 
 |
| A Report on the Baltimore Show and Mint Errors |
Just back from Baltimore. The show was packed and it was hard to get away from my table. Everyone seemed to have a great show. The market seems very strong as new money is driving prices higher.
We sold many mint errors to dealers and collectors alike. But the exciting news is that we purchased a major mint error type collection and will be featuring many of these mint errors in the next few weeks on our website and our eBay Store. Here is one of our recent purchases: Double Struck in Copper Uniface Click on image below for more info...  |
| A Report on the Long Beach Show and Mint Errors
|
| We just got back from the Long Beach Coin Show where we had a table. There were also major auctions including Goldberg's, Bowers and Merena, Heritage and Superior. Type and Modern Major Mint Errors are red hot! In the above mentioned auctions, many mint errors realized very strong prices. Here are some examples:
1901 Liberty Nickel struck on a Cent Blank NGC AU 55 - $4,600 Major mint errors were also very strong on the bourse floor. Here are a few private sales that occurred at the show:
IKE $1 Obv Cap with Brockage Rev - approx. $17,500 |
| A Report on the ANA and Mint Errors
| |||
| We just got back from New York where we had tables at a pre-show and the ANA. In addition we attended three auctions and were gone two weeks. Mint errors remain very strong since nothing new is getting out. The Mint has implemented tighter quality control and procedures. There are no major errors dated 2001 or 2002 available in the marketplace. Of the few that are for sale, prices are very strong and sellers are reluctant to part with them. Prices for major type errors continue to rise as collectors and dealers realize that there is no more floating supply and these are truly scarce and rare type errors. Two quick examples: at the Bowers and Merena Auction in New York a Franklin on a Cent with a brockage sold for $10,000 plus the buyer's fee. A Franklin on a Dime with a brockage also sold for $10,000 plus the buyer's fee. These are new record prices for these Franklin off-metals. There were several underbidders at $9,000 or more, meaning that several of these off-metals had homes waiting for them.
The Superior Galleries Auction had an extrordinary selection of Large Cent mint errors. Most of the lots closed after spirited bidding. One error that brought a record price was a 1942-S Nickel struck on a Silver Dime planchet PCGS MS 61 that realized $8,050. On the bourse floor one could locate mint errors in many of the dealer's cases, but once again prices were strong and no one was giving anything away. We had a fantastic trip in terms of buying and selling major mint errors. Over the next few weeks we will have many new dramatic errors available for sale - both in our inventory on our website and our auctions on eBay. Below are two recent additions.
|
Four SBA Dollars struck on experimental planchets have been discovered!!!
Click here for more info...
and Mint Errors
Major Mint Errors are red hot!!! The market has been on fire for four years. Certification, eBay, instant Internet communication and a growing demand for Major Mint Errors have fueled the market and dried up the supply.
Every other dealer in Major Mint Errors reports extremely strong sales. They can't keep major type errors and dramatic modern errors in stock. Many are directly sold to customers with want lists and don't even make it to eBay, price lists, or websites.
In March, the Bowers and Merena Auction had a small but exciting group of major type errors including a 2¢ piece cap, several Buffalo Nickels struck on Cent planchets and a transitional Lincoln off-metal. These were snapped up after fierce bidding, which indicates an evergrowing demand for major type errors and dramatic modern errors.
Recent sales on eBay indicate aggressive bidding and the prices realized are stronger than ever. Proof off-metals are now $7,500 and up. Buffalo Nickels struck on Cent planchets are $4,000 and up. Transitional 1964 silver and 1965 clad off-metals are now $5,000 and up. 1944 Steel Cents are $15,000 and up, and 1943 Copper Cents are $75,000 to $125,000. The Sacagawea Dollar/State Quarter Mule is holding firm at $80,000 with people standing in line to buy one, if another one is discovered.
Even on the other end of the spectrum, the more available off-metals such as Jefferson Nickels on Cent blanks, and Lincoln Cents on Dime blanks, which were $100 are now selling for $250 to $300 on eBay.
