Something to argue about other than CAC

topstuf

Let's argue. Why don't more people collect commems?
Interesting to non-collectors.
Not boring.
Educational.
Hmm.....

MFeld

Based on your thread title, this is the wrong forum for your proposed subject.

CoinJunkie

Possible reasons:

The price action has been terrible for thirty years and counting.
Not particularly challenging given the number of UNC specimens extant unless you do high grade and/or wild toners.
A lot of the designs are rather boring.
Not necessarily educational unless you do some background research.

TurtleCat

I think it’s because many people don’t identify with the things being commemorated. I imagine Iowans are more interested in an Iowa commem than a Floridian. On top of that, many are kinda blah or have uninspiring production qualities.

For me, many of the classic commemorative coins don’t commemorate something I am interested in and many just don’t aesthetically appeal to me.

I did buy a gold sesquicentennial coin because I liked it. I may buy the silver counterpoint if I find a really nice one. But that’s the exception.

topstuf

@MFeld said:
Based on your thread title, this is the wrong forum for your proposed subject.

I can't find the Open Warfare forum.

chesterb

I like commems but only about 20 designs. I was thinking about starting a box of 20 for them but there are so many other types of coins to collect and I have limited funds. Plus it seems like they're always available so what's the hurry other than possibly having depressed prices at the moment?

Pnies20

Some are cool, some aren’t.

Even some of the ones that most see as boring, I find to be cool like the Delaware commem.

If I see an underpriced and good looking commem, I’ll usually buy it.

Moxie15

Not even sure where to stat on this one. Even when they were made most were not popular.
and, well, I have little interest in most of them just as I have little use for the modern ones. Probably should end here so as not to upset anyone's apple cart.

keets

this may be without a doubt the best time to start buying Commems if there are designs or themes that you like. it has always been easy to wait until you found an example of a specific issue that you found attractive, there are many to choose from. now, not only is it possible to do that but it can be done at a higher grade level, often MS66-67.

Walkerfan

I only like coins that were actually used in commerce and are very scarce due to attrition.

I do not like something that was made just to be collected and is not a true coin. JMHO.

coinbuf

Hard to get a good argument when a lot of collectors agree:
NOT Interesting to collectors.
VERY boring.
NOT Educational, what young person wants history these days except to tear down.

But if you can get jmlanzaf on your thread its sure to see at least 100 replies.

Jimnight

What @Walkerfan said!

topstuf

@keets said:
this may be without a doubt the best time to start buying Commems if there are designs or themes that you like. it has always been easy to wait until you found an example of a specific issue that you found attractive, there are many to choose from. now, not only is it possible to do that but it can be done at a higher grade level, often MS66-67.

Most were minted for financing monuments and stuff.

jmlanzaf

@MFeld said:
Based on your thread title, this is the wrong forum for your proposed subject.

I have a large number of CAC approved commemoratives that are clearly superior to the non-CAC commems.

Will this help?

jmlanzaf

@coinbuf said:
Hard to get a good argument when a lot of collectors agree:
NOT Interesting to collectors.
VERY boring.
NOT Educational, what young person wants history these days except to tear down.

But if you can get jmlanzaf on your thread its sure to see at least 100 replies.

Say my name 3 times and see what happens...

I love commems. I think they are under-appreciated. But never argue with Mr. Market.

jmlanzaf

@Walkerfan said:
I only like coins that were actually used in commerce and are very scarce due to attrition.

I do not like something that was made just to be collected and is not a true coin. JMHO.

So I presume you don't own any proof Walkers?

jmlanzaf

@CoinJunkie said:
Possible reasons:

The price action has been terrible for thirty years and counting.
Not particularly challenging given the number of UNC specimens extant unless you do high grade and/or wild toners.
A lot of the designs are rather boring.
Not necessarily educational unless you do some background research.

It's only not particularly challenging because of the lack of interest. Bit of a circular argument. You've got a fair number of commems with mintages of 10,000 or less which is pretty small for a U.S. coin. But, like $10 gold spouses, sometimes 10,000 is more than enough!

Walkerfan

@jmlanzaf said:

@Walkerfan said:
I only like coins that were actually used in commerce and are very scarce due to attrition.

