With demand far outstripping supply when it comes to old hammered coins, getting the best price can often be a real challenge for avid collectors and those that are buying hammered coins with a view to selling them and making a profit. Whatever your intention after you have bought your hammered coin, ensuring that you get the best deal is essential.

Getting a fair price is obviously imperative for buyers, however no more so than ensuring that they do not get ripped off by buying something which is either not authentic or not as valuable as their initial research or presumptions would suggest. That is why you always need to go to measures to ensuring that you are buying the real deal. Often collectors and dealer will have experience in this area and will know what to look out for. If you do not, then you need to be seriously considering the trustworthiness of your source. You should ask them about the origins of the piece, how it came into their hands, if they offer a refund and any other questions that you feel could be useful in working out whether or not you are getting what you are paying for. If they are unable to offer any guarantees then you should be naturally sceptical and be prepared to walk away unless you are certain that the piece is as valuable as the price tag would suggest.

Collectors of hammered coins often complain that they are difficult to come across, which means it is difficult for them to broaden their collection. This is the case for a number of reasons, not least the liquidity of old hammered coins as an asset, and the intrinsic value that they have as a piece of history. One way to overcome this is to buy from someone who does not know as much as you do, or does not appreciate their value quite as much! If you go to car boot sales and attend auctions at your local auction house then you can be sure to be there when the right hammered coin comes along. Be sure to act cool, and not appear too desperate, and you could find yourself walking away with a real bargain.

The same applies when it comes to online auction websites such as Ebay. Because they are selling to such a broad audience, a specialist like yourself can be sure to pick up a good deal. You should also consider contacting dealers in your area, and dealers online, and letting them know what you are looking for and how much you are willing to pay. You may find, that although you are not willing to pay market prices, they contact you in instances where they are not able to sell the item right away. They may also decide to sell to you at times where they are looking to improve cash flow to make another purchase. Be prepared to wait, and you can be sure to pick up a great bargain from time to time. Knowledge is everything- so pick your particular period and study it well. Trying to master all can lead to expensive mistakes!