352 South White Street in historic downtown Wake Forest, North Carolina.

We are just up the street from Shorty's and across from the SunTrust Bank (in the old Fire House).

Office open Tuesday, June 30th through Saturday, July 4th
10 AM to 4 PM or later...

(919) 556 8300


email: George@wakeforestcoins.com

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We Buy and Sell Silver and Gold

The precious metals market is hot!

Collectors, bring your duplicates, damaged, low grade coins in and exchange them for cash.

Highest prices paid for rare coins and paper money!

Buying scrap gold.  We buy broken, damaged, unused jewelry, old wedding bands, class rings.

Want to own gold or silver?  Come on in.  Today's markets offer profitable investments in rare coins and precious metals.

We have quite a few United States, World, and Ancient coins in stock.  We keep most of them in safety deposit boxes at the bank. 

We have a nice selection of coins at the office including the current year (2009) US Eagles. 

                

We also have a few books and supplies for the coin collector.

My inventory of nice coins turns over quickly so I find updating the photos and descriptions on the web too time consuming.   Also, I find that no matter how well the photos are taken, there is no substitute for a visual examination.  So, I'm going to try something new and list a few items without pictures. 

We'll see how well this works.  Please call or write ahead to see them at the office or see me at the coin shows!   Link for schedule below.

Inventory links:

United States Coins, Tokens, and Medals 
US Civil War
Slavery and Black Americana
Slave Badges   4 badges now in stock
World Coins, Tokens, and Medals   a few new gold coins 
Coins of Ancient Greece 
Roman Coins
Medals by Karl Goetz  

  More categories someday.

  Information:
Terms and Conditions of Sale and How to Order
Wanted to Buy and Information Needed
Coin Show Schedule
Links

  
3/3/9   Strong demand remains for physical gold.  Well selected gold coins will outperform common bullion products.  The current high premiums for common gold Eagles, Maple Leafs, and Krugerrands allow astute collectors a buying opportunity.   Many low mintage, attractive gold coins are available for a few more dollars to the ounce.

2/23/9   Gold parties are the latest fad among gold buyers.  Hostess make hundreds and everyone is happy.   Be careful, it is not safe.  What if someone brings a pistol to the gold party to collect gold and cash from the hostess and her friends.  The hostess takes the risks and the sponsor makes the money.
1/30/9   Ed McMahn and MC Hammer will shill for Cash4Gold during the Superbowl this Sunday.       Does Ed have any credibility after Publishers Clearing House?   How's Hammer done with the millions he earned?  Are you willing to accept financial advice from this pair?  Obtain a free quote from Wake Forest Coins before you are tempted to mail away your valuables.   How much does a SuperBowl ad cost?

1/20/9   A new day dawns in America.  We all should be very pleased to have at the helm of this great republic a superbly qualified law professor and former US Senator who is so well grounded in our country's founding documents.  Even more amazing is the enthusiasm for a better America that he has harnessed.

President Obama is asking for our help.  I am willing to pitch in with the best I've got to help the economic recovery.

An open letter to President Obama,

I hereby give up all claims to a bailout from the US Congress.  I run a business on Main Street (actually White Street) right across the street from a bank that recently received a $3 billion check from Congress.  So, I know Congress is working in my neighborhood and will get to me in a few weeks.  But, hey!  I'll do my part....just skip over me.  There, I feel better.  Thanks.

Now, if I could ask a small favor in return.  I know you have read this before, so I quote from Article I, Section 8, of the US Constitution for the benefit of readers who may not be as familiar with the words of our founders.

"The Congress shall have power.......To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;..............."

The founders intended Congress to "coin Money".  Benjamin Franklin printed paper money with his name on it as early as 1731 and as late as 1760 for use by the State of Pennsylvania.  Hall and Sellers (successors to Franklin and Hall) printed paper money (Continental Currency) as the first federally issued money in June of 1775.   The founding fathers clearly knew the difference between coins and paper money and had a use for both.  See Franklin's letter of July 3, 1784 to Felix Frecon, about "money of account".

There currently exists a shortage of gold and silver coins  
in the market that is causing unsustainable and unfair premiums in the purchase price of common US gold and silver coins.  The US Mint is not meeting demand.  Why?  I don't know.  Conspiracy theories abound.

Also, please consider the charge to "regulate the Value thereof".  How about a US law that prohibits the states and the federal government from collecting sales taxes on the purchase of US Mint products?  The combination of high premiums and sales taxes on lawful money of the United States is hard to reconcile with the apparent intent of the founders.

So, President Obama, please include in your upcoming economic recovery package a reminder to Congress about their responsibilities in Article I, Section 8 to "...To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof..."

Thanks, again.

George

1/12/9  Can you say "President Barack Obama"?    For all the political discussion about "change", whether Democrat, Republican, or not, this is a change we all can see.

11/29/8   Baltimore was a big success.  Many of the dealers reported "better than expected".   I sold most of the gold and silver I had in stock (Still have 2008 quarters and tenths in gold and a small supply of 2008 silver Eagles for my store customers).  US Eagles and older common US gold was selling at premiums at the show.  Will end soon, when the new gold hoarders realize the spreads are not sustainable.  Too many choices in bullion related products.  For example, NGC MS 63 Saint Gaudens are common coins.   Trading easily at $1050 at the show.  Roughly $300 / ounce over gold.   Can you hear the air coming out?   sss....  historic premium $100 or less.

