Book Value vs Current Value

It's a good idea to maintain your original basis cost for tax purposes and to periodically update the replacement value for insurance purposes.

 

If the item is a bullion or bullion-related item, I think recording the weight is sufficient.

For collectible coins, the values of which are less dependent on spot prices, I'd probably update them annually.

 

Let me ask you, what source specifically are you using to determine what the Book value is, and what source specifically are you using to determine what the real time value is ?

Sound advice right there. Do you know why ? Let me use a little illustration to show you.




That is what has happened to the values of Morgan and Peace dollars over the last 10 years. To try and keep up with that on a spreadsheet would require a good deal of bookkeeping and a lot of updating. Now just imagine trying to do that with your entire collection. In other words a whole lot of work and time that is basically wasted. I say wasted because the value changes don't matter. Why ? Because as history shows us they are only going to change again, and usually fairly quickly.

When it comes to the value of coins there are only two points in time when the value of that coin matters, when you buy it, and when you sell it. Anything and everything else that happened in between those two points in time is completely meaningless. So why bother spending a huge amount of time and work to keep track of it ?

Of course if that's what you want to do, you can.

 

Fixed that whoops for you

May I ask, what coin is it exactly ?

 

OK, I assume you mean the Swiss 1/2 franc, not really an example I can do much with unfortunately.

But as an example of what I wanted to show you - let's use the 1943 B 1/2 franc Specimen coin instead.

In unc, Krause (my older edition anyway) lists this coin as having a value of $90.

I can find 2 examples of that coin on ebay, both graded PCGS SP65, both listed at $75.

But I can find 3 examples sold by Heritage - and 2 graded by PCGS as SP66 that sold for $35 and $51, and 1 graded by NGC as SP67 that sold for $60. And yes those numbers all include the BP.

The points being, 1 -the values listed in Krause, what you call your book value, are very seldom even close to accurate. 2 - you can almost always get the same item or better (higher grade), for a good bit less and sometimes a lot less, elsewhere than you can on ebay.

So what does that say about the "real value" if you base it on ebay results ?

 

When it comes to common world coins in lower grades or problem examples it can be difficult to find pricing information. For example, this is one of the best sources out there - http://www.mcsearch.info/search.htm...n=1&de=1&fr=1&it=1&es=1&ol=1&sort=&c=&a=&l=#0

- it tracks US auctions and European auctions. But if you scroll through all those sources you'll see that most examples went unsold. A couple of reasons for that, they are problem coins or over-priced. One thing you have to keep in mind though, a lot of European collectors have no problem at all with buying harshly cleaned coins. To a large extent, harsh cleaning is pretty much ignored. It is not like it is in the US at all in that regard. So when you see European sales listed there, you have to look at the coins, and often take the realized prices with that understanding.

Compare that source to ebay - http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...ct=&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50

Again, a lot of them unsold, and for the same reasons. The one notable exception is the ebay NGC coin, it sold for roughly the same as the other source. Otherwise, there are many similarities but in general the ebay coins are priced a bit higher.

Knowledgeable people know this, they are aware of it. That's why so many dealers, and collectors alike, sell their goods on ebay. There are simply too many uninformed or uneducated buyers on ebay, and they pay more than the coins are worth.

There was a time when ebay was a good place to look for coins, but those days are long gone - unless you really know what you are doing. Then at least you can separate the wheat from the chaff.

Your coin, I would say it has VF details, but I would say it is a problem coin. It has too many light scratches and the heavier ones on the reverse. Value wise, I'd say $30-$35.