coin shortages resolve themselves, we don’t see that situation changing. Here in the office, we just kind of chuckle when expectant offers are tendered. Almost like clockwork, those are the exact coins that sell elsewhere, usually soon after, and ALWAYS at our asking price. The wake up call is when we go to replace the sold coin, only to find that we must pay more for the replacement. We hesitate to use the term bull market, but we are certainly in an upward trending market, and the demand for coins (at least in the wholesale sector), is in fact, feverish. Predictably, silver dollars are at the forefront of this market activity. The greatly anticipated 2021 restrikes of the Morgan and Peace Dollars have much to do with this. But, dollars are not alone. Gold Double Eagles, the black sheep of the hobby just two short years ago, have experienced a renaissance. Both investors coveting their gold content, and value-minded collectors have propelled these beautiful coins back to the respect level that they rightly deserve. Type coins are also back in the spotlight, as are 20th century stalwarts like Walking Liberty Half Dollars, Standing Liberty Quarters and Buffalo Nickels. Small Cents have not missed a beat either, as their popularity is as great as ever. In short, most numismatic coins priced at true market levels, are in great demand, and have a short shelf life.

This conversation would not be complete without at least a mention of coin shows, and their return to the circuit. We have tried to keep our expectations tempered throughout the pandemic, but all signs now point to widespread business openings, including public events. We have maintained that COVID protocols have NOT become The New Normal. They have however served as a constant reminder to the absence of normalcy. For those that lost loved ones to COVID, this last year was much more than just uncomfortable, and our hearts and prayers go out to you. But, these dark days are passing, and better times are most certainly ahead. The resumption of shows will be giant morale booster for both the hobby and coin business. It’s easy to forget that there are two sides to our hobby, one of which is represented by the actual artifacts-the coins. The other side is the human element. Being able to interact with kindred spirits in a social atmosphere is the intangible that we sometimes forget about, until it is taken from us. It is going to be great to see all of our old friends at coin shows again, and on a regular and predictable basis. That day is now very close, and honestly, can not come soon enough!

Throughout the last year, we have worked harder than ever to keep new and interesting coins coming into our office. At times, this proved to be a challenge, but one that we were up for. This week, we have an array of material that really spans the numismatic horizon. Everything is represented from copper to gold, with an emphasis on two of our more popular areas, affordable collector coins and silver dollars. PLEASE–If you see any items of interest, we suggest that you get on the store, and place your order. Phone calls are fine, but as more and more of you are finding out, by the time the call is made, the coin, may be sold. Weekends are particularly problematic, as we are not always available to return calls promptly. Please bear in mind, all of the coins listed below also may be available for sale on our web-store, Collector’s Corner, Coin World, Numismatic News and/or eBay.

In closing, we want to thank each and every one of you for supporting us during what could have been a very difficult period. We hope to see you soon, and express our gratitude in person.