There are currently some series which are not actively collected which have, at various times, been more popular. Let’s look at five of these and gauge their chances of becoming popular once again.
Between 1795 and 1933 a total of 36 major gold types were issued for circulation. I’m going to discuss each type in more detail with suggestions on how and what to buy and some “alternative” dates to spice-up a type set.
I’d like to propose a set that checks most collectors’ boxes. This set contains larger-sized coins, it is easily completable but can be made challenging, it appeals to collectors with reasonably low budgets, it contains both 19th and 20th century issues and these coins were produced at a popular Southern branch mint.
There is almost no term in the rare coin market which is more misused than “fresh.” I am certainly guilty of overusing this word, and if you look at the coin descriptions I write on my website, I use the word “fresh” more often than I probably should.
I’d like to do a Numismatic List with a Twist. Here are 10 very rare United States gold coins. I have handled all but one (and many of them I’ve handled multiples of). Which is the coin I haven’t handled?
For reasons still unknown, no business strike half eagles were made in 1887 and a total of just 87 coins were made; all as Proofs. This gives the 1887 the honor as the single lowest produced date in the entire half eagle denomination.
There are numerous San Francisco which are well known for their typically ratty appearance. This blog is not about these issues; it is about some of the seemingly more available issues which—in my experience—are surprisingly difficult to locate with good eye appeal.
A total of 23,900 eagles were made at the New Orleans mint in 1849-O. There are an estimated 13-17 known in About Uncirculated, and I doubt if more than two or three of these are what I would define as “choice, original” coins.
This feels like a great point in time to specialize in Charlotte gold. There is not as much competition at the very top end of the market as there is for Dahlonega and New Orleans gold. This means that a collector wishing to focus on finest known or Condition Census issues is not necessarily biting off more than he can chew.
