Can investing and collecting go hand-in-hand?

Yes  says Larry Schutts on BloggingStocks.  Every year he has given his brothers a new American Eagle Silver Proof dollar (featuring the same Adolph Weinman design as U.S. half dollars between 1916 and 1947), which the US Mint has issued since 1986.  Having told his brothers for years that the coins would accumulate value over time, he recently decided to test that assertion.

Larry concludes that (excluding the 1995 West Point Dollar which was part of a limited edition set also containing four gold American Eagle proofs ) the dollars have collectively gained 200% over their original Mint prices.  Not bad if it’s an investment you’ve had pleasure from owning as well.

The New York Times suggests that the proliferation of new US coin designs in the last few years is creating coin fatigue amongst both the general public and collectors.  Citing the lack of interest in the national parks quarter series, the paper suggests Congress is to blame and calls for designs to be stable for at least a decade.

An 1804 Adams-Carter silver dollar (only 15 are believed to exist) went for $2.3 million in Cincinnati on 30 April – half a million or so less than might have been expected last year. Listed by Coin Values magazine as the world’s seventh-most valuable coin, the silver dollars weren’t ever circulated but were originally created as gift sets to be presented to rulers in Asia in exchange for trade advantages..

Cincinnati.com has the full story including the seller’s motives for disposing of the coin.

More news of coins being a safe haven in hard times. The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting a shortage of gold and silver coins across the state.  Retirees fearing a fall in the value of the dollar are said to be behind the demand.

From the article:

“Where we have really seen a shortage is in the ‘fractional’ coins — the American Gold Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf and South African Krugger and coins that contain a tenth, a quarter and half-ounce of gold,” said Bob Campbell, owner of All About Coins in Sugar House. A year ago, Utah coin dealers could hardly give away such coins, said Campbell, a former president of the American Numismatic Association. “Now they are in high demand and we can’t seem to get enough.”

“Have you ever knowingly spent $100 on a candy bar or $50 on a soft-drink? As ludicrous as the concept sounds, there is no doubt that you have unintentionally done this numerous time without knowing it,” is how authors Brian Allen and Ken Potter begin the new edition of Strike It Rich with Pocket Change, now available from Krause Publications. As more collectors and general coin enthusiasts are drawn to the treasure-hunt appeal of error and variety coins, interest in everyday coins is increasing as people take a closer look at the change in their pocket.

The U.S. Mint’s popular state quarter program and introduction of new nickels and a new dollar coin series has produced new discoveries, while demand for changes in U.S. coinage has generated greater attention and interest from the public. Thus the need for an updated version of this book, which helps make sense of it all and gives greater meaning to phrases including “double die,” “double edge-lettering”, trails,” “clashed die” and “die dents.”

In this new edition of Strike It Rich with Pocket Change readers learn about the different types of errors and how to spot them in varying types of coins, using the unique and useful combination of more than 350 close-up photos comparing properly minted coins with their error counterparts and identifying details featured. In addition, the authors’ insights help dispel common myths about error and variety coins.

Among the coins included in the listings are Lincoln Memorial cents, Jefferson nickels, Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters, John F. Kennedy half dollars, and state quarters. While the listings focus on the more valuable rare coins, the principles discussed throughout this book can be applied when researching and inspecting any coin for possible errors.