11/11/8   First, a big Thank You to all the Veterans!   Freedom isn't free.  Thanks, again.   President-Elect Obama goes to Washington with Michele and the children to tour the White House.  Governor Palin returns to Alaska.  The world watches.  Did you see the AIG bailout (round 2)?  They took the money from the failed mortgage program and gave it to the bookies at AIG.  Peter to pay Paul.  Too little, too late, to help the global markets.  Why is there no genuine bipartisan support for massive public works programs?  An economic stimulus package that encourages consumption won't help.  Our roads, bridges, water plants, airports, schools, ports, power plants, railroads, and environment protection need much labor and capital investment.  To hell with rebuilding Iraq, let's pour some concrete at home.

10/24/8   Two things on my mind this morning...first, the s tearing up Wall Street and the global markets.   Wow!

Second, the appearance yesterday of Alan Greenspan before the House Oversight Committee.  Mr. Greenspan, 82, former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for nearly two decades, denied the ongoing meltdown of the world's economy was his fault.  Greenspan warned that stabilization in housing prices would take "many months".  He proposed the government "should consider tougher regulations".  Greenspan, who served as Fed chairman over the longest economic boom in our country's history, also testified he had made a "mistake" in believing that banks, operating in their own self interest, would do what was necessary to protect their shareholders and institutions."  Greenspan called that "a flaw in the model"...that defines how the world works.  Amazing!  The icon of the free market economy on Wall Street, the former chairman of the board of the biggest bank in world history blames the banks he supervised!  Asleep at the switch?  Fox in the henhouse?  Head up his...?  You call it.  Chairman of the Board!  Greenspan said he was "shocked" by the failure of banking officials to protect their shareholders from their bad loan decisions.

From Wikipedia, an article titled "Federal Reserve System"     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_System

Government regulation and supervision

The Board of Governors is the part of the Federal Reserve System that is responsible for supervising the private banks. A general description of the types of regulation and supervision involved is given by the Federal Reserve:^[11]

The Board also plays a major role in the supervision and regulation of the U.S. banking system. It has supervisory responsibilities for state-chartered banks that are members of the Federal Reserve System, bank holding companies (companies that control banks), the foreign activities of member banks, the U.S. activities of foreign banks, and Edge Act and agreement corporations (limited-purpose institutions that engage in a foreign banking business). The Board and, under delegated authority, the Federal Reserve Banks, supervise approximately 900 state member banks and 5,000 bank holding companies. Other federal agencies also serve as the primary federal supervisors of commercial banks; the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency supervises national banks, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation supervises state banks that are not members of the Federal Reserve System.

Some regulations issued by the Board apply to the entire banking industry, whereas others apply only to member banks, that is, state banks that have chosen to join the Federal Reserve System and national banks, which by law must be members of the System. The Board also issues regulations to carry out major federal laws governing consumer credit protection, such as the Truth in Lending, Equal Credit Opportunity, and Home Mortgage Disclosure Acts. Many of these consumer protection regulations apply to various lenders outside the banking industry as well as to banks.

Members of the Board of Governors are in continual contact with other policy makers in government. They frequently testify before congressional committees on the economy, monetary policy, banking supervision and regulation, consumer credit protection, financial markets, and other matters.

The Board has regular contact with members of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and other key economic officials. The Chairman also meets from time to time with the President of the United States and has regular meetings with the Secretary of the Treasury. The Chairman has formal responsibilities in the international arena as well.

All this would be very humorous if it not translate directly to misery in the Third World (also, the third world neighborhoods in the United States).   Every down tick in the capital markets means people will die prematurely from lack of access to clean air, safe drinking water, and an uncontaminated food supply.
10/21/8   The Politics of Fear.....the latest from the campaign trail.  The 3:00 AM phone call, Putin, terrorists, nuclear proliferation, global economic meltdown, so what?  Heard it before.  I will not be afraid.  We have work to do but I will not be afraid.
10/14/8   Did you see the full page ads in the News and Observer by traveling outfits set up in hotel rooms this week in Raleigh?  Please don't take your valuables to flea markets, pawn shops, or hotel rooms.  Think about it.   Our 27th year.
10/10/8   Amazing Market!  If you picked a number for gold today between $932 and $825, you were right at least once today.  Back to $900 tomorrow?  Way too much money looking for a home.
10/8/8    The Obama / McCain debate last night didn't fix the markets.  Neither did the coordinated world wide cut in the discount rate.  Gold is higher this week and still in short supply.
Presidential candidates who selected running mates based on key votes in a close election have caused many unintended consequences.  Vice-presidential candidates should be placed on the ticket based on their ability to assist the president to govern (4-8 years) not just get elected.  Johnson (put on the ticket to carry Tennessee) did not implement Lincoln's post war plans.  Johnson wasn't even interested. For the next 100 years Reconstruction and Jim Crow plagued the South.  There are other examples.   Both parties know this.  A candidate must win on his own merits.   Has anyone noticed how frail McCain looks and how he moved during the debate?   Can you say President Palin?
10/5/8    US gold and silver Eagles are in short supply.  Premiums over spot are higher than they have been for a long time.  I only have a few hundred dollars of 90% silver coin left in stock.   No .999 fine bars and only 100 of the 2008 Silver Eagles.  They are $21.95 each.  Limit 3 per customer until I can get some more.