by Abel Jones
in Finance (submitted 2010-12-01)
When the U.S. Mint announced it was adding a.9999 gold bullion coin to its line of gold coins, it looked like a "golden opportunity" for the Mint to capture a big chunk of 24-karat gold coin market. When legislation was passed mandating that the new coin bear James Earle Fraser's designs that graced the legendary Buffalo/Indian Head nickels from 1913 through 1938, the new coin's future looked even brighter.
However, on release of the new Buffalo gold coin, the Mint's golden opportunity has turned into a nightmare at the retail level. While the coin itself is quite striking, having a matte finish and completely capturing the Fraser designs, the packaging makes the coins a nightmare.
Although the bulk of the blame can be laid on Congress for attempting to "micro-manage" production and distribution of the coins, the Mint should accept its share of the blame for the choice of packaging, having not considered, the retail aspects of the packaging.
Congress mandated that the coins be individually encapsulated to protect them from damage, apparently to avoid problems that have risen with 1-oz Canadian Maple Leafs. Further, Congress mandated that the Mint have the coins ready for distribution by the end of June. To meet the deadline, the Mint had to choose a method of packaging that was readily available and that would accommodate anticipated large volume sales.
The Mint chose a semi-rigid Mylar packaging, five coins horizontally with four coins down, making twenty coins to a sheet. With wide spacing between the coins, a "sheet of Buffalos" measures twelve inches by sixteen inches. The packaging causes several problems.
Because of the rigidity of the Mylar, a sheet cannot be folded into a tall bundle. Orders for less than twenty coins have to cut out of the sheets for the coins to be packed compactly, which is desired-and expected-for gold bullion coins.
Undoubtedly, the semi-rigid packaging for the Buffalos was meant to provide durable protection. However, the Mylar is so rigid that an original sheet of twenty Buffaloes cannot be conveniently stored. A sheet of twenty can be rolled like a magazine and then rubber-banded, but then storage would take a lot of space. Whereas the smallest of safe deposit boxes will hold hundreds of 1-oz Gold Eagles because they come in compact tubes, perhaps only sixty or so Gold Buffalos would fill a small safe deposit box.
Another problem that has surfaced: The coins readily come out of their protective sheets when handled. This means the coins then have to be transferred to a tube or to individual plastic sleeves, which are used so often for single coin purchases. Or, the Mylar can be mended with Scotch tape, hardly an attractive solution.
Because of the problems that have arisen with the packaging, Buffalos will not appeal to many large bullion buyers but to collectors, who may want only a few coins. Investors who ordered Buffalos without knowledge of the packaging have been disappointed. With the present packaging, it is unlikely the Mint will capture much of the.9999 fine bullion coin market.
While the Mint may point to early robust sales, new coins nearly always enjoy strong early sales. And, with the popular Buffalo/Indian Head design, undoubtedly Buffalos will remain favorites of collectors and people looking for gifts. However, the Buffalos were introduced to go after the.9999 fine gold bullion coin market, where investors make repeated orders. So, the test for the Buffalos will come in the months ahead when we learn if investors make second and third orders for Buffalos.
It is the opinion of this 32-year veteran of the gold bullion coin market that if the U.S. Mint does not make changes in Buffalo packaging, sales will erode over time, and the Mint will miss a golden opportunity to capture a big piece of the pure gold coin market, which is now dominated by the Royal Canadian Mint's Gold Maple Leafs.
The solution to the problem is for the Mint to change the packaging as soon as possible, taking into consideration how large investors are likely to store the coins-in safe deposit boxes. For investors who do not store in safe deposit boxes, compactness becomes even more important, as the coins must be easy to conceal. The Mint seems to have completely ignored this aspect of the market.
Additionally, the Mint needs to keep in mind that the coins have to be handled by bullion coin dealers who ship the coins to the final investors. The present packaging causes twenty-coin or larger orders to be shipped in large boxes, adding to shipping costs. The large boxes may also require more trips to the Post Office. It also increases the cost of handling for orders less than twenty coins, as they have to be cut out of the sheets.
Since Congress mandated that the coins be individually encapsulated, the Mint should go with hard plastic capsules such as those used by The Perth Mint. Then the capsulated coins should be put ten to a tube, providing compactness for ease of storage. That would also facilitate handling by coin dealers.
