What is the most undervalued series and why ?

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

I think Seated Liberty Coinage,dimes,quarters and half dollars are the most deflated series.I don't see them getting better because they are long series,difficult to complete in mint state and noone seems to care except for type purposes.

Do you think Liberty Seated coinage will rise in price?

I think select spectacular mint state pieces will grow in value.

Stewart Blay

wondercoin

I won't speak to "value", but take a look at the $100 (1 oz) MINT STATE PLATINUM EAGLE SERIES. I believe only (2) coins have ever been graded perfect MS70 thus far in the entire series. In the case of the year 2003 coin that someone recently graded MS70 (and I was consigned), the ENTIRE MINTAGE OF THE COIN WAS JUST 7,500 pieces to begin with. With platinum prices closing in on $1,000 an ounce (so the MS69 and lower grade coins are worth close to $1,000 melt), the mint has been producing fewer and fewer coins of late. For example, in 1999, the Mint produced around 56,000 $100 MS Platinum coins. By 2003, as I mentioned, that number dropped to around just 7,500 coins I believe! Also, these MS Platinum coins are plagued with planchet defects, which preclude a perfect MS70 grade on most of the coins to begin with.

IMHO, $100 Platinum MS70's are a perfect example of spectacular modern coins, which will likely not be fully appreciated for many years to come, unless the Mint shuts down the Platinum Eagle program (which the prospects of which have been bantered about), which could accelerate their popularity.

Wondercoin

Dennis88

I think 3 centers, both nickel and silver....

Dennis

wondercoin

Craig: I love those as well

Wondercoin

braddick

Is there a possibly the Washington series will close down at the end of the State Quarters program? If we are looking at a different design for our quarters by then, and the series then runs from 1932- 1998, there should be a nice little bump in enthusiasm. That usually translates to pricing.

I'd also add the Kennedy series in Mint State- especially in grades of MS67. If the half dollar is eventually dismissed the Kennedy series will be an attractive alternative to other, more expensive half dollar series- or a nice addition to them.

ColonialCoinUnion

I've always thought Seated Dollars were a great value given their relative rarity vs Morgans. Nothing like the heft and appeal of a coin that size.

fcloud

Mercury dimes are not under valued--skip this series!

oreville

Undervalued series? Meaning that it will not remain so?

Peace dollars come to mind with SLQ a close second.

The demand for these series is nearly non-existent at the moment. They do benefit in that they are both all 20th century series and short enough series.

Liberty seated coinage and three centers will always remain "cheaper" hence they are not undervalued.

By the way, these older series are still great for the condition rarities they have as type collectors like myself gravitate towards them and ignore the rest of the series.

jdimmick

I think Shield nickles are undervalued, especially those tougher dates in the late 70's and 1880, 1881. Referring to the buisness strike coins, not proofs. These coins in ms format are extremely difficult to find nice, and even more difficult in higher Au and Ms.

The thing that is holding them back IMO, is becuase they are a pre 1900 set, and they overshadowed by the popular buff's and lib nickels. However, with the recent change in the nickel, more articles are being written about all the types of nickles and it may generate some intrest for collectors to go back to 1866 for a complete run of nicks.

Steve

<< <i>Do you think Liberty Seated coinage will rise in price?

I think select spectacular mint state pieces will grow in value.

Stewart Blay >>



Stewart, Why do you believe that a particular series like the Liberty Seated dimes, quarters and half dollars need to be judged based on whether their values go up or down? Isn't it all about the coin?

Steve

astrorat

Of course, my favorite underrated series is the twenty-cent piece. But since a business strike collection would include the elusive 76-CC, only a select few can assemble a set. Thus, most collectors only look to the series for a type piece. Interestingly, the 76-P had under 15,000 business strikes minted and the coin can be picked up for a very resonable sum. If people ever started collecting the pieces seriously, the prices would climb . . . but that nagging 76-CC keeps all but the uber-collectors at bay.

Lane

lathmach

I agree that it's the seated series that's most undervalued.
Although there is more interest being generated, there are still many bargains in the liberty seated coins.

Ray

Manorcourtman

I don't like them nor do I collect them but the Barber's are undervalued in my opnion. In high grades of course.

M.

barberlover

<< <i>I don't like them nor do I collect them but the Barber's are undervalued in my opnion. In high grades of course.

M. >>

jcping

Standing Liberty Quarters come to mind with Barber coins second.

MrEureka

Proof-only half cents.

mdwoods

Excellent thread. I picked up several new tidbits of info.

dan1ecu

Liberty Nickels! Both proof and business strikes. Check out the pop figures for gem Liberty nickels...

It's also a short enough series that it is possible to complete it.

