Doesn't eBay take the rare out of rare coins?

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

That's absolutely incorrect Doug. If those same 100 coins were made but given to mint employee's or management, that does not mean they were released into circulation. Exactly opposite is true. That's like saying the 1933 Saint Gaudens that were deemed stolen were released into circulation. Or even the 25th Anniversary Eagles were released into circulation......The consumer "could" release them into circulation, but the US Mint did not. Considering that "released into circulation" completely takes the intended purpose of the issue out of context of how it was intended. In my mind, NIFC does not mean released into circulation.

Concerning the topic of "rare". I'm thinking beyond the common Websters definition, not making up my own definition. The Websters definitions applicable to this discussion are as follows:

2

a : marked by unusual quality, merit, or appeal : distinctive b : superlative or extreme of its kind

3
: seldom occurring or found : uncommon



The way I read this, I see more adjectives for unique than I do quantity. The words "merit or appeal" would prove your definition incorrect in that quantity does not mean rare if no one wants it....Which was my point.

I will also concede that the #3 definition could be viewed as quantity, but "seldom found" does not necessarily mean "few". I roll search a LOT of coins, but I have "seldom found" ie..never found MANY coins that I would not deem as rare.

 

Exactly. I guess it depends if Websters definition is the truth or if someone else's definition is correct because they have always believed so?..........regardless of truth

 

Agreed.

For example, was the 1856 Flying Eagle released into circulation? Reasonable people could disagree on that, and quite a few unreasonable people would too.

 

This whole thread amazes me. A quantity of one always makes something rare.
Demand has absolutely nothing to do with rarity. Let's take the three legged buffalo nickel. Their high price is purely demand driven. There are over 5000 slabbed specimens and an unknown number of raw ones. This coin is not rare. If I am following your logic on this thread, your would classify it as rare. Now what would happen, if this coin fell out of favor and was no longer in demand. Would that un- rare the coin?

Mike

 

There seems to be two schools of thought about the definition of rarity.

One is qualitative. By that I mean this coin might be "rare" or harder to find in one part of the world than it is in another. For example living in Canada I don't exactly stumble across many Sacajawea dollars, so they may seem rare to me, or more difficult to come by. It doesn't just apply to world coins but older coins as well.
The second is quantitative. By this I mean the coin has a low mintage. As Doug pointed out there are different scales to determine how rare a coin by the number of coins minted.
Personally I think how rare a coin is, should be determined by how many were minted. Clearly eBay can't change how many coins were minted and has no effect on rarity. But it does open up the whole world to sellers with coins that otherwise would seem rare, making coins easier to come by.

 

You actually just proved my point! You agree with me and don't realize it. I do not deem the 3-legged buffalo rare. While something must be in demand to be rare, being in demand does not make it rare.

Think of it in theses terms. If I make 1 coin in my garage, does that make them rare? No, because no one wants them or even knows about them. NOW, what if my name is David Carr?..............changes things up a bit.

 

Yes it does make it rare. Don't believe me, try and find another one. But since no one wants it or even knows about it, it is also worthless. And if your name is David Carr and you only make one and no one knows about it, it is still worthless.

 

Technically, yes it does. The fact that there is only one does make it rare. The fact that no one wants them doesn't mean its not rare, it means its not a collectors item and its not valuable.

 

I think this thread may prove that US coins are the best investment because demand is what makes a coin valuable, not necessarily it's rarity. The 1928 P peace dollar isn't rare, maybe not even scarce, but if you want to complete a set you're going to have to buy one. If one million people decide to collect the set, somebody is either not going to be a happy collector, or a current owner is going to give one up but at a hefty price. Kind of makes me want to have two. ;o)

 

Better take a look at some of the world coins that sell at auction. I think the prices indicate that it isn't just U.S. coins that are in demand:

http://coins.ha.com/common/search_results.php?Ne=304&N=51+790+231+4294955069+341

http://coins.ha.com/common/search_results.php?Ne=156&N=51+790+231+4294955069+341+161

 

There is lot more $$ going into world coins these days, i remember when most of those coins used to sell at spot price even a year ago but bidding activity and final price has shot up. May be it is a belief that PMs prices will back upto $2k/$40 bucks respectively or too much $$$ in the system (can't put it in CDs since they have pathetic APRs) .

 

I'm sorry. I know you made that distinction. I wasn't trying to put words in your mouth or misunderstand you. I got distracted halfway through my post and had to come back to it. I guess I got a little fed up with the distractions, and lost my train of thought. For what it's worth now, I was agreeing with you.

 

AGREED!....99.999% Of Numismatist Collect only authentic coins.

 

Agreed again, the red arrow pointed is me Never collected Fake coin or Replica..It is good Ebay decided not to allow Copy,Replica, coin to be listed on eBay beginning February 20, this year.

 

lmao!