Long Term Value Of RCM Coins

You don't need a crystal ball... to predict the future, look to the past:

1. Anyone remember when the 1973 large bust was discovered? At the peak of that hype, PL sets were selling north of $800 dollars (don't forget to factor in the inflation of what $800 then was worth in today's dollars). Now, if you are lucky, you can snag a nice 1973 PL large bust set for less than $200.

2. Want a more recent example? Queen Mother coin, now dealers offer deep discounts, just to get rid of it.

3. RCM annual report gold maple cent (see my avatar). These used to sell north of $90, now you can one for 1/3 of that, despite a very low mintage.

4. Medal of Bravery enamelled effect dollar. Despite a mintage of 5000, you can now pick these up at issue price, if you are patient enough.

I could go on.., my point is that new issues stimulate a feeding frenzy. Once those collectors who "had to have it now" decide to move these items several years after issue, they almost always lose money. The profits made on these items now, will not happen as these items age.

The small collection of NCLT I have, is because I either like the coin or the theme has a special meaning to me - not because it is an investment.

The only NCLT I ever made money on (long term) was silver and gold maple leaf coins.

Bibo and tocoins,

I understand your confusion about Non-Circulating Legal Tender coins, or NCLT's. They are Non-Circulating for sure because you'd never expect them to show up in your pocket change. Some proof or PL coins do show up sometimes in circulation but these coins come from broken sets and pass as regular coins (caribou, beaver, yawn, etc.) though they look much nicer... a cost a lot more. FYI, even the best collectors cannot distinguish between regular business strikes and some NC coins released in sets. To better illustrate this, I quote a paragraph from Charlton 63rd Edition, Foreword xiii:

"[since 1968], the difference between circulating and non-circulating began to blur. We have a problem in that a collector who wishes mint state business strikes for their collection cannot distinguish mint state uncirculated coins from those removed from packaged sets issued by the Mint."

Imagine this: if collectors can't tell the difference... you bet that ordinary people absolutely cannot. So then, some NCLTs are in fact "ANCLT" - or Almost NCLT. You could redeem some cash value at your local cafe.

NCLTs are Legal in the sense that the production is authorized by the government of Canada. That just means you can sell them on ebay. Some fantasy coins, close cousins to NCLTs are also sold on ebay. And thanks to a couple of zealots, manufacturing of Canadian silver COPIES (stamped "COPY") are now officially banned from ebay, so guess what... there will be a flood of them now... without the "COPY" to help folks like me tell the difference. But we digress. So the Legality of NCLT is well established - for now.

The part that isn't quite clear about NCLT is the "Tender" portion. Remember the $5 and $10 1976 Olympic coins? You could 'tend' them all you wanted, nobody would take them. Not even the banks. For that reason, NCLT isn't money. But what is money?

I wonder... Just like a penny, large or small, a small silver 5 cent or silver/nickel 50 cent... or silver/nickel dollar... To a certain extent, have they not become non-circulating legal tender also?

canadian_coins : "You could 'tend' them all you wanted, nobody would take them. Not even the banks. " I will have to verify this with a mint rep the next time I call them. The bank part kinda annoys me. To my understanding the lowest a NCLT coin can get is its face value. Isn't that what they are advertising for those $20 for $20?

You guys are so resourceful and helpful!

The notion of debt is interesting, as portrayed with the meal situation. I recall a member of this forum had his $20 for $20 refused at a coffee shop.

Regardless, the long term value of NCLT seems to be on the downward side, as the excitement wanes after the initial public offering is out. Just like the stock market, it is the expectation that is driving demand/price more than anything else. Case in point: the whole secrecy surrounding the MC and associated information related to each new NEW release underscore this phenomenon.

This adds to the downward trend of NCLT because pricing is jacked up right out of the gate.

Glass Ladybug now worth $1000. Wow!

@ Pacific coin

Please tell us what you really think about RCM coins.

@ numoose! I really love RCM coins................the high grade, eye appeal, 1908-1968 stuff, especially high grade ,pretty toned dollars and fifty cents. The NCLT stuff of today is as irritating as a pimple on a boil! Ouch!. We recently had a guy offer us a lot he wants to sell...............he paid over 400 K!! I think he is still crying at our offer! I am still crying too , tears of laughter!