Modern Commmoratives

I really like the 225th Liberty coin medal in spite of the many initials in the fields on both sides of the coin medal.

This year was my year of the commemoratives. I have bought a dozen or more just this year. There are two factors I consider.
First is the artwork. There, anyone may like one over another as no two people like the same coins.
I found the Mark Twain and The US Marshals coins to be interesting so they were a couple of my first choices of late.
These two coins get off the beaten path of US Patriotic or Governmental themes almost to a point where I suspect the US Mint is looking for stuff to sell.
OK, so these caught my eye anyway, where a Thomas Edison or March of Dimes, Lions Club do not.
I could see if you were into those organizations they might interest someone and those last two are pretty.
If you were a boy scout or girl scout or loved baseball ( and weird shaped HOF coins - although an interesting design ) there are coins for you there. So I say, if you like the artwork or theme for some reason, you will probably like the coin.

My other almost equally important factor is the mintages. I try to stay under the 100,000 minted figures.
The 40,000 and under at low prices are maybe underpriced unless they are plain ugly.

Sometimes the BU version is almost the same price as the proof but at 1/4 the mintage.
No brainer for me, I take the lower mintage issue. Often times the BU is even better looking than the proof.
I think one of the first ones I bought was the Dolley Madison in BU. It looked so much better than the proofs and was of lower mintage too.
I stay away from the earliest ones. Some are super high mintages. They'll always be around if you decide to make a set of every commemorative.
There are still some sleepers out there. They just don't grab me artistically or by theme.

So if you like them, my advice is buy what you like, the ones you find most artistic and consider the low mintages of the BU issues.
Here's a link to what I have bought and most in the past year.
http://www.coincommunity.org/galler...hp?album=952

I do like the Silver (1892-1954) commemoratives too but only have a few on my want list that I could possibly afford. Maybe a Lincoln, Grant, Arkansas, or Pilgrim with the date are in the cards for me.

Liberty medal sold 47 last week so it's safe to say the interest is waning...decent coin but I still say WAAAY overdone packaging that inflated the price

Just to clarify, the Mint does not pick the commemorative coins it strikes and sells. Each coin is proposed by a Senator or Representative on behalf of one of their constituents (typically an organization of some kind). The bill then must be authorized by a majority vote in the House and Senate and then signed into law by the President. At that point, the Mint simply follows the specifications outlined in the coin's legislation and produces the coin(s) in question.




My thoughts vary depending on your goals as a collector.

If you are considering their collection as an investment vehicle that will produce strong financial returns, I would steer you away and suggest you invest in bullion or high-grade semi-key/key coins in classic circulation series.

If you are considering collecting them because you enjoy US history and learning the story that inspired each coin, I would offer that the modern series is a wonderful way to assemble a varied and interesting collection of US history-themed coins at an affordable price. While the design of every coin is not a "home run," as a set they make for a very attractive collection. Many can be purchased for a small premium over their precious metal content and often for less than their issue price (assuming we're not talking about graded MS-70 or PF-70 coins).

I am a long-time collector of US commemorative coins - the classic series as well as the modern. I enjoy adding each year's new issues to my collection. (I buy the uncirculated versions - I prefer their appearance and long-term surface stability. I've seen many proof coins turn cloudy and develop milky surfaces over time and do not enjoy the look - the UNC coins do not suffer from this issue.) Once I purchase them, I stop being concerned about their market value. The value of my "joy of ownership" far surpasses the few dollars "lost" when a coin I bought for $55 drops in value to $40 or $45. I'm sure I "lose" more than that each month via unnecessary impulse purchases at the food store!



I think the US Mint did a great job with the medal. I purchased two and am very happy with the technical quality of each - they each look terrific! I am looking forward to the other medals in the Liberty series that will be released in the coming years.

Between gifts to and from me, three of the 255 anniversary medals have passed through my hands, and all three looked great.

I like the comemotative coins, classic and modern. Each set is a significant endeavor but much more rewarding than a date set of coins with the same look except for a date or mint mark.