Which coin price guide is the best

boxeldercoin

I love World coins, and currency and U.S. coins and bond, you get the picture. My question is which world coin price guide is best and closest to the real value of the world coins? I use the standard catalog of world coins and the NGC world coin price guide but there is quite a difference on the same coin sometimes. It might be that my world coin books are outdated so how on the money is the NGC price guide. Any info would be helpful. Thank you, Jim

Dennis88

The NGC price guide IS the same as the Krause Catalog of World Coins. I'm not quite sure if it's fully updated to the latest versions but I'm pretty sure it is within a year. I'm not quite sure which year of the catalogs are using, but if they're older than say 3-5 years there are plenty of changes for many countries.

Dennis

Sapyx

The NGC price guide takes the data from Krause as their baseline, then occasionally adds in pricing data from other sources (auctions etc) as it becomes known to them. Which can sometimes create anomalies; I've seen a couple of instances where the "AU-50" price is much higher than the "MS-60" price, for example, because the MS price is the old book value and the AU price is an actual price realised at an auction.

So in short, there usually isn't a difference between the latest Krause and NGC, but where there is a difference, trust NGC to be an actual price realised for that grade.

lordmarcovan

Krause is the standard.

As Sapyx mentioned, NGC will sometimes have more up to date data, but they use Krause as their baseline.

Krause is the best general, overall guide, and in many cases the only guide. However, in areas where there are a large number of collectors (British, Canadian, and US coins being some of the most obvious examples), then other, more specialized pricing guides will be available.

None of this is to imply that any one is the "best", of course. Sometimes closed auctions are the best indicator of current value trends.

When I'm in the mood to do my homework, I generally cross-reference as many different sources as I can. But generally speaking, I use Krause as a guide (and just that... a guide.)

Really the only real value of anything is how much somebody is willing to pay for it, of course.

hockeyfan9

But generally speaking, I use Krause as a guide (and just that... a guide.)

Really the only real value of anything is how much somebody is willing to pay for it, of course. >>



I think his holiness hit the nail on the head! Krause is the best but it is not always accurate. You can get the most up to date numbers ATS or at numismaster.com (for a small fee)

boxeldercoin

Thanks for the information. I also try to check both the world book and ngc price guides. I just like collecting coins. Thanks again, Jim

lordmarcovan

<< <i>I just like collecting coins. >>

Me too.

And for regular folks like us, guidebooks like Krause are just fine for a "rule of thumb."

Dealers probably have to pay more attention to the more complex market trends and such.

Gazza

Krause will give you a US view of what it thinks the prices should be. The only true way is to purchase the standard catalog from the country of interest. My interest is in British coin so I've a copy of Spinks. You wouldn't buy a Mazda manual to fix a Ford.

CharlesMclain

Guess you got what you were looking for. I’m curious to know how this price guide works for you? I mean, say, you want a $3 gold piece in a certain condition and the price the seller is asking for is totally off the one mentioned on the list. Ok, the price guide gives you estimation, but have you come across such a situation?? I’m not an avid collector but my personal favorites, for the season, are the penny paintings.

coinkat

Guides are guides and it really depends what coins you are buying

Exbrit

I also use Spinks as a guide for retail prices on British coins.

LochNESS

<< <i>Krause will give you a US view of what it thinks the prices should be. The only true way is to purchase the standard catalog from the country of interest. My interest is in British coin so I've a copy of Spinks. You wouldn't buy a Mazda manual to fix a Ford. >>


Well said. I use Krause for data like weight, diameter, mintages (which are often averages or educated guesses). When it comes to pricing, I refer to Krause the same way an experienced collector might read the Greysheet or the Bluesheet. The numbers require some additional formulae before they make real-word sense. That said, I sell (and buy) mostly in the US and to/from US folks so Krause makes sense.

I have a copy of Seaby for UK, and Charlton for Canada.