By Jeff Garrett Looking at the most popular coins to collect over the years shows how collectors’ goals and aspirations continue to evolve. In recent years, the demand for rare coins in the top-end of the marketplace has soared. Multi-million-dollar hammer prices have become common place. Last night, an NGC-certified ancient coin sold to an American buyer for $1.9 million dollars. The most recent collecting trend that continues to amaze me has been the emergence of mega-rich collectors battling for the finest and rarest. There are at least four to six billionaires actively collecting coins, each of which has invested...

By Jeff Garrett Over the years, one of the most constant pieces of wisdom that I have suggested is to find someone you can trust for advice. Numismatics can be complicated and full of risks, especially now that rare coin prices have, in many cases, entered the stratosphere. We live in an information age, but there is no substitute for experience. Most dealers are more than willing to share their vast knowledge with collectors. You just need to know whom to ask, and I recommend the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG). The Professional Numismatists Guild was founded in 1955 by legendary dealer Abe...

By Jeff Garrett Professional advice can go a long way when buying rare coins at auctions. As nearly everyone who buys rare coins these days knows, a large percentage of the buying and selling happens at auctions. The auction market has exploded in recent years. Twenty-five years ago, the total amount of rare coins sold at auction in the United States was probably less than $25 million. More recently, that number is closer to $625 million or more. That does not include the thousands of coins sold each day on eBay and other websites. There are several reasons for this,...