Dan

DMWJR

<< <i>Of course, my favorite underrated series is the twenty-cent piece. But since a business strike collection would include the elusive 76-CC, only a select few can assemble a set. Thus, most collectors only look to the series for a type piece. Interestingly, the 76-P had under 15,000 business strikes minted and the coin can be picked up for a very resonable sum. If people ever started collecting the pieces seriously, the prices would climb . . . but that nagging 76-CC keeps all but the uber-collectors at bay.

Lane >>



Exactly why I bought a 76p in NGC several years ago. The pop at NGC has been 4 at 67 for years, and one was finally made at PCGS, and sold for $31k in 2003. The 76-cc unfortunately makes a "series" collection unattractive, so most folks just go for the type coin at their desired price level. I'm afraid that the 76-cc stops all of those "series completers" out there from ever trying the series, and depresses the value of the entire series.

It is interesting to me that Barber dimes are popular to collect as a series, yet there is an ultra rarity that prevents 99% from completing the series. Kind of works against my theory there, but I don't know the Barber series well, and don't understand the motivators for the collectors of that series.

My pick for undervalued would be more for an era than a series. I think many years/mm's from 1800-1840 are undervalued with respect to their rarity.

Whether the value will ever be realized is the big question. What motivates more collectors to jump on a series and drive the prices up? I think it would be really cool if the general public got as excited about truly rare coins as they did for the state quarter program. There are going to be a lot of people who are going to be unhappy when they go to sell those state quarters, IMO. The only people who will still be happy with them are the ones who just pulled MS coins right out of circulation and put them in a book, like I did with my daughters. They will always be worth what I paid for them -- $0.25.

cladking

The Washington quarters are underrated and this applies especially to the clad issues. These
coins are so poorly known that even the scarce issues have only a modest premium. Varieties
are in many cases not well know and some well known and others are scarce or rare. The '71-D
DDR for instance has only a handful known but has sold for less than 1,000.

There are still no reference works for these but when one does come out then watch the interest
grow.

DMWJR

Cladking, you do make a point that I forgot to make. There are many, many undervalued varieties out there, in all series.

roadrunner

Seated material has been slowly and surely gaining ground over the years. The series was ridiculously underrated in the mid 1970's. It just takes time. No one cared about BU Lincoln Cents or Wash quarters in the 1980's or early 1990's. Every dog has its day. It may take another 5-20 years but seated liberty material will eventually be fully priced for the rarity that it contains.

My current favorite for most underrated seated coins: choice UNC New Orleans seated quarters. Take your pick, they are all underrated. Most by quite a bit and much more so than the San Francisco and Carson City coins. They get no respect! I've always wanted to complete an unc O mint set of quarters....but some dates don't have 1-2 UNC's to make the set completeable.

roadrunner

dpoole

I agree with Dennis88. Three Centers are still underpriced for their mintages.

Coinosaurus

Ray & Roadrunner--

Be quiet! We need the seated stuff to stay calm until we have all the good coins. Then we can pump up the "undervalued" aspect, etc.

Oh wait. Ray already has all the good coins

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

Andy - I totally agree with you that proof only Half Cents are very under valued.I would say they went down in value since Eliasberg sold his collection

Steve - I am not judging anything.I am just interpreting the present market.Almost all the seated coinage bought from the Pittman and
Eliasberg collections has gone down in value and is very difficult to sell.

Stewart

Donovan

There seems to be somewhat of a consensus. I think seated quarters are the most undervalued series by far. 1860's San Francisco issues particularly so.

roadrunner

Donovan, I think many of the S mint quarters of the 1860's are fully priced or at least have closed the gap pretty well in grades of Good to MS63. An 1861-s in UNC is certainly underrated as I've never heard of one really UNC. The high powered 60-s, 64-s, 66-s I think are well priced. The 62-s, 65-s, 68-s, 69-s are available enough though most are usually cleaned or damaged to some extent. I still like the 1867-s in VF-AU as a true sleeper. I owned 9 pieces in the 1980's but only one was a full XF. In UNC it's a diff story as many people rely on mintages or folklore to decide what they think these should be worth. Plus most specimens are probably in collections and often unslabbed. The "O" mints are nearly as tough in many respects from AU to MS65 and imo are true sleepers.

Stewart, it's no surprise to me that the Eliasberg seated pieces have been tough to sell at times. Many have been overgraded or at least are subdued and well toned. Today that kind of look is less in favor. For those E pieces that had the great eye appeal, they are certainly in demand. I know that the 1839 ND quarter in PCGS66
sold at Eliasberg for $38K or so and has since resold in the $50K and up range. A number of doggie bust halves give the Eliasberg name a black eye. They continue to sit on the market. The Eliasberg sale was almost a high-water mark for better date seated material. I was amazed at some of the high grades received and how little they brought....and the slack grading shows why.

roadrunner

clackamas

I think that the $20 gold St's may be undervalued. I always dismissed them as unaffordable but they are not really that bad when you consider what all the other coins go for. I was able to pick up a very high end 1911-D in MS66 for under $5K. Try that with any other coin from the same year or any similar year.

