By Mark Ferguson for COIN VALUES

Nobody can predict the future of the coin market with absolute certainty. We’re still in a 5-year-old bull market trend, which is very lengthy in terms of past coin market cycles. And as we all know, the general world-wide economic climate is dismal.

Certain areas of the coin market are feeling the pinch, but overall the market still has solid support from eager buyers. As reported in the June 23 issue, collectors of average means are left with less disposable income to use for purchasing coins because they’re having to struggle with much higher living costs. This reality has slowed business in some areas, but has generally not affected values in the overall coin market.

Few market bubbles are apparent that could burst, taking values down. A possible exception could be in the registry market for modern coins (those struck since the 1960s).

Coins graded as perfect Mint State and Proof 70 lack dealer buyback support, and the supply grows as more are graded as such, which could lead to a correction in market values for particular coins that have advanced to levels beyond ridiculousness, according to many seasoned collectors and dealers.

Read Full Coin Values Article

By Mark Ferguson for Coin Values

Hearing of a “hoard” of coins conjures up images of surplus, oversupply and the uncommon that suddenly becomes common. This happened in 1962 when hundreds of thousands of the formerly rare Mint State 1903-O Morgan dollars surfaced in the form of $1,000 canvas bags of silver dollars that had been locked in a vault at the Philadelphia Mint since 1929.

The values of the previously few known Uncirculated examples of the 1903-O Morgan dollar quickly plummeted from between $1,000 and $2,000 each all the way down to about $25.

However, the opposite effect occurred when the LaVere Redfield hoard of more than 400,000 silver dollars, most graded Mint State, of various issues, common and rare, were skillfully marketed and disbursed. Market prices for these coins actually rose substantially during the next several years during the late 1970s in an expansion of the collector and dealer demand for silver dollars in general.

Read Full Article

By Mark Ferguson for Coin Values

We’ve seen tremendous price appreciation for coins during the bull market of the past five years.

But with all the talk in the mainstream news about the credit crunch, a recession, possibly even a depression, or at least the most difficult of economic times facing us since the Great Depression, is there really still potential for price appreciation in the coin market?

The general sentiment of players in this market, who are both collectors and dealers, is a resounding “Yes, most definitely!”

The whole coin market may not be poised to appreciate, but in speaking regularly with coin people I have found that most who are involved in this market agree: particular areas show potential for appreciation.

The primary thinking is that we’re in for another round of general economic price inflation.

Historically the coin market does very well during times of inflation. The signs are obvious that living costs are in a rising trend, beginning with our need for transportation, both personally and in shipping goods.

Even if the costs of particular goods themselves are not appreciating yet, many vendors in today’s economy are adding a fuel surcharge. Read Full Article Here