The history, indeed the story, a coin can tell is such a large component behind why I love numismatics! So many coins have a story, if you let them tell it. I’ve found investigating and learning everything about all my coins, as well as those I’ve bought and sold, was rewarding in building my numismatic knowledge and, ultimately, in terms of financial gain.
I always advocate collecting what you like; if you find something interesting enough to collect, wouldn’t you want to know as much as possible about it? Here’s where things can get tricky…
After you have decided to start building a coin collection (especially if you are buying more expensive coins, cards, or other collectibles), the two biggest questions you may have will be: “what is a fair price?” and “how do you know what you have is authentic?”
Determining a fair price for any coin comes down to computing a variety of factors, including the grade, eye appeal, and other specifics about any given coin. But knowing if your coins are real? That’s a far more important question that begs answers, and that’s where PCGS comes in. Before PCGS was founded in 1986, the coin marketplace had far too many overgraded and – in some cases – fake or altered coins, a great number of these masquerading as “bargains.” Surely there were bargains out there. But they almost always came with an issue. And, while experienced numismatists could generally identify fake coins, uneducated coin newbies were essentially on their own.
When PCGS came into the marketplace, they leveled the playing field by first guaranteeing the authenticity of the items they certified and then grading numismatic items. Forty years later, PCGS-graded coins lead the market in demand with their underlying authenticity and solid grading history. While the tenor of coin markets may fluctuate, PCGS-graded coins garner exceptional demand today and have earned the trust of buyers novice and seasoned alike.