Is now the wrong time to buy ?

jest

I have very recently gotten back into coins after a long break. In so many auction listings and dealers' ads they tout how "hot" the coin market is and how much coin prices have increased.

Looking at the auctions sites and checking aution prices realized over the last three years or so you can see this is true (at least for the early dollars and double eagles I have been shopping for).

Thus, are coin prices like the real estate market of the late 80's - ie., overpriced and ready for a fall? Joe

JrGMan2004

Well... as an investor... it could be a bad time to buy, but it could also be a good time to buy if the coin markey continues upward... as a collector... who cares?

coinguy89

Really anytime is the right time if you have enough interest in the coin and you know what your talking about. But if you collect from the more popular series, right now might not be a good time to buy. In my opinion most of that stuff is highly over-rated and over-priced.

BAJJERFAN

I'm sure that there is some upside left, but trying to determine where and how much will be challenging.

roadrunner

Early gold and bust dollars would certainly be 2 areas to be leery of unless you have a good pulse on that market.

roadrunner

rainbowroosie

Up markets bring out coins that normally are not available...that you have to pay "stiff" money for "great" coins is a fact of life....If you can find a truly great coin that you like, then step up to the plate and buy it...the key is finding and knowing what a great coin is....

Now is NOT the time to be buying "nice" coins or even "very nice" coins...wait for the market to fall as nice coins are always available.....the best example I can give is commems....some great commems are trading hands now at very stiff (some would say stupid) prices.....once the market drops, it will be a decade or more until they reappear...if you LOVE the coin and you have the $$$$ buy the coin and enjoy it....

But if you are WORRIED ABOUT THE PRICE (even a little), quite simply do not buy -- the fact is you cannot afford to play.

jdimmick

Some good points above. I think a lot of areas are getting maxed out , while other areas still have growth potential. Depends on the series and condition . As others have suggested, if its something you dont see often, you best go ahead a get it.

In the past 6 months, I have not been buying just to buy, but more importantly being very selective, but some of them I had to step up to the plate at strong prices to aquire, but will be glad I did regardless of what the market decides to do.

jim

majorbigtime

<< <i>... as a collector... who cares? >>



Carefull, I was cremated by a legion of flamers for a similar statement!

ksteelheader

<< <i>Carefull, I was cremated by a legion of flamers for a similar statement! >>

True, but yours was not factual!

rhedden

If you can buy at greyseet Ask or below, it's always the time to buy. If you're paying high retail for overgraded raw coins, which is all that many dealers have on their tables at shows these days (pessimistic, but true), you'll never see your money again.

grip

I agree with this..........

<< <i>Up markets bring out coins that normally are not available...that you have to pay "stiff" money for "great" coins is a fact of life....If you can find a truly great coin that you like, then step up to the plate and buy it...the key is finding and knowing what a great coin is....

Now is NOT the time to be buying "nice" coins or even "very nice" coins...wait for the market to fall as nice coins are always available.....the best example I can give is commems....some great commems are trading hands now at very stiff (some would say stupid) prices.....once the market drops, it will be a decade or more until they reappear...if you LOVE the coin and you have the $$$$ buy the coin and enjoy it....

But if you are WORRIED ABOUT THE PRICE (even a little), quite simply do not buy -- the fact is you cannot afford to play. >>

lloydmincy

Each old coin will not be made again... Each new collector that comes along adds to the demand. Supply stays the same, and demand will always increase. Simple Econ 101. Prices will continue to rise. I have said it so many times. The internet, news press articles about certain rarities, these registry sets, etc. has increased the exposure to coin collecting. More wealthy U.S. individuals than ever with money to buy something, and the prices go up. I highly doubt prices will drastically fall. Too many people with a lot of dough to scoop things up, keeping prices in check. I mean, think about the one variable that makes tangible investments increase....INFLATION. Can you imagine what would happen to our coin investments if interest rates and inflation went up???? Come on, they are at record LOWS now, and the coin market is shooting to the sky???? See a coin you like, and pick a price you would pay. Then don't look back.

nwcs

As a collector, as long as there is discretionary money at hand, it's always the right time to buy.

291fifth

Be VERY selective and don't overpay for anything. Avoid coins that have had big run-ups in price recently.

mrearlygold

Markets just fine. There's a lot of new money coming in every day. Far as bust dollars and early gold, while I might tend to agree on many of the bust dollars issues, I don't agree with regards to early gold being high priced across at all. If I had several dozen choice AU early specimens of any denominations, they wouldn't last a day and would be dispersed to a wide variety of customers without even making a dent in my want lists.

Early gold was just priced ridicuously cheap before and it's growing up just caught a lot of people sleeping at the wheel.

And wait till you see what happens with better date_________

This is not a leveraged market like real estate. Anyone can buy a house with minimum down as long as they qualify and bury themselves.

Don'r worry, be happy.

Tom

Veep

The coin "market" is very broad. Some areas that you like may have had strong upward price movements. But, if you really, really like coins, there ought to be a few areas of interest that have not seen price explosions. Collect those items until the other areas come back to earth.