Thinking About Selling My Modern Commemoratiev Half Dollars

Most of the coins sell low by themselves. I have picked up many of the coins for less than $5 (I am nearly done with a set having 12 of the 18 now but its a mixed proof and unc set once done I may consider getting both a proof and unc set picking up the ones I am missing). You will get more as a near complete set then selling them individually. The rarer coins and the ones that command a premium are the ones you are missing like the swimming and 1996 soccer and the 2011 infantry. Most of the rest of the set is fairly common and go for very cheap. You would do better selling them as a near complete set. I have bought a lot of these the last couple of months on ebay myself.

The reason that some of the modern half-dollars command a premium is not because of any limited mintage practice by the US Mint. They carry a premium because collectors did not buy them in large quantities when they were available. The Mint would have happily sold more of them if collectors had wanted them!

The problem with the halves is two fold one on the mints end and the other on the consumers end. These really aren't that popular of a series and everytime they offer a half they never sell that many the infantry in 2011 only sold 50,000 giving it a very low mintage so you don't see these very often. Since 1996 the mint has only released 4 commemorative halves 2001 Capitol Center, 2003 First Flight, 2008 Bald Eagle and 2011 Army. That's 4 coins in 17 years and even with the not doing them very often they still couldn't get people to buy the 2011's. There is really not that much incentive for them to make them or sell them if there is no demand for them. They heyday of this series was between 1991-1996 a span that so 11 of the 18 commemoratives halves minted and by the end the mintage was again low like the swimming half that again only had 50,000 made.

These aren't like the Statehood Quarters or the national parks people never see these and only few people collect them because of that. But to me they have some beautiful designs the Bald Eagle is a gorgeous coin, plus I love the 1986 Statue of Liberty, the Columbus, the Mount Rushmore, Congressional in 1989. Its a fun set that can be done fairly cheaply.

I think the mints problem is they have almost exclusively done these as clads (with the exception of Washington and the Bill of Rights). I think these would sell better and be more collected as silver. They release commemorative dollars every year several times a year and they always sell better than the halves because I think partly because they are silver.

I like the set there is some nice coins in there and it looks awesome as a complete set but to each there own.

It is a question many of us have asked...why do they insist on releasing these in clad only offerings. I am guessing they are looking at the per coin savings and not the sells they would get if they sold them as silver.

I actually think this series is very collectible - but at this point - I think you need to have all the coins or you have almost none...

Well, after sleeping on it, I decided I should keep what I have and finish it. I have invested too much of my effort into getting it done, and I am going to see it finished! At least, that's what I think right now. :)