| 1. One of the best ways to save on money while | | | | particular coin is very close in book value, always |
| selling several hundred or several thousand coins a | | | | buy the higher grade. If it's a key date or semi |
| week is to buy bubble mailers online. They cost a | | | | key date, the higher grade is usually the better |
| dollar to over a dollar each in the post office, | | | | investment. Key dates always go up in value. But, |
| depending on the size of the mailer. What I did | | | | the higher grades will most likely appreciate faster. |
| was search the internet for these bubble mailers | | | | 14. Only buy coins from PCGS, NGC, and ANACS. |
| so you don't have to waste your time looking for | | | | All other grading companies usually over grade the |
| them. I get them as cheap as.09¢ each! How's | | | | coins. Some BS grading companies even grade |
| that for savings. Just go to Royal Mailers and put | | | | counterfeit coins so be careful! |
| "coinprofits" in the Coupon Code to get your | | | | 15. Never buy "fake" coins. Fake coins are coins |
| discounts. You can mix and match or just buy | | | | that are not made by the U.S. Mint. A lot of them |
| one size. They are by far the cheapest on the | | | | are inferior in quality and mass produced. Some |
| internet. | | | | aren't even 100% silver or gold. A lot of these |
| 2. When gold is sky high, never buy common gold | | | | "collector coins" are made with a cheap core, then |
| coins. Their values are based on gold spot. So | | | | either gold plated or silver plated. The only non |
| their book values go up as gold goes up. Once | | | | U.S. Mint coins worth buying are gold and silver |
| gold goes down, they quickly lose their value. | | | | bullion coins that are.999 pure or better. |
| 3. When gold is down, always buy legal tender | | | | 16. Never buy cleaned coins, artificially toned coins, |
| gold coins instead of bullion gold bars or bullion gold | | | | environmentally damaged coins, scratched coins, |
| coins. Legal tender gold coins can appreciate in | | | | coins with corrosion, altered coins, gold plated |
| value faster then gold spot, whereas bullion gold | | | | coins, copper plated coins, painted coins, rusty |
| only follows the value of gold. | | | | coins, replated coins, pitted coins, coins certified |
| 4. When buying bullion gold, always buy the | | | | by BS grading companies, doctored coins, bent |
| smallest increment you can buy. These little bars | | | | coins, whizzed coins, holed coins, filler coins, or |
| have the highest mark up compared to gold spot. | | | | culls. Always buy problem free coins because they |
| Just make sure it's.999 fine gold or better. | | | | are easier to sell, worth more, and can still go up |
| 5. When buying copper coinage, always buy "red" | | | | in value. Problem coins have a very hard time |
| specimens. Copper collectors go crazy for red | | | | going up in value. |
| copper coins. This is the reason why they always | | | | 17. Never sell major or dramatic error slab coins if |
| go up in value faster then "brown" and | | | | it's not noted on the slab. You will not get fair |
| "red-brown" coins. MAKE SURE YOU PROTECT | | | | market value if you sell it as is. Always get it |
| THEM FROM TARNISH IF YOU BUY THEM | | | | reslabbed. |
| UNSLABBED!! | | | | 18. When there are two or more varieties of the |
| 6. All slabs can state that a copper coin is | | | | same coin, always buy the rarer variety no |
| "red-brown". But this is always an "iffy" attribute. | | | | matter how small the difference in mintage. The |
| Sometimes it looks kind of reddish and | | | | rarer variety usually becomes the more popular |
| sometimes it looks completely brown. So if you | | | | variety. This will equate to being worth more in |
| have a choice, always select a "redder" specimen. | | | | the long run. They're easier to sell and usually go |
| I have seen a lot of "brown" coins labeled | | | | up in value faster then the more populous |
| "red-brown" so look carefully before you buy. | | | | varieties. |
| 7. Always check a copper coin to see if it's | | | | 19. Never buy BU rolls that have been placed in |
| actually red if it is labeled "red." Sometimes they | | | | plastic shot gun tubes. These rolls can easily be |
| are not red at all. Be careful of coins graded by | | | | searched. And to be honest, they have probably |
| ANACS. Some copper coins in ANACS slabs are | | | | been cherry picked already. |
| labeled "red" even though they are really only | | | | 20. Never buy single BU coins from original rolls. |
| "red-brown." | | | | Especially from dutch auctions. They are all |
| 8. Never buy unslabbed toned coins if you don't | | | | searched, they could be damaged from the |
| know what's real toning and what's fake toning. | | | | opening of the roll, they could have tarnished if |
