Official PNC (Philatelic Numismatic Cover) Thread

Nice examples!

Very nice!

@commems, happy to contribute where I can. Your posts are always full of excellent content, research, history, anecdotes, photos, and supporting material. I try to emulate where possible.

And now, Guam. 3rd issue in the Territories quarters. Anyone who's had the opportunity to visit this little island with so much history (particularly wartime), please speak up.

I don't know much about the background of this cover other than it is (clearly) an aerial view of the island. I visited New Zealand about 15 years ago and that's the closest I've ever been to this piece of the United States.

Lovely examples!

All the PNCs that I've seen so far have BU coins. Admittedly, many PNCs, one can only see one side of the coin, but the visible side is BU.

a) Do the manufacturers get the coins direct from the mint or from coin dealers?
b) Do the manufacturers get the stamps direct from the postal authorities or from stamp dealers?
c) Do they pay lees than face for the coins or stamps ?
d)How much does the cover (without the stamps or coins) cost to produce ?
e) Is the coin worth more by taking it out of the cover?
Are there PNCs with circulated coins ?
f) Do covers actually go through the post or are they just cancelled to order?
g) Are PNCs listed in any catalogue ?

@Pertinax: Wow! That's certainly quite a list of good questions! While I don't consider myself an authority of these pieces, I can offer a few thoughts. One thing I need to mention off the top, however, is that my answers will tend to be about US PNCs. From what I've read and seen on mint web sites, the UK and Australia are fairly active in regards to PNC production and collecting. I've seen many PNCs on the web sites of The Royal Mint, the Royal Australian Mint and the Perth Mint.

Do the manufacturers get the coins direct from the mint or from coin dealers?
Both. Brand new issues are likely to come direct from the issuing authority. Some PNCs also include older coins. For these older issues, third-party dealers are generally the source.

Do the manufacturers get the stamps direct from the postal authorities or from stamp dealers?
Both. Brand new issues are likely to come direct from the issuing authority. Some PNCs also include stamps that were issued years before, however. For these older issues, third-party dealers are generally the source.

Do they pay less than face for the coins or stamps?
If new circulation strike coins are used, I'm fairly certain that no discount is in play. Mints aren't in the habit of discounting circulation coinage. If the PNC includes a coin struck specifically for collectors as non-circulating legal tender (NCLT), a discount may be part of a deal worked out with the mint. The US Mint, for example, offers a bulk purchasing discount on modern NCLT. So, if a PNC marketer ordered enough coins it seems likely that they could work out a discount.

How much does the cover (without the stamps or coins) cost to produce?
Impossible to give a definitive answer because production costs can vary greatly based on a PNC's design, how many colors are printed on it, the quantity of covers being produced, whether there is an information card inserted and other factors. I think it is fair to say, however, that for most covers the cost of the coin (or medal) and stamps is greater than the cost of the paper envelope and printing.

Is the coin worth more by taking it out of the cover?
IMO, no. Others may disagree. It might be easier to sell a coin once it has been taken out of a PNC as many collectors are not interested in PNCs and often do not give them a second look. There are a number of Australian PNCs that have been produced over the last 15 years or so that have greatly increased in value while the coins in them have not done so at the same rate - it's a case of the higher market value being directly tied to the PNC.

Are there PNCs with circulated coins ?
Yes. Not many, but they do exist. For example, I'm aware of one that was created back in 2005 that featured a new Westward Journey - American Bison five cent coin along with a circulated US "Buffalo" nickel. I've also seen sets of PNCs that honor historical figures such as George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower that included coins (quarters and dollars, respectively) that experienced varying degrees of circulation.

Do covers actually go through the post or are they just cancelled to order?
The covers do not generally enter the regular mail stream. They are cancelled/postmarked separately to preserve their pristine condition for whoever is marketing them.

Are PNCs listed in any catalogue ?
There might be a catalog in the UK or Australia, I'm not aware of one in the US that lists all of the PNCs. It would be great to learn of one!


Hope that helps give you a start re: your questions!

That's a great cover, commems! Having three postmarks on a PNC is fairly unusual, at least to me. Any idea why the U.S. postmark is Wilmington, DE?

Penultimate in the U.S. Territories PNC series is the U.S. Virgin Islands cover. The reverse of the quarter is another pleasing design, in my opinion. And I dare say that the USVI (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, etc.) are far more likely to be visited by continental denizens of the United States than the previous 2! The background of the cover is fairly similar to American Samoa:

@CelticKnot: Another great cover - thanks for sharing!

Definitely a different art style vs. the Statehood Quarters PNCs, but very attractive in their own right.