Posted 03/30/2011 10:35 am
Usually it is primarily due to collectors ignoring a particular date due to high mintage or poor quality but in this case it's more likely the low mint set mintage. The mint purged their records of mint set buyers accidently so most regular mint set customers never got the order forms. The economy wasn't especially strong in '86 and this can cut back on setting aside coins as well. Many times these lower mintages will go straight into circulation affording would be savers a briefer than normal time to set them aside. Quality wasn't superb. All these factors conspired to keep the savings rate for the date a little lower than usual.
Don't forget also that many of these early zincolns are unstable so when you open up a roll all you'll find is oxidation. If you need nice rolls you'll just have to go out and buy more.
This date is the first of the zinc issues that can readily be found in gem but you have to look at quite a few coins to find them.
Most of the moderns are much scarcer in typical unc than people percieve. The low prices for most dates is more reflective of the tiny demand than it is a massive supply. There are probably more '55-S cent rolls today than there are something like '88-D rolls but there's no demand for the latter. There are more '43-S rolls than '86-D.
Don't forget also that many of these early zincolns are unstable so when you open up a roll all you'll find is oxidation. If you need nice rolls you'll just have to go out and buy more.
This date is the first of the zinc issues that can readily be found in gem but you have to look at quite a few coins to find them.
Most of the moderns are much scarcer in typical unc than people percieve. The low prices for most dates is more reflective of the tiny demand than it is a massive supply. There are probably more '55-S cent rolls today than there are something like '88-D rolls but there's no demand for the latter. There are more '43-S rolls than '86-D.
Time don't fly, it bounds and leaps.