To correct the problem-and really go after the.9999 bullion coin market-the Mint should encapsulate the coins individually and put them in tubes of ten. Then ten tubes should be put in small, sealed, and durable boxes. And, finally, five small boxes of 100 coins should be put in a larger box of 500, which is how the Mint ships its best-selling Gold Eagles. Boxes of 500 are popular with large investors, and the boxes of 100 would be attractive to medium-size investors.
Packaging the new Buffalos this way would facilitate storage and handling both for investors and for retail dealers. The Mint needs to think retail with its packaging, to take into consideration how investors store, and to think about the bullion dealers who handle the new Gold Buffalos in delivering them to pure bullion coin investors.
About the Author
Find tips about growing hibiscus and hardy hibiscus at the Hibiscus Care website.
Senin, 25 Juli 2011
Free Coin Tips
by Brian Clark
in Shopping (submitted 2011-05-20)
1. between the best methods to preserve on finances even although providing different hundred or different thousand coins a 7 days can be to purchase bubble mailers online. They price tag a dollar to much more than a dollar each and every within your article office, depending near to the sizing in the mailer. What I do was research the internet for these bubble mailers which means you don't need to spend your time searching for them. I get them as affordable as.09¢ each! How's that for savings. Just go to regal Mailers and place "coinprofits" within your Coupon Code to acquire your discounts. You can combination and satisfy or just purchase one size. They are by much the cheapest near to the internet.
2. When gold is sky high, in no way purchase common gold coins. Their values are centered on gold spot. So their guide values go up as gold goes up. when gold goes down, they swiftly drop their value.
3. When gold is down, consistently purchase legitimate sensitive gold coins as opposed to bullion gold bars or bullion gold coins. legitimate sensitive gold coins can appreciate in worth more quickly then gold spot, whereas bullion gold only follows the worth of gold.
4. When buying bullion gold, consistently purchase the smallest increment you can buy. These tiny bars possess the greatest mark up in comparison with gold spot. Just make sure it's.999 good gold or better.
5. When buying copper coinage, consistently purchase "red" specimens. Copper collectors go nuts for red-colored copper coins. this could in all likelihood be the cause why they consistently go up in worth more quickly then "brown" and "red-brown" coins. ensure you shield THEM FROM TARNISH if you actually purchase THEM UNSLABBED!!
6. All slabs can place out that the copper coin is "red-brown". But this really is consistently an "iffy" attribute. occasionally it appears type of reddish and occasionally it appears totally brown. So if you actually possess a choice, consistently choose a "redder" specimen. I have observed a terrific offer of "brown" coins labeled "red-brown" so appear very carefully previous for you buy.
7. consistently confirm a copper coin to create if it's in reality red-colored if it is labeled "red." occasionally they are not red-colored at all. Be cautious of coins graded by ANACS. Some copper coins in ANACS slabs are labeled "red" even although they are genuinely only "red-brown."
8. in no way purchase unslabbed toned coins if you actually don't know what's genuine toning and what's fake toning. You can very easily be fooled because there are so lots of different methods to tone a coin. a terrific offer of scammers artificially tone coins and grade them in bogus grading companies. which means you will require to consistently only purchase rainbow toned coins from PCGS, NGC, ANACS, or ICG.
9. Toned coins are nice. But, some coins have toning that doesn't appear instead nice. I would in no way purchase a coin which has blackened toning. ideal after this blackening, you barely see the coin. So when buying toned coins, in no way purchase coins which could be as well darkly toned or as well lightly toned. consistently choose coins with strong, bright, vibrant colors.
10. Some coins possess a area right here and there, and some coins are totally spotless. It is within your most brilliant attention to purchase totally "white" coins. they are simpler to market because a terrific offer of collectors want their coins practically spotless. this really is frequently a should for some in the newer coins just like Silver Eagles.
11. proof coins are consistently grade sensitive. They often drop a terrific offer of the worth if they are not proof 69 or better. It's much better to purchase a raw specimen then a coin graded proof 68. It's not worth it to purchase a coin graded proof 68 because proof coins usually common proof 69+. which means you wind up spending a premium since it is graded, but you receive practically nothing in return. You even drop the box and COA. you can have compensated much less for an ungraded specimen that will most in all likelihood turn out to turn out to be considered a proof 69 or higher.
