Why are US coins worth more?

Genxsis

I'm a newbie here and to coin collecting, and I've noticed something curious. At coin shops, American coins are highly valued, but I always notice that coin shops have a cardboard box full of coins from other countries that are just thrown in there to be sold for a nickel.

What I am wondering is this: Are American coins just worth more to everyone in the world, or are they higher priced because Americans want american coins?

I'm curious about this partly because of the falling value of the dollar. I mean, if another country, such as China, takes over as the world's superpower, will american collector coins also be worth less?

Prethen

More collectors. More demand. Period.

midwestcoin13

World coins can be worth a pretty penny it's just that they have to grade high enough!By the way

coachleonard

and because of all the demand, there are FAR more books and value guides published on US coins than on world coins. Makes it much
easier to collect and study US coins

Shamika

Simple supply and demad issue.

Welcome to the forums.

ddbird

Also think of it as an age difference. English have had coins for hundreds of years...so a coin 200 years old for them isnt much. For the United States, a 200 year old coin carries a hefty price tag becuase it was one of the first years of mintage. New coins in a new world.

anablep

&

Darkhorse

Americans just enjoy American coins I guess. And since there 300 million of you that ought to drive up the prices.
Since I'm a world collector only interested in type I'm perfectly happy with cheaper common dates.

cladking

Welcome aboard.

While US coins are most typically traded in the US, there is not a lot of variation
in the prices of coins from one area to another. It is sometime possible to profit
by buying coins in the right place.

tradedollarnut

Demand for condition rarities drive the prices higher, which trickles down to the lower grades. I've heard that world coin collectors look down their nose at the American obsession for highest quality.

That's part of it.

mrearlygold

Wow good question with more than one reason IMHO.

It wasn't that long ago when the USA saw periods where we were about the only "stable/safe" country in the world. Many countries valuables including coins were shipped to the US for safety and to keep them out of the hands of varoius authorities in many different countries. Not just coins either. As a case in point , once upon a time a genuine Samarui Sword from Japan was a pretty inexpensive item and many of them were in the US! As Japan rebuilt after the war and various people became more affluent to collect and invest in these types of items, they were bought up and shipped back to Japan. Now try and buy a real sword and see what it costs. That's one of many items obviously just from Japan. The same can be said about Korea and it's happening in Vietnam now as well albeit politics and ideology of whatever the "regime" is in whatever country certainly has a part to play. In Vietnam for example, there are some well to do overseas Vietnamese ( known as Vietkieu ) who have brought some of the antique Vietnamese artifacts back to Vietnam, but because of the nature of the communist regime/hence confiscatory laws there, most of the good stuff is actually in France, the US and scatterered elsewhere around the world. Ditto on Vietnam's coins. I should say, especially on Vietnam's coinage.

Therefore as many countries have seen their own base of collectors split, the economies fractured by wars, repressive political regimes etc, there obviously can't be as large a base of collectors ( in the USA ) for that foreign material and as such, prices are generally lower, especially for the junk ( The stuff mentioned scattered in boxes ) as even when I had a shop in NJ I would normally buy and sell that stuff for a price per pound.

That leaves open huge opportunities for collecting as well as for speculating on price gains in many many foreign series. I'll cite one and that's Latin American 8 Escudo coinage. Many of these coins actually circulated in the US as you know, along with the silver Latin coins ( 8 Reales as a case in point). And from a collecting standpoint, there are various ways such as Era's countries, etc in which to collect these and there are some real rarities in this area which are comparable to say 20-S and 21 St G's at but a fraction of the USA Double Eagles prices. You can translate those opportunities almost across the spectrum, around the world.


Hope you all don't mind the lengthy post. I discovered some World material quite a few years ago and collect,invest and deal in certain areas and countries. It's a cool part of the business for sure and one which can open new areas of fun, education and profits for you.

Tom

mrearlygold

Oops, by the way, Welcome!


Tom

Dave99B

Cause foreign coins are icky.

Dave

Darkhorse

<< <i>Cause foreign coins are icky.

Dave >>

pharmer

Basic economics, supply and demand as stated, heavy on the demand, as evidenced by the new buffalo nickel. Lots made, many more to come, but demand is greater than the supply. Prices will therefore rise, as ebay sales should indicate. Other world superpowers? It's been done, no relation to coin prices. Oh, and

mrearlygold

Darkhorse, was the coin shown on your website page here THIS ONE! minted before or after the Gettysburg commem here? ( 1938)


Rgrds
Tom

mrearlygold

Oops the one used before your text begins.

mgoodm3

Welcome.

nankraut

I'm curious about this partly because of the falling value of the dollar. I mean, if another country, such as China, takes over as the world's superpower, will american collector coins also be worth less?

Probably so....also, you'll have to learn to speak Chinese in a hurry.

mrearlygold

<< <i>I'm curious about this partly because of the falling value of the dollar. I mean, if another country, such as China, takes over as the world's superpower, will american collector coins also be worth less?

Probably so....also, you'll have to learn to speak Chinese in a hurry. >>






Certainly if you are in any kind of international business it would be a real good idea to either learn some Madarin or have someone in your employ who speaks the language

Refer to the political regime statement I made in my first post. Coins are a real iffy area in China as well as Vietnam with the "good ones" having gererally been shipped OUT already. Some are trickling back but when I lived full time in Vnam between late 2000 and 2002 I advertised every week in the local newspapers and didn't get much of anything substantive to buy although I did see a collection in Hue which was amazing. Just underground and not for sale.

Tom

Darkhorse

<< <i>Darkhorse, was the coin shown on your website page here THIS ONE! minted before or after the Gettysburg commem here? ( 1938)


Rgrds
Tom >>



1911

flaminio

'Cause darkside coins are TEH sUXoR!!1!1!! lol pwned!!111!1one!

mrearlygold

<< <i>

<< <i>Darkhorse, was the coin shown on your website page here THIS ONE! minted before or after the Gettysburg commem here? ( 1938)


Rgrds
Tom >>



1911





Well isn't that interesting?

Tom