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SP-70...specimen Proof. Would You Buy?

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Pillar of the Community
United States
623 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  12:41 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Russ789 to your friends list
If you flip through ebay or even do a google search they are all "SP." I am not seeing any "MS" designation coins. Some are slabbed SP70 and do come with OGP. Does anyone know why these are designated SP?
Pillar of the Community
United States
623 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  12:51 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Russ789 to your friends list
Well, think I found the answer. All 125,000 are considered "specimens."

http://www.mintstategold.com/invest...ercury-dime/
Pillar of the Community
United States
1027 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  12:55 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add clairhardesty to your friends list
Unfortunately the meanings of several coin terms have been muddied in recent decades. Classically, proof meant that a coin was struct at least twice on a specially prepared planchet, and handled with considerable care on its way to the consumer. Proof did not used to mean anything about the finish, there were cameo proofs, satin proofs, brilliant proofs, and more. The mint has been responsible for much of the confusion (because many of its marketing types are no longer numismatists) by using terms like uncirculated for coins that were never intended to circulate and calling the 2009 UHRDE a business strike (every aspect of that coin shouted proof). For the coin you ask about here, it doesn't really matter what it is called, they are all the same. If I wanted to get picky, I would call it a specimen if the only thing keeping it from being a proof was that it was only struck once. PCGS and NGC both use the SP designation on the "uncirculated" 5oz ATB coins. I think that the "specimen" nomenclature is a good one for a coin that is struck once on a specially prepared planchet and given special handling after being struck.

I think that the premiums being asked and paid for xx70 coins is way too much. Even as far back as 2009, with the UHRDE, over 60% of coins graded by PCGS and NGC were getting 70s (so 69 were actually rarer than 70s) and coins today are even better quality. Unless you are looking for bragging rights I would shy away from paying a significant premium for these coins. There is very little downside if you buy coins in OGP or coins slabbed as 69 (by PCGS or NGC) but the premium for 70s could all but evaporate if people catch on to the fact that 70s are just not at all uncommon anymore. It is not as bad as paying a huge premium for "first strike" coins because at least you should be able to tell a 70 from a 69 if you remove it from the slab. Buy the coin, not the label.
Edited by clairhardesty
09/11/2016 01:53 am
Pillar of the Community
United States
901 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  01:46 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add PlumCrazy814 to your friends list
It's a cool coin. It will hold value because it is gold. I am not sure it will have significant extra value just because PCGS gave it a rating but the extra validation does have some value. It is a marketing and validation value. My personal experience is with advising heirs on liquidating collections of deceased collectors. I am not a dealer. Most heirs want a quick settlement and those that are in a position to offer quick cash are those who make a living dealing in precious metals or coins. My prediction is this. 60 years from now, this coin in a slab will not bring much more, if anything more at all, than one just like it that was never in a slab and was kept un-marred from circulation to someone who inherits it unless they take the time and incur the expense of re-marketing it as a "special" coin of its type due to it being in a slab. More likely, it will be sold to a dealer at near the value of its metal content who will then try to market it for a marginal profit.
Pillar of the Community
United States
623 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  02:07 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Russ789 to your friends list
I ended up answering my own question. When I originally posted I thought there were SP and MS coins. If that were true (which it isn't) would the SP coins be worth more? However, all 125,000 coins are considered specimens.
Edited by Russ789
09/11/2016 02:08 am
Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  02:41 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add trout1105 to your friends list
There are thousands of these that have been graded SP70, So not a rare grade at all for these coins
New Member
United States
22 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  08:12 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sdd1jmc to your friends list
From PCGS website definitions, SP
Short for Specimen Strike.
Pillar of the Community
United States
2216 Posts
 Posted 09/11/2016  8:21 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jpsned to your friends list
I wouldn't buy this coin. Mercury dimes ended in 1916. Period. A Mercury design with a 2016 date is just wrong. This is a gimmick to capitalize on nostalgia.

Just like how the mint "borrowed" the Walking Liberty half and the Buffalo nickel to make modern commemoratives. Yeah, they look nice, but those designs are from another era. We should be able to come up with more, similarly beautiful ORIGINAL designs. But the mint doesn't want to have to pay living artists to do that. They just want to keep living off of--and making money off of--the past.

(That begs the question--is this coin legal tender?)
Pillar of the Community
United States
666 Posts
 Posted 09/12/2016  12:16 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add dd27 to your friends list
And then there are the Sacagawea/Native American enhanced uncirculated finish coins issued in 2014-2016 as part of the Coin & Currency sets.

2014-D
PCGS - MS
NGC - SP

2015-W
PCGS - SP
NGC - SP

2016-S
PCGS - SP
NGC - SP

Whew! If you can remember the mints (Denver, then West Point, then San Francisco), and grade designations (MS or SP) as they apply to each year, you're ahead of me!

~ Mark
Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts
 Posted 09/12/2016  11:06 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Conder101 to your friends list

Quote:
(That begs the question--is this coin legal tender?)

Yes it is.....for ten cents.
Pillar of the Community
United States
5863 Posts
 Posted 09/12/2016  1:20 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add barryg to your friends list

Quote:
This is a gimmick to capitalize on nostalgia.

I would agree, except for the fact that these coins were specifically made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the original coins instead of just randomly "borrowing" the designs for the sake of nostalgia. Still a gimmick, true, but one I'm happy to participate in. Similar to the recent 50th anniversary gold Kennedy half dollar. Having a gold Kennedy half dollar every year would be weird, but making one specially to commemorate the 50th anniversary? Fine by me!
Pillar of the Community
United States
623 Posts
 Posted 09/12/2016  1:22 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Russ789 to your friends list
I like all 3 of the coins and plan on purchasing them. I got a slabbed dime off ebay that shipped today. I am debating buying the SLQ from the mint and getting it slabbed or just waiting and buying one already slabbed.

Some people hang art work...I display coins.
New Member
29 Posts
 Posted 09/22/2016  12:11 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Space22 to your friends list
The 2016 Mercury Centennial dime is one of three pieces being offered by the U.S. Mint marking the 100th Anniversary. Inclusive of this set is the Standing Liberty quarter 1/4 ounce being offered for $485, and the yet to be released Walking Liberty half-dollar 1/2 ounce rounding out the three. These commemorative coins are not something we believe has investment potential. Remember, these coins are a business strike, not proof or uncirculated. The 24 karat gold will demonstrate a weak strike as the content of the coin remains somewhat soft, having no properties to strengthen the surfaces.
Valued Member
United States
112 Posts
 Posted 09/22/2016  7:43 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TroyWhite to your friends list
Space22 have you seen them in hand or is your opinion just
conjecture?
Valued Member
United States
81 Posts
 Posted 09/22/2016  10:39 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Buzz Killington to your friends list
Space22 -- If you want investment potential, stick with investments -- not coins.
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