12. Be cautious of common day coins with huge grades from BS grading companies. (A complete large amount of them are just affordable situations as opposed to slabs). a terrific offer of common dates are worth a terrific offer of finances in huge grades because they are so difficult to discover in all those grades. So, what BS grading businesses do is find out a brilliant looking common day and grade them MS69's and MS70's. In reality, the majority of them are no in which near to MS65. In most cases, all those grades are non existent for that particular coin. you can have very easily purchased identical coin within your exact same grade or increased for merely a few dollars. Your most brilliant bet can be to stay in addition to unfamiliar grading companies. You are spending a premium for nothing.
13. If a reduced grade along using the up coming grade up of the particular coin is instead near in guide value, consistently purchase the increased grade. If it's a essential day or semi essential date, the increased grade is frequently the much better investment. essential dates consistently go up in value. But, the increased grades will most in all likelihood appreciate faster.
14. Only purchase coins from PCGS, NGC, and ANACS. All other grading businesses usually much more than grade the coins. Some BS grading businesses even grade counterfeit coins so be careful!
15. in no way purchase "fake" coins. Fake coins are coins which could be not produced from the U.S. Mint. a terrific offer of them are inferior in best quality and mass produced. Some aren't even 100% silver or gold. a terrific offer of those "collector coins" are made possessing a affordable core, then possibly gold plated or silver plated. The only non U.S. Mint coins worth buying are gold and silver bullion coins that are.999 pure or better.
About the Author
15. in no way purchase "fake" coins. Fake coins are coins which could be not produced from the U.S. Mint. a terrific offer of them are inferior in best quality and mass produced. Some aren't even 100% silver or gold. a terrific offer of those "collector coins" are made possessing a affordable core, then possibly gold plated or silver plated. The only non U.S. Mint coins worth buying are gold and silver bullion coins that are.999 pure or better.
in Shopping (submitted 2011-05-20)
1. between the best methods to preserve on finances even although providing different hundred or different thousand coins a 7 days can be to purchase bubble mailers online. They price tag a dollar to much more than a dollar each and every within your article office, depending near to the sizing in the mailer. What I do was research the internet for these bubble mailers which means you don't need to spend your time searching for them. I get them as affordable as.09¢ each! How's that for savings. Just go to regal Mailers and place "coinprofits" within your Coupon Code to acquire your discounts. You can combination and satisfy or just purchase one size. They are by much the cheapest near to the internet.
2. When gold is sky high, in no way purchase common gold coins. Their values are centered on gold spot. So their guide values go up as gold goes up. when gold goes down, they swiftly drop their value.
3. When gold is down, consistently purchase legitimate sensitive gold coins as opposed to bullion gold bars or bullion gold coins. legitimate sensitive gold coins can appreciate in worth more quickly then gold spot, whereas bullion gold only follows the worth of gold.
4. When buying bullion gold, consistently purchase the smallest increment you can buy. These tiny bars possess the greatest mark up in comparison with gold spot. Just make sure it's.999 good gold or better.
5. When buying copper coinage, consistently purchase "red" specimens. Copper collectors go nuts for red-colored copper coins. this could in all likelihood be the cause why they consistently go up in worth more quickly then "brown" and "red-brown" coins. ensure you shield THEM FROM TARNISH if you actually purchase THEM UNSLABBED!!
6. All slabs can place out that the copper coin is "red-brown". But this really is consistently an "iffy" attribute. occasionally it appears type of reddish and occasionally it appears totally brown. So if you actually possess a choice, consistently choose a "redder" specimen. I have observed a terrific offer of "brown" coins labeled "red-brown" so appear very carefully previous for you buy.
7. consistently confirm a copper coin to create if it's in reality red-colored if it is labeled "red." occasionally they are not red-colored at all. Be cautious of coins graded by ANACS. Some copper coins in ANACS slabs are labeled "red" even although they are genuinely only "red-brown."
8. in no way purchase unslabbed toned coins if you actually don't know what's genuine toning and what's fake toning. You can very easily be fooled because there are so lots of different methods to tone a coin. a terrific offer of scammers artificially tone coins and grade them in bogus grading companies. which means you will require to consistently only purchase rainbow toned coins from PCGS, NGC, ANACS, or ICG.
