Investing in coins. Factors influencing the price of a coin

Understanding investing in coins

Investments in Russian coins - what, where, when?

I suggest we take a little break from it and talk about something more material—investing in coins. The main disadvantage of online investments is that we cannot physically touch our investments at any time. But this is compensated by large percentages of profit. We can always take the coin with us, and if the storage conditions are met, the quality of the coin does not suffer. The income from investing in coins varies, I won’t talk about figures such as 100% or 200% per annum, although it also happens that the value of a coin soars two to three times in a year, but it is also incorrect to compare with deposit yield. Everything is very individual and each coin must be assessed separately.

Price determining factors of the coin market;
Is it worth buying investment coins and which ones?
Where to buy investment coins;
How to buy coins;
Pros and cons of investing in coins.

Factors influencing the price of a coin

I've been running this blog for over 6 years. All this time, I regularly publish reports on the results of my investments. Now the public investment portfolio is more than 1,000,000 rubles.

Especially for readers, I developed the Lazy Investor Course, in which I showed step by step how to put your personal finances in order and effectively invest your savings in dozens of assets. I recommend that every reader complete at least the first week of training (it's free).

One of the main price factors is quality of the coin and its safety. Moreover, the price of a coin in excellent quality, but with traces of circulation, and the price of a bag coin in a stamped sheen can differ significantly. For example, the anniversary 10 rubles from the Ministry series, which were in circulation, cost about one hundred to one hundred and fifty rubles, and for coins from a bag, sellers on Molotok are already asking 350 rubles and more.

Coin circulation and rarity. Perhaps the most fundamental factor of price. It should be taken into account that a large circulation does not always contribute to the prevalence of a coin. There were situations when coins, for political or other reasons, were withdrawn from circulation and reminted. The coins remaining with collectors subsequently increased in value several times over.

Metal. The price of a coin always includes the price of the metal from which it is made. The price of coins made of precious metals, in principle, cannot fall below the price of the metal. However, let’s take, for example, a rare 1923 gold chervonets coin. Its price practically does not depend on gold prices; 80-90% of the cost is determined by collection demand.

The value of ancient coins increases beautiful patina(film/patina on metal). On the contrary, an ancient coin with no patina, but in excellent quality, will most likely be valued lower by collectors than a coin with patina in worse condition.

What coins should you invest in?

So, gentlemen investors, which coins are best to buy for the purpose of generating income? Any with a small print run and the number of surviving copies. The rarer a coin is, the more the coin will be worth and the more likely it is that its price will increase over time. The increase in the value of a coin can be more than 50% per year. Many people mistakenly think that the older the coin, the more it will cost. This is wrong. Soviet current coins have practically not increased in value over 30-50 years. Moreover, they are even rated by weight.

Modern anniversary 10 rubles (2010) of the Chechen Republic cost about one thousand rubles in the year of issue. Now their price exceeds 10 thousand rubles.

From an investment point of view, I would divide coins into the following types:

Coins that are not attractive for investment:

Coins from circulation, or also called current coins, are issued in large quantities;
“Dead” coins (due to damage, it is impossible to read the relief of the coin). The value of such coins tends to the value of the metal from which they are made;

Investment-attractive coins:

Investment;
Anniversary (including modern bimetallic);
Rare coins with a mintage of less than 10,000 copies.

Investment coins of Russia. They are issued in banks from high-grade precious metals. The price of such coins is equal to the price of the metal plus 5-10%. As a rule, the circulation is high, intended for long-term investment. I would even say to save money.

A separate topic. You need to be a great specialist to understand all the intricacies of the pricing of these coins. I observed such a thing.

Auction Volmar, bidding 25 kopecks 1857 SPB FB. The top coin went for 10 thousand rubles, and the bottom one for 4 thousand. Although I did not notice any difference in their condition. My personal opinion is that the top coin has a pronounced patina, while the other is polished. It is better to buy antiques with patina, because... natural patina is difficult to fake.

Russian anniversary coins. Interesting investment option small amounts. There is always a demand for these coins. Most of these coins cost from 15 rubles to 300. But there are three coins whose price is growing exponentially from year to year. This is 10 rubles (2010) Chechen Republic, 10 rubles (2010) Perm Territory, 10 rubles (2010) Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The last coin increased in price 20 times in five years!

