Week Ending September, 09th 2006

August was a healthier than usual month and signs for a great fall are looking good. Gold sales were up (for a summer month) having done just over $800,000 in sales (gold). Some highlights were the famous 1861 double eagle (press release) in PF67 Ultra Cameo, also another rare piece of proof gold was an amazing 1887 double eagle in PF65 Ultra Cameo, a coin with a mintage of only 121 coins and fewer than 30 that actually exist from that original number. Saints were another area of coins that showed an incline especially with what spot prices of gold has been doing ($638.10 as I write this). Better dated Saints were on the collectors / investors mind also having sold some stellar examples such as the 1909-D in MS65 and the 1926-D in MS63 totaling $80,000 for both.

We have up now on our webpage the fresh inventory from Denver, although majority are up and listed not all have images yet, but they will be done ASAP. Some highlights include the following: 1893-CC S$1 Morgan Silver Dollar MS64 PCGS, 1900-S $20 Liberty MS64 PCGS, 1904 $20 Liberty MS66 NGC, 1802 $1 Draped Bust Dollar AU55 PCGS, 1807 50c Half Dollar Draped Bust MS62 NGC, and the famed 1873 50c Seated Liberty Half Dollar “Arrows” PF65 CAMEO NGC. Also remember we have a pleather of others that are not listed yet including some proof gold and one amazing $3 Indian Princess.

The rare coin market is truly evolving into two completely different segments, true rarities and then everything else. Take for instance some of these record smashing prices: 1794 50c AU58 PCGS $253,000 - 1848 $2.5 MS68 NGC Cal Gold $322,000 - 1803 $10 MS66 NGC $333,500 -1918/7-D Buffalo 5c MS65 PCGS $351,750 - 1795 Draped Bust $1 MS66 NGC $339,250 - 1861 $20 Paquet MS61 PCGS $1,610,000 - 1921 St. Gaudens $20 MS63 $1,495,000 and I could go on and on but I think you get the point being there is no shortage of people bidding on high 5, 6, 7 figure coins. More and more sophisticated collector/investors are waking up and seeing what is truly rare and what is common. This will in turn keep coins of distinction moving in the upward position. I touched on this subject many times over the years and guess what "you haven't seen anything yet" now think about that for a while.

Albanese Rare Coins will continue in its quest to find the best of the best for our loyal clients new and old. Good Luck and God bless...

Dave and Dean Albanese