9. Toned coins are nice. But, some coins have toning that doesn't appear instead nice. I would in no way purchase a coin which has blackened toning. ideal after this blackening, you barely see the coin. So when buying toned coins, in no way purchase coins which could be as well darkly toned or as well lightly toned. consistently choose coins with strong, bright, vibrant colors.
10. Some coins possess a area right here and there, and some coins are totally spotless. It is within your most brilliant attention to purchase totally "white" coins. they are simpler to market because a terrific offer of collectors want their coins practically spotless. this really is frequently a should for some in the newer coins just like Silver Eagles.
11. proof coins are consistently grade sensitive. They often drop a terrific offer of the worth if they are not proof 69 or better. It's much better to purchase a raw specimen then a coin graded proof 68. It's not worth it to purchase a coin graded proof 68 because proof coins usually common proof 69+. which means you wind up spending a premium since it is graded, but you receive practically nothing in return. You even drop the box and COA. you can have compensated much less for an ungraded specimen that will most in all likelihood turn out to turn out to be considered a proof 69 or higher.
12. Be cautious of common day coins with huge grades from BS grading companies. (A complete large amount of them are just affordable situations as opposed to slabs). a terrific offer of common dates are worth a terrific offer of finances in huge grades because they are so difficult to discover in all those grades. So, what BS grading businesses do is find out a brilliant looking common day and grade them MS69's and MS70's. In reality, the majority of them are no in which near to MS65. In most cases, all those grades are non existent for that particular coin. you can have very easily purchased identical coin within your exact same grade or increased for merely a few dollars. Your most brilliant bet can be to stay in addition to unfamiliar grading companies. You are spending a premium for nothing.
13. If a reduced grade along using the up coming grade up of the particular coin is instead near in guide value, consistently purchase the increased grade. If it's a essential day or semi essential date, the increased grade is frequently the much better investment. essential dates consistently go up in value. But, the increased grades will most in all likelihood appreciate faster.
14. Only purchase coins from PCGS, NGC, and ANACS. All other grading businesses usually much more than grade the coins. Some BS grading businesses even grade counterfeit coins so be careful!
15. in no way purchase "fake" coins. Fake coins are coins which could be not produced from the U.S. Mint. a terrific offer of them are inferior in best quality and mass produced. Some aren't even 100% silver or gold. a terrific offer of those "collector coins" are made possessing a affordable core, then possibly gold plated or silver plated. The only non U.S. Mint coins worth buying are gold and silver bullion coins that are.999 pure or better.
About the Author
15. in no way purchase "fake" coins. Fake coins are coins which could be not produced from the U.S. Mint. a terrific offer of them are inferior in best quality and mass produced. Some aren't even 100% silver or gold. a terrific offer of those "collector coins" are made possessing a affordable core, then possibly gold plated or silver plated. The only non U.S. Mint coins worth buying are gold and silver bullion coins that are.999 pure or better.
Rabu, 13 Juli 2011
How To Handle Coins (Coin Care)
by Borge Nielsen
in Hobbies / Collecting (submitted 2009-03-27)
The higher the coin grade, then the higher its value should be. Proper coin handling helps to reduce the risk of putting any harmful substances that may lead to spots or changes in the coin's color, to help retain its value and grade. The coins you cherish and collect should always be carefully handled, in order to reduce the possibility of causing unnecessary wear and tear on these. Highly-valued coins (see how to value your coins here) should as well, be properly cared for, because they will be given a 'coin grade' (see this guide to grading coins) depending on its actual condition and state, and its price as well would be determined by the grade.
Uncirculated or 'Proof' coins should never be touched or clumsily handled. These should also not be held on the edges, since mere fingerprints may do a lot of damage, and reduce not only the coin grade but the coin value as well. Whenever you need to place down a coin outside of its holder, ensure that it's laid down on a clean and soft surface. You may also lay down a coin on a soft velvet pad, or on a clean, soft cloth or sheet of paper. In addition, avoid holding coins in front of your mouth, because small amounts of moisture could lead to the formation of spots on the coin's surface. More importantly, you should never drag coins across any surfaces, so that you would avoid scratching or tearing its edges.
