COIN COLLECTING AND INVESTING’S ULTIMATE CRYSTAL BALL
opportunities for those on a smaller budget to capitalize on the market growth that’s sure to touch many areas of the hobby over the next two decades. “On a much more affordable plain, true Gem Mint State and proof examples of popular largesize type coins should do well.”
And what about sleepers? “Well, I’ve been fascinated with the half-cent coinage since becoming a full-time dealer more than 50 years ago. Did you know that the entire mintage for the denomination, from
1793 to 1857, is a mere eight million pieces?” He notes a relatively easy set of half cents is the Braided Hair type minted from 1849 through 1857. “The total mintage for the type is 544,000, of which perhaps only from 3% to 5% survive today. The 1850 was always a favorite of mine (mintage 39,812); until recent years, it was available at moderate premiums to the common dates in the series. Its price has since exploded. Are there any other sleepers in the denomination?”
Whether buying expensive rarities or more common, lower-priced coins,
Rosen’s key advice is to buy “solid-for-thegrade” coins. “Why?
Over the next 20 years, we have to allow for technical innovations that will be developed to aid in the grading and valuation of coins. There could be a whole new grading system,” he poses. “Those coins that are at the low end of their grade, certainly coins that are ‘questionably graded,’ might be penalized.” Ultimately, he wants all involved in numismatics to follow their passion. “Continue to enjoy the great hobby of coin collecting. There will always be collectors for these beautiful and historic artifacts.” He goes on to say, “The coin market, strong or weak, bullish or bearish, will always survive. Buy what you like. Read and immerse yourself in the wisdom and guidance of the many written works from the hobby’s greatest writers.”
Often nicknamed “Mr. Coin Industry” is John Albanese, the founder of NGC and one of the founders of PCGS. He’s also the founder and current president of CAC, a company that evaluates third-party graded coins from PCGS and NGC and awards oval-shaped green and gold stickers to those that he and his team believe represent the highest quality for their respective grades; green stickers go to premium-quality specimens, while gold is reserved for those pieces that could grade at least a full point higher. He’s been a full-time coin dealer for more than 40 years and has seen his share of market highs and lows.
His long-range view of the past and his observations on what has and hasn’t changed in all those years leads him to take a rather measured view of the changes that may occur on the collecting and investing scene over the course of the next 20 years.“I started going to coin shows 48 years ago, when I was 14 years old,” he says. “I don’t think they are a lot different now than they were then except maybe they’re faster paced today.”
“I’d hope that by 2041, the Lincoln cent and Washington quarter are obsolete series. But the 1932-D and 1932-S Washington quarters were popular key coins 20 – why, 40 – years ago, and they remain so today. There’s little reason to believe they won’t be valuable coins in 20 years. But who knows? Maybe in 20 years we’ll have a [Joe] Biden quarter!” he laughs. “However, there will always be key coins like the 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent and the 1955 doubled die Lincoln cent. These are coins that people wanted years ago, and they’re still going to want them 20 years from now.”
He continues, “Ultimately, desirable coins will always be