What area of US numismatics is gaining in popularity?
291fifth
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If it only has a "one-way" market it doesn't count.
All glory is fleeting.
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<< <i>Exonumia ? >>
Possibly, but only in very selective areas. Many of my local Sunday Bourse dealers now carry slabbed exonumia but it just seems to sit and sit. If you put a common so-called dollar in a slab it is still just a common so-called dollar with an inflated price to boot.
WS
<< <i>Chinese coinage. Think about it. >>
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<< <i>Exonumia ? >>
The prices of cheap exonumia in many areas is through the roof. Where there was once no market
there are now millions of people who can learn of things like telephone tokens through google and
desire to own an example. Most tokens had a mintage of "1,000" exactly and no examples at all
survive. Of those tokens that do survive the typical number of survivors is between "20" and "250".
I doubt there are more than "classic" 200,000 telephone tokens even in aggregate and they are
spead amoung a couple thousand distinct issues with most being scarce or rare.
I don't think we've seen anything yet in terms of price appreciation in tokens and medals since most
collectors are still fairly new. There could be significant demand for things like video arcade tokens
in the future as the kids from the '80's get nostalgic.
These will be long term trends and it's impossible to know how exactly they will play out.
in leaps and bounds. There is a perception that they are all common but in fact most are
actually quite scarce and the rest are distressingly common. Every year new demand will
materialize that causes prices of the scarce ones to skyrocket.
This is another long term trend that will be in place for half a century or longer.
<< <i>
<< <i>Exonumia ? >>
The prices of cheap exonumia in many areas is through the roof. Where there was once no market
there are now millions of people who can learn of things like telephone tokens through google and
desire to own an example. Most tokens had a mintage of "1,000" exactly and no examples at all
survive. Of those tokens that do survive the typical number of survivors is between "20" and "250".
I doubt there are more than "classic" 200,000 telephone tokens even in aggregate and they are
spead amoung a couple thousand distinct issues with most being scarce or rare.
I don't think we've seen anything yet in terms of price appreciation in tokens and medals since most
collectors are still fairly new. There could be significant demand for things like video arcade tokens
in the future as the kids from the '80's get nostalgic.
These will be long term trends and it's impossible to know how exactly they will play out. >>
Telephone tokens? Sorry, but I am not buying into this at all.
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CoinsAreFun Toned Silver Eagle Proof Album
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or maybe all CC coins?
<< <i>
Telephone tokens? Sorry, but I am not buying into this at all. >>
I don't really know anything specific about this market but just did a quick search and see a better CA telephone
token already bid to $17 and three IL tokens for $4 each.
The CA token is actually only a little higher than its old value but "common" IL tokens at this price is rather remark-
able. These were (and still are) often available for a few cents each. That they would sell at all is pretty surprising.
I've been seeing this everywhere. A dirt common Pittsburgh 1924 transportation token can sell for a couple dollars
rather readily on eBay where it used to be impossible to give them away. There are probably 100,000 of these a-
round and they swamp demand. I've been seeing this across the board and some better tokens are getting even
higher prices so some of the demand must be coming from collectors rather than just "sunday shoppers".
<< <i>
Telephone tokens? Sorry, but I am not buying into this at all. >>
Twenty years ago there was no market at all for these. I couldn't sell twenty different for $9.90
I had to build my collection through trading which is very difficult because there are so very few
collectors.
They started getting easier to sell when telephone cards got popular.
These just aren't often encountered unless you live near Chicago and even here few people are
familiar with them.
<< <i>
<< <i>
Telephone tokens? Sorry, but I am not buying into this at all. >>
Twenty years ago there was no market at all for these. I couldn't sell twenty different for $9.90
I had to build my collection through trading which is very difficult because there are so very few
collectors.
They started getting easier to sell when telephone cards got popular.
These just aren't often encountered unless you live near Chicago and even here few people are
familiar with them. >>
In over 50 years of collecting I have never had even one person ask me about, show me or ask to buy or sell a telephone token. To me they fall into an area of "valueless" collectibles. My definition of "valueless" - a collectible that costs more to sell than it is worth.
The number of "valueless" collectibles has increased sharply in recent years as selling costs associated with eBay/PayPal have risen.
