You’ve saved and saved all your life, or you just started a savings program,
and all of a sudden, your investments in stocks and bonds don’t seem such a
wonderful idea. Did you forget one of the cardinal rules of investing,
diversification? For many, diversification means holding a portfolio of
stocks, bonds, CDs, and cash. For the savvy investor, a diverse portfolio
includes tangible assets such as collectables, coins, art and artifacts, but
you need time first.
Why treasure coins and artifacts?
The field of treasure salvaging is relatively new, like any other field you
need to learn about it first and that takes time!. The first wrecks were
discovered less than fifty years ago. It’s an expensive, time-consuming, and
many times dangerous business and new salvage operations are few and far
between. Treasure coins and artifacts are limited, and that helps create
more demand than in other fields of collecting, say U.S. coins for example.
The
lore of shipwrecks, pirates, and booty is enticing. Think Johnny Depp in
Pirates of the Caribbean! The idea of coins and artifacts buried under the
sea has spawned not only many movies, but books and stores. Through the
collecting of pirate treasure, you can learn a vast amount about the history
of the New and Old World and the geography of the world’s navigable waters.
There are vast resources which can help you enrich your collection.
As with many other collectible coins and artifacts, prices aren’t affected
as much by fluctuations of gold and silver in the marketplace, however an
unique coin could become common is a large amount of the same type are
found. A coin has a numismatic value that transcends what it’s made of.
Hence, buy the best you can buy so your purchase will be judged by its
beauty, its level of detail, and its rarity, but without time to learn what
you are collecting it is not wise.
What are the pitfalls of collecting treasure coins and artifacts?
As with any highly specialized field, there is a good deal to learn before
buying coins to build a collection that will hold some value and
desirability with time. There are disreputable or uneducated sellers
who will be happy to sell you a pig in a poke. Armed with knowledge, you can
make educated decisions apart from what someone is telling you.
Always look for a provenance or chain of history to your collectibles.
Anyone who has watched the Antiques Roadshow knows that appraisers always
ask about how long an object has been in the possession of the owner, where
the owner got the object, and whether the owner has any documentation about
the origin of the object. In the world of treasure coin and artifact
collecting, ask whether an item you want to purchase has a certificate with
it. That certificate should tell you on which wreck the object was found and
by whom.
While owning hard assets helps diversify your portfolio, for the most part,
those assets won’t appreciate overnight. Plan to hold on to your investment
for at least 10 years. This is a long-term approach to your savings program,
and it will produce sound results when you finally decide to sell, however
the coins that seem to hold and increase their value are only the choice
pieces in the best possible condition, rare and in bad condition might not
be a good idea in the long term.
Anything else I need to know?
Using Sedwick’s Rules of Collecting below, you’re on your way to becoming a
collector of treasure coins and artifacts!
- Buy the book before the coin or buy the coin from the person who wrote
the book!
- An educated collector is a satisfied collector, buy the coins and enjoy
the hobby, do not look it as a pure investment, but part will be time the
rest money.
- Always buy from a reputable dealer
- If you like what you buy, you’ll be more apt to keep it until it
appreciates, that means you are enjoying collecting, many times we see
people that want to invest and that is not the route, collect in a wise and
educated manner and most likely you will be satisfied during and after your
journey.
-Reproduction of the articles in whole or part is strictly prohibited without
written permission of the author/s.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
P.O. BOX 1964 | Winter Park, Florida 32790
Phone: 407.975.3325 | Fax: 407.975.3327
We welcome your order,
want lists, comments, material for sale or consignment and suggestions.