Prices for major type errors, which were once out of favor, have exploded because they are now appreciated for their true rarity and desirability. Liberty Nickels struck on Cent planchets, which were trading at $2,000 for years are now selling for $5,000 to $6,000. A double struck Buffalo Nickel just sold for $10,000. A double struck Standing Liberty Quarter just sold for $8,500. We just sold one of our Martha Washington Test Pieces (this piece was struck slightly off-center on a Cent planchet with a uniface reverse) for $30,000.
March of this year was our third best month in the last four years. Our sales were over $500,000 (in Major Mint Errors alone!) and our eBay inventory has been reduced to 169 coins. Our website currently lists over 275 items and is regularly updated. Our Major Mint Errors and other rarities, such as currency errors, die trials and splashers range from $75,000 to $500 per item. The quickest way to see our inventory and updates is to click on our inventory and eBay links which go directly to our offerings.
We have the most extensive inventory of Major Mint Errors. This includes unique and unbelievable Major type errors and also dramatic modern errors and new discoveries. |
Click below for enhanced view...
| This is a unique pair of Barber Dime Die Caps. They are both from the New Orleans Mint which produced very few Mint Errors. The Barber Dime obverse cap is one of 5 known for the series. The Barber Dime reverse cap is the only known reverse cap for the series, making this the only known set. The Barber Dime obverse cap is an extremely deep die cap and barely fits in the PCGS holder. The reverse of this cap is a distorted impression of what was the raised design of the reverse. This cap formed incuse brockages on the obverse of many Barber Dimes that were being struck. The Barber Dime reverse cap is also extremely deep and has a brockage. The obverse of this cap shows an incuse brockage design of the reverse of a struck Barber Dime cap. The obverse of this cap created counterbrockages on the reverse of Barber Dimes that were struck. A counterbrockage is a brockage from a brockage and is a very rare Mint Error. It is exciting to have a unique set of both Barber Dime obverse and reverse caps. In addition, they are from the New Orleans Mint and have somehow survived over a hundred years. Truly the centerpiece of a Mint Error Collection. |
and Mint Errors
| ||||||
| The new year started out with a bang at the FUN Show in Orlando. We had a table packed with Major Mint Errors and were busy the entire time. We have many new and exciting purchases now featured in our inventory. Many coin dealers were there, several specializing in Major Mint Errors. All the major grading services were there: ANACS, PCGS, NGC and SEGS. Collectors were submitting their Mint Errors to these services since certification, authentication and grading is the way to go. There were three major auctions, each of these had some very expensive and major mint errors for sale. The Bowers and Merena Auctions were Tuesday night and there was much spirited bidding for the mint errors that were available. The Superior Galleries Auction was Wednesday and there were a few errors listed among the regular selection. The Heritage Auction was Saturday morning and there was much competition to purchase this interesting selection of errors. The show was extremely active for Major Mint Errors which are in the fourth year of a very strong market. Mint Errors have catapulted to the forefront of Numismatics and are one of the hottest Numismatic categories today. Certification, the expansion of the internet (including websites with photo inventories) and on-line auctions (including eBay) have all tied together and brought dealers and collectors together to trade across the globe. Another reason for the continued strong interest in Mint Errors is the fact that prices have just started to move in the last three years, after having been stagnant for over thirty years. This is one of the last fields in Numismatics to finally be recogized as a fascinating and unique segment to collect. Even though some prices have risen, there are still many undervalued types of errors, which haven't appreciated yet and are still available if you work at it. One can still acquire major type errors and off-metals for a few hundred dollars. The opportunity to find Mint Errors will change since the supply has dramatically shrunken. This is due to two obvious reasons. The first reason, explained above, is due to market conditions (demand). The second reason is the decrease of the available quantity (supply). The Federal Government has taken drastic measures to eliminate the flow of Major Mint Errors in the normal run of production and distribution. Errors struck at the Mint are now locked in boxes until they are destroyed and their access is strictly limited. Additional riddlers have been installed and have caught many of the errors that used to pass through. Counting rooms have been warned that their contracts would not be renewed unless every mint error that is discovered is returned. The net effect of the growing demand and dwindling supply means that prices will continue to increase, as they have for the last three years. Several dealers need thousands of off-center Nickels and Dimes and will pay top-dollar. On the other end of the spectrum, Error Dealers like myself will pay thousands of dollars for rare type errors and for spectacular and unique errors.
| ||||||
 
|
|
|
|
