Brian's top 10 list of grossly undervalued coins.

wingedliberty

After several years of careful research and study. I have compiled a list of top 10 most grossly
undervalued coins in today's market that are poised for growth and are a bargain. I have watched
and studied supply and demand, pop.reports, blue sheets/gray sheets/ ebay prices realized/ teletrade/
numismedia/talking to dealers/ coin club meetings/ shows., etc, etc, etc. The following is the list.
Please feel free to contribute to it or comment on my choices. I have made all of these a part of my
collection. PCGS/NGC recommended.

1.1961, 62, 63, and 1964 Lincoln cents in PCGS/NGC Proof 67-70DCAM. (These are much tougher than
you think. Alot were very weakly struck. Nice frosty DCAMS are scarce.
2.1894 5c XF+
3.1950-54 5c Proof 68+ DCAM. Alot of these were impaired and abused.
4.1939-S 10c MS65FB (Very weakly struck, FB is rare!!!)
5.1974S Silver Clad Ikes MS67+
6.1999 SBA dollars. Poor housing by the mint. Alot of abuse. MS67+
7.2002 Sac dollars. Possible elimination by the mint. Current low mintage. Poor distribution and attrition.
MS67+
8.Modern commems!!!!!!. Interesting subject matter, variety, diversity, low mintages, new collectors,
condition census, etc,etc, need I continue?
9.Statehood quarters. MS67+ , Yes, Yes, and Yes!!!!! For obvious reasons.
10.All barber coins in XF+ (Gee, what a surprise, problem free, true XF+ barbers are tough.)

Finally, Collect what you enjoy, its a wonderful hobby, I also collect other coins. This is just an observation.
Feel free to contribute.


Brian.

goose3

I think some of the old classic proof coinage is pretty undervalued too.

such as some of the seated stuff, indians, and mercs to name a few.

airplanenut

here's what i want to contribute:


SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

wingedliberty

Mojo:
Seated dollars especially.

Brian.

ursabear

Brian,

Very nice compilation. I wasn't aware of the proof Lincolns and Jeffs... Very interesting.

I do like the Sacagawea dollars, especially for the Eagle reverse. I have been having trouble finding high grade 2002 Ds, although they tend to bring lower prices than the Ps (especially since so very many of the Ps were truly trash).

wingedliberty

Alot of 50's & 60's Proof
Lincs and Jeffs suffered abuse. Smaller denomination were not treated as well.

Brian.

Russ

<< <i>1.1961, 62, 63, and 1964 Lincoln cents in PCGS/NGC Proof 67-70DCAM. (These are much tougher than you think. Alot were very weakly struck. Nice frosty DCAMS are scarce. >>



After going through about 250 1964 proof sets and finding a grand total of one DCAM Lincoln (and, DCAM was iffy), I tend to concur. I've found far more cameo'd halves, quarters and dimes than cents. Which is why I immediately BINed this 68DCAM at $48 when I saw it:



Russ, NCNE

wingedliberty

Russ:
Your example speaks volumes. I only have six in that range. These are very tough.


Brian.

dddangerousdan

The 61 is the toughest I got the 62,63,and 64 in 68 dcam prety easy.

DAN

wingedliberty

Dan:
You are very lucky to have a nice 61, All the one's I have seen, did not meet my expectations.
They were marginal, and barely made it.


Brian.

Russ

BTW, I also happen to agree with you about modern commemoratives. When comparing half dollars in 69DCAM that have pops under 300 to my main series, a similar pop commerative usually sells at about 1/3 the cost of the proof Kennedy. Combine that with the fact that most years the mintage of the commem was far lower, and they look to be currently undervalued.

Which might explain why I've also been buying those lately.

Russ, NCNE

Clankeye

In the classic commems I think some of the BTW and WC dates are way under appreciated. A lot of the dates in those series can be picked up for $50 - $60 in MS65. Some of those coins have mintages as low as 8000. These are good deals. There are a lot of crappy ones floating around just like anything else, but the good ones... they're worth it.

wingedliberty

Carl:
I agree with you 100% about the BTW and Wash-Carvers. Several reputable dealers told me
that they have encountered racism and bigotry when they tried to sell these. I guess this subject
matter is sensitive with some collectors. One would think that numismatists would be more
enlightenend, but it goes to show you, ignorance is not limited to the general public.


Brian.

DCAMFranklin

Brian-
I like a lot of your recommendations. I really have to disagree with the modern commems, though. You are right about very low mintage and reasonable Populations. However, the big submission dealers own a POT FULL of those coins! Some have been graded and most have not. Those big dealers have been beating that drum and beating that drum, trying to generate interest in the coins, yet they continue to languish. If demand ever does get stimulated, look out they will bring out those raw coins and the Pop. numbers will fly!

