If you read the first part about the educational program, we discussed why the demand has increased.  An important factor not mentioned is not just the amount of new collectors and investors but the age of these people.  There is a force of young people collecting these coins.  Youths collecting and investing today means continued strength in the future. 

During the Forum, we were lucky to have an NGC Finalizer address everyone present.  The finalizer is key because this person confirms the grades of each coin.  Ken, the NGC Finalizer, discussed what the graders look for when grading.  The rim, rim bruises and surface condition were discussed.  

The rim on larger heavier coins is commonly a problem.  Always look at the rim, the third side of the coin.  Check for high spots on the coin.  These high spots are usually subject to being rubbed.  This leads to frost breaks.  These rubs and frost breaks result in coins not grading as high.  There are many contributing factors to these occurences.  Improper packaging is a huge variable.  Another important variable relating to the packaging is the screw type capsule.  Think about this, every time the capsule is screwed and unscrewed, there is a chance to have this plastic rub the coin.  This constant rubbing leads to wear on the coin's surface and also the frost breaks.  Every time the capsule is open, the coin is subject to the elements and improper handling.  Big Mistake!!!  This is why encapsulation is so important.  The coin is protected and not subject to the environment or improper handling.   

Ken also confirmed that it is a good idea to have all coins conserved before encapsulating to make sure the surface impurities are removed.  Once the coin is encapsulated, if the impurities are still on the coin, they can cause problems with the metal over time.  These impurities should be removed to avoid future problems.

I passed around a Silver Kilo that had significant toning in certain areas.  This coin was a coin that could be conserved and saved.  If this was allowed to wait another year or two, NCS might not be able to restore this coin to the "as struck" condition.  It is important to recognize these issues and take care of it right away.  Valuable coins could be getting ruined because of the elements not being favorable to the metal.  Once the problems attack the metal and are no longer on the surface, the results may not be positive.  Do not let your coins deteriorate and lose eye appeal and value.      

All in all, there was a lot of discussion.  There was a great deal of exchange of information.  This was the goal, so the mission was accomplished. 

Please contact me with any questions.  Please read the next blog about the December 5th auction.

Collect, Invest and Have Fun..............