Hello cointalk forum, I notice ebay or private auction or etc; Redbook list: 1855 3 cent silver in very good list say 45.00 but I seen ebay sold average 80.00 or more in very good. Also any coins sometime overbid higher price and some nice lower price. Thank you Tim
Coin prices vary over time. The prices in the 2010 Red Book were probably determined in the middle of 2009.
Well first you never know what will happen on ebay. Second depending on the coin you might have a variety that causes the lower grade coin to be worth more. The last thing is that rebook prices should not be used at all. They are all over the place. You can use heritage auctions to get an idea of what a coin might be worth.
Because the Redbook comes out once a year, and coin prices change daily, the Redbook is a terrible place to try and determine the value of coins. Its a great guide for mintages, which coins were made, and using it to establish what constitutes a set, but prices are not its strong suit. A much better price guide is numismedia.com. Thats the one I usually use.
Thats a big margin but the collectors and the coins popularity drive the market. I would'nt use the Redbook/Ebay comparison as a guide. Get a Bluebook and possibly a book devoted to the coin type you wish to acquire and as always study and shop around until you get a coin that you like and are comfortable paying the price for.
In an auction settings it can be kind of a crap shoot, If there,s a few people Bidding on one item and they all want it, It can drive prices up over red Book or any other price guide especially on items that are not offered on A regular basis!
It's said $45 for that coin since at least 2007, and maybe earlier. In 2003 it was $33. Red Book pricing is worthless, always has been.
Let's not forget the classic bug "auction fever" too. Ebay serves a world wide market and many people willing to get into bidding wars.