Where to buy coins?

It is not recommended to buy coins through private advertisements, for example, on Avito, if you are not sure of the reliability of the seller. Here you can stumble upon a fake. In general, before purchasing a coin, especially an expensive one, you must first make sure of its authenticity, unless, of course, you dug up a treasure trove of imperial coins in an abandoned village.

Even if a coin looks the same as the original, this cannot guarantee authenticity. Nowadays, high-precision casting methods have emerged, which makes it possible to copy coins with precision down to scratches.

To minimize risks, you should carefully study photographs of the original on arhivmonet.ru, fcoins.ru and numismatic auctions such as Volmar, Numisma, Empire, Efimok. As a rule, at these auctions the coins offered undergo their own examination. But this comes at a price. The commission for the purchase of lots per buyer is up to 20% of the cost of care.

(wolmar.ru)

A popular auction that takes place once a week. A very large assortment of coins on display. Seller commission: 10%. Buyer commission: 10%. Increased commission if the lot goes below 200 rubles in a standard auction or below 2000 rubles if in a VIP auction.

Online Numisma Auction(numizma.ru).

Various coins. Seller commission: 10%. Buyer commission: 10%.

Numismatic Internet auction “Efimok”(efimok.ru).

Only Russian coins from pre-Petrine coins to modern ones are traded. Buyer commission: 10%.

Auction house "Empire"(auction-imperia.ru).

Specializes in coins of Imperial Russia. Buyer commission: 15%.

Trading platform Molotok.Ru.

Large trading platform with auction elements. The buyer is not charged a commission, but the seller is charged a different commission, depending on the transaction price and the category of the product. There is a rating of sellers and buyers, as well as protection of buyers from unscrupulous sellers.

A separate word needs to be said about “ArchiveMonet” (arhivmonet.ru). Convenient catalog with prices of coins at auctions. You can see price dynamics over the past few years. But not all coins are represented there. It’s also not possible to view information about each transaction. There are inaccuracies and errors. It happens that the cost of a coin in better condition is lower than the cost of a coin in worse quality - this is a feature of such auctions.

A separate word needs to be said about Fcoins. Here you can search for coins by auction with a detailed description of each lot. A very convenient service for numismatists. All popular online auctions are represented.

You can buy coins in specialized numismatics and antiques stores, but this purchase will be accompanied by a large markup and the investment sense is lost, or you will have to wait more than one year or even five years to make a profit.

How to buy coins correctly

Let's move on to practice. We decided on a coin. Next, we study the photo of the original in different qualities up to satisfactory, we find out the exact weight of the coin, what mint, circulation and how rare it is. We compare the prices of coins in different conditions at recent auctions and auctions that took place two or three years ago, or better yet, even earlier. We look at Molotok and look at the prices there. You can buy popular coins on the hammer, making sure that the seller's rating is high and the number of negative reviews does not exceed 1%. When purchasing rare coins worth more than 30 thousand rubles at Molotok, it is advisable to have an expert opinion on authenticity.

Let's see how the coin is traded. If there are bids, then this is good; it means that there is demand for this seller’s offer and the likelihood of counterfeiting is lower than that of analogues without noticeable demand. You should be careful if other sellers have excellent deals on the coin, but yours does not have a single bid. We set ourselves the bar to buy a coin at a price slightly below the average. It happens that purchasing a coin at paid auctions is more profitable than buying it at Hammer, plus a guarantee of authenticity. Also, at these auctions the price of the coin that is closest to the real one is formed. I recommend participating in several auctions, as there are increases in value. In this case, it is better to stop participating.

It is profitable to buy coins during a crisis. The population has no money, the lots can be sold at a very low price. Conversely, it is better to hold the coins and wait for an increase in demand.

Advantages and disadvantages of investing in coins

You can start investing with any amount. The cost of coins varies from several rubles to several million dollars;
Coin Sizes – Just like gems, you can put a fortune in your pocket;
I put it down and forgot about it. During long-term storage, the coin becomes covered with a patina, which can increase its value;
There is always a demand for coins as there are a huge number of coin collectors in the world;
Over time, investment-attractive coins increase in price.

