Gold coins continue to be the hottest thing going as the year 2002 ends not with a whimper but with a bang. The glittering metal has seen the biggest one-year rise in 23 years as the rumblings of war and a jittery economy fueled the price near the $350-an-ounce mark in recent weeks.

"Everyone is looking for gold," says John Rothans of David Hall Rare Coins in Irvine, California. "Anything in MS63, 64 and 65 gold can be sold instantly if you can locate it. I've had a $10 Indian in MS65 on a want list for over a month without finding one. The demand is absolutely amazing!"

John, why are you looking for MS63 and MS64 gold? Don't you constantly preach the virtues of MS65 and better coins? "We also preach the virtues of customer service," Rothans answered, "and our customers are looking for PCGS-certified gold in any of those three grades. I've been able to locate a few MS65 $2˝ Liberty gold pieces, but everything else is just not available. The $20 Liberty gold coins -- even the $20 St. Gaudens -- are suddenly great rarities."

What else is selling, John?

With gold so hot are the other areas of the market being ignored? "This is the second year in a row that there has been no December slowdown," Rothans explained. "The Velvet Tray -- an extensive mailing of ours offering every coin in inventory -- did extremely well as rare coins continue to sell as quickly as generic items, if not better.

"The PCGS Set Registry just passed the 5,000 mark in listed sets, so you know that date collecting in all areas of the market continues to be hot. The 20th century series -- Walkers, Buffaloes, Mercury dimes -- refuse to slow even though there have been some significant price increases in the past 18 months or so."

1911 Canadian Dollar in Belzberg Collection.

If you take out an old edition of the Guinness Book of World Records you might learn that the most valuable coin on the planet is the 1911 Canadian silver dollar. While this famed coin no longer holds that distinction, it is still a highly-prized numismatic treasure. One of the two pieces struck in silver -- with the other permanently impounded in Canada's National Collection -- will be sold at auction on January 13th in New York City.

Heritage Numismatic Auctions is offering the Sid & Alicia Belzberg Collection of Canadian coins in a one-day sale in conjunction with the New York International Numismatic Convention. The 1911 silver dollar, certified by the Professional Coin Grading Service as Specimen-65, is the major focal point of this landmark collection.

Bowers & Merena "Rarities Sale" is January 7th.

There are enough prominent coins in the "Rarities Sale" from Bowers & Merena Galleries to highlight a dozen auctions, but they'll all be available on one dazzling day (January 7th) in Orlando, Florida. Here are a few of the gold rarities that will fall under the hammer:

To peruse the entire sale and/or to bid online through January 5th, click here.

Lot #742 of Bowers and Merena's Rarities Sale: 1914-S Indian Eagle MS-65 (PCGS).

Lot #790: 1904 Liberty Double Eagle Proof-64 Cameo (PCGS).