Are Obama Coins a Rip-Off?
Do Colorized Obama Coins Have Investment Potential?By Susan Headley, About.com Guide Obama coins were already being sold by TV shopping show coin dealers and small non-governmental mints, even before Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. Colorized coins featuring portraits of Obama are appealing collectibles because Obama has stirred the emotions of many Americans like no other Presidential candidate in U.S. history probably ever has. The sellers of Obama coins play up the historic and emotional aspects of Obama's success, often marketing these coins as rare, limited edition collectibles that could increase in value over time. When you mix emotions and investment decisions, your pocketbook is nearly always a loser. According to nationally known coin expert Scott A. Travers, author of The Coin Collector's Survival Manual, "These coins are absolutely terrible investments. The value of these coins is what you can spend them for today. And the value of these coins for the foreseeable future will still be the face value — what you can spend them for. Do not buy these coins as anything other than souvenirs." |