When is rare not so rare

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by mrbrklyn, May 13, 2012.

  1. mrbrklyn

    mrbrklyn New Member

    http://www.numismaticnews.net/article/hard-to-find-doesnt-always-mean-rare

    About the “rare” 1981 SBA dollars: just how rare are they?

    It’s a bit difficult to associate the term “rare” with a coin that had a mintage of more than 3 million at each of three mints. The proof mintage is more than 4 million, so any way you look at it the coin is not rare, even if it may be hard to find.

    Is it possible to get a listing of the rarity scales used by some of the old-time researchers? I want to use them to determine the value of my coins.

    ........
     
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  3. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    There have been many posts on rarity scales. A search will turn them up for you.
     
  4. BUncirculated

    BUncirculated Well-Known Member

    Never heard anyone refer to SBAs as rare.
     
  5. rodeoclown

    rodeoclown Dodging Bulls

    When is hot too hot? Too many factors involved honestly. I think 110 degrees Fahrenheit is too hot, others might think 90 degrees Fahrenheit is too hot.
     
  6. jloring

    jloring Senior Citizen

    I have reservations about rarity scales, especially in trying to determine the "rarity" of more common coins.

    http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/Features.aspx?page=7a
     
  7. Kirkuleez

    Kirkuleez 80 proof

    Wait, SBAs are rare? Woo Hoo I'm rich!!!!
     
  8. Chiefbullsit

    Chiefbullsit CRAZY HORSE

    NOT RARE = You can buy it 24/7
    SEMI-RARE= You can get it within a few weeks.
    RARE = Several months to a few years.
     
  9. Siggi Palma

    Siggi Palma Well-Known Member

    Rare is a difficlult subject when it comes to collectables and prices.

    They can be too rare, too old to be rare, Too young to be rare, To rare to be care as someone said.
     
  10. thecointrader

    thecointrader Lurking Since 2006

    Add one more:

    EXTREMELY RARE = You will ever get it because you will never make enough money to ever afford it.
     
  11. Snowman

    Snowman Senior Member

    maybe someone failed to mention that the rare is for the type 2 instead of type 1

    plus i hate Dansco puts both types in the SBA book which may hype up the rarer type 2
    which is an expensive variety....just like Dansco putting in the 1922 plain the Lincoln book
     
  12. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    When the listing begins with "WOW!" and goes on to tell how the rareity was "discovered" in the quaint estate of an old
    country Englishman, it's probably as common as water.

    I can tell you that a Vietnam Era Black Horse token is probably
    rare based on my experience of never seeing one, that wasn't
    salvaged and corroded. If one does turn up I don't think it going
    to sell for eight million dollars. There has to high demand to go
    with the low avalibaility. Those demanding it must be willing
    and *able* to pay high prices. Demand can be distorted by
    dealer hype and collector delusions. Supply can change from
    discovery of hoards or sudden dumping of hoards. Supply
    and demand has a nasty habit of reverting to the mean.
    Preceded on occasion by attics collasping from the weight
    of bags or the spectacle of collectors running with their
    stack of 1950D nickels to keep 'em from tipping over.
     
  13. areich

    areich America*s Darling

    Good Article and I susbscribed
     
  14. Searcher64

    Searcher64 Member


    Rare is when you do not have the coin you want. After you acquire it, it's not as rare as it was. :hail::devil:
     
  15. cremebrule

    cremebrule Active Member

    I personally think rare is subjective. It all depends on how many resources/revenue you have available to blow on coins.
     
  16. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins

    Rare is when everybody wants one and nobody's gots any.......:)
     
  17. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    That may work for US coins, but a friend waited 15 years once to buy what is described as a "scarce" ancient coin. World of difference between US and ancient coin rarities.
     
  18. 10gary22

    10gary22 Junior Member


    Darn ! I just sold my rolls to the bank for face value.
     
  19. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    It's same for me with music. I'll listen to the same album
    over and over for weeks and get tired of it and not
    listen to it for five years.
     
  20. green18

    green18 Unknown member Sweet on Commemorative Coins

    .......turn it around and sell it tomorrow and then find out the next day that the value of it increased five fold......:)
     
  21. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    I never sold any of them but that's probably what
    would happen.
     
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