The 36 Major Gold Types: A Collectors Guide

The 36 Major Gold Types: A Collectors Guide

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.

Read More

So...You've Decided to Collect Charlotte Gold Coinage...

So...You've Decided to Collect Charlotte Gold Coinage...

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.

Read More

So...You've Decided to Collect No Motto $10.00 Libs...

So...You've Decided to Collect No Motto $10.00 Libs...

Of all the various Liberty Head series, the No Motto eagles are probably the most complex from a pricing standpoint. The bad news is that there are around 15 or 20 issues which have surviving populations in the 25-75 coin range, and even more which are true appearance rarities. The good news is that there are no exceedingly rare six or seven-figure dates. So, let’s talk No Motto tens!

Read More

Branding Your Collection

Branding Your Collection

What can a collector do to brand his collection and what impact does branding have on a collection? I’d like to share a few insights. But first, I’d like to discuss the concept of branding and how it applies to coin collecting.

Read More

How Rare are Non-Shipwreck Gem Type One Double Eagles?

How Rare are Non-Shipwreck Gem Type One Double Eagles?

In the recent Stacks Bowers 2016 ANA Sale, I was fortunate to purchase an amazing 1860 double eagle, graded MS65 by PCGS, which was part of the Bull Run Collection and earlier was sold as Lot 900 in the famous October 1982 Eliasberg Collection auction.

After I bought this coin, I told another dealer that the Eliasberg 1860 “was the finest non-shipwreck Type One double eagle I had ever owned.” This got me to thinking: just how rare are non-shipwreck MS65 and finer double eagles of this type?

 

Read More

10 Rare Date Gold Coins with Surprisingly Low/High CAC Populations

10 Rare Date Gold Coins with Surprisingly Low/High CAC Populations

To me, CAC populations help to quantify quality. By this, I mean that if 8 examples of a specific date of Liberty Head half eagle have been approved by CAC, we can assume that there are at least 8 above-average examples of this date with some degree of originality and eye appeal. A figure of “8” at PCGS is not as quantifiable when it comes to quality.

Read More