This Is New To Me Need Your Thoughts

Kinda feel like our northern friends @ RCM making all those crap commemoratives, painted and all, they will just ruin the real coin industry here like in Canada. Leave well enough alone!

Short Answer: I think that if you like the piece -- and don't have to pay an exorbitant price for it - then go ahead and buy one or two. I wouldn't expect long-term appreciation in value, however, and I wouldn't buy many multiples expecting to resell them at a quick profit. But having one or a few in your collection is a harmless diversion that, IMO, takes nothing away from the rest of your collection.


Long Answer: I am comfortable in saying that I am a "traditional" coin collector and that most of the colorized and otherwise embellished coins being produced today (either by national mints or private mints that customize official coins they purchase in the marketplace) do not appeal to me. Many of them come across as gimmicky to me and thus don't appeal to my mostly traditional approach to collecting. I do, however, have a soft spot for some pieces that feature well-done selective gold plating - I think silver and gold work well together on a coin.

I do have one black ruthenium plated piece with selective gold highlighting in my collection. It is a 2011 silver September 11th medal that was struck by the US Mint and then embellished by a third party. I bought the piece because I like the design of the US Mint medal and I thought the full black ruthenium plating and the added selective gold plating on the medal's design highlights combined to make an attractive piece. I liked it, so I bought it! I enjoy the piece today as much as the day I bought it - no regrets!

I don't believe that these embellished pieces are ruining the hobby or the first signs of "the end." They are just one of many niche components of the overall hobby and they, like many of today's other non-traditional numismatic pieces, have their place. I just caution against viewing them as investment pieces that can serve as the central focus of a collection that will someday yield strong financial returns. Over time, I believe they will be viewed more and more as novelty pieces with market values that trend toward their bullion value rather than enjoying a strong numismatic premium.

Just my thoughts, your mileage may vary!

@cuzzx...by all means collect what you like.
I work for my hard earned $'s and I am the one that make the decision on what to spend the left overs.
I have bought a few things in my collection for the sole reason that "I liked them". No other reason.
But look for at some auction prices and you will find listings from time to time FAR below the original retail price.

"commems" explained my sentiments perfectly. Extremely well stated.

As was already mentioned...collect what you like. Not my bag for 70 bucks but they do look cool. Price appreciation should not be in your mind at all so the key word is "collect". Kinda screams "HSN" to me.

...and, for those Groupon fans out there, there is a Groupon available for the 2016

OK OK you guys got to me .
I bought this .

I like it. I'm not normally a colorized coin guy but that's a pretty sharp combo.

Mind telling us what you spent on it? No big deal if you'd rather not.

I had never heard of these until this topic. I looked them up and do think they look pretty cool. However I wouldn't pay much (if any) of a premium for them.