Classic/Modern Commemorative Thoughts

Thanks for the info David. Where did you find the original sale price info? I would be interested in looking at that info for appreciation data.

I have decided to work towards a complete US commemorative set (minus some of the extremely rare classic gold issues). So this will include the classic silvers, modern 50c., modern $1 silvers, and modern $5 & $10 Gold, and maybe a couple classic gold pieces.

For the moderns I want to do a complete set of 50c and $1 in MS. (I like the lower mintages and look of the coins) And may have to do a mix of MS and Proofs for the gold coins. I want to do the MS but I cant see myself ever paying $4k-$5k for Jackie Robinson or $1k+ for the Olympics coins or the Library of congress. So I might opt to just go with a mix or do the proofs all together.

I am really excited about this task, I know it will take years to complete and lots of $$$ but will make a great set to go along with my Regular issue type set (which I am still working on).

I have noticed that many of the modern gold commemoratives prices are connected to spot prices so I may try to buy them up first. Many have increased $75+ in a year or two due to the spot going up.

For the classic silvers I will buy mainly MS63-65 coins but may choose a AU coin for the pricier issues. I am not too concerned with having a uniform MS-65 or MS-66 set (my pockets are not that deep).



Anyone have any suggestions or comments for the set?

cownas22,
You didn't mention how you were thinking of approaching the classic commemorative set, viz., raw AU/BU collector coins or the high grade investment slabs. The degree of formidability is only matched by the depth of your wallet and whether you want to enjoy your collected results on a coin by coin basis or as a group. Some of the most unusual and striking U.S. Coinage designs came from the 20s and 30s. 

As for the modern commemoratives, the proof set consists of 61 silver dollars, 17 halves, 24 half eagles and 6 eagles (3 if you choose 1 LA Olympics).  The unc set is 65 $1, 17 50c, 24 $5.00 & 3 $10.00. Personally from a show perspective, I would go with the proofs, as I like to display them 12 at time in a black Capital Plastics holder. The unc set has 2 set stoppers both of whom you mentioned, the Jackie Robinson half eagle and the bimetallic Library of Congress both averaging about $5K each. (For that price I'd go for a Lafayette Dollar and a Hawaiian in MS-64 just to put things in perspective, and they are the two major keys in the classic set, the two PanPac $50 pieces notwithstanding.) 

From a design standpoint, the last 10 years of commems have been an improvement over the 80s & 90s, especially after the Atlanta Olympics marketing fiasco. Federal coinage will never approach the innovations of European coins, as everything is mandated by law, but I think we are in the midst of a coinage design Renaissance that harks back to the 30s, thanks to the 50 State Quarters program and a forward thinking Mint Director like Ed Moy.

If you are intrigued by modern design concepts on a "commemorative" scale, I'd suggest you check out the $10 and $25 platinum proof coins for the yearly rotating reverses, and then check the mintages in Red Book. It seems deceptively easy to complete the 12 coin set now, but as time goes by, you would really have something like rivaling the '36-'42 proof run, as these platinum coins, IMO, are the true modern day rarities.

Good luck & best wishes on assembling your commem set.   
zb