What is the big deal about "non-colonial people" bidding and buying in the recent Ford sal

Longacre

I read an article in CW (I think it was an editorial by that wacky editor, Beth D.) about how there were lots of buyers in the recent Stack's Ford sale who were not "colonial collectors or colonial dealers." Maybe I'm not thinking the issues fully through, but what is the problem with the coins getting sold to persons who are not typically colonial coin collectors or dealers?

gemtone65

It sounds like the writer was suggesting that interest in this series was extending beyond the traditioanl core group of specialists in this series.

Steve27

To me, it sounds like the writer was suggesting that speculators were buying.

Longacre

<< <i>To me, it sounds like the writer was suggesting that speculators were buying. >>




I agree. But is that the type of material that you can speculate in? It seems like a long-term hold type of series, so I am not sure if being a speculator in this instance is a bad thing?

Regulated

While there may be a certain level of speculation at work, many of the items that were mentioned in the editorial as exemplary of an overheated market either sold to colonial dealers, or were underbid by colonial dealers.

I agree that there is a certain amount of speculation at work here; however, I have watched interest in colonial coins increase over the past couple of years as prices on early Federal material has skyrocketed. I think that there are quite a few serious collectors who have looked at the colonial market, considered the rarity and aesthetic appeal of colonial issues, and have decided that high-end colonials represent a good store of value.

After all, why should an uncirculated Pine Tree Shilling with a population of fewer than 50 pieces sell for $20,000 or less when a similar Federal coin would sell for many multiples of that price?