Rare Coins

Rare Coins Definition: Technically, "rare" means very few examples are known (e.g. no more than 75 to earn that designation on the Sheldon Rarity Scale), but with these coins becoming not affordable for the general collection coins with much higher mintages are becoming "rare coin investments".
Rarity of the coin has a huge affect on rare coin value. There are some rare coins with a value of more than $1,000,000 and there are some common coins with the face value or little value.

Most of the time, the rare coins are the once, which can appreciate in value dramatically over some time and these are the once collectors seek the most. You can read more on the Value of Rare Coins on our Coin Values page.

Rare Coin

Rare Coins Prices


Rare coins prices depend on a lot of factors and we will discuss some of them here:

1) Coin Grading: Value of rare coins depends a lot on the coin grading. Usually, even a difference in 1 grade makes coins 2-3 times more expensive.

2) Mintage or how rare the coin is also affects the value. Coins minted in low mintages would have a better value in the series. Even if 2 coins look and grade identical and only differ in 1 year, the coin with the lower mintage for the year will have higher value.

3) Coin Market: - Demand and Supply for coins creating a coin market, where value of the coin would be influenced by a lot of political and economical factors. For ex: Some of the rare old coins from Eastern Europe would cost very little only, because there is a little demand and people can't afford to have the luxury of collecting coins. NOTE: We can see that this is changing now and some coins from Eastern Europe, especially Russian coins have a huge opportunity to increase in value and already started to become expensive even for serious investors.

4) Rare Silver Coins and Rare Gold Coins - There is an increasing demand in rare coins made from precious metals, such as silver and gold. The value of these rare coins grown dramatically in last years affected by increase in commodity prices and high demand. Refer to Silver Coins page and Gold Coins page for more information about rare silver coins, rare gold coins and rare gold coins value.

5) Error Coins - Some collectors specialize in so-called error coins. These are the coins that have been minted in error or with some unintended mistake in design. Prices of error coins vary considerably, and are based on denomination, date (if the date is visible), how significant the error, error type, how scarce the error is, and the dealer's demeanor.

NOTE: Be aware that values of error coins have been stable and steady over the decades. This is not an investment hobby, but an enjoyable and educational experience, and a good illustration of our imperfect world.

Please refer to the Coin Values page for more information about rare coin value and rare coin prices.

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This article by Eduardo De Resendes briefly summarizes the main advantages of investing in rare coins and offers some guidelines to prospective rare coin investors.

The following summarizes some of the main advantages of rare coin investments.

1) Rare coins have historically protected or preserved wealth as strong inflation fighters, particularly in countries whose paper currency has been severely weakened. Any time our paper money is threatened, rare coins can protect wealth much like an investment in gold bullion.

2) Rare coins are selling at steep discount to their 1980's highs and, given the cyclical nature of the rare coin market, may be poised for rapid price appreciation in the near future.

3) The beauty of rare coins can be enjoyed much like any other work of art. They are also a very private form of investment not subject to government scrutiny common to other types of investments held in banks and by brokerage houses.

4) Rare coins are easy to store and are virtually indestructible. They are also insurable. Rare coins represent truly portable wealth which can be moved from place to place very quickly and easily.

5) With thousands of coin dealers around, selling most quality rare coins is quite easy making them a fairly liquid investment.

If you are interested to collect rare coins, read more at A Companion to Rare Coin Collecting

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Rare Coins News
03/18/2024
I’m a Rare Coin Collector: How To Spot Valuable Coins
Harrison Alley is a fiction writer, fantasy and sci-fi aficionado, founder of Fiction Lit, and an avid collector of rare coins. His passion for numismatics rivals his love of literature, and he calls ... more info

03/15/2024
Man reveals ancient coins he found under a church 60 years ago: ‘Just children on a treasure hunt’
Gunnar Fugelsnes recently came forward to disclose that he had found several medieval coins as a child and hid them for six decades – until now. more info

03/14/2024
'I inherited an extremely rare coin collection — now they could sell for £1million'
EXCLUSIVE: An extremely rare collection of coins, some of which are the finest known examples in existence, is being shown to the public for the first time in decades, with some pieces potentially ... more info

03/13/2024
Rare medieval coin with royal link is found languishing down a drain – and is now set to sell for an eye-watering sum
A RARE gold coin dating back nearly 700 years is set to fetch an eye-watering sum after being found down a field drain. The incredible 14th-century artefact was discovered alongside a trove of ... more info

03/09/2024
6 Rare Coins That Will Spike in Value in 2024
Like most markets, the market for rare and collectible coins is as vulnerable to volatility and price swings as any other — and many coin experts expect plenty of volatility in 2024 due to the ... more info

03/18/2024
Royal Mint: How to tell if you have a rare and valuable coin
Low mintage can be deliberate, such as with limited edition coins, which are purposely made to be scarce. However, it can also occur due to ageing, as coins can originally be issued in the thousands ... more info