2008: Low Mintages At The US Mint

Good point folks. Just think if you were considering a
modern clad commem with a mintage that high! Would you
touch it with a 10' pole? We are dealing with a coin
that isn't meant for circulation. That mintage is very
low for circulation, but commems get much lower numbers,
and most have silver going for them too, and they don't
get ultra valueable like true low mintage circs.

Agreed. I think that 'good points' abound in this thread.
As we discussed in another, all coin collectors have an
investment mentality as part of the excitement of the
hobby. On this point, you are correct that modest gains
add to the fun.

The other side of the coin (no pun) is that like pointed
out, these are not the vehicle of future riches that
some may paint them to be.

So yes, for the excitement of the hobby, there is no down
side to this coin.. But to compare them to century old
circs with similar mintage is a mistake.

I bought several rolls when I read this thread, so don't
get me wrong. I want in on the excitement. I also want in
on the argument to play devil's advocate!

I love to argue!

Hardly. The figure quoted by the Mint on the number of collectors, 130 to 140 million, count everyone who tosses their change into a jar at the end of the day. Think about it. By their figures one out of every TWO people is a coin collector. A much more realistic estimate would be between one and two million an that would basically include anyone serous enough to be willing to pay a significant premium over face value for a coin. That means a little less than one in a hundred which is a LOT closer than one in two.

I've heard that the State Qtr. Program turned roughly 45 million coin collectors nationwide into 140-170 million coin collectors nationwide. Now a lot of those won't end up being "steady" collectors and their interest will wane, but nonetheless, for some reason more than half the country was very energized by that program. I don't know, but I really doubt, that at any time in our nations history, we saw such a huge "surge" as that. Be it in 1909 or decades before. Coin collecting is "ancient", but, in those numbers per capita for one country......it's amazing what the State Qtr. Program really did for our hobby.
However, as Condor has said.....I personally know very few "serious" coin collectors. So, how can one get an accurate "count" of serious coin collectors vs. the ones who just throw spare change into a jar. In fact I can count them on one hand. (of course I'm not referring to my CCF friends!)
Whether it's 1 out of every 2.......or 1 out of every 250.....hard to know until we put some decades of time behind us and look back at the evidence as to what was "collected" and in what grade, type, etc. and compare the "quality coins" in existance then, at that point, with what the mintage numbers were......interesting to debate and ponder though.

Yes gormang, but I would lump those people into a group called "the future, disgruntled EX-collectors" once they find out there were swindled and can only recover cents on the dollar

2008 Bald Eagle Commemorative:

Gold $5 Half Eagle - 59,025 in proof and 14,138 in uncirculated; Total $5 Gold Half Eagle mintage = 73,163.

That sounds pretty low to me. Do you think there's numismatic value here?

Stop temptimg me!

http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wc...51&langId=-1

Definitely something to consider; this year's NIFC coins have a potential to appreciate in value.