Question about the large coin distributors out there

Like APMEX - They are selling a MS70 2015 high relief for a little over 2K. they also offer the same coin in the box, coa, etc for a few hundred less.
My question is these in the box, have they been deemed not worthy to send off for grading ? They, as many, are in it to make money, I am going to figure that anything they are offering at a lower price in the box has no chance of a 69, let alone a 70 or they would have graded it already..
Surprised how well these are holding and increasing value... The lower mintage is going to pay off with time and it is PURE gold...

 

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Maybe just me, but APMEX is a place to buy bullion, not graded coins.

 

Generally speaking (as we cannot say for sure on everyone of them) yes the raw ones are coins that did not make the minimum grade on submissions or didn't pass the eyeball test when dealing with places that get a large percentage to send in. It's possible some have been purchased raw by people selling who never sent them in but it is impossible to know whether or not that is the case. For the most part you will be getting 69s or less

 

Where is the cheapest ? I can never trust ebay, unless I knew the seller and that is impossible.

 

APMEX is a is one of the mint's authorized distributors of gold and silver bullion eagles. In effect, by buying from them you are eliminating one step in the buying process, which saves you the mark-up that a dealer would add on to the coin.

I have been dealing with them for years and never have had a problem with them or the coins they send me. Some have graded MS/PR 70 and others MS/PR 69 and in the percentage that you would expect from government OGP coins.

I collect the bullion 5 oz. ATB coins and most of them are DMPL and IMHO would grade MS69. When the series first started, I called them and ordered the 5- 2010 coin set (the first year the mint released all five at one time) from them as a pre-sale.

I received a call from them informing me they came in, but if I waited about two weeks more, they would send them into PCGS along with their order. I asked how much extra that would cost and was surprised when they told me no extra charge, I was a regular customer ad they were sending in a large order to be graded. About three weeks later I received the coins from them and all five coins were graded MS69 DMPL, the highest a bullion ATB 5 oz. has ever graded.

I have ordered every 5 oz. ATB issued from them and I don't have any complaints about any that I have received from them, they also add the capsule for them at no extra charge. For mint issued coins I found that APMEX normally has the lowest prices for the coins. By, the way I don't work for or have any connection with them other than as a satisfied customer.

 

It runs both ways - for some things, special labels, mint designations based on the box strap, etc. they have to send the sealed boxes to the TPG.

For others, they probably do hand select the coins.

They can do this before sending in (cheapest but more labor intensive) or by specifying a minimum grade on the bulk order. Either way the end up with a pile that didn't (or they suspect won't) grade at least MS/PF 69 - and those are the ones they sell as 'cheap' generic bullion.

Buy them for what they are (cheap generic bullion) and don't expect to send them in to score an MS/PF70 - better eyes than yours or mine have already looked them over.

 

I understand what you are saying BUT the 2015 High Relief coin was NOT sold as an Authorized Purchasers Product since it's NOT a bullion product but a "collectors" product. As such, anybody could buy them when they were released. Not the same as the Silver and Gold Eagles and the 5 oz Puck bullions pieces.

As for the OP's original question?

APMEX has folks on staff that are quite good at grading. As such, since coins are being sold graded for more money, you can rest assured that any sold as original products with box's and COA's would not qualify for 69 or 70 grades. They might even have already been graded and then cracked out for resale since MS68 isn't a big seller unless your talking Morgans.

Just my opinion.

 

If you can buy a coin(s) directly from the mint, then that is the way to go. The only exception I could imagine was if a person didn't know how to send in a coin for grading or didn't want the bother. There are also people who don't get their coins graded, then buying from the mint is the way to go. I got the 2015 High Relief gold coin from the mint and I'm keeping it in the OGP.

I was not able to get the silver Liberty metal from the mint, had trouble signing in and they sold out in 5 minutes. I guess, unless the price in the aftermarket drops dramatically, I will not buy one there. I got an e-mail from Coin Vault and they were selling the West Point and San Francisco metals, in MS70 for "only" $699. Gee and the mint was only charging $34.95 each. I believe in Capitalism, but $699 for what the mint charged $69.90? No wonder some people think that prices for modern coins/metals are going crazy from some of these sellers.

