February 15, 2016

Why Does the 1861-C Half Eagle Get No Love?

February 15, 2016/ Doug Winter

I recently sold a nice PCGS/CAC AU55 1861-C half eagle and it made me think: why is the 1861-C less than one-third the price of the 1861-D in higher grades and why doesn’t the 1861-C have more of a fuss made over it?

January 20, 2016

Why is the Dated Gold Market Holding its Own?

January 20, 2016/ Doug Winter

Rare date gold seems to be “where the action is” in the 2016 coin market and I, for one, am glad I don’t have an inventory full of Gem type coins or other less interesting numismatic items.

January 14, 2016

Cool Coins from the 2016 FUN Show: Choice AU 1861-D Gold Dollar

January 14, 2016/ Doug Winter

The 1861-D is, without a doubt, the most popular gold dollar. It has a minute original mintage figure believed to be in the range of 500-1,000 coins, and it has extreme multiple demand levels on account of its incontrovertible origin as a Confederate product.

January 04, 2016

Inventory Highlights, 2015 in Review

January 04, 2016/ Doug Winter

2015 was a memorable year for Douglas Winter Numismatics. We sold over 1,000 pieces of choice and rare United States gold coins, with many finest known and Condition Census pieces finding new homes.

December 23, 2015

What's Hot, What's Not: The US Rare Gold Coin Market in 2015/2016

December 23, 2015/ Doug Winter

As is tradition at DWN, at the end of every year we summarize our experiences buying and selling choice and rare United States gold coins and attempt to predict what will be the “hot” and “not so hot” areas in the market.

December 16, 2015

The 15 US Gold Coins Which All Collectors Should Own

December 16, 2015/ Doug Winter

Even if you are an ultra-specialized collector of U.S. gold coins—let’s say with an emphasis on Type One double eagles or Dahlonega half eagles—there are still specific important gold types which you might find compelling. A collector recently asked me for a list of a dozen gold issues which fell out of his range of specialization but which I felt might make good additions to his set.

November 30, 2015

What are Coins with Character?

November 30, 2015/ Doug Winter

On the front page of my website (www.raregoldcoins.com) you will see the tagline Coins with Character. This has been the official motto of Douglas Winter Numismatics for many years, and I am often asked by collectors "what are coins with character?" There is no simple answer, but I feel that the coins I sell are blessed with one or more of the following characteristics which makes them special.

October 16, 2015

What do Auction Prices Represent?

October 16, 2015/ Doug Winter

For better or worse, the current market has come to heavily rely on auction prices to determine the value of a wide range of coins. I am often asked: do auction prices represent wholesale or retail? A one word answer: both. The coin market is quite possibly the most transparent market there is in any hobby or collectible. PCGS, NGC, and Heritage provide comprehensive databases for nearly any major issue of United States coin, in a variety of grades. In theory, even an unknowledgeable collector now has access to records which only the most sophisticated dealers and collectors could access as recently as a decade ago.

September 23, 2015

No Motto New Orleans Eagles: A Study of Condition Rarity

September 23, 2015/ Doug Winter

The No Motto type of Liberty Head eagle was produced at the New Orleans mint from 1841 through 1860. By using CAC population figures, we can get an idea of which dates display condition or appearance rarity. CAC is a service which is rewards good eye appeal, unlike the grading services which are grading more from a technical standpoint.