FaqS
What is your professional experience?
I have been buying and selling coins for well over a decade and have worked as a Senior Numismatist (coin specialist) and Consignment Director at three firms across New York, London and Dallas. I now work at eBay UK as Senior Category Manager for Coins, Stamps & Bullion. During my career I have personally conducted multiple millions of dollars’ worth of deals in coins and catalogued tens of millions in value more, as well as advising numerous clients as to the value of their coins, their tax implications and how they should sell to maximise their return. Since January 2020 I have had a monthly column in Coin News magazine detailing the current health of the coin market. More about my experience can be found in the Background page.
Why choose coins?
Coins offer a unique perspective on the past and are some of the most persistent and diagnostic artefacts known to archaeology. It is significant, however, that coins also retain a strong international collector base, and that many now turn to coins as tangible assets to invest in as opposed to being merely archaic collectables.
For their reliably increasing values, relative liquidity and beneficial tax implications, coins are a dependable store of value which can often net significant returns when resold. If properly informed, the investor can often make many multiples of their initial investment within the numismatic market. Coins should not represent the entirety of your savings but can serve as a very useful component of your investment portfolio.
Why buy ECoinomics?
“Buy the book before you buy the coin”. That is how the mantra goes within numismatics. ECoinomics aims to equip the reader with both the knowledge and confidence to participate in the numismatic market with the best hope of netting substantial returns on their investment; extensively reviewed by both numismatists and financial professionals, it represents the only book on the market that aims to guide the reader through the murky waters of the global numismatic market.
Will this book give me investment advice?
No. As stated by the FCA, "in the context of financial services, “advice” is a service which recommends a specific course of action based on consumers' individual circumstances and goals; “guidance”, on the other hand, provides information and/or options to narrow down consumers' choices, without making an explicit recommendation". ECoinomics offers guidance to the collector or investor based on prudent market practices, but will not suggest specific coins to buy or guarantee returns.
Do I need to be rich to buy and sell coins?
No. In fact, I have encountered near-penniless buyers who struck lucky and made hundreds of thousands from their first coin purchase! There are opportunities for all spending ranges within the numismatic market, from $10 purchases to $100,000 purchases.