| You can easily be fooled because there are so | | | | the seller is selling left overs, and they cannot |
| many different ways to tone a coin. A lot of | | | | guarantee you a high grade. All the "choice" |
| scammers artificially tone coins and grade them in | | | | specimens would have been cherry picked |
| bogus grading companies. So you should always | | | | already. If the roll did not sell out, the seller would |
| only buy rainbow toned coins from PCGS, NGC, | | | | obviously give you the lesser desirable specimens. |
| ANACS, or ICG. | | | | 21. If you buy bags or rolls from the U.S. Mint, |
| 9. Toned coins are nice. But, some coins have | | | | you should never open them right away. If you |
| toning that doesn't look very nice. I would never | | | | hear about an error within that series, your bag |
| buy a coin that has blackened toning. After this | | | | roll could easily go up in value because it is |
| blackening, you barely see the coin. So when | | | | "unopened." If an error was reported for that |
| buying toned coins, never buy coins that are too | | | | particular year, you can easily double or triple your |
| darkly toned or too lightly toned. Always choose | | | | money if your bag/roll was unopened. |
| coins with strong, bright, vibrant colors. | | | | 22. Always buy everything the U.S. Mint has for |
| 10. Some coins have a spot here and there, and | | | | sale. There's always a coin or set that does |
| some coins are completely spotless. It is in your | | | | "spectacular." Don't wait to get it on eBay. |
| best interest to buy completely "white" coins. | | | | 23. If there is a limited edition coin or set of coins, |
| These are easier to sell because a lot of | | | | I always buy as many as I can. They always go |
| collectors want their coins virtually spotless. This is | | | | up in value the minute they sell out. Don't wait to |
| a must for some of the newer coins such as | | | | get them on eBay. Usually, the faster they sell |
| Silver Eagles. | | | | out, the faster the coin explodes in value. Don't |
| 11. Proof coins are always grade sensitive. They | | | | want to get it on eBay. |
| tend to lose a lot of their value if they are not | | | | 24. Never go crazy over a proof or mint set |
| proof 69 or better. It's better to buy a raw | | | | because of one coin. Why don't you just buy that |
| specimen then a coin graded proof 68. It's not | | | | one coin? That's the only coin that's worth a |
| worth it to buy a coin graded proof 68 because | | | | premium anyways. Only go crazy for a set if the |
| proof coins usually average proof 69+. So you | | | | whole set was rare and valuable. |
| end up paying a premium because it is graded, | | | | 25. Never buy First Day Covers. They are almost |
| but you get nothing in return. You even lose the | | | | not what coin collectors want to collect. They can |
| box and COA. You could have paid less for an | | | | go up in value, but once the fad is over, they |
| ungraded specimen that will most likely turn out | | | | quickly lose their value. In most instances, they |
| to be a proof 69 or higher. | | | | can easily go below their issue price. If you like |
| 12. Be careful of common date coins with high | | | | collecting First Day Covers, I suggest you get |
| grades from BS grading companies. (A lot of | | | | them after they go down in value. Then you can |
| them are just cheap cases instead of slabs). A lot | | | | buy them for peanuts on eBay. |
| of common dates are worth a lot of money in | | | | 26. Don't buy into the hype of the URS-1 |
| high grades because they are so hard to find in | | | | population connotation from the Cherrypicker's |
| those grades. So, what BS grading companies do | | | | Guide. That URS-1 supposedly means that there is |
| is find a good looking common date and grade | | | | only 1 in the world. It's possible, but I have seen 2 |
| them MS69's and MS70's. In reality, most of them | | | | of these supposedly "One of a Kind" coins selling |
| are no where near MS65. In most cases, those | | | | at the same time. Rare ha? I think that it just |
| grades are non existent for that particular coin. | | | | means that they have only seen one or heard of |
| You could have easily bought the same coin in the | | | | one out there. It doesn't really mean that there |
| same grade or higher for just a couple of dollars. | | | | aren't many more out there. Instead, just buy the |
| Your best bet is to stay away from unfamiliar | | | | popular errors/varieties that have extremely low |
| grading companies. You are paying a premium for | | | | populations. They're really liquid because it's |
| nothing. | | | | popular, and it has a reason to go up in value |
| 13. If a lower grade and the next grade up of a | | | | because it's rare. |