Medieval Discovery Reflects Value Of Old Coins
February 8, 2010 – While inspecting an archeological site in England, a worker reached down to pick up a perceived piece of wrapping paper, only to find out that he had discovered an ancient Roman rare coin. While the value of the coin was not immediately known, the find of this medieval rare coin reflects the value of old coins to collectors and investors alike.
Rare coins become increasingly valuable due to a combination of age, number of available specimens and the condition of the coin. These factors can leave a coin with nothing more than historical value, or elevate it to a position where it is worth millions of dollars. This particular coin is possibly thousands of years old and the only one known of its kind; these factors would likely drive its price quite high, provided that its condition is good enough to make it identifiable.
For rare coins in the past 300 to 400 years, certification is the best means for determining the value of a particular coin. PCGS and NGC are both companies that rate coins, determine their authenticity and help to establish their value. These companies evaluate coins based on the Sheldon Scale, a 70-point system of reviewing the quality of a coin.
For today’s investors, ancient coins have great sociological significance, but the coins that bring the most profit to investors are items such as pre-1933 American coins and rare foreign coins. The true test of these coins is the grade they receive during certification, allowing investors to understand the value of rare coins and find profit from investing in them.
Shawn Penny
Senior Staff Writer - Rare-Coin.org
