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Susan's Coins Blog

By Susan Headley, About.com Guide to Coins since 2006

Things Shipwreck Coin Sellers Don't Want You to Know

Friday October 17, 2008

Treasure coins present an interesting investment challenge: generally, you are buying the coin because it came from a certain famous sunken ship, rather than because of the coin's numismatic value. Recovered shipwreck coins often come in fancy boxes with accompanying certificates and brochures intended to add the perception of value to your purchase, but the coin itself is usually in a state of preservation that would qualify it for a grading service body bag if it hadn't been slabbed as part of the shipwreck find!

If you look at the designation where the grade usually appears, you'll see something like "Shipwreck Effect" because the coin in the slab is a damaged no-grade specimen whose primary value is based on where it was found. Be careful when you buy such coins because they rarely hold their value over time! This tip is just one of several things that treasure coin dealers don't want you to know.

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