Some collectors even wear clean white cloth or surgical gloves when handling valuable or rare coins, to make sure that their coin collections remain neat, shiny and in tiptop shape. A number of specialized coin holders are available today, and these help to provide adequate protection to the coin, and ensure it stays prized and valuable.
While you may think that clean and shiny coins offer better value, the most seasoned of collectors would rather opt to have coins that retain their original appearance, since unsafely cleaning a coin may lead to a reduction of its value by half or more. Wiping a coin is also seen as a no-no, because even using a soft cloth would be enough to cause tiny, minute scratches on its surface. Properly cleaning coins should be done in a manner that is comparable to the way an art collector tries to restore a classic masterpiece. If unsure, coin cleaning should then be best left to the professional cleaners, who have the skill and experience in different coin cleaning techniques. Some expert cleaners for example, soak a coin in olive oil or soapy water for days, to safely remove dirt and other foreign substances, and then rinse these with tap water and then dry it with compressed air.
Expert coin collectors stress that coins normally go through a natural process called 'toning' which refers to a chemical reaction wherein the atoms on the coin's surface react with sulfur compounds, often leading to the tarnishing of the coin's surface. This is a non-reversible process however, although some professional collectors indicate that the coin may be repaired through a dipping process, which should strip the unwanted particles or substances from the coin's surface. Natural toning, on the other hand, may also help towards increasing a coin's value.
About the Author
Herman Klein is a coin collecting expert. For more great information on coin care be sure to visit http://www.coincollectingstartshere.com.
in Hobbies / Collecting (submitted 2009-03-27)
The higher the coin grade, then the higher its value should be. Proper coin handling helps to reduce the risk of putting any harmful substances that may lead to spots or changes in the coin's color, to help retain its value and grade. The coins you cherish and collect should always be carefully handled, in order to reduce the possibility of causing unnecessary wear and tear on these. Highly-valued coins (see how to value your coins here) should as well, be properly cared for, because they will be given a 'coin grade' (see this guide to grading coins) depending on its actual condition and state, and its price as well would be determined by the grade.
Uncirculated or 'Proof' coins should never be touched or clumsily handled. These should also not be held on the edges, since mere fingerprints may do a lot of damage, and reduce not only the coin grade but the coin value as well. Whenever you need to place down a coin outside of its holder, ensure that it's laid down on a clean and soft surface. You may also lay down a coin on a soft velvet pad, or on a clean, soft cloth or sheet of paper. In addition, avoid holding coins in front of your mouth, because small amounts of moisture could lead to the formation of spots on the coin's surface. More importantly, you should never drag coins across any surfaces, so that you would avoid scratching or tearing its edges.
Some collectors even wear clean white cloth or surgical gloves when handling valuable or rare coins, to make sure that their coin collections remain neat, shiny and in tiptop shape. A number of specialized coin holders are available today, and these help to provide adequate protection to the coin, and ensure it stays prized and valuable.
While you may think that clean and shiny coins offer better value, the most seasoned of collectors would rather opt to have coins that retain their original appearance, since unsafely cleaning a coin may lead to a reduction of its value by half or more. Wiping a coin is also seen as a no-no, because even using a soft cloth would be enough to cause tiny, minute scratches on its surface. Properly cleaning coins should be done in a manner that is comparable to the way an art collector tries to restore a classic masterpiece. If unsure, coin cleaning should then be best left to the professional cleaners, who have the skill and experience in different coin cleaning techniques. Some expert cleaners for example, soak a coin in olive oil or soapy water for days, to safely remove dirt and other foreign substances, and then rinse these with tap water and then dry it with compressed air.
Expert coin collectors stress that coins normally go through a natural process called 'toning' which refers to a chemical reaction wherein the atoms on the coin's surface react with sulfur compounds, often leading to the tarnishing of the coin's surface. This is a non-reversible process however, although some professional collectors indicate that the coin may be repaired through a dipping process, which should strip the unwanted particles or substances from the coin's surface. Natural toning, on the other hand, may also help towards increasing a coin's value.
About the Author
Herman Klein is a coin collecting expert. For more great information on coin care be sure to visit http://www.coincollectingstartshere.com.
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