Would you consider a 1972 DDO a good investment? It seems the MS65RD can still be found for around $500-$550. Do you see much future grow in the value? If you had the $500 would you invest in the coin, I guess I could invest the $500 in Silver or Stocks, but those are not as cool as the double die. Thoughts?
No collectible coins are a good investment. Period. Problem is the buy/sell spread. You might buy it at $500, but only get $300 when you sell. It has to go up 40% to break even. Investments are investments, coin collecting is a hobby. Do not spend money on your hobby that should be invested instead. Create a hobby budget, knowing this is money "thrown away" for your enjoyment, and handle investments separately. Too many collectors try to justify a coin by lying to themselves its an "investment". Its not. It is for your fun, and should be budgetted accordingly. I get it, its a very attractive thought that lets you justify to yourself a coin you really want.
Great reply Medoraman - Thank you. I keep looking at the 1072 DDO and think I've always wanted one. It would be "FUN" to own one. Then I think if I spend $500, it would be nice to get that back or more someday when I retire (The investment part).
Medoraman explained perfectly. Buy what you like. Doubled dies are great. Someday I want the 1972 doubled die. I have 2 doubled die U.S. coins I spent big money on and have never regretted it either. I will not sell them for a long time, and I get so much enjoyment from them now. 1984 doubled ear variety. 1943-P doubled eye variety. and I would be happy to break even. Most coin dealers have to make money on each coin they buy... so they buy coins at 30-40% less than what you paid. Coins are hobby. Only you can say how much you want to spend on a coin. If I spend $500 on 1 coin I really have to like it. If you don't know if you love it.... then you will be kicking yourself down the road saying man I spent to much on that coin and regret it.
Fortunately the spreads aren't that drastic anymore. If you go to a show or a LCS yea it would be, but with the internet it's easy for collectors to cut out the middle man. Assuming the price remained the same if you sold it on eBay even without a store you'd get over $400 with how you ship it being the wild card, you could get over $400 from an auction house too with a $500 price including buyers fee. There's also IG and such where you can sell without fees aside from the PayPal fees or none at all if they are willing to send a check. You're point is valid that generally the price has to go up to make money, but there are a lot of ways for collectors to greatly reduce that buy sell spread as opposed to just being at the mercy of whatever the local shop offers
Whoa that 1984 Double ear is amazing at MS67, Thank you for showing it. Now I want one of those also!!!
I think I remember paying $450-475 for that coin. I had always wanted 1 and saved up for it. I made credit card payments on the doubled eye 1. Close to $480
I am surprised that this coin held its value as well as it has. I once had little Capital Plastic holder that had spaces for the 1955, 1972 and 1983 reverse doubled die cents. I sold the 1983 when I was a dealer. I still have the 1955 and 1972. Here is the 1972. And, no, I would not recommend this coin as an "investment." NGC graded this one MS-66, Red.
Big IF that you would actually get market price for it sir. Do you want to commit your $500 coins to Ebay auctions today and hope you will get market price? Your answer may be "well have it listed as a BIN". Ok, but then it may sit there for 8 months unsold. I will edit my original assertion, "collectible coins are not a valid investment due to buy/sell spread, in order to liquidate quickly you either have to take a major discount to value or try to maximize value you might have to wait months to "only" take a 20% deduction". Or, buy a security, and get 99.9999% of its value in a few seconds upon selling. I probably spend more on coins every year than 90% of collectors. I simply do this with eyes open wide that this is my play money, not investment money. I could waste my money on NFL tickets, boats, fancy vacations, or good old fashioned drinking. I don't, I waste my play money on coins. My intent is to never sell my coins, maybe my bullion but never my coins. As long as I get $300 worth of enjoyment out of a $300 coin, then the coin owes me nothing and I will leave them to my heirs. If they sell them I don't care.
That would have been my answer or to do an auction with the starting bid being the $500. I wouldn't ever do a true auction on eBay for anything besides bullion since eBay plays to many games with who can see what listings and it's very easy for a coin auction to get lost from a new small seller For sure stocks are much much better investments.