Everyone's going coin crazy in the opening weeks of 2012.
Our recent coin reports have included ha.com's Platinum Night at its fantastic FUN rare coins auction.
The event saw an Eliasberg 1793 S-4 Chain Cent bring $1.38m, making it the most expensive US copper coin ever sold.
Of all the collectibles types Paul Fraser Collectibles covers, coins as a niche can sometimes seem perplexing to the unconverted.
'Why on earth would anybody pay $1.38m for a single coin?' you might ask if you've never considered numismatics as a hobby.
Yet the confusion and mysteries surrounding the hobby of coin collecting only serve to make it even more rewarding.
Are you a layman when it comes to rare coins? Then you'll find that the more you learn, the more incredibly fascinating they become.
For instance...
Have you ever considered rare coins as art?
Take a look our Video of the Week in this week's newsletter to see what I mean. It's a film about 640 coin lots appearing for sale at New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel.
These are no ordinary coins, but Ancient Greek specimens. Ancient Greek coins are regarded by collectors and experts alike as being the finest 'art coins' in the world.
And then there's the sheer history surrounding rare coins. The first-ever actual coins date from about 600 BC. They were crude, pre-weighed pieces of silver, gold or electrum stamped by whichever King had issued them.
In subsequent years, coins evolved into countless designs, sizes and shapes, denominations and metals - each signifying the society in which it was produced.
Start a coin collection today and you're following in the footsteps of Julius Caesar, his fellow Roman Emperor Trajan, and the US presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Bill Clinton. Illustrious company indeed!
Rare coins really are small pieces of history
Yet I still haven't explained why somebody would spend $1.38m on a single coin.
Well, the Eliasberg 1793 S-4 Chain Cent is one-of-a-kind. It also dates back to the first year that the United States produced its own coins.
There are 50 million coin collectors in the US alone. And US rare coin sales are believed to total around $10bn annually. No wonder the Eliasberg coin is so valued.
And that's not all...
Imagine if you could own a world class coin - or perhaps another type of collectible - without having to pay all the money upfront?
What if, instead, you could enjoy considerable returns from rare and historic collectibles for just £100 (approx. $156) a month?
In other words, you can stay in control of your collection with our expert help.
Want to know more? Click here to find out more about our 'Build a Collection' portfolio scheme
Meanwhile, expect to see many more sales like the Eliasberg 1793 Cent coin in 2012 and beyond.
The Eliasberg coin is now the "centrepiece of a very advanced collection" remarked ha.com after the sale. Many wealthy buyers around the world are competing to build-up fantastic collections.
Not just of coins, but of sports memorabilia, art... All sorts of different collectibles.
These buyers will help to keep the rare coin markets - and other markets - strong in 2012. You also stand to benefit, and you don't need to be a millionaire.
Contact us, and we can discuss putting together a portfolio for you:
+44 (0) 117 933 9503
info@paulfrasercollectibles.com
All the best, until next week
Paul
