Redbook, Bluebook, Trend?

Watch the trend listings that you're talking about closely...they will go up and down within a very short amount of time depending, quite literally, on what the market trend is doing. ie: What coins have been bought/sold, prices bought/sold, etc. That drives the values as well as bullion markets, etc. Does that make sense inaddition to crystalks comments?

The RedBook is an excellent guide but that is ALL that it is. They must be prepared almost a year in advance to get them to the publisher, printed, bound and out on the market. Markets can make huge moves in either direction in a very short period so there is no way these guides can be accurate across the board. Granted they may be close in many areas, especially in areas where there is not much collector interests but our hobby is a huge supply and demand game and interests can change very rapidly. Throw in media hype on top of all of this and who knows what EVERYONE will be wanting to own this time next year? I am not knocking the RedBook by any means as I buy one every year but I never use it for values when it comes to buying or selling. I use my dealer and his grey sheet. And, quite honestly, while many do not care for ebay the fact remains that it is an excellent example of what prices are being paid for specific coins on any given day and it is REAL life not a guide.
Probably the hardest thing to do in our hobby is learn to AVOID the hype and collect what your heart desires. Hyped coins and sets, while hotter than a firecraker today, may be nothing more than a mention in a book two years from now with no interest or little value compared to that which one may pay while the spiders are weaving their web, so to speak.
Being a world wide collector I try to watch release mintages very closely and must work to keep up with silver released from other nations. A fine example would be the Australian Kangaroos which, in some years is very limited, thus creating a very profitable set of coins if you can find them for purchase at release prices. Many nations will limit coin releases to 1000 to 10,000 pieces which in all honesty makes it a pretty rare coin compared to supply and demand almost immediately. As world wide collecting continues to catch on the markets are going to adjust accordingly as those limited issues will be tough to assemble at an affordable cost.

http://www.greysheet.com/web_order/...ibe_form.asp

Thank you for your sacrifice

Just so you understand that the value in the greysheet is the wholesale value. You should expect to pay a bit more, but it is the starting point for most of the transactions I've had with dealers and at shows.

EDIT: Just noticed that you can request a 1-time free sample!

Fogrot the Blackbook guide to world coins.

And Greenbook guide to cleaning coins.

TKC!

I was just thinking about how we always hear, buy the book before the coin. Probably anyone who wants to collect stamps, coins, antiques, anything, before ever buying a book on coins, a book on stamps, a book on antiques, is to buy a book, or better yet take a course at one's local community college entitled Marketing 101. That way, we learn how people who have the agenda of selling something turn every negative into a positive, convince others they need something they have, etc.
How often do you ask someone, (a realtor, a banker, car salesperson) how's business, and gotten, well it's not too good right now...yeah right! Have you ever heard the president of the U.S. come out at the State of the Union message and start out by saying "The state of the union isn't all that great right now..." Hah! These people are all marketing geniuses.

However, now I'm off to buy that Green Book guide, I've been needing that for years!