Hard Assets by David Albanese Hi to all out there in Cyberspace. Now that we have the Big ANA summer show behind us we can see very clearly that the coin market continues to thrive and is propelled by condition, great eye appeal, and rarity. I mentioned in previous Market Talks that the coin market is divided into two segments and this is holding true. Beautiful rarities are being driven up by countless investor/collectors who only want the very best and will pay for it. So-so coins are going by the way-side, being filtered through one auction to the next. We must keep in mind that all coins are not created equal. I have seen many rarities that have awful eye appeal and I wouldn't touch them at any price. I'm not saying that this diminishes the value but I've always been the type of collector who would only buy beautiful coins. Keeping that level of perfection in our business practice we try very hard to show our customers the very best eye appeal coins in the marketplace. Although it is becoming increasingly difficult to find great coins I feel that the demand and rise in prices will bring an influx of great coins into the marketplace within the next year. Time has proven that this is not some "pie in the sky" coin bubble that will burst soon. Astute collector/investors have done their homework and have figured out that this is truly the place to be when you consider the historical/rarity factor of these pieces of "True Americana" has been underestimated for some time. Consider what some famous paintings are bringing in the auction space, where many paintings are available by a certain "Famous artist". Think about coin rarities where one or two exist of a certain type and you will figure out this is the place to be! Albanese Rare Coins has, over the years, assembled some of the greatest rarities in existence. We don't need to shout it from the rafters how good we are we just get the job done in a quiet, confidential manner. We will continue to keep you updated with the latest news at our web site and keep in mind if you have any questions, please, feel free to call us toll free 888-637-8884. The next show (Long Beach) will be coming up in late September. If you would like us to represent you in any auction please call us and we can work out a mutual agreement that will benefit both parties. Numismatically yours, Dean. Dean's father David Albanese is a Nostomania coins advisor. Albanese Rare Coins can be reached at their outstanding web site. Visit our Coin News Archive.