Any original early federal type
Civil War Tokens
HTT's
Merchant Tokens
World coins which circulated in early America
Dirty gold
Regency holdered US coins
NGC black slabs
Etc.
Coin Rarities Online
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<< <i>
In over 50 years of collecting I have never had even one person ask me about, show me or ask to buy or sell a telephone token. To me they fall into an area of "valueless" collectibles. My definition of "valueless" - a collectible that costs more to sell than it is worth.
The number of "valueless" collectibles has increased sharply in recent years as selling costs associated with eBay/PayPal have risen. >>
I'm not in the least surprised you've never seen any interest in these but one man's trash
has always been another man's treasure. There probably weren't ten collectors of these in
the country twenty years ago but this number is up some ten fold (if not more) and there
are now many thousands of people who know what they are thanks to google. I just looked
at wiki's entry and it's bad but there are many ways to find these through google.
This same phenomenon is happening in coins. Twenty years ago there weren't really any
Indian modern collectors. If you listed a 1962 Indian mint set for a dollar you'd have no
takers. Indeed, two years ago you still couldn't give these away and any unlucky dealer
who found himself with one would probably cut it up and put the coins in his junk box where
they still wouldn't sell. Now it lists for $4,500!!! These sets have simply been unavailable
but you could occassionally find parts of them in junk boxes. Unfortunately they were of-
ten only AU.
It's not the depth of demand for these later coins, tokens, and medals that is astounding
but rather the fact that any demand exists at all. If a hundred people are seeking a modern
it might mean a twenty fold (or more) increase in demand.
To put this in perspective there is very common 1977 quarter with a different reverse. I
say common but only about 100,000 were made and they all went into circulation. It's
unlikely even a single example survives in Unc and AU's are exceedingly rare. But there's
no demand for it. If you tried to sell one you'd get nothing for it today. This will not al-
ways be true. People will want all these moderns in time because that's what collectors do.
Telephone tokens are no different except they are a thinner market with few participants.
The internet is bringing the existence of things to peoples' attention and creating interest
that would have never existed in the past. Where Indian coins from 1962 are just another
ho hum huge mintage coinage that no one ever cared about, telephone tokens aren't even
widely known about. I think they have a pretty interesting history but, hey, I collected
them even before I knew what they were. To me they were other peoples' cast-offs that
looked interesting.
To me the strangest thing is the concept that huge mintage aluminum and cu/ ni coins
from a major country could have all been destroyed.
...Go figure.
<< <i>Chinese coinage. Think about it. >>
I HATE to think about it.
I don't see the classic Chinese coinage, which are legitimate collectables, gaining ground. It is only the counterfeits at flea markets and the less policed Internet sites that are gaining traction.
There are many early 20th century medals that are quite attractive
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
All World coins that have a connection to America are also becoming more appreciated and sought after, such as early English and early Liberian official coinage and patterns.
The bust halves are still VERY desirable, and as someone else mentioned original early American type are always in hot demand.
Colonials are as popular as ever, I can tell by the number of hits compared to non colonials.
<< <i>The move in Chinese coins has come and gone >>
I wonder if you're thinking about the same Chinese coins others are... US numismatics... think about it.
<< <i>I don't see the classic Chinese coinage, which are legitimate collectables, gaining ground. >>
I've been seeing classic Chinese coinage gain ground. Some have even been showcased by top tier auction houses and coin publications.
<< <i>It appears to me that everything in the Bust Series coinage is gaining in popularity, at least the prices are going up considerably. >>
That brings up an interesting point. Do rising prices necessarily indicate gaining popularity?
<< <i>
<< <i>It appears to me that everything in the Bust Series coinage is gaining in popularity, at least the prices are going up considerably. >>
That brings up an interesting point. Do rising prices necessarily indicate gaining popularity? >>
According to the OP, only if it is a "two-way" market.
Coin Rarities Online
<< <i>Colonials
Any original early federal type
Civil War Tokens
HTT's
Merchant Tokens
World coins which circulated in early America
Dirty gold
Regency holdered US coins
NGC black slabs
Etc. >>
Well I got into 3 of those at the right time as I just told Weasy... We Movin' On Up!
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Coins dated 2013 are way more popular than they were a year ago!
