PCGS The Standart for the Rare Coin Industry

Numismatic News: The weekly "Coin Market" feature, edited by Bob Wilhite, is a valuable source of information, much like the Coin World "Trends." For many series, "Coin Market" lists three prices, explained as follows:

"BUY: What dealers pay to purchase coins for inventory or to wholesale to other dealers."

"BID: What dealers pay for coins, generally through other dealers on Teletype, which will sell immediately."

"SELL: Average price realized for a coin sold at retail."

A 1992 listing contained the following spreads, as examples:

1893 Columbian 50c, MS-63: Buy $212, Bid $235, Sell $285.

1923-S Monroe 50c, MS-64: Buy $520, Bid $575, Sell $700.

1881-CC $1, MS-65: Buy $450, Bid $500, Sell $650.

1895-S $1, MS-60: Buy $670, Bid $745, Sell $950.

1922-S $1, MS-64: Buy $380, Bid $420, Sell $530.

Liberty Head type 5c, MS-63: Buy $90, Bid $100, Sell $125.

Barber type 25c, Proof-65: Buy $2,925, Bid $3,250, Sell $4,100.

Indian type $10, MS-63: Buy $835, Bid $925, Sell $1,050.

These are guidelines, and actual transactions may vary. For example, If I had a ready sale for a Proof Barber 25c at $4,100, and someone offered me one for $3,900, I wouldn't turn it down, to wait for the chance, which might never come, to obtain one for the listed "buy" price of $2,925 or the "bid" price of $3,250. On the other hand, if I had several dozen such coins in stock and envisioned no ready sale for them, I might not want to pay the "bid" price of $3,250, but would be a buyer only at some lower level. Further, if a coin was not aesthetically pleasing to me, I might not want it at any price.