Big Coppers Bring Big Cash

Buy low sell high

1796 United States Copper Half CentCredit: Dreamaker

United States copper obsolete large cents have now become one of the best numismatic investments since the silver dollar.

The Internet has brought a huge boom to the market. Collectors have come from around the world to get their hands on any US large cent.

Proof to this fact can be seen on eBay when you search United States large cents and sort by lowest price first. You'll find that even the holed, common date, corroded and run over by a couple of cars coins are still getting bids.

This is happening for just one reason. These coins are rare and people love American history. Numismatics tell the story of a countries economic past.

The weight of these coins at any given time will tell you the relative price of copper from that era. This is a foolproof way of knowing just what the economy was doing back then. These facts draw in not only collectors of coins but historians and now large investors.

So the investment world is waking up to this opportunity. Getting on board now is crucial. This is not going to be an unlimited time frame. Once the world catches on, these rare pieces of historic copper will be gone.


1796 large cent


What to Buy

Common cents

MS-53 1793 United States Large Cent

When considering an investment in United States large cents, there are a few variables that will help you to decide just what to buy. Generally speaking, you should by the best coins in the highest grades that you can financially afford.

In order to follow a logical and therefore profitable investment plan, there must be a known budget. Decide just how much money you have to make this investment.

Once you have a sum in mind you'd like to spend then you can start to look at coins for high grade examples in your price range.

Start by opening a page on an eBay search and type in United States large cents. Once the page loads and your looking at thousands of examples, it's time to thin out the herd.

eBay offers small arrows at the top of the column that will sort the listing by the most expensive coins first and so forth down the line to the cheapest.

1811 Classic Head Large Cent

Next look for the option in the side bar to select grade. This will be on a one to seventy point scale with 70 being a perfect coin and one the worst possible condition for an identifiable coin.

Listing the coins by most expensive and highest grade (uncirculated, in the options) will give you the best and most expensive coins listed at the moment around the world.

All that's left to accomplish is to scroll down the list until you find a great coin you can fit into your budget.

Once you have a coin in mind, don't just buy it. Make sure to go to PCGS and check their free price list. This will give you up to date price guide for United States large cents by the date and condition. Now you'll be able to see how far from the real value the coin is selling for.

Your goal here is going to be finding a coin that is going for less then its listed for in the value guide. It might sound like this would never happen but believe me great deals are found every day on eBay as well as many other on line auction sites.

Due diligence, research and a lot of patience will put whatever funds your investing to good use. Your coin will appreciate in value simply because now there is one less on the market. Remember these coins are a limited commodity and some dates and varieties have only several known.

Buying Certified Investment Grade Coins

Safe for Eternity, No Worries

Graded 1795 United States Large cent

If you're not an expert in coins, then I recommend only investing in coins that have been certified and encapsulated by a third party grading service. Many services exist that will grade the coin and then seal it in an impermeable plastic case to prevent any further wear or damage from occurring.

Certified coins have several advantages over raw coins. First the value is easily ascertained from the pre-mentioned website PCGS. Second, this value is recognized throughout the collecting community. This means you'll be able to sell your coins when the time comes to take a profit.

I also recommend using PCGS's population report. This study keeps an up to date count of how many coins they have certified for each variety. This can help you to decide how rare the example in question is.

Remember one of the theories of this article is safety in numbers, only in this case the number that's safe is small. Early date United States large cents can number only in the teens for certain examples when thousands of collectors are looking for that coin. Do the math and there is no way near enough to go around.

1796 United States Half Cent

Focus On Inteligence

Know your Coin Before you Buy It

Common sense will tell us we need to know a little about what we're buying. How much you learn before you invest will make a difference in your profit margin.

Once you find a coin you like that fits in your set budget, you need to study that series like it's a mid term exam. You should know how many were minted, how many have been certified and where the coin in question comes in as far as the condition census goes.

If your coin is a 60 coin on our 70 point scale, then it's important to know how many have been graded at 60 and what 60 coins of that year and variety are selling for. Check the price guide and find out today's price.

Focus is very important as well. Find a series of United States large cents you enjoy learning about and focus on just that. Learning one coins history at a time is a full time job. Each year and variety has a story to tell.

Read everything you can find about that coin and become the expert on what your buying. Then go out and make a fully informed decision. This will greatly improve your chances of becoming a smashing success.

United States Large Cent

Where To Sell United States Copper Obsolete Large Cents

Time to Reap the Profit

There are a lot of good coin stores around the country. This however could be one of the worse places to sell your coins. These companies have an overhead and they pay rent. They have to advertise and pay utilities. They are in business to make a ton of money and you can't afford to let them pay their bills with your profit.

Take your coins right back on line and auction them to the highest bidder.

So far, eBay is the best venue I've found for a global auction source. There are others but without quite the exposure you'll get on eBay. Showing your coin to the world is what your after and eBay does this well.

Last but not least, when you sell for a huge profit and get richer then Midas, make sure you tell all your friends that cheap United States large cents, copper's where it's at baby.

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Obsolete Copper Large Cent

1823 United States Large cent
Credit: Dreamaker