Graduating from New Challenge Coin Collector
Receiving your first coin is something special because it’s your entry in the blooming and vast hobby that many others are currently enjoying. You either decide to either pursue your new found collection in buying, trading, or earning more and more coins or you forget about it all and move on. If you are the one that wants more, you are in for a great ride. Every new coin will bring you new things in owning coins that represent places, jobs, people, and a whole lot more. However, one thing you will learn over time is that certain coins hold certain values. Read more
Connecting With Challenge Coin Euthusiasts
It’s not everyday collector’s get together with each other and when you live states away it’s even harder. Once in a while though meeting people face to face spawns great ideas that stand the test of time. U.S. Challenge Coins .com has it’s doors open to anyone. Since we have started only a few people have treaded over to our office to relax. Today we had a very special guest at our place that enjoyed a whole day of going through coins, eating a feast of a lunch and relaxing with the shoes off in an office most collector’s can only dream of. In fact if they think Google is good to work for then you haven’t seen this place.
Selling Challenge Coins on eBay
As an ex-seller on eBay I have the know-how to give advice on selling on eBay. Challenge coins have not gone away from the giant auction house in the least. You will see the same familiar faces selling on the venue that you have for years past with new faces popping up only once in a while. There is no secret really in this process. You need great coins that people desire. However, there are some behind the scenes you may not know. Let’s look at where the coins you see on eBay come from:
- Drop shippers are one of the most common avenue for sellers. This allows them to take a cut from the manufacturer and not have to hold the actual coin. You will see this in extended shipping times or the same coins from multiple sellers. If you have bought this type of coin you have received something more than likely less valuable since it would be mass produced 9 out of 10 times. You will sell coins if you choose this route but you will be splitting serious profit between the actual maker and eBay.
- Another trick of the trade is buying lots either at great prices or in lots slotted in the wrong categories. Sellers that get these deals generally do really good on reselling them. People that retire, separate, or just don’t want to collect anymore just want to ditch the coins. This is a perfect opportunity to rack up on cheap coins that sell. Most of your big time power sellers choose this route to add to their stock and you can also. Make sure you are hunting through the odd categories someone might think of listing coins in.
- Another rare way to get started is financing your own coins to sell. This by far is the most lucrative if you pick the right coins to make. You get full profit and new coins on the market that no one else has brings mega sales the first few times out. This excites buyers and enhancing the collections of many. This is in presumption you can actually make a great coin. There have been many times sellers often have the wrong company make them, or just suck on design. Usually you will see the remains of a coin gone wrong as masses of them are packed in lots on eBay.
- Trading challenge coins with other wholesalers or dealers is a nice way to go. However you are trading for their duplicates which means you now become their competition. This is not a smart way to go usually, however, you will find some sales through this. Sellers love to trade off their dead coins that don’t sell. This is one area you could easily get screwed. Read more
A View From the Society on Challenge Coins
From time to time we like to take a spin around what’s going on in the challenge coin hobby. So many things change so rapidly. The hobby is a live an well for many collectors as 2008 rolls in. Some great coins have already hit the market. Even with the economic down turn the U.S. is feeling right now everything seems to be going well. Challenge coins seem to be getting away from interaction from collector’s and is mostly pure commercial as the new year opens way.
We have found that most groups of challenge coin collectors are purely marketing for companies of coins. This is hobby wide it seems. It’s funny when you look through the last few years and see a huge collaboration and mega amounts of information coming out in 2006. People were coming out talking about coins. In 2007 it was starting to fall apart as some seen great riches in the hobby and less information has come to life. Major companies have come to life in the wake of quiteness which is great but we seem to be losing the collector base as a hobby and now it has become a store base.
Different Thoughts On Collecting
Some people like to collect the old stuff, and I mean the stuff from the Vietnam era or later. They love their coins old and brassy with some wear and tear. For the older generation I think this holds true since they lived through that generation and it has a special meaning to these collectors. Does this mean these coins are more valuable? We tend to say no it does not. This just makes them older. Each person has to come to terms with what they collect and this is just one area that lends itself to a solid pick among retirees and older collector’s.
Some people get off on collecting high ranking official coins. Is this because these coins are worth more? Again we tend to think not. What would make that coin worth more? Just because they served in a certain position? Fact is, there are rarely superstars among those ranks and most are seen as the yes man for the President or someone else. Sure some of these coins are nice, but generally speaking, they are just another coin that would hold value to only the person that earned it.
Some newer collector’s are into well designed coins that go away from just the plain brass that was inferior to today’s minting standards. These are ok too but they are “newborns” with different features of the coins from yesteryear. The artwork and other attributes today’s coins attain are unthinkable 30 years ago. Some collector’s love this new breed of coin that takes on different shapes and colors. No matter what you collect there is something special that you want in a coin.
Don’t get wrapped up in what coin is worth what, get wrapped up in what you love. Value is only wallet deep when it comes to buying. However, collecting is truly what makes it all worth while in the end.
Round Vs. Odd Shaped Coins
Round coins are considered your normal everyday coins you get from almost anywhere. They are classic and classy at the same time. The round coins hold tradition and many different sizes. About 90% of all coins ever made are round with different variations. Some variations are cutouts, notches for opening bottles, or other cool features. Lately though there has been an increase on uniquely developed coins.
Many people are starting to eye out some of the odd shaped coins for their collections because of the very uniqueness they achieve. Who wouldn’t love their coin in a shape of a tank, or airplane? We thought so too. In a lot of cases the unique shaped coins with bring in a much higher value than an identical round coin but this really depends if the round one was from the President of the U.S. and the odd shaped one was some Captain so please keep this in mind. Either way with so many shapes it’s hard to find what you like.
All we can say is see what is out there and buy or trade what you think is right for you. Everyday new coins are being developed and released pushing boundaries in all areas.
12 Months in Collecting
In the beginning of 2007 we were graced by a modest number of collectors out there that were active and engaged the communities often. During 2007 many new and exciting coins came out on the market and really encouraged more to join a long and become active collectors. I would say that by the midsummer collecting was catching on fire through various websites and on eBay. Police coins were by far the hugest increase we all seen in 2007 with many more departments out there creating a giant buzz while putting new and exciting coins on the market. It’s funny because U.S. Challenge Coins .com did their first custom challenge coin on the market on Jan 7th, 2007 for the Miami-Dade Police Department, Homeland Security. The MDPD got a fever started by handing out their coin to anyone and everyone in 2007.
There are all kinds of ways to get thing hobby going and sharing great stories and facts about collecting can get people involved. 2007 also seen a large jump in custom coins where people were trying to be new and exciting and at the same time cash in on their ideas. It was a big year to say the least and I think much more of that positive outcome is ahead for 2008. I foresee K-9 coins and Special Forces coins to open some big doors along with some new sets of coins that are going to really pump up the collections out on the desks of many.
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