A new home business has shown up involving gold and silver coins. This business is known as Numismatics (new miss MA ticks) and was once the hobby of kings and the very wealthy. A specialist in this field is known as a Numismatist (new MIZ ma tist). Home businesses range from buying low and selling high to network marketing top-graded gold and silver collectible coins.

Those who deal in gold and silver know the facts. Gold and silver have been on a rise in value for quite a while. But, that does not mean your gold or silver coin has a particular value. It could be worth more, it could only have value melted down. Those who are not educated on this subject may sell for far less than the actual worth and those who buy could be severely disappointed.

There are several ways to create a home business from gold and silver coins. One is to buy gold and silver bullion coins and another is to buy limited edition coins that have artistic value due to their high grading and other characteristics. Both have potential but the highest graded, limited editions apparently increase in value faster.

With coins, one type of coin can have three or more values. The American Eagle silver dollar is a great example of how this can be. A cashier will only see a dollar, a silver dealer will see $18 worth of silver. If you have it graded by a reputable company such as ANACS and it is graded MS70 and encapsulated, the value is $125. How can knowing this help the consumer?

Consumers often confuse “slab” or bullion coins for limited edition, MS70 coins. There are those who would take advantage of this ignorance. To help people avoid this, a report was posted on eBay – http://reviews.ebay.com/The-best-coin-graders-NGC-ANACS-and-the-worst_W0QQugidZ10000000003785971 – giving a review of coin graders and warning the consumers about the difference.

Bullion coins are often sold in rolls straight from the mint. They are known as “slab” or “mint” coins. Some sellers will tell you that this ensures they have never been touched. They arrive in a stiff clear plastic but are not graded. The cost is usually just above the current value in silver. You need an expert to determine the value of the coin and still it will need to be encapsulated. If there are any MS70 coins in there, you got a good deal. Even “straight off the press,” coins may not be MS70 or even MS69.

There is also a huge difference between MS69 and MS70 (highest). The age of the coin also changes its value. A coin’s value can increase due to other various reasons such as the artist’s popularity, the aesthetic appeal, or even a collector’s desire to complete a collection. And, this applies to their increase in value as the coins get older or rarer.

A true Numismatist will ensure he gets MS70 coins, graded by NGC, ANACS or other reputable company and encapsulate them in plastic for protection. He deals only with the most reputable dealers. There have been counterfeit labels printed in garages and put on a plastic case in which sits a “slab” coin. If you want something that has value and is likely to increase in value, then you need to know the difference between a slab coin and a MS70.

Need proof? If you were to Google this yourself, you may find a dealer at http://www.austincoins.com, member of BBB, who sells both bullion and graded coins. A roll of 2010 American Eagle silver dollars was listed in July, 2010, at $459. That works out to $22.95 a coin. The same coin, certified (graded) as MS69 was listed at $29.95 but the MS70 was listed as $125 per coin. See the difference?

Supply and demand plays the biggest part in dealing with collector items. You may have an antique that is very special but needs to be restored. In that case, it may not have the aesthetic appeal to sell. Restored and valued by an antique dealer, you can get a much better price. What you want in a coin is graded and encapsulated by a reputable company. See the illustration at http://www.cherylcurrie.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/American-Liberty.jpg).

Most people have a collection of coins somewhere. Unfortunately, most also throw them in a box and have no idea what they might be worth. There is no guarantee that they increased in value just because they are old. It depends on demand.

To see the change in value over time for a coin, you have to look at the past and see how much a coin from five years ago sold for in the present. You get this information from auctioneers such as the ones shown in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QKoU0q6Jvk, or eBay or on individual sites. Here is an example of such a report: http://www.cherylcurrie.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Numis-What-It-Sells-For-Now.jpg

Knowledge of coins is paramount to a successful home business in numismatics, gold and silver coin marketing. There are many who have already retired quite wealthy from marketing in this field.

Want to find out more about gold and silver coins? Or, visit Cheryl Currie’s site on how to choose the best home business for your needs.