The coin is subject to damage;
There is a risk of buying a fake;
Due to improper storage, some coins may become coated with various oxides, which reduces their value;
There is a risk of losing the coin.

Instead of a conclusion, I will give some of the most promising coins in terms of investments. Among the ancient coins - royal silver, especially rubles, rare copper in good condition. I don’t consider gold, because... rare gold is available to wealthy people, and the price of other gold coins is 80-90% the price of the metal. Of the bimetallic/anniversary coins, there are three rare coins mentioned in the article, the Red Book series 1991-1994, the Ministry series, the Olympics in Sochi 2014. It is worth highlighting the rare 1, 2 and 5 rubles of 2003. Their prices are constantly rising. Perhaps some of the readers collect or invest in coins; it would be interesting to hear what other investment-attractive coins you know.

Profit to everyone!

Today to the most promising directions for investing free financial resources include real estate, shares of developing companies, investing in coins, precious metals and antiques.

First you need to carefully study the coin market, know which coins to buy, where, how to store them and when is the most profitable time to sell. But the first step is to find the answer to the question of how profitable it is, in general, to buy coins for the purpose of making a profit.

What investment income do coins bring?

It should be noted right away that investing in coins is the most profitable in the medium and long term, so you shouldn’t rush and “skim off the cream” ahead of time.

However, if classical currency and multi-currency deposits bring no more than 7-10% per annum, investing money in buying coins pays off much better - about 20-30% per year. Moreover, there is a steady positive trend in profitability growth, which is good news.

Basic rules for investing in coins

In order to wisely invest money in the purchase of coins, you must adhere to the following simple but very important principles, which we will discuss in more detail.

Coin authenticity guarantees

You can buy a coin as rare and expensive as you like, but if you are not sure of its authenticity, you are unlikely to be able to sell the rarity at a decent price in the future. Therefore, be sure to verify the authenticity of your purchase, which may be supported by certificates of authenticity and other documents.

Regarding investment coins sold by Sberbank, its divisions, as well as others commercial banks, it is worth paying attention to the safety of all documents included with the purchase.

Don't waste your time on small change

You should not waste your money on low-value and widespread coins if you plan to invest and not just collect coins. Choose rarer and more expensive rarities, the value of which will only increase over the years.

Since rare antique coins are quite often and quite successfully counterfeited, buy rarities with a pedigree that can be used to track who previously owned the expensive money. Also, do not hesitate to contact experts if you have doubts about the authenticity of the coin.

Condition of the coin and its safety

The higher the quality of preservation of the coin, the higher the price for it will be offered in the future at auction. Study the rules for storing coins, buy rarities in the best condition possible, then there will be no problems with resale.

Time factor

Monitor the dynamics of prices for investment coins in your possession, and do not rush to sell them earlier than in 3-4 years.

Which coins are in greatest demand?

All coins purchased by collectors and investors can be divided into 3 large groups:

Coins from circulation are banknotes of mass mintage, among which small mintages and coins with interesting defects, as well as rare varieties and test coins are interesting as an investment vehicle,
Commemorative and anniversary coins - they are distinguished by exceptionally high quality of minting (proof) and, with a small circulation, quite high not only artistic, but also material value,
Investment coins – designed specifically for investment Money, made of precious metals, their price is approximately equal to the price of the metal, i.e. They have no special artistic value and are minted as uncirculated.

In addition to investment coins issued by the Bank of Russia and sold through Sberbank, coins of other countries (Australia, Niue, Malawi, Tuvalu, Spain, France, etc.) made of gold and silver are also of interest as a means of investment. Such copies are also distributed through branches and branches of commercial banks.

Definite Numismatists are interested in remake coins, especially those from the 19th century, which copy money from the 17th and 18th centuries, and they were minted with original stamps. Due to the small circulation and high historical value, their value is constantly increasing.

Interesting fact! Today there is a steady upward trend in the value of Russian copper coins, which are still considered undervalued. Prices for them, if they are in excellent condition, can be quite impressive.

Expensive investment and commemorative coins should be stored in special capsules and, best of all, in safe deposit boxes.

Alexander Igorevich

Reading time: ~3 minutes

Bullion coin – made from precious metal(usually fine gold or silver) coin intended for keeping investment activities for the purpose of accumulating and saving assets.