I do not like something that was made just to be collected and is not a true coin. JMHO.

So I presume you don't own any proof Walkers?

Actually, I don't, so you are correct, because I DO prefer business strikes.

To me, proofs fall in the middle of what I'd like to collect.

1. Business strikes.
2. Proofs
3. Commems.

in that order.....

jmlanzaf

@Walkerfan said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@Walkerfan said:
I only like coins that were actually used in commerce and are very scarce due to attrition.

I do not like something that was made just to be collected and is not a true coin. JMHO.

So I presume you don't own any proof Walkers?

Actually, I don't, so you are correct, because I DO prefer business strikes.

To me, proofs fall in the middle of what I'd like to collect.

1. Business strikes.
2. Proofs
3. Commems.

in that order.....

Fair enough. There are actually stamp collectors who only collect used because otherwise they are not postal.

cameonut2011

@Walkerfan said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@Walkerfan said:
I only like coins that were actually used in commerce and are very scarce due to attrition.

I do not like something that was made just to be collected and is not a true coin. JMHO.

So I presume you don't own any proof Walkers?

Actually, I don't, so you are correct, because I DO prefer business strikes.

To me, proofs fall in the middle of what I'd like to collect.

1. Business strikes.
2. Proofs
3. Commems.

in that order.....

Hmm...What about proof classic commemoratives?

CoinJunkie

@jmlanzaf said:

@CoinJunkie said:
Possible reasons:

The price action has been terrible for thirty years and counting.
Not particularly challenging given the number of UNC specimens extant unless you do high grade and/or wild toners.
A lot of the designs are rather boring.
Not necessarily educational unless you do some background research.

It's only not particularly challenging because of the lack of interest. Bit of a circular argument. You've got a fair number of commems with mintages of 10,000 or less which is pretty small for a U.S. coin. But, like $10 gold spouses, sometimes 10,000 is more than enough!

Not really. If there were more interest, they would all still be readily available, just at (slightly) higher prices. The 10,000 mintage argument is meaningless because the vast majority of classic commems are still uncirculated unlike many business strikes of similar mintage where you may be talking about a handful of UNCs known.

coinbuf

And your off!! I told you that getting jmlanzaf would get you numbers, he is already good for 5 posts and going strong.

Edited to add: that's twice what happens on the third time??

CoinJunkie

@coinbuf said:
And your off!! I told you that getting jmlanzaf would get you numbers, he is already good for 5 posts and going strong.

Now that I've responded to him, multiply by a suitable integer.

BryceM

I dunno. I generally despise “made for collector” stuff, but the commem bug bit me hard and one is in the mail on its way to me right now. Still, I just can’t tolerate some of them (Rhode Island anyone?) so it’s doubtful I’ll ever get them all. 20 good designs is easy. 30 is doable, but beyond that it’s pretty grim.

jmlanzaf

@CoinJunkie said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@CoinJunkie said:
Possible reasons:

The price action has been terrible for thirty years and counting.
Not particularly challenging given the number of UNC specimens extant unless you do high grade and/or wild toners.
A lot of the designs are rather boring.
Not necessarily educational unless you do some background research.

It's only not particularly challenging because of the lack of interest. Bit of a circular argument. You've got a fair number of commems with mintages of 10,000 or less which is pretty small for a U.S. coin. But, like $10 gold spouses, sometimes 10,000 is more than enough!

Not really. If there were more interest, they would all still be readily available, just at (slightly) higher prices. The 10,000 mintage argument is meaningless because the vast majority of classic commems are still uncirculated unlike many business strikes of similar mintage where you may be talking about a handful of UNCs known.

So, you think there are less than 10,000 SVDBs?

If commems were as popular as lincoln cents, a lot of those commems would be hard to find.

jmlanzaf

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You

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would

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think

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that

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if

cameonut2011

My guess is that most people don’t like to lose money. Except for high end rainbow toned pieces the prices have continually declined since 1990 with few exceptions.

jmlanzaf

someone

jmlanzaf

jmlanzaf

jmlanzaf

jmlanzaf

ms71

There are stamp collectors?????

jmlanzaf

@ms71 said:
There are stamp collectors?????