Just look at Shop At Home, the Coin Vault, right now. They dedicate half of their show to Modern Commems, as they are sending them to NGC by the wheelbarrow load. Wouldn't own one, except the PCGS MS-68, or better, Washington.


Russ-
That is a nice R&I Coin DCAM Lincoln.

wingedliberty

I agree with what you say, but think that modern commems offer such a diverce and interesting
subject matter, that interest will only grow.

Brian.

Coulport

I think the State quarters and Modern Commems in certified holders are a very thin market. (Many other moderns too!) The action is all one way. Promoters to collectors/speculators. If there is a sell off, watch out, as there may be no one willing to buy them back. Right now they are promoted by a couple of full page advitisers and internet hot shots. Take any of the slabbed items to a store front dealer and see what you get. 40% back of bid for modern commems without original box and documents. You have been forwarned.

I would not want to be in a shop when the State Quarter program ends and all those sets come back for sale.

wingedliberty

What you say is true, but I would love to see how many people have a
New Jersey quarter in PCGS or NGC-MS67 on their wantlist in 2009?
What do you think?

northcoin

I'm a little puzzled by your selections unless you mean undervalued to mean your guess as to what currently non desirable coins have potential of becoming desirable in the future. Wouldn't you rather have coins that are presently highly valued with the potential of going even higher? By that standard I would think it safer to stick to Scott Traver's list in his book on the subject although unfortunately for many of us those coins are already so high priced that one wonders if the value can increase. Just out of curiosity, I would be interested in what you come up with, using your same analysis and study, as to the most undervalued of the top 50 coins that Scott Travers identifies as the most desirable.

clw54

1880s Seated Halves are low mintage and relatively cheap.

goose3

I think the 1982 NO P dime is undervalued! just remembered that one.

wingedliberty

I am still mesmorized by empress jane's photo.


Brian.

oreville

Who is Empress Jane anyhow? I keep seeing that picture and she looks familiar.

But who is she?

DHeath

I've been hoping to make a 61 Lincoln. I made a 64 in PR68 Dcam, and have made PR68 Cam 68,69 and 71 Lincolns. I like the Sacs in MS67. I just finished a complete set excluding the Goodacre but including the Mill.coin in PCGS MS67 for under $200 (OK, all of you that are laughing, remember the Ikes and SBA's and then look at the realized results at this month's auctions). I'll keep them for later. I am currently waiting on results for several invoices that include tons of SMS coins I hope to Cam or Dcam, and I just submitted 10 more MS Ikes. All of these coins are cheap, with pretty good upside. I also just completed a raw Jeff set including proofs 60 up in MS64-MS66/ PR68-PR69 Dcam for about $400 (some beautiful toners in that group). I am currently buying 71-72 Ikes in 65, and bust halves raw with some mint luster. Many of the common dates can be had for under $300 if your patient. It is all a gamble, but if they never appreciate, I'll still have coins I like.

NoviceKris

Interesting list. I was glad to see the Ike there as a collector that is zeroing in on the Ike more and more lately, especially in higher grades. Right now and for a while, the Ike seems to have been the red headed step child for many collectors. I like it because it is the coin of my youth, that big heavy thing made you feel like you were really something when you had one. I collect them because I love them and I would be happy to see their value grow in the future, of course. I was also glad to see the Sac on the list. Poor doomed little thing she is. Like a previous 'poster' I like the reverse much better than the obverse. Until you have a very high grade version, it is a face only a mother could love. Just my humble opinion. Thanks. Kris

clw54

<< <i>Who is Empress Jane anyhow? I keep seeing that picture and she looks familiar.

But who is she? >>


Jayne Heitmeyer. The empress thing is a recurring theme on the Open Forum. It's a you'd-have-to-be-there kinda deal.

presleyh

The silver Ikes are more plentiful than the clads in ms 67 or better. The 78 Ike clads are selling very cheaply on ebay. I think the Ikes will catch on at some time because they are hard to get find in 65 or better. A complete set in ms68 would be priceless.

TheNumish

Coins I like:

1972 Doubled Die, 1955 doubled die and 1982 no P dime
Low mintage modern commems like the Leif Ericson BU, Jackie Robinson BU, Smithsonian $5 BU Etc.
Classic commems like the Oregon Trail. They are just cool.
1989, 1990 and 1991 half oz eagles in BU
19th century type coins vf or better


Coins I wouldn't buy for long term future investment:
Anything that comes in a slab that if you broke it out you couldn't get 50 cents on the dollar. Break a New Jersey-D graded PCGS MS-67 out of a holder and see how much you can get for it.

