Dear collectors and friends of numismatics, we greatly appreciate the interest and support we regularly receive from you. We are very pleased to say that, just like our 2021 catalogue, the 2022 catalogue sold out within a few weeks of its publication. We were then faced with the decision of whether to bring you an updated edition as early as the spring, but in the end we decided to wait with the new edition for the 2023 anniversary year until early September. This gave us plenty of time to add new coins and medals to the catalogue. In this new edition, you will again see an increase in content and not only with new coin issues – we have also added something new to older mintage. We hope this will help you in expanding your collection.
The 2023 Catalogue of Coins and Medals of Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic and Slovakia will be on sale from Monday, 12 September 2022 in our shops in Prague and Bratislava, on our e-shop and also in other selected numismatic shops. The 2023 Catalogue can also be purchased in advance at our stand at the Sběratel Fair.
People are trying to buy coins they collect despite the rising price trend
It’s not just the numismatic market that is surrounded by mild uncertainty and concerns about what’s next and how the society will deal with the obstacles it faces. We constantly hear that buying coins is becoming a hobby for wealthy investors who don’t know what to do with their money. Ordinary people can therefore no longer afford to buy expensive coins and have nothing to collect. In our personal experience, this doctrine is not so true. People are trying to buy the coins they collect despite the rising price trend. We still see them buying commemorative silver but also modern gold coins, sets of circulation coins and last but not least St. Wenceslas ducats. What we have noticed, however, is a clear trend in quality. People are willing to pay extra for a flawless piece rather than buy a cleaned, repaired or otherwise damaged coin. The imaginary price scissors are opening up more and more and we are observing how big the price difference between different conditions is. Hand in hand with this goes grading through companies such as NGC, PCGS and ANACS. We have seen the interest in this service increasing significantly, and not only for modern mintage. If you are interested in sending your coins for grading, do not hesitate to contact us.
We are currently experiencing a numismatic “chillout”, a relaxing summer siesta, after the outrageous party that went on for two years. There is no sign of any sales yet, but people are waiting to see what will emerge from this post-holiday fatigue. Collectors and investors alike need to calmly absorb what has happened in the market over the past few months and jump back into the fray after the summer months.
Which coins and medals are most popular and which prices have been rising at the fastest rate?
The vast majority of circulation, commemorative and proof coins have been revalued again. Significant increases are still being recorded for Czechoslovak and Czech commemorative silver coins in PROOF quality.Incomprehensibly, Slovak commemorative coinage from 1993 to the present day is still overlooked. Here, the prices are not rising significantly with the collector value of the coin, but only with the intrinsic value of the precious metal in the case of gold issues. In the case of silver coinage, the prices are stagnant at their long-established levels. We shall see what the future development will be. We have witnessed somewhat of a “cooldown” situation in the case of the gold production of the Czech National Bank from 1995 to the present, where there were significant increases in the last two years, and the prices are now gradually beginning to stabilise.
The Holy Grail of Czechoslovak numismatics, St. Wenceslas Ducats continue to attract collectors and investors alike. The lack of quality coins in perfect condition for astronomical sums is replaced by a compromise in quality. Offering coins in inferior condition for inadequate sums is not accepted. People must get used to the fact that if they want to sell a damaged coin, this has to be factored into the sale price. You really can’t pay UNC condition prices for coins in VF-EF condition. This year, the Czech National Bank will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the minting of Czechoslovak gold ducat coins, which began to be minted in 1923 thanks to the great efforts of the then Minister of Finance Alois Rašín. Given the enormous interest, we definitely have a lot to look forward to. Unfortunately, the demand in this case strongly exceeds the supply, so the ducats will certainly not reach all those who are interested.
There is still great interest in the socialist ducats from the 1970s, minted by ARTIA. Their price is still rising and they are less and less visible on the market. We have also witnessed price records in the field of pattern strikes, especially for rare pieces that have come to the numismatic market from long-standing collections. Pattern strikes have always been part of large specialist collections and this is still the case today. More and more collectors want to acquire these rare pieces for their portfolios, where they will have a place of honour.
