New Market Insight for week of March 06, 2006:

Hello and welcome once again to the new Market talk for the new week.

Last week was amazing having handled some very unique rarities, in gold we totaled over $400,000.00 in sales which included an 1802/1 $5 Half Eagle in MS64 certified by PCGS, the rare date 1926-S St. Gaudens in MS65 certified by PCGS, a PQ 1903 $10 Eagle in PF66 graded by NGC and two 1863 dated coins which were an Eagle and a Half Eagle, the Half Eagle being graded PR65DCAM and the Eagle PR64DCAM both PCGS. Those dates for Proof Gold are extremely rare and valuable having both mintages of only 30 coins each. Any Civil War era coinage is very valuable, a time when our country was torn in two directions with the threat of the United States being ripped apart, something we fought so hard for in the late 18th century, which was one country. To me the Civil War era coinage is something special as well as the 1790’s, both being times when our country was united or torn.

Proof Mintages were low due to the face value being a large wage at the time and the question of not knowing if we would even remain a country United, so to mint larger quantities would be a major risk and to own one from that time period now is a privilege that many do not fully appreciate, for it is true Americana History.

Silver sales were very good also having totaled over $30,000.00 including a series that is undervalued and a sleeper if you ask me, Commemoratives! Yes, some very cool MS67 Commemoratives went out the door including a very cool California and two Texas dates being the 1937 and 1938-S. Also a coin that sold which reflected that of an artistic masterpiece was the 1915-S Pan Pac.

So yes, the Coin market is alive and doing very well, new people are coming into this hobby every day it seems, more people are being educated and finding rare coins is a perfect place to diversify your portfolio, and aside from investing an interesting area to pursue for collecting reasons only. New collectors are finding coins to be so much fun because of all the knowledge that is out there, it is a subject in which you can learn something new everyday, it is a subject that holds our nations history in its peripherals, a doorway to the past holding a mystery in every single specimen. It makes the new collector feel like a true “treasure hunter” and puts them on a new path every day.

Collecting coins can be endless, a mission that may never be completed due to the amount of different paths out there when it comes to collecting. You may want a type set, you may want proof only dates, and also you might want to just collect beautifully toned coins or only black and white for that matter. The options are many and the journey is so much fun, if you begin with an investment mentality and the bank account to back that up, you most likely will find yourself falling in love and becoming a true collector with the advantage of having enough capital to pick and choose a different path after one is complete and also purchasing the creamy of the crop.

Very Best,
Dean Albanese
dean@coinace.com