Discover Rare Coins Destined for Greatness

Welcome to Rare Coins 101.  I'm Dan, the Rare Coin Man. Kinda catchy, huh?

No one buys coins with the expectation of watching them decline in value over time. To the contrary, most of us hope to see our collections someday command prices far above what we paid for them. After making a purchase, we want our coins to soar like an eagle in the price guides. Sadly, what usually happens looks more like a bug stuck in flypaper.

If your objective is to acquire rare coins destined for greatness, you’ve landed in the right spot. No need to get trapped in flypaper ever again!

As a data nerd, I’ve been researching value trend numbers for 40 years and can now share this this Rare Coins 101 Axiom about coin collecting:

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In reality, only a small subset of collectible coins attains this lofty status. Okay, which coins make the cut? Thankfully, there's a more scientific approach to answering that question than throwing darts blindfolded!

Thankfully, picking rare coins with the best potential to rise in value is more methodical than throwing darts blindfolded. However, without first understanding long term price trends for individual coins, you might as well be wearing a blindfold! Image by ratch0013 on freedigitalphotos.net
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All you have to do is compare long term price movements across a wide spectrum of coin types for individual dates and identify the coins having the best track records. Simple concept to grasp, but not easy to do unless you have researched many decades of coin value fluctuations. Who has time to do that? So, back to the dartboard? Nope! Dan, the Rare Coin Man to the rescue!

#Invalid Account Type: There are plenty of valuable U.S. coins for the collector to choose from. However, a very small number of them consistently increase in price at a rate far above average. It’s this type of performance many coin buyers seek, but aren’t sure how to get there. Long term coin value trend data helps pinpoint these consistent winners. Rare Coins 101 has already done the research, making it possible for you to hit the bullseye!
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Analysis & Key Date Recommendations

My site, Rare Coins 101, has already done the tedious analysis and provides you with data-based bottom-line Key Date List of Recommendations for selecting stellar rare coins with bright futures.

(You won't hurt my feelings if you abandon my home page right now and skip on over to the key date recommendations -- after all, that's the "meat and potatoes" of this site.& #xa0; Soooo.... here's that link again to the Key Date Coin List.)

From now on, don’t add any more duds to your collection. Using information tables and charts, I’ll highlight blue chip coins that stand the best chance of becoming valuable heirlooms someday for you and your family.

Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now...

Let me illustrate the advantage of data-driven decision making by recounting a regretful episode that began early in my adult coin collecting career. No one enjoys confessing to be a dummy, but here goes ... 

Had Rare Coins 101 existed back in 1985, I could have avoided that mistake by learning the 1921-D is a key date with one of the best price performance records of the entire Walker series, due to collectors fiercely competing for a very limited supply. 

For the same $1150,⁽²⁾ I could have purchased a 1921-D Walker in EF-45 grade, a coin today, in 2024, retailing for approximately $4625.⁽³⁾ 

Admittedly, this is NOT an S&P 500 type return, but we’re talking about a rare coin purchase, not your 401k retirement fund. Still, a much better financial benefit for the same money, with the dual satisfaction of proudly owning a prized numismatic** rarity of high esteem.

Dang, wish I knew then what I know now!

#Invalid Account Type: If a website like Rare Coins 101 been around back in 1985, I would have been advised to spend my $1150 buying a 1921-D Walking Liberty half dollar from a reputable dealer, just like the one pictured above.
Being young and foolish, I fell prey to a slick talker and purchased ten 1943 Walkers graded “MS-65” for $115 each. The sting of that faulty choice is still felt today, but at least it was a valuable lesson learned. Images by Heritage Auctions.
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1.& #xa0;Gibbs, William T., Managing Editor.  Coin World Domestic Values.  Sidney, OH.  Amos Media Company.  2024.

2. Goevert, Daniel J.  Value Trends of United States Coins.  Wichita, KS.  Heritage Coin Books, 1987.

3.  Gibbs,  Coin World Domestic Values.

4.  Mayo Clinic Staff.  Stress Relief from Laughter?  It's no Joke.  2019.

5.  PCGS Coin Facts.  The $4 Stella.