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Should I buy $5 liberty gold half Eagles?

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Hello Coin collectors,

I have been working on purchasing some Pre-1933 U.S. Gold. So Far I have picked up a couple of nice $20 Liberty Gold Double Eagles N.G.C. MS62 for $1600.00 each and a $10 Liberty gold Eagle N.G.C. ms62 for $800.00. I have someone offering to sell me some $5 Liberty head Gold half Eagles graded N.G.C./P.C.G.S. for $500.00 each. Do you think I should purchase them or stick to the Double Eagles/eagles? I've been looking at some Gold dollars too but have not purchased any. Please let me know what you think. thanks, Sincerely, Dan

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It depends where your true interest is Dan.

You seem to like twenties....Is that because they're close to an ounce, and you like the relatively low premium ?

Are you thinking maybe higher premium, more numismatic related gold may have a better future ?

I honestly don't have an opinion one way or the other, but I think your question may be more personal to you, as a collector.....

Just my nickel....

 

Paul

 

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You should purchase coins that appeal to you. You are to caught up in thinking about coins as investments. As I have said to you in a previous post, coins that can be considered true investments will be out of your price range. Will coins you purchase today appreciate over the years ? Using past history as a guide if you purchase the right coins they should but there is no guarantee.

From a personal standpoint I love the Indian $ 5 gold , they are a very popular series of coin and should hold their numismatic value. You would be wrong to assume that their future value will be substantially affected by the price of gold.

 

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What were the grades of the $5 coins? Were they also MS-62? Generally they have a higher premium, but I think an extra $100 premium sounds a little steep. You paid about a $200/oz premium for the eagles and double eagles ($1,600 vs. $1,400 spot), and now these coins have a $600 premium ($500 x 4=$2,000 per ounce vs. $1,400 spot)!!! I think you could do better, especially since Liberty half eagles are pretty common.

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If you can buy $10 Libs in 62 for $800, I'd go that route. You didn't state a grade for the $5 Libs at $500 though. Are they 62 also? If they are, stick with the lower premium $10 pieces.

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I really like the $20 double eagles and I like the $10 & $5 Indians. I just don't know too much about the $5 Liberty gold. I'm going to keep working on the gold coins that I really like. Thanks, Dan

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Obviously you are not serious about learning this. However, that is fine with me because I don't need the competition to drive prices up.

 

I have been collecting half eagles since probably 1965. I do not have a lot of inventory anymore because I sold most of what I have when gold hit $1000, some time ago and I coincidentally retired and became ill. Like any other US gold coin there are Liberty half eagles and there are Liberty half eagles. They happen to be my favorite gold coin for two reasons: firstly, most do not have a very large premium over melt. Secondly, some of the better dates have been overlooked and, despite high gold prices are selling for less than they did three years ago, in a bull market for coins.

 

The high price of bullion has overstepped the collectibility of some of these half eagle better dates in the current market and they have been selling for less recently then they have traditionally in recent years. Some "S" and other better date coins are trading lower than they have sold for several years past. You can buy collector grade half eagles in pre-1880 dates at the lowest prices they have had in several years despite of (maybe because of) high bullion costs. For me this seems like a bargain despite high gold metal premiums. I have been a buyer in this market but not for widgets.

 

If you are buying gold widgets, the $20 gold is a better buy because of lower premium to melt. Plus, there are many half eagles that are very challenging to find in grades of AU55 and above, especially pre-1880 and branch mint pieces. Collectibility is in the eyes of the beholder. In fact, some (mostly early) half eagle issues are among the most difficult US coins to find in any condition. Most of the gold US coins that I own are better date, branch mint quarter and half eagles but (thankfully) they are not for people who will not invest the time and effort to become gold specialists.

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