So I have been away for a couple of years due to covid and my wife's health I haven't kept track of the market much. I recently took a trip to my LCS 50 miles away, and they said they can't keep bullion or coins in stock. I thought huh. Some of the prices for the series that I collect have gone up big time, like the peace dollar series. The shop said they have seen modest increases in most coins, not all but most. So what's going on with the market? Is the demand high due to new collectors entering the seen, people trying to hedge inflation by buying collectable coins, or just inflation and shops trying to stay afloat so prices are increased? Also Happy New Year everyone.
It's a combination of several factors. The general coin market reached a low point in 2019 and has been increasing since 2020. With many people being home in 2020 (no vacations, limited travel, etc), there was more spending on coins. Shows being mostly canceled in 2020 drove a lot more people to shop online and reduced inventories (no shows meant it was harder for dealers to restock). Then 2021 brought inflation and promotions (like the 2021 Morgan and Peace Dollar release from the US Mint, which is one of the big factors in the price increases seen in 1921 Peace Dollars).
