As knowledge of rarity increases, valuations will skyrocket.

Neca63

It is inevitable.
How many unique, or nearly unique, coins remain sitting in the hands of frustrated collectors as undervalued anomalies?
The unobtainium will rule. eventually.

ricko

To answer your question... there is no way to answer that question...
In regards to the statement... well... let me say this... I am sure you know what you are thinking, but not sure many of us do. Cheers, RickO

Neca63

<< <i>To answer your question... there is no way to answer that question...
In regards to the statement... well... let me say this... I am sure you know what you are thinking, but not sure many of us do. Cheers, RickO >>



Keep the rare ones.

joebb21

for coins we already know what is rare and unique and what is not.

291fifth

Supply and demand rule. If you are talking about "rare" minor varieties you are going to have to find someone to sell to who does not "make their own". Doing that may be quite a feat.

GoldenEyeNumismatics

rarity only matters if people are there to care about it

HIGHLOWLEAVES

Case in point: Wisconsin Extra Leaf Quarter Die Varieties. I have been interested in these two coins ever since early 2005 which was a couple of months after they were discovered in Tucson, AZ. Now, Ten Years later and the PCGS/NGC Pops are still very low, these scarce low mintage estimate key state quarters have reached a low mark in price. IMHO they are not in demand and as a steady few remain on Ebay the prices continue to erode in value. Their values will be a product of the real time-tested demand for them. I can hope that future state quarter collectors or variety coin collectors will flock to them in future years but wouldn't bet the farm on this happening. I think that the manipulated demand and huge price increases for the coins back in 2005-2006 on Ebay and then their logical demise may have killed any chances for appreciation in my lifetime and I am pretty old. Demand is the principle side of the price equation. Have a great day.

Sonorandesertrat

<< <i>rarity only matters if people are there to care about it >>

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coinkat

The overlooked aspect of this is the power to create the need using the significance leading to demand. Part of the dilemma is with rarity there is often not enough to promote... So if the people that have the capability to create do not have access to or even interest in the coin, the coin remains sort of a so what which is really unfortunate...

mustangmanbob

A red Car with a Bright Blue Interior is rare.

But lacks Value because the demand is lower.

Flip through the catalog of Foreign coins, and looks at mintages, then think about countries that have experienced war, occupation, runaway inflation, and contemplate how many of those coins would be left.

But they Value because the demand is lower.

Coin Collecting, to many, is 1 shade above a nerd convention. This is just based on what a "normal" person could see (Date, denomination, MAYBE a mint mark)

Now toss in the concept of a VARIETY where the difference is that the letter E on the back side is 42 angstroms further from the previous letter, a whopping 0.0038% different, and it merits a VARIETY, people dismiss the entire group as befuddled elitist weirdo's, and then

All numismatics lacks Value because the demand is lower.

oreville

A dealer, Jim Fehr, explained it best.

"Sometimes rarity is so rare that it becomes isolated."

ricko

Initial rarity (discovery and shortly thereafter) is usually the most profitable time. There are exceptions of course.... Cheers, RickO

DavidLawrence

I think the OP brings up one good point. There's not enough good information available for potential coin buyers. As this changes (i.e. more education available online) the market/hobby will grow and demand/values for certain rare coins can appreciate.

Yorkshireman

<< <i>.... (An Item with low supply lacks)Value because the demand is lower.

....
This is just based on what a "normal" person could see (Date, denomination, MAYBE a mint mark)

Now toss in the concept of a VARIETY where the difference is that the letter E on the back side is 42 angstroms further from the previous letter, a whopping 0.0038% different, and it merits a VARIETY, .... >>



That is why I don't understand obscure varities. Some people love them, but how many?

astrorat

<< <i>It is inevitable.
How many unique, or nearly unique, coins remain sitting in the hands of frustrated collectors as undervalued anomalies? >>

214

mercurydimeguy

<< <i>rarity only matters if people are there to care about it >>


Exactly...look at patterns and some Cal Fracs, and now look at Saints....

astrorat

I am not sure there is such an exponential (or even geometric) relationship between knowledge of rarity and price. Without demand, price remains low, despite rarity ... and I am sure that is obvious to most folks on the Board.

Two collecting fields exemplify where knowledge of rarity have not resulted in skyrocketing prices; tokens and Roman Imperial bronze coins. There are many examples of tokens where only a few are known, but the prices are in the hundreds of dollars. Compare that with our American coinage rarities that would be in the hundred of thousands of dollars.

I recall a few times where ancient dealers have shown me Roman Imperial bronze pieces that were characterized as the "first known" or "previously unknown" that were priced in the hundreds of dollars. Had those been Roman Republican denarii, the price would have been far above that level.

To paraphrase a Board member from a while back, "the coin is an R7, but the collector is an R8." Knowledge of a rarity does not trump a lack of interest. Price follows demand more than rarity.

AnkurJ

The prices of 1792 Half Dismes jumped quite a bit when it was listed in the top 100 US coins book.

DoubleEagle59

You're talking only about 'supply'.

There also has to be a 'demand' for prices to take off.

With an aging collector base and not many young collectors entering the hobby, I don't know if that'll happen.

PRIZ430

You all are missing a very SIMPLE important point...MONEY FLOW...too many are hurting...living day to day...and selling off "rare" coins to make ends meet...this adds to supply while eliminating demand...

TwoSides2aCoin

The bifurcation is real. So many are in denial.

LindeDad

Many thing are thought rare until more are found.
But how many even want it? Is the question that sets value.

coinkat

Rare varieties in part remain that way because they seem to remain well-guarded secrets.

Collectors are unable to collect or look for something that they are unaware of...

mrearlygold

<< <i>Rare varieties in part remain that way because they seem to remain well-guarded secrets.

Collectors are unable to collect or look for something that they are unaware of... >>