In the Russian Federation, such coins are produced by the Central Bank and distributed through banks with appropriate licenses.

In contrast, investment coins are minted using a simplified technology and in large quantities, have a simple design, and various damages are allowed during the minting process.

The main feature of any bullion coin is that its denomination has nothing to do with its price. The value of a coin is determined by the price of the metal from which it is made.

Investments in coins are a fairly popular tool for conducting investment activities not only among individuals, but also among some large companies. At the same time, gold coins are more popular, which is due to the fundamental advantages of investing in this precious metal.

Advantages and disadvantages of investing in coins

The main advantages of investing in both gold coins and coins made from other precious metals are:

No VAT on purchase. VAT on the purchase of investment coins has been abolished, making it profitable to purchase such coins, since the tax no longer “eats up” a large part of the initial profit.
Availability. You can purchase investment coins in any region of Russia in any required quantity.
Low investment entry threshold. Unlike investing in real estate or precious metal bars, the price of such coins rarely exceeds 20,000 rubles, which is a significant factor for many private investors. It also makes it possible to divide investments into small deposits, which eliminates the need to have start-up capital.
Tangibility. Futures, shares, deposits - all this is just “paper”, which our compatriots still do not trust. You can pick up the coin, that is, see the results of your work. For many investors, this is a significant factor in favor of investing in gold and silver coins.

Investing in precious metals has long been considered the privilege of wealthy people who own large amounts of savings and want to place them in a bank for a long time. Now the trends have changed somewhat. In recent years, there has been an increased interest on the part of the population in metal bars and bullion coins, while not all bank clients belong to the VIP category. On the contrary, coins are often purchased by older people in the hope of using them to create a family capital for their children and grandchildren. Gifts in the form of gold coins have become fashionable: they are presented to leaders, at the birth of a child, to newlyweds, etc. Banks, in turn, try to meet demand and constantly purchase appropriate “thematic” copies. How profitable are investments in precious metals, and what types of coins can be purchased in Russian banks? Let's try to answer these questions.

How can you use precious metal coins?

If you have visited Sberbank branches, then you have probably noticed more than once the brightly illuminated stands with beautiful coins and precious metals in bullion. Looking at all this, many of us had a thought - what are these coins for, what is their practical value and why do people buy them.

We will try to answer these questions, and start with the fact that each coin has its own denomination, expressed in the currency of a certain country. For example, a gold coin “Matsesta” weighing 1 kg, dedicated to the XXII Olympic Winter Games 2014, has a face value of 10 thousand rubles (with a sales price of 2.4 million rubles) and anyone can pay for a purchase in a store with it (at face value) . It is clear that this is not worth doing, since its actual value is many times higher than its nominal value.

The peculiarity of coins made of precious metals is that they can either be bought from a bank (at the sale price) or sold back to the bank, and if you sell immediately after purchase, the price will be significantly lower and you will lose money. However, before approaching the issue of pricing, we will note the main uses of coins and understand their characteristics. So, coins made of precious metals can be used as:

gifts and souvenirs. As an example, we can cite coins whose release is timed to coincide with the coming Year of the Horse and the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. In addition, there are copies whose design is specially designed to congratulate a family on the birth of a baby, marriage, etc.;
collectibles. In recent years, in addition to ordinary, homogeneous coins, non-standard coins have become increasingly common on stands: with inserts of different precious metals, holograms, inlaid with precious stones or Swarovski crystals;
objects for investment.

In Russian banks you can purchase coins from both domestic and foreign manufacturers. From the general range, we can distinguish about 30 largest mints located in Niue, the Cook Islands, Australia, Tuvalu, Canada, France, Singapore, Malawi, Spain, Great Britain and other countries. In terms of price-quality ratio, products from Russian mints are especially popular. Next, we will talk about the main characteristics of precious metal coins, and whether it is worth investing in this segment.

Main characteristics of coins made of precious metals

All coins available for purchase in Russian banks can be divided into 2 groups:

Commemorative, or souvenir and gift items with high quality “proof” coinage, a perfectly smooth surface and a complex reverse design, produced in limited quantities. Their price is higher compared to other types.
Investment coins, minted in the usual “uncirculated” quality. The cost of such a sample is as close as possible to the price of the precious metal it contains. Most often, the circulation of investment coins exceeds tens of thousands; they are produced in several “sizes” (the picture is the same, but the weight of the metal is different). For their production, gold up to 999 purity is usually used.

