Tabla de contenidos para December 2019/January 2020 en COINage

PRE-1890: These earliest proof gold issues were minted in extremely low original mintages. They are the rarest of the rare. 1890 TO 1907 PROOF GOLD: These were made in larger quantities, but they are still truly rare and extremely desirable. These are the classics of the proof gold market. 1908 TO 1915 MATTE AND ROMAN FINISH PROOF GOLD: During this time, the U.S. Mint experimented with the Matte and Roman finishes for proof coins that were popular in Europe at the time. These coins were not very popular at the time of issue. So survival rates are relatively low. The Matte and Roman finish proofs are very popular today, and the 32 coin series is often collected as a separate set.…

The holiday season is a time for giving, and sometimes that gift is money. Some wag once said: “The color and size is always correct!” My paternal grandmother had 28 grandchildren, and rather than trying to shop for all of us she just gave us each a shiny new silver dollar when we came over for Christmas dinner. Most banks kept at least one bag of new silver dollars in their vault for customers like her, before the supply of silver dollars dried up in 1964. I wish I still had one of them, but I was not a collector yet and every one was spent at the corner candy store as soon as possible. Christmas money was meant to be spent on one’s self, you know! Years later, when…

At the end of September 2019, the Federal Reserve injected at least $63 billion into the financial system to eliminate a shortage of cash in the repo market. The recent spike in overnight repo rates from 2% to 10% is a sign of the seriousness of the recent shortage of cash in the financial system. (Repo rate is the rate at which the central bank of a country lends money to commercial banks in the event of any shortfall of funds.) While the repo shortage may prove to not have any lasting serious impact on capital markets, it is an interesting omen of the precariousness of the financial system itself, as well as the Fed’s inability to extricate itself from loose monetary policies without collapsing capital markets. The shortage of…

The year 2019 has been an entertaining and interesting year for coin auctions. The focus of this article is U.S. rare coins that appeared in 2019 auctions. Appearances of rarities generate enthusiasm for U.S. coins in general and draw media attention. Rarities in all the relevant leading auctions of the year are mentioned, though it is not practical to discuss every rarity that was offered. Most selections are coins or patterns that I find especially newsworthy or particularly interesting. 1885 TRADE DOLLAR FASCINATES The most exciting coin to be auctioned during the year was the 1885 Trade Dollar that was earlier in the Eliasberg Collection. Indeed, the single silver coin that is most often linked in the minds of collectors to the Eliasberg Collection is this 1885 Trade Dollar. Louis…

For over fifty years, I’ve been closely following developments in the gold market and the many factors which affect its price. Today, we are at an unprecedented time when gold’s historic and primary role as wealth insurance is becoming vital. Since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, caused by an implosion of bad debts and credit instruments, the total level of debt in the United States and worldwide has risen by over 50%! Governments’ response to those critical times of debt gone wild was to create more debt. Globally, we have become over-reliant on borrowing as a solution for everything. For the United States alone, in response to the 2008 crisis, the Federal Reserve created or backstopped/guaranteed an astonishing $27 trillion out of thin air to restore trust. “I believe it…

When I look at current coin prices, I see some true bargains. 19th-century silver type coins, top quality generic gold coins, and classic silver and gold commemoratives are not only at cyclical low prices, but they are also at true bargain levels. It’s a great time to buy select top-quality rare United States coins. With this in mind, the question becomes: Which area of the rare coin market is the very best long term bet? And notice that I said “long term.” That’s because every person who I’ve witnessed having significant financial success in the rare coin market has used a long-term approach. The strategy that works best in the rare coin market is the long-term approach. Look at the rare coin market the way Warren Buffett looks at stocks.…

Robert Mertz started collecting coins in 1955 at the tender age of six. It wasn’t until the year 2000 that he entered the coin industry professionally. At this time he began purchasing bulk quantities of lustrous white slabbed MS64 and MS65 Morgan Silver Dollars and $20 Liberty Gold Eagles. Bob accumulated well over 10,000 of these premium specimens, which he wholesaled to the major dealers of that time. It’s these long-standing relationships that shape Bob’s experience and excellent reputation within the coin community. At this early point of his career in numismatics, Bob assembled a complete set of lustrous, white slabbed Morgan Dollars all graded MS64 or better, except for the ellusive 1901-P, which was in MS63 grade. Most recently, Bob established Mertz Coins and once again began accumulating significant…