CoinJunkie

@jmlanzaf said:

@CoinJunkie said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@CoinJunkie said:
Possible reasons:

The price action has been terrible for thirty years and counting.
Not particularly challenging given the number of UNC specimens extant unless you do high grade and/or wild toners.
A lot of the designs are rather boring.
Not necessarily educational unless you do some background research.

It's only not particularly challenging because of the lack of interest. Bit of a circular argument. You've got a fair number of commems with mintages of 10,000 or less which is pretty small for a U.S. coin. But, like $10 gold spouses, sometimes 10,000 is more than enough!

Not really. If there were more interest, they would all still be readily available, just at (slightly) higher prices. The 10,000 mintage argument is meaningless because the vast majority of classic commems are still uncirculated unlike many business strikes of similar mintage where you may be talking about a handful of UNCs known.

So, you think there are less than 10,000 SVDBs?

If commems were as popular as lincoln cents, a lot of those commems would be hard to find.

No, I do not think there are fewer than 10,000 SVDBs. What is your point exactly? SVDBs are not hard to find either. And I say there is zero chance that commems will ever remotely approach the popularity of Lincolns.

topstuf

@cameonut2011 said:
My guess is that most people don’t like to lose money. Except for high end rainbow toned pieces the prices have continually declined since 1990 with few exceptions.

And making it "worse" all other coins have skyrocketed in value.

topstuf

winesteven

https://caimages.collectors.com/coinimages/42396/25680642/alab_Obv.jpg

amwldcoin

Well...quite a few of them did end up in circulation.

@Walkerfan said:
I only like coins that were actually used in commerce and are very scarce due to attrition.

I do not like something that was made just to be collected and is not a true coin. JMHO.

SimpleCollector

So my answer was going to be that I am not really interested in them because they didn’t circulate. I get that they represent history and thE opportunity to learn about history, but still don’t get excited about them....

But “riddle me this Batman” , why just before I typed this was I looking and getting interested in so called dollars? Don’t want to hijack the thread, but do so-called dollars get more attention than commem’s because the are exonumia and for a few niche players? Or do commem’s still get more attention By being more popular than so-called dollars but less than most other coins?

So I guess I would say that for me, for some unknown reason, I can see myself collecting so-called dollars, but never see myself collecting the silver commem’s.

Justacommeman

@SimpleCollector said:
So my answer was going to be that I am not really interested in them because they didn’t circulate. I get that they represent history and thE opportunity to learn about history, but still don’t get excited about them....

But “riddle me this Batman” , why just before I typed this was I looking and getting interested in so called dollars? Don’t want to hijack the thread, but do so-called dollars get more attention than commem’s because the are exonumia and for a few niche players? Or do commem’s still get more attention By being more popular than so-called dollars but less than most other coins?

So I guess I would say that for me, for some unknown reason, I can see myself collecting so-called dollars, but never see myself collecting the silver commem’s.

When you collect what speaks to you then you are on the right path

mark

jmlanzaf

@CoinJunkie said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@CoinJunkie said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@CoinJunkie said:
Possible reasons:

The price action has been terrible for thirty years and counting.
Not particularly challenging given the number of UNC specimens extant unless you do high grade and/or wild toners.
A lot of the designs are rather boring.
Not necessarily educational unless you do some background research.

It's only not particularly challenging because of the lack of interest. Bit of a circular argument. You've got a fair number of commems with mintages of 10,000 or less which is pretty small for a U.S. coin. But, like $10 gold spouses, sometimes 10,000 is more than enough!

Not really. If there were more interest, they would all still be readily available, just at (slightly) higher prices. The 10,000 mintage argument is meaningless because the vast majority of classic commems are still uncirculated unlike many business strikes of similar mintage where you may be talking about a handful of UNCs known.

So, you think there are less than 10,000 SVDBs?

If commems were as popular as lincoln cents, a lot of those commems would be hard to find.

No, I do not think there are fewer than 10,000 SVDBs. What is your point exactly? SVDBs are not hard to find either. And I say there is zero chance that commems will ever remotely approach the popularity of Lincolns.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/fewer-vs-less