If You Have $1 Million to Spend, Should You Buy One $1 Million Coin or a Thousand $1,000 Coins?

CACfan

I would take the thousand $1,000 coins every time. It is much easier to resell $1,000 coins than $1 million coins because you have far more potential buyers. Yet, 22 coins each sold for $1 million or more in 2021 alone. It must be great to be that wealthy.

Also, the true collector in everyone reading this (all three of you), even dealers, would love to experience the fun of handling and studying those thousand $1,000 coins.

And I can think of several coins, such as certain patterns, that you can buy for a mere few thousand dollars but should be worth $1 million yet never caught on due to the lack of marketing and publicity.

MarkFeld

The answer depends on the motive of the buyer. Investment? Assembling one or more sets? Buying1000 cool random coins? Buying one dream coin?

Catbert

Since this question was posted in the gold section of this forum and thus presumed to be referencing a gold purchase, I would choose having one fabulous gold coin. The alternative at the individual price level would bore me since the coins would likely be mostly bullion quality. No thanks. 😘😘

FloridaFacelifter

Catbert said:

Since this question was posted in the gold section of this forum and thus presumed to be referencing a gold purchase, I would choose having one fabulous gold coin. The alternative at the individual price level would bore me since the coins would likely be mostly bullion quality. No thanks. 😘😘

Or a small collection of high grade, really beautiful deep cameo gold proofs!

Legend

One coin. The rarer and more significant a coin, the more potential to a strong rise in value.

Catbert

FloridaFacelifter said:

Catbert said:

Since this question was posted in the gold section of this forum and thus presumed to be referencing a gold purchase, I would choose having one fabulous gold coin. The alternative at the individual price level would bore me since the coins would likely be mostly bullion quality. No thanks. 😘😘

Or a small collection of high grade, really beautiful deep cameo gold proofs!

Are those available at $1000 each?

MarkFeld

Legend said:

One coin. The rarer and more significant a coin, the more potential to a strong rise in value.

My guess is that $1000 coins tend to have greater percentage upside in value than $1,000,000 ones do. And if you buy a single million dollar coin and it doesn’t perform well, you’re left with a basket with just one (rotten) egg in it.

On the other hand, if your buying decision isn’t motivated by profit, make your choice based on whatever will provide you with the most enjoyment.

Vincent.Savage

  I like a mix of differently valued coins .   Some are $4 to $6k range .  Most are $10 to $20k and a few in the $30 to $60k range.

  With a million you can get 65 to 75 nice coins.   

 I’d be very happy with 10 x $100,000.00 saints or even build a $1,000,000.00 All CAC 12 coin gold type set.     That would be a pretty awesome set 

earlyAurum

MarkFeld said:

Legend said:

One coin. The rarer and more significant a coin, the more potential to a strong rise in value.

My guess is that $1000 coins tend to have greater percentage upside in value than $1,000,000 ones do. And if you buy a single million dollar coin and it doesn’t perform well, you’re left with a basket with just one (rotten) egg in it.

On the other hand, if your buying decision isn’t motivated by profit, make your choice based on whatever will provide you with the most enjoyment.

I think it is just the opposite and that an individual coin has more upside risk as well as downside risk. It's the definition of no diversification.

JACAC

For investment purposes, I’d take the $1000 coins and if given a choice $250-$1000. I’d load up on proof merc dimes and walkers, proof 65-66 3 cent , V and, Shield nickels. And I’d buy a boatload of gem silver commems ms65-66 1892-1939. JA 

MarkFeld

earlyAurum said:

MarkFeld said:

Legend said:

One coin. The rarer and more significant a coin, the more potential to a strong rise in value.

My guess is that $1000 coins tend to have greater percentage upside in value than $1,000,000 ones do. And if you buy a single million dollar coin and it doesn’t perform well, you’re left with a basket with just one (rotten) egg in it.

On the other hand, if your buying decision isn’t motivated by profit, make your choice based on whatever will provide you with the most enjoyment.

I think it is just the opposite and that an individual coin has more upside risk as well as downside risk. It's the definition of no diversification.

In order to avoid possible confusion, based on your post, you think it's just the opposite of what Laura said, not what I said.

Vincent.Savage

JACAC said:

For investment purposes, I’d take the $1000 coins and if given a choice $250-$1000. I’d load up on proof merc dimes and walkers, proof 65-66 3 cent , V and, Shield nickels. And I’d buy a boatload of gem silver commems ms65-66 1892-1839. JA 

 If I were looking for an investment, I would soooo follow your advice word for word.   There is no need for me to reinvent the wheel.  I’d simply trust your decades long experience.

 I may do this anyway !  😉

VS

Pyrite

JACAC said:

For investment purposes, I’d take the $1000 coins and if given a choice $250-$1000. I’d load up on proof merc dimes and walkers, proof 65-66 3 cent , V and, Shield nickels. And I’d buy a boatload of gem silver commems ms65-66 1892-1839. JA 

Smart. People coming into their peak earning years would consider those coins to be "old" and "classic."

john

Vincent.Savage said:

JACAC said:

For investment purposes, I’d take the $1000 coins and if given a choice $250-$1000. I’d load up on proof merc dimes and walkers, proof 65-66 3 cent , V and, Shield nickels. And I’d buy a boatload of gem silver commems ms65-66 1892-1839. JA 

 If I were looking for an investment, I would soooo follow your advice word for word.   There is no need for me to reinvent the wheel.  I’d simply trust your decades long experience.

 I may do this anyway !  😉

VS

With a slight correction: 1892-1939.
I know, I know, typo, but still....I don't want collectors, novice or not, reading this and go on a hunt for 1839 and forward commems. I freely admit I went to my library to research, because of self doubt, and because it is Mr. Albanese opining. How many others are willing to admit they did, also?

gschwenk

I don't consider coins as part of my investment portfolio. I enjoy buying coins and would rather buy many rather than one. That being said I usually need to spend at least 10k and often more to be satisfied with a coin

Vincent.Savage

gschwenk said:

I don't consider coins as part of my investment portfolio. I enjoy buying coins and would rather buy many rather than one. That being said I usually need to spend at least 10k and often more to be satisfied with a coin

 That’s how I feel too.   Early on I had lower graded and raw coins.    As time marched on and I viewed more and more coins I started seeing the differences between the grades etc .      Like you , coins don’t appeal to me very much under $10k.   With a few exceptions .  

JACAC

Oops 1892-1939 silver commems I just edited 

Nic

JACAC said:

Oops 1892-1939 silver commems I just edited 

What about the 1946 Iowa commem? How dare you. Go Hawkeyes!

Insider3

With 1 Million dollars you could over a period of time practically "lock up' the market on at least one or two popular items.

Pyrite

Insider3 said:

With 1 Million dollars you could over a period of time practically "lock up' the market on at least one or two popular items.

That could be fun if you then flooded all the WTB threads you could find.

oreville

JACAC said:

For investment purposes, I’d take the $1000 coins and if given a choice $250-$1000. I’d load up on proof merc dimes and walkers, proof 65-66 3 cent , V and, Shield nickels. And I’d buy a boatload of gem silver commems ms65-66 1892-1939. JA 

JA is not joking especially about having many many 1892-1939 commems.

JA has stated to me in the past how much he loved my friend's 250 mint state Oregon Trails. But when I showed him my duplicate but damaged 1856 FE cent, he advised me to unload it as one too many.