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 Replies: 13 / Views: 2,587 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
6514 Posts |
I'm totally new to this section of the Forum. I've collected Lincoln Cents, Indian Head cents and am an avid collector of counterstamped Lincoln Cents. As a next stepping stone in my collecting journey would Large Cents be a place I could start an actual financial investment in coins? |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5029 Posts |
Many threads and opinions given regarding investing in coins in the forum. I think collecting and investing are two different mindsets. And if I was looking for something to invest in, I would find something other than coins to invest in. That is my UNprofessional opinion and I am sure you will receive many more opinions that greatly vary.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
My opinion is NO. Way to many things to know about them. To many varieties, to much to buy them for too. Presently your collecting coins that are reasonable available for reasonable prices. Large Cents almost take on an entirely new thing. You have to really read all available sources of info on them since there are so many slight differences in many of them of the same year. And too if you look at the market for them, you would see the amount of people collecting them is not way up there for you to make much of a profit.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6130 Posts |
Unless you plan to study the series and opportunistically pounce on underpriced large cents to properly attribute and flip them, I wouldn't consider them to be an investment. The market for the most part has matured, so the odds of being able to turn a profit (ahead of inflation) are slim.
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Moderator
United States
188440 Posts |
Coins are for collecting, not investing. Just my humble opinion.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
Good advice, and I agree the answer is No. That being said, if you want to spend time and research, and buy a few high end coins at good prices as an extension of your hobby, go for it.
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
You can make money with coins if you are a dealer buying at wholesale and selling at retail. Or as an auction house.
With those two exceptions just about everyone else will break even, at best.
If you become so good at knowing every variety and nuance of a series, denomination, or other speciality genre you can make money if you know more than other buyers.
Gaining that knowledge usually requires decades of study or absolute concentration for a shorter period.
I make good money on some exonumic fields, but it took me 25 years to get there.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Agree that this is a very complicated (and competitive) field and perhaps not the best place if you are looking to "invest."
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1261 Posts |
Large cents are tough too because you don't have enough people collecting by date/variety so essentially it's a coin for type collectors unless you get into the early dates or really rare varieties. For type collectors there is a lot of choices and opportunities (high mintages for extended years) so it's very hard to sell inventory as there just isn't enough collectors for the quantity available.
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Moderator
United States
188440 Posts |
Quote:
You can make money with coins if you are a dealer buying at wholesale and selling at retail. Or as an auction house. Perhaps making profit with coins is really not unlike doing it with cars. Given the time and capital, most can do it like a normal dealer or wholesaler, while a select few can do it as a proper investment. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
Collect what you enjoy and maybe it will be worth something someday. Or not. But at least you will have something you enjoy.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
 with jbuck. Collect what like and if it appreciates down the road...that's great, but the market can turn the other way as well. Edited by Debrajc
01/12/2018 11:24 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
IMHO, a coin collector's best investment amounts to time .... spent studying books, auctions, attending shows and clubs, networking with fellow collectors and dealers, etc.
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Moderator
United States
188440 Posts |
Quote:
IMHO, a coin collector's best investment amounts to time .... spent studying books, auctions, attending shows and clubs, networking with fellow collectors and dealers, etc. Well said.  |
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Replies: 13 / Views: 2,587 |
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Posted 01/12/2018 10:47 am
