Franklin Mint "Coinage"

The Franklin Mint still nominally exists, after being bought out and changing hands several times. However, they no longer make coins under that name, but rather things like die-cast Star Trek chess sets.

As for demand, I believe interest in them is continuing to rise. Low mintages are just one factor.

A key component of the increasing prices is reduced supply. Given the mintages were often low to start with, the numbers of coins that have survived to the present day have been severely reduced, due to two factors.

First, in the 1980s, when the Franklin Mint's name was mud and nobody wanted the coins on the secondary market, many of the coins were simply melted down for bullion value.

Second, the abominable packaging which the Franklin Mint used tended to actively destroy the coins the packaging was supposed to house and protect. The pseudo-velvet lining of the proof coin cases releases acidic fumes as it degrades, causing the coins in contact with the lining to corrode. Franklin Mint sets were issued with little instruction cards, telling people to cut the coins out of the blister packs they were shipped in and to place them into the velvet-lined cases. So anyone who followed the Mint's instructions has unwittingly ruined their coins. The only survivors of the carnage are from people who ignored the "instructions" and either kept the coins in the blister packs or put the coins into 2x2s or other proper coin holders. And, since FM mass-marketed these coins, the vast majority of them were bought by non-collectors who meticulously obeyed the instructions, so those survivors are in the tiny minority of the original number issued.

This ruination was particularly early, and particularly noticeable, by coins bought by customers who lived in warm, humid climates. I'm from Queensland, Australia; virtually the entire state qualifies as warm, humid or both. I've helped many non-collectors identify and sell their hoards of Franklin Mint coins and I've never seen a well-preserved Franklin Mint set. Every single one of them I have seen was already ruined by the time I saw it.

Like Baseball cards, they just pumped out too many issues.

A great reference site for these medals is http://www.franklin-mint-silver.com...ormation.htm

-MV

I listed 7 items at BIN prices 5-10% above bullion. 2 sold quickly. I also listed another group of 6 presidential where BV is about $85. I started bidding at $70 and placed a BIN at $92. It has one bid at $70 with 4 watchers, so I'll be interested to see what happens near the end when most of the bidding seems to occur.

Interesting info DrDarryl

@JeffBuckles
I'm finding that there is little interest for the FM items that I have listed. I'm getting at or just under BV. I'm not interested in leaving these items on BIN listings, because it just eats into my ebay listing limits. I'm going to look for another means of selling the FM items.

The only way to sell FM products if they are coins is to collectors of the country that they claim to be from. If not a coin then the best bet is topically like air planes, animals etc. and many of these will go to antique type sales.