Hey I noticed on the link for Empress Jane she didn't list coin collecting as one of her hobbies

Russ

Oh yeah! My kind of woman!

Russ, NCNE

oldcameoproofsguy

<< <i>I think the 1982 NO P dime is undervalued! just remembered that one. >>


I've looked through all my change for the last 20 years for one of these and never found one. Any of you guys ever found one in change? I've heard estimates of around 1000 examples may exist. Some day I'll find one, and not just the "phantom P".

keets

Brian

the only problem i see with your study is that it assumes all coins to be equally sought after and all coins having a future which says interest in them and the resultant price will either go up or down. if the prices on the coins you've mentioned are low relative to their pop's it's most likely because nobody wants them. mintage and graded population doesn't mean squat if there isn't a market to sell the coins and at the same time when there are a lot of coins around and a lot of interest in buying them the prices are still gonna be strong.

when we get low pop's and low demand we want to say undervalued. when we get large pops and large demand we want to say overvalued. i think pops are irrelevant and price is whatever the market will bear. a coins graded pop usually tells me how available it is and what grade i should try to get. then i consider what i can afford.

i like many/most of the coins on your list. any 50-70's 68+DCAM is tough!! i'd like to put together a set of uncertified barber half's in XF but don't see a lot that i like. you limited your ike choice to one date while finding any date MS65 and up coins in mint sets isn't as easy as it seems. such a great hobby!!!

my favorite UNDERVALUED coins are boone commems. some have minted pops of 2000 coins and can be found in MS63-65 certified for less than $500!!!

al h.

TheNumish

I think almost all the 1982 no P dimes were found at the same time in Toledo, Ohio. That's why 99% are BU. I remember being at a coin show in Strongsville when a dealer was talking about how a bank teller came into his shop with a bunch. Wouldn't say how many but said when he gave the lady the check she started crying because she could finally buy a house.

Not sure what happened but the guy who controlled the hoard messed the market up for a long time. If someone knows the whole story I'd love to hear it.

Is that coin in the Dansco Album? If memory is correct it's not an official part of the set. I think that's one reason why they never took off.

DesertLizard

Brian,

Great post.

Could it be all those moderns have flown under the radar?!!

Just lookewd at the pops for the IKE and I cannot imagine that's all there is out there!!

Here is some food for thought......Is it safe to assume NGC, NTC, PCI, ANACS, ACG, etc. etc. all have done a comparable # of modern slabs if not more? I would assume so, still too early to write the final chapter on how rare some of these are.

I suspect enough enterprising souls are cracking out moderns to get them into PVGS and get some legitimacy...and increase the pop#s.

I prefer pre 1900 coins which have been well recorded for scarcity.

clw54

There's two 1982 no P dimes on eBay right now.

keets

one thing about the silver ike's and the 40% kennedy's not considered often is how many the silver melt of 1980 claimed. it's always assumed that there are many, many coins stashed away.

al h.

michael

here goes but not in any particiular order all monster undervalued

1 trade dollars in ms64 a real 64 and with an original skin to it the 1874 super monster undervalued

2 ms seated dimes in 67 68 and with original skin or monster toned

3 ms seated halfdimes 1860-1873 in 66 67 way undervalued

4 three cent nickels in proof 67

5 deep/ultra cameo trade dollars i mean monsters and blast white

6 three cent nicks in proof 65 and higher deep/ultra cameo monsters! and blast white

7 proof 67 68 indian cents red and brown

8 capped bust half dimes 64 64 66 67 original ms super duper undervalued

9 barber halves in ms65 original white coins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10 deep/ultra cameo barber quarters proof 65 66 67 1900-1915

11 cameo seated proofs that are on the edge of deep/ultra cameo white or lightly toned and 64 and higher

12 lib nicks in proof and ms 67 real 67 coins!

13 copper nickel indians ms 65 66 67

the list gosews on and on

cladking

There were actually three releases of the '82-NMM dimes. The largest was in several
bags of dimes which were returned to Sandusky banks after the end of the season at
Cedar Point amusement park. These were mostly the strong strike variety of the coin
and is estimated at around 8,000 pieces. There was a smaller release around Pittburgh
of mostly weak strikes (around 3,000). There was a small third release in MD or eastern
PA. These have been found in circulation with the lowest grade around VG+/F.

michael

ms 64 saints!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sincerely michael

JLW

I also like modern commemoratives, I think they are undervalued and overlooked by most. Many,many beautiful coins in this series with some pretty low mintages. Don't expect to ever get rich from them, but a lot of them have nowhere to go but up.
Joe