Will numismatic coins be worth anything after the collapses?

[NDFarmer]

I was wondering if you think numismatic coins will have any extra value after the economy collapses? My thinking is they will only have what ever value PM's are worth at that time. If silver is 100 times face that Morgan dollar that I paid $500.00 dollars for will be worth $100.00. Or that 14D Lincoln that is worth $250.00 now will be worth $1.00 for its copper value then. Because our paper money will be worthless and only PM's will have any value. So my question is should I be converting numismatic coins into 90% silver because it will have more buying power after the collapse?

[Beau]

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I think you will only have the price of silver or gold after the collapse.

what ever that price is.

I think your $500. silver dollar will be worth the same as a regular dated silver

dollar, no value past the same as a cheap Morgan.



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[commoncents]

During the worst days of a crunch, most coins will be valued only by metal content except the very rarest. Only a few persons will be wealthy and secure enough to pay extra for numismatic coin.

As the economy recovers, the numismatics will regain a permium above metal content. The determining factors will be the degree of recovery of specialization of labor, the perceived security from confiscation, and the robustness of the economic recovery.

[stevkc]

The main thing that gives a coin numismatic value (its relative rarity) will still exist after "the collapse." The other main value driver, demand for the coin, will likely go down immediately after "the collapse" because people will have money issues and more important things to take care of rather than collecting coins. Numismatic value will return as normalcy returns.

However, a lot of people that spend a lot of time worrying about "the collapse" often are referring to some post-apocolyptic hellscape where our neighbor's flesh may be the only available food source. If you're one of those types who sees that as a likely future, then yeah, I'd say numismatic value is probably a thing of the past. Take those silver dollars, stuff em in a sock, and use it as a weapon against the night zombies looking for a meal.

[amalekidad]

OOhhh, Night Zombies on the Barby, yummy!

[barrytrot]

However, a lot of people that spend a lot of time worrying about "the collapse" often are referring to some post-apocolyptic hellscape where our neighbor's flesh may be the only available food source. If you're one of those types who sees that as a likely future, then yeah, I'd say numismatic value is probably a thing of the past. Take those silver dollars, stuff em in a sock, and use it as a weapon against the night zombies looking for a meal.

This is yet another benefit of hoarding. Way more things to melt down into weapons and/or stuff into socks as weapons.

[hejira11]

Silver does have antimicrobial properties, which will come in handy if you get bitten by a zombie

[OtusLotus]

There will always be a premium for the rare coins... and the value of those coins should increase exponentially as the value of the FRN goes down..

I wouldn't just buy a coin because it is graded, I would be selective as to what I would buy and therefore be confident in the coin and rarity!

[fusscharles]

depends how long after the "collapses"

[AGgressive Metal]

Invading armies always steal rare artwork and artifacts for a reason. There are plenty of people with money out there in the world. Semi-rare stuff would probably not hold its value very well, but nobility and bankers have collected coins for hundreds of years and show no sign of stopping just because the stock market tanks.

[k9ranger]

Im wondering if the circulated high mintage coins will increase in value due to being sold first for melt. If every one is melting common dates at what point do roles reverse and the now commons become tomorrows "scarce" coins. So eventually your high end coins may be more common than the now low end high mintage.

[zyll]

Numismatics was traditionally called the "Hobby of Kings", because only the truly wealthy could afford to set aside money as a collectible. Americans, thanks to the biggest bubble in history, have literally been living like kings. After the "collapse" as you put it, the market for collectibles will vastly shrink. The truly rare pieces, the choicest that are currently traded in excess of 10,000x face value; those will still be collectible in the future. The new "kings" will buy them from you. Realize, though, that that king might be of another culture that doesn't appreciate our American history the same way. Value is often a product of personal cultural reference. How much over spot would you pay for a gold buddha statue? Probably not as much % over as you would a St. Gaudens pattern coin, because of the cultural relevance. The new king might place their highest worth elsewhere.
Just food for thought.

[Mossy]

Americans, thanks to the biggest bubble in history, have literally been living like kings. After the "collapse" as you put it, the market for collectibles will vastly shrink.

So true. Add to this that boomers are going to start retiring, needing medical care, and dying? Collectables are going to flood the market over the next 10 years. It's going to be a buyer's market, not a seller's market.

[StoreOfValue]

ND, the answer is within historical context. There will be a time when numismatic value is skewed but will always come back due to rarity. It just depends on how long you can hold out with your collectibles if and only if you don't have to dump them to survive.

K9, you are correct about coins reversing roles in SHTF scenario. Silver coin price guides are rife with examples of "common" high end coins with little value compared to more common examples. Consider the 1955 Franklin (which were all saved due to low mintage) carrying no premium in MS65 condition over the ultra common 1963 D. The trick will be to predict which ones to save when we return to normalcy. Personally, I just save ALL coins so I don't have choose.

[Know Common Cents]

I just have to think back to the silver boom of the late 1970s to reflect on the worth of numismatic coins. I was friends with the shop owner and helped him out with crowd control. The lines were long and part of my job was to count the number of people waiting and report back to him every 15 minutes or so. For my work, he paid me $1 face in US 90% silver (coins of my pick from the ones he had coming in).

It was amazing what was being brought in for melting. There were rolls of BU walkers as well as quarters from the 1930s that must have had an average grade of MS 63. Most everyone had sold off their slicks or culls before the panic really set in, so most of the coins brought in were of higher quality. I remember seeing milk cartons full of standing liberty quarters and Barber halves. All were being cashed in just for their silver content. There was so much coming in so fast that it was impractical to go through everything. The coin shop owner had to process all of this quickly for fear of the price dropping dramatically the next day. Scary stuff when you have tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars hanging by a thread for so many days in a row.

There were also sterling utensils, serving trays, candle sticks and everything else imaginable. Everything went into the melting pot regardless of whether it was common or rare. It boggles my mind to think of all I saw tossed into bags and bins at the time. For my time spent, I selected several XF mintmarked Barber halves, high grade Mercuries from the teens and a couple of VG-F Seated Libery dollars. Wish I would've paid more attention to the silver dollars that came in. I suspect that there were rare dates and CCs, but unless the silver refiners had someone checking their incoming product, it all met the same fate.

I agree that collectible coins will remain so when there's some return to normalcy. Or......maybe IF there's a return to normalcy. I wouldn't buy collectible cents, nickels and the like as those may be the first to be ignored and the last to recover. In fact, I've sold all I had and certainly don't save things like state quarters, new Lincoln cent varieties, Sac or Prez $ coins and the like. If it doesn't have some intrinsic value, send it on down the line.

Part of my intrinsic stash also includes lead. That would be in projectile form to defend my family in the event of what may be coming.

[shinnosuke]

Part of my intrinsic stash also includes lead. That would be in projectile form to defend my family in the event of what may be coming.

Amen, bro.

[HPMBTT]

This is a very interesting thread. I have often wondered the same thing as to whether or not high-end rare coins (or any rare numismatic coin) would actually retain their value; plus, how long after a return to normalcy for the prices to go up.

What about all the rich snobs that have all of the GEM MS65 (or higher) rare-date St Gaudens $20 gold pieces? You know, the ones that are worth at least 7-10K each (or higher) today. Now that is a market where I wish I could see into the future when SHTF. Anyone care to comment?