JANUARY 2009 UPDATE

SPECIAL NOTE

Since my guides are no longer featured by eBay, future updates will be published no more frequently than quarterly, and perhaps as infrequently as annually.  However, regardless of the frequency, the Chart(s) will include all the months that have not been updated.

THE 2008 CHART

copyright2009thmxs

Though the Chart continues to be too fuzzy to read, at least you will be able to see the patterns.  The black bars represent the 1908 NoMotto Double Eagles, while as the red bars represent gold bullion.  Both black and red bars represent percentage increases on a three month moving average basis through December 2008.

2008 Bullion Down, but "Uncirculated"

 1908 No Motto Saint-Gaudens Double Eagles

Continue to increase at an Accelerated Rate.

The margin between one oz gold bullion and .9675 oz common date Double Eagles was only 9.7% in December 2007.  By December 2008, the margin increased to 37.5%.  What does this mean?  It means that by the end of 2008, eBay Sellers realized net profits (after deducting sales and shipping charges) in excess of 25% on average by year-end on "uncirculated" common dates, compared to the up and down bullion prices.   

In fact, prices on all grades, including coins certified MS62 through MS66, increased consistently throughout 2008.  Monthly increases ranged from a low of 0.5% per month to a high of 2.0% per month on, you guessed it, the raw coins advertised on eBay as "uncirculated" or "mint state".  The average increase for all grades from "circulated" through MS66 was 1.4% per month.  During the same time frame, December 2007 compared to December 2008, bullion prices were relatively flat (+0.3% year to year, three month moving average basis).    

A word of caution on buying raw coins advertised on eBay as "Uncirculated" or "Mint State".  Too many times I have bought coins that turned out to be cleaned, altered and on three occasions, coins defined as "not genuine" by the certification services.  eBay allows only 60 days to file a complaint.  So if the Seller turns out to be unscrupulous and uncooperative, there is no other recourse within the system.

So if you are like me and can't read the scans, know your Seller well, or buy only coins certified by NGC, PCGS, ANACS and ICG. 

  December 2008 Compared to December 2007,      On a Three Month Moving Average Basis. 

December 2008 Bullion   

$805,   Up .3% Year to Year

$725 Monthly Low, Down 5.0% Year to Year

 "UNCIRCULATED" NoMottos 

Three Month Moving Average

  $1105,    Up  25.0% Year to Year

The Following 1908 NoMotto

Prices and Numbers of Coins Sold on eBay through December 2008 (and live auctions listed on eBay, when applicable) will be updated Monthly

WHY NoMottos ?

If you have been following my Updates monthly since April 2007, you will know I have been tracking 1908 NoMottos advertised in eBay auctions as "Uncirculated" and the MS certified grades since July 2006.

I chose the Saint-Gaudens design and the 1908 NoMotto year because of the "No Motto" history (refer to my "Me" page), and because it is one of the better common date Gold Coin samples sold on eBay.

DECEMBER 2008 AVERAGE PRICES and Average Sales Per Month

FtoAU-Totals-P/Mo   UNC-Totals-P/Mo    MS61- - -Totals   

$1025    602   20.1    $1093  727  24.2        Insufficient Data

MS62-Totals-P/Mo  MS63-Totals-P/Mo  MS64-Totals-P/Mo 

  $1151   335   11.2      $1312  736  24.5     $1347   641    21.4  

MS65-Totals-P/Mo    MS66-Totals-P/Mo 

$1760  308  10.3         $3006  158  5.3

The above prices are not three month moving averages.  They are based on the LAST MONTH average on a minimum of 20 Coins, a 20 Coin Moving Average, or a 10 Coin Moving Average on 10 or fewer Coins sold on eBay each Month, whichever is most applicable.  Prices include estimated shipping charges.    

1908D and 1907 NoMottos   

Will be summarized at a later date (as mentioned before, a much later date, though I do have all the raw data beginning July 2006).

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Thank you for reading, thmxs01/09/2009

Please Review my other Guides 

 The Golden Bulls

PART I,  PART II and PART III

And Now

 PART IV

Bullion  -  2008 and Beyond

The January 2009 Update will be Published by

01/18/2009 

Just CLICK

The Guides Outlined Below

and there you are

Special Note

  The above Guides are no longer featured by eBay in the Double Eagle and Mexican gold coin listings.  You can help get them featured again by eBay by voting "Yes" below.