Donovan

<< <i>Donovan, I think many of the S mint quarters of the 1860's are fully priced or at least have closed the gap pretty well in grades of Good to MS63. An 1861-s in UNC is certainly underrated as I've never heard of one really UNC. The high powered 60-s, 64-s, 66-s I think are well priced. The 62-s, 65-s, 68-s, 69-s are available enough though most are usually cleaned or damaged to some extent. I still like the 1867-s in VF-AU as a true sleeper. I owned 9 pieces in the 1980's but only one was a full XF. In UNC it's a diff story as many people rely on mintages or folklore to decide what they think these should be worth. Plus most specimens are probably in collections and often unslabbed. The "O" mints are nearly as tough in many respects from AU to MS65 and imo are true sleepers.

roadrunner >>



I agree the O mints are sleepers too. I was under the impression 1860's S mints were sleepers, but I'll defer to your assessment since I'm not an expert in the series. As a whole though, I think Seated Quarters are underappreciated.

Stuart

Capped Bust Halves and Seated Liberty Dollars in AU-55 & 58 "collector" grades

IrishMike

Not sure I understand the question. Demand dictates prices coupled with supply therefore for the moment i.e. in the middle of a somewhat strong market are at there correct prices according to this economic model. If the question is what should you buy now with the thought that it is undervalued and will rise in price, then its anybodys guess and just that a guess.

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

ttt

barberlover

How about type date Indian cents in 65 r & b that have pops of 30-70 pieces and untill last year could be had for little over 100 dollars.

Can't get the nice ones for 100 now, but they are still cheap and many of these dates don't have a single coin graded higher then 65 r & b after 17 years of grading at pcgs. Sure, low values have something to do with it, but many m.s. 65 morgans of similar value have had thousands graded 65 with similar prices. I'd like to complete a type date set of Indians in pcgs 65 r & b, but when I advertised for them on the buy, sell, or trade, board I didn't get 1 single responce of anyone wanting to sell me any.

Les

haletj

High Grade R/B Indians or Lincolns both seem underrated. People sure don't seem to mind toning on silver, why not some on copper?

MacCoin

3 centers silver and nickel because you need to be superman to see them

certifiedsilverdollar

ST Gaudens Gold Double Eagles ($20) in Mint State condition. In the future, I think these will show a dramatic increase in value. First because as the economy improves, gold value will rise and it currently is very reasonable at around $400-$415 an oz. Then the sheer beauty of the coin and current price compared to what the Liberty $20 pieces are going for today, gives you a window of what the Saint's will be going for tomorrow. Unreal. The St. Gaudens is definately in my opinion.....the way to go as of today, for investment purposes and future profits. (Most MS60 to MS64's are VERY affordable....$400 MS60 -$1500 MS64 for alot of dates when you do some shopping. Several of the 64's can be had for $600 to $750....a steal in my opinion)

STEWARTBLAYNUMIS

Barberlover - The reason there are not many PCGS ms 66 r/b coins available is because PCGS likes to call EVERYTHING 64r/b and 65 r/b.There are many nice r/b coins availablefrom eagle eye in Arizona.My problem is when I buy them in Auctions such as Stack's I must pay striong money which is way above sheet.For example I bought a 1870 about 80% red with no carbon and attractive for $2,500 and I've had it for sale for more than a year.

Certifiedsilverdollar - Try buying some better date St.Gaudens in ms 64 and tell me their not expensive such as a 21,24s,25s,27d and 27s.Only the hoard coins are cheap

Red/Brown Indians and Lincolns are a great deal and alot of fun.I highly recommend them as there is almost no down side.There are many that are even more attractive than the red coins that are available

Stewart

paigowjohnny

Agree with Liberty nickels....how many of us out here actually try to collect a set of them. And see how hard is is to find them in a nice problem free VF/EF grade. Most of the time you can find either nice slabbed UNCs or slicked over AG/Gs.

barberlover

Stewart,

When I was referring to "type Indians" I was mainly refering to the p mints from 1899 to 1909. I only found 1 I liked recently and couldn't get it for the same prices I was paying for type dates last year, still it was affordable. I have a nice small group of them and would like to finish the run between 1899-1909 if I can find them.

Les

Elcontador

Based on what I've seen in the last six months, I don't anything that's undervalued.
People are paying strong $ for about anything that is attractive for the grade.

In terms of what still may be a good value:

1) MS 66 Liberty Nickels which are correctly graded
2) MS 66 FH SLQs which are well struck.

Re the above items, I am talking about type, not scarcer dates. Re some earlier posts, I do not believe Seated or Barber Qtrs. or Halves are any bargain at today's prices.