Market Spurred by Holiday Sales

Commemorative coins, color-enhanced coins, silver rounds and medals sell briskly at this time of year due to the holiday season. Likewise, recently released U.S. Mint products perform well as collectors make purchases both for family and for themselves. Retail prices for coins that are impacted by their gold or silver content are holding steady if you are purchasing them, but since the spot price of these two metals have been declining recently the seller needs to shop around to realize a strong price. The good news is the demand for both bullion coins and bullion-impacted, circulation-strike coins of the 20th century remains strong.

The higher end of the market is more likely to be impacted by equities since this is where much of the discretionary money from which to buy rarities usually originates. An examination of numismatic-oriented stocks indicates that these stocks were recently trading at 76.5 percent of their 52-week average, down from 80.2 percent one month earlier. A-Mark Precious Metals took the biggest hit, declining to 75.5 percent from 85 percent one month earlier.

The market for scarce to rare coins continues to outperform all other sectors. The Florida United Numismatists show in January usually kicks off the winter season. There is good reason to expect a strong show this year despite some concerns about various strains of the COVID virus disrupting face-to-face sales. It is possible some lockdowns may once more occur, but at the time this article is being written coin clubs are once more meeting, and shows appear to be regaining their former momentum.