Old Collections Resurfacing at Auction

Rare coins that have been cloistered for years continue to appear in auctions. This suggests that first, there are still more “old-time” coin collections that are coming to light, and secondly, the market for such seldom-seen material continues to be sufficiently strong that the owners of such coins are considering taking profits now rather than later. The buyers of these scarce to rare coins appear to be a combination of seasoned collectors and less-experienced investors. The number of bids received for the most desirable coins at auctions indicates strong demand for these lots.

Investors continue to help keep the bullion coin market moving as well. Some of these investors will accumulate what they planned, then liquidate and move on to other investments. Others, however, evolve into collectors and continue to participate regardless of whether their long-term plan continues to be to take profits while they enjoy what they are purchasing. It can be challenging to identify the collector from the investor since most collectors take an active interest in the current value of their coins and, in many situations, will still be willing to take a profit if that profit is in front of them.

The coin market, in general, continues to thrive. Coins that are collectible but are more generally available continue to sell, although in some cases, the price for these coins may have softened. There continues to be a significant interest in U.S. Mint non-circulated legal tender coins, these being commemoratives, medals, mint sets, and proof sets, although the secondary market for some of these products, particularly mint sets, can underperform.

Look for this month's complete coin market pricing in our monthly coin market pricing guide.