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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 2767, member: 112&quot;]Jerry - </p><p><br /></p><p>Your&#039;s is one of the oldest and most often asked questions in the field of numismatics. It will likely continue to be asked for generations to come. And there is no simple answer - nor is there a correct answer.</p><p><br /></p><p>But I have always suggested that those searching for that answer first ask themselves another question - why am I collecting or what is the goal of my collecting ? Once you arrive at the answer to that - the other question is much easier to answer.</p><p><br /></p><p>The conventional wisdom has pretty much always been that collecting coins as an investment vehicle is not a good idea. But it would be pretty hard for any of us to say that we don&#039;t care at all about the value of our collection. It is only natural for us to hope that the value of our collection increases over time. And quite often it will. But the value of coins, like anything else, is a relative term.</p><p><br /></p><p>Throughout the 2,500 year history of collecting coins the values of these coins has risen and fallen many times and it will continue to do so. This is only natural as value is dependent on several variables such as intrinisic value for the metal content, rarity and overall collector interest. All of these things can and do change and with them so do the values. So value is not so much dependent upon increasing with time but upon <u>when</u> in time it is that you seek to establish this value.</p><p>But back to your question.</p><p><br /></p><p>It would appear that based on the general tone of your post that your primary concern is that your heirs will be able to dispose of your collection in an easy manner and yet obtain maximum value. If this is the case then you should indeed focus on collecting items with the highest degree of rarity that you can. Unlike the other primary determining factors of value like intrinsic value &amp; collector interest - rarity is the least likely factor subject to change. Rarity can only be affected when and if a new hoard of similar coins is found. This does happen - but not nearly as often as the other two factors change. But rarity in and of itself is not enough. </p><p><br /></p><p>For example - there are many world coins that can be collected of enormous rarity. But if no one else collects them the demand for these coins is almost non-existant and values are quite low. So one must focus on collecting issues in an area of the market with consitent high demand. Generally speaking US coinage is consistently in higher demand than world coinage. But there are several niches found within world coinage with a consistently steady level of demand as well. But what enjoyment is there in collecting something you don&#039;t even like ? This of course brings us back to my original question of why do you collect in the first place ?</p><p><br /></p><p>If your primary goal is leaving a source of funds for your heirs - then move on to something else. Buy land, stocks, bonds - anything but coins. But if your reason for collecting is for the sheer enjoyment and enormous personal satisfaction that can be achieved by doing so - with a lesser interest in what happens when you are gone - well then I&#039;ve already answered that question.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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