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Rare Coin Values Index: Since Year 2000
The chart above graphs the combined percent change in retail
prices
for 87 rare United States coinssince
the year
2000, starting at an index baseline of 100. The coin market was strong
throughout the entire decade, reaching its peak in March and April 2009
at an index rating of 370.51. The Index stumbled a bit in 2009-10, but
battled back in 2011 to eclipse previous highs. The Index is at
383.37 in January 2012.
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The next Rare Coin Values Index chart focuses on
the
last 12 months. It is generated from the same body of data as the
chart above, except it's "blown up" to give the reader a closer view of
the most recent coin market activity.
Rare Coin Values Index: Over Last 12 Months
This
chart is a close up of the most recent 12 months of the Rare Coin
Values Index. In 2011 the Index steadily rose higher,
demonstrating the strength of rare coins in the face of a slow general
economy. The Rare Coin Value Index is based on the combined percent
change in retail prices for 87 rare United States
coins and is updated monthly.
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What is the
Rare Coin Values Index?
The Rare Coin Values Index follows the percent
change movements of 87 carefully selected United
States coins. The
purpose of the Index is to assess the overall direction of the U.S.
rare coin market over a period beginning in January 2000 to the current
month.
How is the Index calculated?
Once a
month, for each coin in the Index, the current retail value is
estimated and compared to the previous month's estimated value, and a
percent difference is computed (it could be positve, negative, or no
change). The percent difference for all 87 coins are added together and
divided by 87 to come up with an average percent difference of the
entire group. Thus, each
coin in the Index carries equal weight. Let's call this result the
Current Month Index, or CMI.
The previous month's Index score is multiplied by the CMI to arrive at
an updated Index score.
How should I interpret the Index score?
You should interpret the Index score as a
percent change in value collectively of the 87 coins
that comprise the
Index,
which were chosen to represent the rare U.S. coin market as a whole.
The Index begins in January 2000 at a baseline score of 100. Since, for
example, the Index reached 200 in September 2004, you could say overall
the
prices of rare U.S. coins doubled over the 4.75 year period. In January
2012, the Index stood at 383.37, indicating the rare coin market is
more than 3.8 times higher than it was in January 2000.
Where does the value data come from?
We obtain coin values to input into the Index
computation from a variety of widely respected coin price guides.
How were the 87 coins in the Index chosen?
Our objective was to choose a cross section of
coins whose value fluctuations represented that of the overall market
for rare United States coins. We focused on key dates the serious
collector of average to above average means commonly aspires to own.
The vast majority of coins tracked in the Index are in circulated
grades, typical of
the examples residing within the holdings of the rank and file
collector. There are no ultra rarieties in the Index.
Which coins were chosen for the Index?
Meet the 87 coins that comprise the Rare Coin
Values Index:
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