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<< <i>
<< <i>Chinese coinage. Think about it. >>
I HATE to think about it.
I don't see the classic Chinese coinage, which are legitimate collectables, gaining ground. It is only the counterfeits at flea markets and the less policed Internet sites that are gaining traction. >>
I'm glad some people understood the point I was making.
Tokens of many stripes do seem to attract more interest and stronger bids than in the past. However, unless a person wants to become a part time dealer there isn't a two-way market for them. There also isn't much dollar volume. The three most common CC Morgans (82cc, 83cc, 84cc) likely do more dollar volume, than all the tokens piled together.
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<< <i>
<< <i>Exonumia ? >>
The prices of cheap exonumia in many areas is through the roof. Where there was once no market
there are now millions of people who can learn of things like telephone tokens through google and
desire to own an example. Most tokens had a mintage of "1,000" exactly and no examples at all
survive. Of those tokens that do survive the typical number of survivors is between "20" and "250".
I doubt there are more than "classic" 200,000 telephone tokens even in aggregate and they are
spead amoung a couple thousand distinct issues with most being scarce or rare.
I don't think we've seen anything yet in terms of price appreciation in tokens and medals since most
collectors are still fairly new. There could be significant demand for things like video arcade tokens
in the future as the kids from the '80's get nostalgic.
These will be long term trends and it's impossible to know how exactly they will play out. >>
Merchant tokens with "Bar" or "Saloon" have gone up dramatically over the past few years. Forget guidebooks for pricing, I track ebay for this. I'm now looking at school lunch tokens from Hawaii, smoe interesting stuff there, interesting names.
<< <i>Exonumia ? >>
Hey DC, anything in particular?
<< <i>
Merchant tokens with "Bar" or "Saloon" have gone up dramatically over the past few years. Forget guidebooks for pricing, I track ebay for this. I'm now looking at school lunch tokens from Hawaii, smoe interesting stuff there, interesting names. >>
I like the school lunch tokens but unfortunately have none from Hawaii.
One of my favorites is called "food stamp change tokens". These are for all practical purposes
US coins and most are scarcer than most dates of bust half dollars. They were used to make
change for food stamps through the early-'80's but were used as legal tender so the Secret Ser-
vice stopped them just as they did most of the state issued tax tokens which were also US coins.
Unlike the tax tokens, though, a lot of the change "tokens" are scarce or rare. A quick check on
eBay shows these are selling at higher prices as well. You used to be able to pick up entire 5 pc
sets in BU for $1.50 when they were common. Now even distressingly common issues sell for $1.
Some better ones are selling for $10 or more individually in Unc.
I really should make more effort to keep up with the markets.
they always start out as freebies,
Even non coin collectors desire them when offered at face value.
Seriously, we are learning a lot about the history of the TPG services just by studying the sample slabs.
Fifteen years ago, everyone including myself would have laughed if you told me that sample slabs could be a collectible.
<< <i>Some that come to mind are Eliasberg coins, and a few other big name pedigrees. Proof like Morgans seem harder to come by than they have been and prices may be off their highs, they are also well off their lows. Silver eagles may have made a top in price, but are certainly far more popular as a set than they were say ten years ago.
Tokens of many stripes do seem to attract more interest and stronger bids than in the past. However, unless a person wants to become a part time dealer there isn't a two-way market for them. There also isn't much dollar volume. The three most common CC Morgans (82cc, 83cc, 84cc) likely do more dollar volume, than all the tokens piled together. >>
Your comment about the lack of a two-way market for most tokens, particularly those from the 20th century, is right on the money. Most of their cost is actually a "service charge" from the dealer for even bothering to handle such cheap items. When it comes time to sell the dealers don't want this stuff back. It is either too common or the market for it is too thin.
<< <i>
<< <i>Exonumia ? >>
Hey DC, anything in particular?
Anything of high-quality manufacture with low production totals, especially if the item has a monetary-related theme.
Unusual or historic silver rounds (not "Happy Birthday" stuff). Leshers, Bryan Money, Pedley-Ryan, 1933 Colorado/Montana, etc.
Also any vintage or modern issues that are related to mining or are issued by mines, major & minor refineries, etc.