Most Undervalued coins

I'm a fan of all Pre1933 gold coins with exception of the liberty head coins. I think the gold coins are the best value due to the lower population numbers and the gold content. My favorites are the 10.00 Gold Indians. However, I think the most undervalued are the 1.00 Indian Princess coins. Quite a few have low population numbers(under 200) yet they can be obtained for relatively lower prices than other coins from the 1800s with similar population numbers. My last purchase was an 1880 gold dollar MS65 for $2,400. The mintage is only 1,600. Happy Collecting.

 

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In 1996 I bought and sold a PCGS MS63 1857-S gold dollar, at the time it was the only one graded 63 and none higher. During the same period I also bought/sold a PCGS 14-D $10 in 65.

 

Don't get caught up in the thinking that lower population numbers mean higher numismatic value.
The law of supply and demand is the key factor.

 

Yeah I think the more refined question is: "Which series will gain leaps and bounds in popularity?"

In the past ten years or so, I can remember 3 series taking significant jumps in popularity and pricing. Seated dollars, draped bust coinage of the early 1800's, and more recently, $20 gold Libs. As for what's next... could be Roosevelt dimes, triggered by the upcoming mint releases. Could be old gold. Could be high MS "V" Nickels.

 

I used to say the early Commemoratives but they just seem to stay the same over the years.

 

Survivorship can be more important than mintage.

 

But demand trumps all. No mintage is too small for a coin no one wants, and no mintage is too big for one in huge demand. I just bought the first Persian coin ever minted. A friend from my coin club, (a highly respected numismatic author), estimates 30-50 exist. I got it for less than a 1916d mercury dime.

 

Tom B makes a good point, beautifully illustrated by the Carson City Morgans. These were minted in 13 years, and I treat 1880R78 as a separate classification.

The lowest mintage is the 1885 (228,000). in grades of VF, AU and MS64, but it ranks 3rd, 5th and 8th in these grades.

The highest mintage is the 1890 (2,309,041). in these grades, it ranks 10th, 8th and 5th.

The 4th highest mintage was the 1892 (1,352,000). it ranks 6th, 4th and 4th.

The 1889 ("King of the Carsons") had the third lowest mintage (350,000). yet it ranks 1-1-1. Why? Survival rate. How many beautiful 1881s and 1885s have you seen/owned? How many 89s have you ever seen in AU?

 

Which is the direct result of the Morgan series being so very popular, aka in high demand.

 

Any particular reason for guessing old gold or MS Liberty nickels, or was that just a random shot in the dark?

 

Random guess

 

I think the size is one factor for it not being that popular. Even if the survival rate is high and mintage low

 

Best bargain nowadays along with MS63-65 silver type coins.

 

Demand trumps all, yes, but it is also the side of the equation most subject to change over time. Supply has a hard ceiling called mintage, and is well documented, outside of Cold War Soviet era Russian. Then there are lower ceilings called survivorship. Only Chinese fakes make supply go up. Demand, aka "taste" or "popularity" drives current prices, but is potentially fickle, upward and downward. For an example, see the history of the prices for pre-statehood Washington quarters from 1999 until now. The statehood program boosted demand for all Washingtons, and then it fell back again. The trick is to have what becomes hot, in order to sell into that new demand.

 

I'd tell you, but I don't want any competition.

 

There is a lot more truth in this statement than meets the eye......

 

Of course.

 

I know you know this sir, but many here completely ignore demand. They are conditioned that "lower mintage" means high value, when it has very little to do with price. I hear what Mr. Bellman is saying, but simply believe most collectors really do not consider demand as much as they should. The coin world is literally littered with thousands upon thousands of coins that fewer than 1000 specimens exist. Heck, there might be thousands of coins that fewer than 100 exist. However, 99% of them will never be worth as much as much as a US coin that "only" has a half a million survivors. Mintages and survival rates are utterly meaningless UNLESS set against how many collectors collect the series. I have seated liberty half dollars with mintages less than 10,000 that are worth less than a 1916d dime. Why? Because nearly no one collects SL halves by date/mm, while millions collect mercuries that way. So even within US numismatics surviving specimen numbers are meaningless unless set against series demand.

So, having said that, if one could predict the next "series" to become popular, they would by definition know what are the most undervalued today. Will it be US series like classic commemoratives or national park pucks, or Mexican silver type, or Roman gold? No way of knowing, but always buy the scarcer issues of the series you believe will gain in popularity if you wish to buy "undervalued" coins. Or, heaven forbid, just buy coins that personally give you pleasure and don't worry about making a profit in your hobby, a very difficult thing to do.

 

Medo: Amen, I think. Check values of Charlotte and Dahlonega $5 goldies. Tiny mintages. But super cheap in comparison to mintages. Demand commands!!

 

You got it Undervalued now for lack of Demand but who knows tomorrow
you get the Demand and up they go