When purchasing a coin of any type and quality, the buyer is issued a certificate of authenticity and cash document, which must indicate the type of precious metal, weight, fineness, denomination, as well as equipment. As a rule, coins are sold in their original packaging, while the net weight, fineness and weight may not be indicated on the product itself, only the issuing country and denomination. All other parameters are at the request of the manufacturer.

So, we come to the most important question about the possibilities of making money by investing in coins made of precious metals. Let's try to figure out how profitable these investments are and what risks are associated with them.

The feasibility of investing in coins – is there any benefit?

As we have already said, banks offer their clients two types of coins - investment and commemorative. Accordingly, based on this classification, we can assume that the best results come from investing in investment items. Let's check if this is actually true.

Let the investment metal be gold, so to assess the effectiveness of our investments we will use the discount price of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (depending on world prices for gold), and as of November 27, 2013 it is equal to 1326.53 per gram of metal.

Next, consider an example of purchasing a gold investment coin “Talisman Bear” (mint quality “uncirculated”) weighing 15.55 grams and face value 100 Russian rubles. In Sberbank on November 27, 2013 they will sell it to you for 30,100 rubles or 1,935.69 rubles per gram, which exceeds the discount price of the Central Bank by 45.9%. Moreover, if you suddenly decide to sell the coin, the Sberbank purchase price will be 21,700 rubles or 1,395.5 rubles per gram of gold (5.2% higher than the discount price).

The next step is to evaluate the effectiveness of investing in commemorative coins and to do this, consider the example of purchasing a gold copy belonging to the Sochi - 2014 series, called “Hockey-14” (minting quality “proof”:), with a denomination of 50 rubles. and weighing 7.78 grams. Sberbank's selling price is 17,200 rubles or 2,210.8 rubles per gram of gold (66.66% higher than the discount price), the purchase price is 11,100 rubles or 1,426.74 per gram (7.55% higher than the discount price).

And in conclusion, we present the cost of purchase and sale of the most popular gold investment coin “St. George the Victorious” (mint quality “uncirculated”), with a face value of 50 rubles. and weighing 7.78 grams: Sberbank sale price – 16,170 rubles or 2078.41 rubles per gram of gold (56.68%); purchase price – 10,500 or 1,349.61 rubles per gram (1.72%).

As we can see, investments in coins made of precious metals are unprofitable in the short term and therefore impractical. As for long-term prospects, they directly depend on world prices for precious metals, and we will receive income from investments only after these prices exceed current ones by 50-60%. An exception, perhaps, are commemorative coins that have numismatic (collectible) value, but, unfortunately, this market is very specific and requires certain knowledge in this area, which makes it accessible to a limited circle of specialists. We can only note that the cost of a commemorative coin in the future is influenced by the mintage of the issue - the smaller it is, the more profitable the investment may turn out to be. But, as a rule, valuable coins in the bank are inaccessible to an ordinary client “from the street”, since they do not reach the “counters”.

As for the issue of taxation of these transactions, according to paragraph 11, paragraph 2 of Art. 149 Tax Code Russian Federation all transactions for the sale of coins made of precious metals, which are legal means of cash payment Russian Federation or another foreign country are exempt from VAT.

As a result, we can conclude that coins made of precious metals are a valuable birthday gift, New Year and other holidays, as well as an investment object for children and grandchildren.

Investment coins - is it worth investing in them?

Investments in precious metals are by far the most stable and promising. Along with other options for metal investments, coins play a special role. Collectors and numismatists know exactly what antique collectibles and coins made of precious metals bring stable income to its owner, because they always increase in price.

There really is a reason for this. Over the past decade financial markets shaken by crises. Deposits provide income below the inflation rate, thereby not allowing you to receive income from investments, stock markets They collapse every now and then, which makes the investment risky. Moreover, the cost of coins during this time increased almost fivefold. According to auction participants, the growth trend continues at the same pace, and price increases on average reach 16-20% per year.

