RAELEEN ENDO

OVERSEEING GREATCOLLECTIONS AND $1.5 BILLION IN COIN SALES

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Raeleen Endo. COURTESY GREATCOLLECTIONS

Raeleen Endo started in collectibles in 1997, when she first joined PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) in its customer service division.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA with a B.A. in Anthropology and has studied in Japan. She is at the forefront transitioning the coin field from a hobby to a multibillion-dollar online collectibles and investment industry. Endo has overseen $1.5 billion in coin sales over the past 15 years at GreatCollections alone.

How wide is demand for high-quality certified U.S. coins?

I see bidders from all over the world. I always wonder when I see a bidder on a U.S. $20 gold piece placing a bid from Japan, Poland or New Zealand how they got started collecting rare U.S. coins. Some of them are expats who collected coins while they lived in America, but many are foreigners who recognize the size and depth of U.S. numismatics.

We are lucky as well that most of the tariffs implemented this year around the world have exclusions for coins with precious metals, so we are not seeing any drop-off in overseas demand for rare coins due to tariffs.

There is a lot of demand within the U.S. as well for high-quality certified coins, including a large number of collectors on the sidelines, ready and waiting in case there is an opportunity in the market. Remember, since shortly after Covid, the coin market has been steadily increasing and most new collectors are in this hobby for the long term.

What's the future of the rare-coin industry and are younger people ing in and bidding in GreatCollections auctions?