Let's forget, for the moment, collectible coins, numismatic items, slabbed coins, etc. Let's just think about what sells. I have a lot of coins which I bought basically for their silver content. I paid less than melt as it was at the time. I am above water and below water in about equal amounts because I have been dollar cost averaging as the price of silver has varied. At some point in the future I am probably going to want to liquidate these and online auctions seem like the best way to do it. Taking EBay as a good indicator of what happens in the online auction world what, in your experience, is the type of coin which sells best? That is, taking into account underlying value, what do you think will produce the best profit over a ten year period. I have hundreds of crown sized silver pieces, pieces from the more popular countries, and lots of silver set from the 70s which I bought way below spot price. I will probably slowly put these up for auction over then next ten years as the price of silver increases (yes, I believe it will so let's not make that a discussion point of this thread). I don't need to add more but I have spare money so why not do so. What would you recommend looking to acquire at decent prices? Thanks for any input.
Don't want to sound mean, but you're probably not going to get a straight answer. Even if someone told you a specific item, they could very well be wrong. No one knows with 100% certainty what the future brings. Some things go up and some go down for seemingly inexplicable reasons. You could have a coin that hasn't been worth over a dollar in a hundred years and then it comes out on a Baywatch episode with one of the lifeguards rubbing it on her tatas and then it goes up (pun intended ). All I will suggest is to do a lot of research if you are going to invest in coins. You can eliminate a good portion of stuff that has a seemingly less likely chance of appreciating based on factors that have historically contributed to rise and fall of values. Of course historical factors don't necessarily mean they will hold up. It's all about eliminating as much perceived risk as possible.
Thanks. I know what you are saying. I was not expecting one simple answer, but instead I was expecting conflicting opinions. In a sense this is part of the research you suggest - get other opinions. But the fact is that I bought most of them below melt and I expect melt to go up long term so I know I can get out without a loss. What I am asking is people opinions of what, in general, can generally be expect to hold a value.
What sells best and what could be the most profitable are two different questions that aren't really tied together. ASEs and the like sell the best, but you won't ever be able to compete with the APMEX/Providents ect selling them there to make significant profit off them.
The market is too damn diversified for a single answer. Too many buyers, too much reach. Ebay is top 50 on the planet and top 10 in the USA in website traffic, and you can sell anything there for a profit. Concentrate more on presenting what you choose to sell in a professional manner, and less on choosing what you choose to sell. If you retail correctly, you'll make money regardless. But there lies the rub; not everyone retails correctly. The ones who do worry more about taxes than selling.
I would concentrate most on buying coins at a good price relative to their true market value. It's easier to get out from under something down the road if you didn't pay too much for it to begin with. I would avoid paying much over spot for non circulating legal tender material, especially the stuff minted under contract for obscure countries. There seems to be a lot of that proliferating and I see it going the way of beanie babies.
I have actually acquired quite a bit of this at well below spot. I plan on keeping this stuff back until spot rises quite a bit. In fact, I don't plan on selling stuff at all for at least 5 years, maybe more, and I fully expect spot to have gone quit a bit higher by then. What I am thinking about now if what to acquire in the future. I have enough that I think I can sell what I have at a profit. I am not thinking more of what I need is I were to try to set up a small time venture in the future.
I suggest buying a crystal ball then based on our your statement . Make sure you get one with 100% guaranteed accuracy, free shipping and a money back guarantee. If we knew with 100% accuracy the answer to your irinal post I don't think most would share that information. It would be all totally an opinion. Buy low sell high !!! Good motto to live buy !!
Start by ceasing to care about "spot." The customer who buy based on spot aren't the ones who sustain your business. In that niche, you compete with big pockets who can ignore margins which would ruin you.
Do they still post a What's Hot & What's Not list? I don't know if that would help with the original question or not.
Usually the hot items on that top 5 list are something I don't and/or wouldn't own. Ebay is REALLY random is all I see. One week 5 people are looking at something and the next week maybe none are. You can try to compare apples to apples but the results will vary week to week, even day to day depending on who's looking.
I've sold other things that went like hotcakes. My 8 year old daughter occasionally want to sell her American Girl dolls when she upgrades to a new one. They sell for issue price or higher... even used... typically within 24 hours. People are obsessed with those things. I've also sold several hundred Danbury Mint model cars, for HUGE money and relatively quickly. Old guys love their model cars. Takes em back to a time when American cars were works to behold.
I agree with many of the replies here thus far. eBay has unique buyers for almost anything and everything. It is less what you have to sell, and more how you market what you have to sell.
What I thought sell best was whatever you think or most other speculate them hot items are. For example, in the past the US Mint came out with stuff that everyone's talks about is hot and it sold above and beyond on ebay and they were limited production items. Now everyone is catching on and of course the US Mint put a limit per household on the items, so you have to try and sell them early. Them limited items from the mint are no one wants them. There are a few supprises, but no one care these days.
You can sell literally ANYTHING on eBay. Oh and for you coin hunters on eBay, stay away from JeffsCoins.
Given the hassle of listing and dealing with fees, shipping, etc., I wouldn't try to sell it piece by piece. If I was in your shoes I would just list the whole amount en masse priced at 15-20% over melt (or about $14.25 to $14.75 per dollar face for US coins) and see what happens. If it doesn't sell that way, then you could go with individual or small group sales. On the other hand, if you're retired and just looking for something to keep you busy, then go for the small sales now and enjoy yourself. ref: https://www.bullionvault.com/gold-price-chart.do
