While skimming Yahoo yesterday, an interesting coin story caught my eye. And, for once, it didn’t involve a coin dealer being shut down by the Feds or a firm being blasted for overcharging its clients. The story involved the sale of a unique variant of the legendary Brasher Doubloon which was just sold by the New Orleans firm of Blanchard and Company for just a shade under $7.4 million dollars.

I recently returned from a week long trip to Miami where I attended the Art Basel art fair. I went primarily to look at art and to purchase some pieces for my collection but I also went to closely observe what has become the most significant art fair(s) in the world. For a person like myself, who attends many coin shows each year and who had never been to Art Basel, I found the contrast to be both educational and totally fascinating.

I recently bought and sold a coin that I hadn’t handled in quite a few years: a Gem Type Two gold dollar. For those of us of a certain age, this is an exciting coin and one that got me to thinking: is this a type that is underpriced or overpriced? My thoughts on this subject follow. Back in the 1980′s, my mentor in the rare coin business, Paul Nugget, told me an interesting story about Type Two gold dollars.

As someone who handles a decent amount of rare and interesting Proof gold coinage, I’ve been thinking about survival rates. I’d like to share some thoughts about typical survival rates and why certain issues don’t comply with the “basic laws.” First, a little background.

Is it possible that a strategy used by the General Manager of your favorite National Football League team can be applied to building your collection? This might not be as much of a stretch as you are, no doubt, thinking – and I invite you to read this blog and give my theory some thought.

Douglas Winter Numismatics recently sold two very rare and very beautiful Proof gold dollars from the Civil War era. These were an 1862 graded Proof-64 Deep Cameo by PCGS, and an 1864 graded Proof-66 Deep Cameo by PCGS. Both coins had also been approved by CAC. I’d like to share some information about these pieces with you and discuss very rare but comparatively affordable Proof gold from this era as well.