 

Thanks for all the comments. Apmex does seem decent, I am actually thinking about pulling the trigger on a 1995-W... After reading the thread here created for it, I been searching all week, checked out the auction history, etc... Just can't see it dropping anymore as some do... Gees, look at the 70s... If I were only 20 again I would buy a 70, pay up to 20K for it because in 50 years it will be worth 10 fold.
This brings me back to the high relief and mintage of 49K plus, didn't reach the 50K. You can get a 70 now for 2K. What will one be in ten years when you compare the 2009 with a mintage of 115K and sells for 4200.00

 

My next question is SELLING ? Let's say, I buy a 70 2015 and want to sell it in ten years... APMEX has one listed for 10,000.00 and the cheapest out there at the time is 9500.00
Can you be sure that if you listed it for sale at 9K it would sell ? I worry sometimes about getting stuck with coins...

 

That's why coins are not a liquid investment. You may not be able to sell, or not at the price you want.

 

I understand the difference in being a TRUE coin collector vs someone that is in it for money like myself... I also get not wanting to teach those type about Coins...
I can't take it with me in the after life.... So, I am trying to invest...

 

As we often point out here, collector coins, with few exceptions, are not investments. And you cannot look at a coin's price today, apply a multiplier and count on it being worth so much, so many years down the road. It seldom, if ever works that way.

 

The majority of their products end up cheaper on the aftermarket. There are a few products here and there where you are better off buying from the mint but there have also been a lot of quality control issues with them on most products. At least with the after market you can pick the one you're actually getting instead of hoping they don't send a dud.

 

I was at the Vero Beach auction house today and bid on a BOX of coins.... Went for 400 and I was willing to pay 300.00 Kind of trying to back door a collection, I guess...
This one : https://new.liveauctioneers.com/item/47204557_large-coin-collection-and-more
I didnt get there in time to go thru them all, even a piece of Gold in it would have paid for itself, just not enough time....
I actually went for a few other items and ended up buying some junk, CHEAP, that I really dont need. Dont know why I did that, frustrated I guess...
You know, I get the whole collecting thing. Just maybe too late for that, especially when I look at heritage site and the GINORMOUS amount of coins out there, or the auction right now in California and you can buy just about anything. Problem is, everyone else now has a shot too... No going to the local auction house and getting a bargin...
I do think I will buy a 1995W 69... I read the thread here on it, would love to see the price come down, but think that wont happen...

 

Correct me if I am wrong - companies like APMEX and those promoting buying gold can be decent if you buy bullion, maple leafs, maybe eagles, etc - and if you do you research and homework. You buy a little over spot and you treat it as bullion. Regarding numismatic gold, their prices tend to be very high and you are better off going to a good shop or a show.

 

Their selection is pretty broad if you just want a random date gold coin of a particular grade for a type set. Much broader than the average store or dealer.

What I don't know is whether the coins are cherrypicked within grade. Most of them aren't really worth sending to CAC so the only way to pick off the nicer for the grade and sell them on would be by hand.

 

Burton Strauss - agreed. But also, see the prices over spot and they seem to be higher than at shops and shows

 

Welcome to the real world.

I would respectfully caution against making such assumptions. There's a lot more to it than you imply.

If truly "in it for the money", as with most things in life, education is key. Far too many simply assume that with coins or certain coins, ever increasing value is a forgone conclusion, doing as you have and pointing to certain examples in an attempt to validate their belief. Perhaps you're right and the coin of interest will be everything you think, but there are plenty out there who've thought the same and later came to realize it isn't so easy. If you really wish to make money, there are better non-coin options, but if you insist on the coin-related path, perhaps you should consider select short-term "investments" when an opportunity presents itself.

 

Your right, and I am only making a guessed assumption. I actually like the look of Silver more than Gold. But !
Education as you say, I am missing a LOT... I am having problems with what is what... I don't get the difference in :
http://www.apmex.com/product/62827/...4CWHI9wEmrukPL_IcEEVwwmBpmZaIl_tcyxoC5Hzw_wcB
vs
http://www.apmex.com/product/68912/...wA-ZMPDkjh53HmxBi7rIYZnMuKKcGwQhgrRoCWgzw_wcB

The Comm NGC is worth 3 times the amount... Who got those at a MS-69 and why is a 70 worth less, same coin ? Are they both of the LOT of 5174... Very confusing... and thus proves your point in just because it is GOLD, and or a coin from the mint, doesn't make it special, or valuable