Revive gold $1 coin as commem?
Whatever might be done with limiting the numbers of future U.S. commemorative coin programs, I think the time has come to alter the present program's coin template. Since the Statue of Liberty program of 1986, basic commemorative coin offerings have been the $5 gold piece, the silver dollar and the clad half dollar. Many programs have been exclusively silver dollars, and once in a rare while a silver half dollar has been authorized.
Whatever might be done with limiting the numbers of future U.S. commemorative coin programs, I think the time has come to alter the present program's coin template.
Since the Statue of Liberty program of 1986, basic commemorative coin offerings have been the $5 gold piece, the silver dollar and the clad half dollar. Many programs have been exclusively silver dollars, and once in a rare while a silver half dollar has been authorized.
The present high price of gold and silver makes an alteration to this approach imperative. More and more collectors are being priced out of the market. Sales results for this year's offerings are plunging relative to numbers achieved in prior years.
Well, I will not say expand the clad half dollar offerings. I think their history has pretty well been one of failure. The mintages of the 1986 clad half dollar – 6.4 million proofs and 700,000 uncirculateds – show how far we have fallen. The reason for the drastic drop off in interest? Just look at the low prices for those coins on the secondary market. That should tell you all you need to know. The uncirculated coin mintage was considered low in 1986. Boy, has that changed. You can buy one now on the retail market for less than the $4.95 wholesale price in 1986.
Collectors don't like to sign on to such market failures in any large numbers.
Buyers of gold have been rewarded. Nobody who bought the 1986 $5 is complaining now, even though the 500,000 combined proof and uncirculated mintage was considered to be enormous. It was, but gold is gold and the 1986 issue has benefited from high bullion prices.
However, high prices for gold do discourage collector interest. Perhaps we should reach back to the classic commemorative coin series and revive the gold dollar as was used for the Louisiana Purchase, 1903; Lewis and Clark, 1904, 1905; McKinley, 1916-1917 and others. By doing this we have solid U.S. historical credentials and can reduce the price of each new coin by 80 percent.
Alternatively, we could put gold on hiatus and create a silver dollar and silver half dollar duo to do all of the heavy lifting in the commemorative program going forward.
The silver dollar proved to be a collector favorite far superior to the old silver half dollar since 1983, but high silver prices are punishing collectors on a budget. Perhaps being relieved of the need to buy new gold issues, enough hobbyists might find the money to keep the silver dollar issues lively.
Can a tiny gold dollar appeal to collectors? Would silver half dollars once again warm collector hearts?
You can argue that both approaches might fail, but it it is worth taking the risk because the present road on which the U.S. commemorative program is on will not lead to a happy destination. That is, of course, unless gold and silver prices plunge to the low levels that fed collector interest in commems in the first place.
More Coin Collecting Resources:
• State Quarters Deluxe Folder By Warmans
• Subscribe to our Coin Price Guide, buy Coin Books & Coin Folders and join the NumisMaster VIP Program
• Strike It Rich with Pocket Change, 2nd Edition
Viewpoint: Overhaul commem coin program
On Jan. 3 Numismatic News featured an article by David L. Ganz discussing several commemorative coin proposals pending before Congress. But for these, or any other new commemorative coins to be successful, changes are needed, because the modern commemorative coin program has badly stagnated.
By NMN
Commem coins fund bald eagle projects
The United States Mint's 2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative Coins celebrating the comeback of this great bird and the 35th Anniversary of the ESA have been on sale for nearly eight months now. They have already raised over $6 million in surcharge monies that will be dedicated to preserving this precious national treasure. But it will still take many more millions of dollars to monitor and secure thousands of eagle nests located mostly on private lands coast to coast.
By By Al Louis Cecere
Viewpoint: Key modern coins win profit race
Coin collecting is a wonderful and enjoyable hobby that for many represents art struck on precious metals. For astute and patient collectors it represents a useful personal asset.
Commem designs rated best, worst
The old commemorative half dollars of yesteryear, issued between 1892 and 1954 were an eclectic bunch of silver coins to say the least. These coins are all the same standard size as our half dollar today, all had the same weight and fineness and were legal tender. Just a handful of them ever ended up in circulation or were spent because they were originally sold at a premium to pay for historical celebrations or monuments.
By Philip LoPresti
Viewpoint: Need more info on commems, sets
I know a lot of the numismatic purists consider the collecting of modern commemoratives, silver American Eagles, gold American Eagles or anything else that isn't a gazillion years old to be sacrilege to being a "coin collector" a.k.a. a numismatist. I must admit I have mixed feelings about that bias.
Honor WW I vets with commem coin
Despite commemorating virtually every other major war with a national monument and national commemorative coin, neither exists for World War I and that is a great oversight and disservice to the many who served our nation and the cause of democracy.
By By David Allen Hines
Ike $1 silver used for Washington commem
Was there a special source for the silver used for the Washington commemorative half dollar?
Mint Stats: New numbers put into commem box
The first Girl Scout commemorative silver dollar sales numbers appear in the commemorative box. It is a work in progress. Forgive the fact that the 5-Star General program has not yet begun, nor have the possibilities of multi-coin sets been yet given individual line listings. The box contents will take shape over the next few weeks.
Bill calls for silver WWI commem
Commemorative silver dollars honoring American World War I veterans are called for by legislation introduced Feb. 29 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado. If passed the coins would be issued in 2017 and also mark the centennial of the entry by America into the "War to End All Wars" against Germany and its Central Powers Allies, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Turkish Ottoman Empire.