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When thinking of lost pirate treasure and ancient artifacts, many may see these things as something unattainable, sourced straight from childhood story books and mythical tales. More so, even if they are found, most still assume they remain untouchable behind the thick glass cages of museums and exhibits. The unattainable stigmas surrounding these ancient artifacts are accompanied by the vast history that lay behind them; there are the legends of pirates who sought after these goods, as well as royals who once possessed them, all lost at sea in treacherous hurricanes, until they are once again touched by human hands 3-400 years later.
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There are people who do not see these treasures to be inherently unattainable as
most do, those that seek these treasures because of their significance in meaning and value, serving both as an artistic piece of history and thoughtful investment. An example of someone who wholeheartedly takes on this perception and role is entrepreneur, J.R. Bissell. He pursues these treasures for a living, running Pirate Gold Coins (under Currency Grading & Certification Inc.), which consists of artifacts and treasures of all different kinds and backgrounds. His well-curated digital museum of these treasures consists of everything from pirate treasure, Egyptian artifacts, meteorites, ancient gold, crystals and even dinosaur fossils. Bissell notably listed the only Baby T-Rex in the world for $3 million, which captured every major news outlets.
One of Bissell’s main goals is to change the financial and professional perception of these treasures. While some may view it simply as collectibles, he feels that their great history and rarity makes them a financial asset class. They become tangible investments, something becoming increasingly rare in today’s age, in which these artifacts will appreciate over time.
In Bissell’s own words, “The history and thought behind who the last person to hold these pieces might have been, what it has seen, where it has been, can completely fill your mind with thoughts of the open sea, kings and queens, along with pirates pillaging the oceans.” It is the history and depth of value that differentiates these holdings, especially when most of today’s investments are online and intangible. He discusses how you can take multi-hour long seminars on a single coin, comparing them to works of art – unlike a lot of today’s digital assets, such as a pixelated photo of a rock somehow valued at over $1 million.
Bissell believes collectibles are a great safe haven as a hedge against stocks, and other speculative investments. Bissell states, “Stocks are living breathing organisms. You can wake up tomorrow to a bomb shell news story that will fundamentally alter your financial state; such as the E.coli story with Chipotle.”
With the current turmoil in the markets, these comments ring loud and clear. “Mortgage rates soar over 7 per cent, stocks drop to pre-COVID levels, crypto COVID gains completely erased, NFT trade volume down 97 per cent,” he continues. “If investors didn’t sell at the peak, these FOMO opportunities can really leave people in a thought-provoking financial position.”
Bissell touts about all collectibles, not just the areas he plays in. In a brief interview, he brings up Rob Gough and the Mickey Mantle card in PSA 9 holder he just purchased in January 2021 for $5.2 million at the peak of market bubbling. Pointing to a Heritage Auction result on August 2022 – well into the bubble popping – for $12.6 million for the same card in an SGC 9.5 holder (which he believes bidders were aware this would most likely cross over to a PSA 8.5-9 holder).
He focuses on the incredible rise in price even during a significant market correction, this shows the stability and potential of collectibles versus other markets. “Not only are these artifacts absolutely gorgeous and an honor to own, along with being great conversation pieces compared to saying you own .0000001% of Apple; they give you financial stability in times of inflation and market turmoil.” He even brings his Treasure to the 21st century with NFT’s backed by the physical artifact which International Business Times recently did an article claiming Bissell is bringing back the Gold Standard through this ingenuity.
When we ask what could possibly be next for the man who already gets to play in such fascinating market segments, he replies, “I want to go all the way up, I want to have a seat at the big boys table in the art market before I die.” Bissell doesn’t want to just paint himself, he wants to eventually deal in high end art. Although we can’t be sure what lies ahead for JR Bissell, one thing is clear, his future looks like it’s history.
Note: Investment in cryptocurrency and crypto assets is subject to financial risk and readers should do their own due diligence. Entrepreneur Media does not endorse any such investment.