Many banks offer services for issuing and selling investment coins. You can buy coins second-hand, but there is a high probability of running into a fake. If buying rare collectible coins requires certain skills and knowledge, then with investment coins everything is much simpler. Their value is equal to the value of the metal from which they are made, while the price of collectible coins consists of its significance and rarity.

What are bullion coins?

These are coins made from high-grade precious metal, mainly gold and silver. Platinum ones are less common. Investment coins are issued by the Central Bank. They are purchased as an investment to preserve and increase assets. They are minted using simplified technology and in large quantities.

If commemorative coins have a certain fragment and are dedicated to some event, then precious coins have a simple design. They indicate the type of metal, weight, denomination, fineness. At the same time, the real price has nothing to do with the face value. So, a coin with a face value of 50 rubles. made of gold will cost about 25-30 tr.

The investment attractiveness of the coin is created by the absence of value added tax. According to statistics, the most popular coins are gold coins. Information on prices is available at the stands of banks selling coins, as well as on the official website of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation in the “Banknotes and Coins” section.

Coins are sold in special capsules to protect them from damage during storage. Since the metal is of a high “soft” standard, mechanical impacts can cause damage, which in the future will reduce the value of the coin due to low quality.

When buying, it is worth remembering that not all banks that sell coins buy them back. The difference between the purchase and sale prices is quite significant, so it is not profitable to sell coins over a short period of time. Like all other gold, coins can only generate income over the long term.

Advantages and disadvantages of investment coins.

To start investing in coins, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of investing. The advantages include:

Stable growth in price over the long term.
The price is close to the cost of the precious metal, which is growing in price.
There is no taxation on purchase.
If coins are issued in small quantities, their value will be higher due to their value and rarity.

Flaws:

Requires careful storage. Even minor damage can reduce the coin's condition to satisfactory and reduce its value.
Responsibility for storage lies with its owner.
To receive income you need to wait several years.
When buying secondhand, you can run into a fake.
Having a rare copy of a coin makes it more difficult to sell it, since you will need to find a real connoisseur who is willing to pay a decent amount for it. The bank will accept even a rare coin only based on the weight of the metal.
Income can only be obtained in the long term (7-10 years).

Thus, it makes sense to buy investment coins to preserve and save capital. By ensuring its proper storage, you can make good money in a few years. If you choose between gold bars and coins, the latter will be more interesting for an investor in terms of the absence of VAT on purchase.

Which metal to choose?

Standard coins are issued in silver and gold. If you choose for investment purposes, then gold will be more profitable. They are more expensive, the price of gold has less volatility than that of silver.

It is better to choose silver when buying commemorative or collectible coins, 80% of the cost of which does not depend on the metal. The value of silver is lower than gold, so it will take many coins to create capital in coins, making them difficult to store. Gold coins are steadily increasing in price and will always be in demand, since gold is a rare and non-renewable metal.

Coin price.

Several factors influence the value of a coin:

Coin quality. If the owner of the coin has kept it in good quality, then it will be recognized as in excellent condition and purchased at a good price. If there is damage on the coin, the condition will be considered satisfactory and the price will be clearly reduced.
Coin circulation. This is almost a fundamental factor in pricing. A large circulation means the prevalence of the coin and its low demand, i.e. the price will depend only on the weight of the metal. If the precious coin is also rare, then numismatists will want to get it into their collection and are ready to shell out a large amount.
Metal. The price of a coin will depend on what metal it is made of. Gold bullion coins are made from 999 fine gold, so the price will be tied to the exchange rate of the metal. The advantage for investors here is that the coin will not cost less than the metal.
Rarity. A coin made of gold, but issued in a rare edition, will cost many times more than its common counterpart.
Time. The longer a coin remains with its owner, the more expensive it will be. The price of the metal generally rises over a period of 5 to 10 years, although there may be falls over short periods of time.

Price for some coins:

Where to buy coins?

The easiest and safest way is to buy through a bank. Here coins are sold instead with certificates and an agreement in special packaging. It is not recommended to buy coins by hand, through private advertisements. Even if a coin does not differ in appearance from the original, this does not guarantee its authenticity. Now there are methods of precision casting, which allows you to copy a coin exactly.