6/07/2013

The Eternal Value Of Collectible Coins

By Michelle Howe


Collectible coins are a smart investment area, especially when the economy still doesn't appear very certain in the long term. They have the advantage of resisting inflation when that affliction strikes other, more purely financial instruments. For this reason, those err who think of them as only a past-time, rather than as a sound part of an effectively diverse portfolio.

One ounce of gold possesses a particular market value, and is itself a fine option during post-recessionary times with great risk ahead. Once it is stamped with the image of perhaps Queen Elizabeth in the year 1670, it becomes that much more valuable for being both beautiful and rare. Such a thing holds an innate enchantment quite apart from its market value, even though that value could be thousands of dollars and more.

This means that there will always be potential buyers for rare coins, often people who have no intention of reselling at any time. Their intention might be to put them on display, whether in a fine leather-bound book or beneath glass. This should surprise no one, since even when weathered these extraordinary bits of precious metal are beautiful art objects, to be valued along with sculptures and paintings more typically associated with Fine Art.

The presence of this kind of buyer tends to act as a buoy during moments of inflationary pressure such as many fear in coming years, given enormous government and private debt. Many a wise investor, even without much romantic attachment to the coins' higher qualities, has profited from the steadying effect these enthusiasts exert upon their market value. Further, these objects only become more rare with time.

To one sort of enthusiast, what draws them to these coins is not their considerable aesthetic appeal so much as their witness to the exotic, legendary historical periods in which they were minted. History is made more real by these images of emperors and kings, heroes and queens minted in precious metals. It is also easy to fancy that these faces, contemporary to the figures whose images they bear, might also bear some physical resemblance to these figures, at least in comparison to later images that might in fact be better known.

One might prefer Americana to world or ancient history, and yet feel the sense of connection to special moments in history, despite the relatively unchanging canon of Presidential faces. A connection can be made with the Old West, or the Civil War. It can be interesting to think about the first person who held some old dime or quarter, and wonder what became of them.

On the other hand, no investing instrument is infallible, or there would no portfolios as such at all. While they do show good profitability even in rough financial weather, the down side is that rare coins can be quite difficult to sell at good price in a timely manner. Investors for whom liquidity is an important factor would probably be happier with the gold or silver disc before coinage.

This is why, in uncertain times for investors, at least one instrument can promise to maintain its profitability. While inflation can eat deeply into the value of more purely monetary instruments, an object of beauty will always be sought for reasons that transcend market value. This keeps the market for collectibles steady even in inflationary times, and collectible coins a vital part of a diverse portfolio.




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