#1 Worst Coin Investment - TV Shopping Show Dealers and "Mints."
Number One on the list is the TV shopping network "coin dealers" and premium "mints" that sell nice looking
commemorative coins for exorbitant prices. Unfortunately, these coins have no additional value beyond their bullion or face value when you or your heirs eventually sell them. Some of these so-called mints that sell coins on the TV and cable-based shopping channels sell genuine U.S. Mint coins that are almost always priced several times higher than the coins would cost from a reputable
coin dealer!
These shows rarely sell anything that can't be acquired elsewhere at more affordable prices, so don't impulse buy from these TV shows! Do a little research, and you'll see the same
Silver Eagles at just a few dollars over spot price from traditional coin dealers. Uncirculated
Morgan Dollars seem to be a prime product that TV shopping network coin dealers sell at an exorbitant price. They push these common coins as old and rare. When in fact, they can be purchased for a reasonable amount from your local coin dealer.
Another area that TV shopping networks feature in their coin shows is
Proof sets and
Uncirculated Mint Sets. They usually bundle these coins into ten, twenty-five, or fifty-year collections. They state that they are "rare" or "difficult to obtain" because they have assembled these sets into multi-year runs. Your local coin dealer can assemble a collection of Proof or Uncirculated Mint Sets for you at a fraction of the cost. Therefore, never buy coins from TV shopping shows!
#2 Worst Coin Investment - National Collector's Mint
Second on the "do not buy" list are coins issued by the National Collector's Mint. The United States Mint has issued warnings about this company's misleading advertisements in the past, particularly its
"Freedom Tower" coins. National Collector's Mint advertisements imply that Freedom Tower coins and other medals have meaningful amounts of precious metal in them when in actuality, they do not.