Home U.S. Coin Forum

American Arts Commemoratives

ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,117 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 25, 2021 2:10PM in U.S. Coin Forum

Why were these created and who chose the subject matter?

Does anyone collect these?






Comments

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,345 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They were a way to buy gold from the US Government that was guaranteed as to weight and fineness. They were dropped when the issuance of commemorative gold coins resumed.

    Little is said about them anymore. I also wonder how many people actually collect them.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,117 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @291fifth said:
    They were a way to buy gold from the US Government that was guaranteed as to weight and fineness. They were dropped when the issuance of commemorative gold coins resumed.

    Little is said about them anymore. I also wonder how many people actually collect them.

    Commemorative gold or American Gold Eagle bullion?

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,077 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 24, 2021 3:25PM

    I would collect them because I want to collect everything including lost kittens. I do like them, but I must stay with my now finished ATB set. (thank you, it's over!) I do like most of them.

    I thought these were supposed to be in response to world bullion demand.

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,135 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They are treated as bullion since they are not coins. They are gold rounds.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • derrybderryb Posts: 36,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 25, 2021 5:32AM

    They were the predecessor to the American Gold Eagle series. Many of them have since been melted.

    background and history

    method of sales and distribution

    mintage and sales figures Link to individual coins on the right.

    My fave is the Louis Armstrong.

    "Interest rates, the price of money, are the most important market. And, perversely, they’re the market that’s most manipulated by the Fed." - Doug Casey

  • emzeeemzee Posts: 1,862 ✭✭✭

    PCGS certifies them and they are in pop report under us mint medals.

  • tommy44tommy44 Posts: 2,287 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I remember buying the Grant Wood and Willa Cather when issued, maybe others but 40 years ago is a long time. They seemed like a good option for stacking at the time. Sold them at melt on one of the bullion run-ups.

    it's crackers to slip a rozzer the dropsy in snide

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,523 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Weren’t they made to complete with Krugerrands?

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,213 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Smudge said:
    Weren’t they made to complete with Krugerrands?

    Indirectly, I think.

    Didn't the post office sell them?

  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,523 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @Smudge said:
    Weren’t they made to complete with Krugerrands?

    Indirectly, I think.

    Didn't the post office sell them?

    Not sure, I think so.

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,144 ✭✭✭✭✭

    As I recall from the times, they were created because so many U.S. Dollars were leaving the U.S. to buy Krugerrands and Maple Leafs they were causing a noticeable bump in the balance of trade deficit. In other words, “Buy American.”

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,144 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They were medals rather than coins because the U.S.Treasury still had a hard on against gold coins. This doomed them.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,762 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Owned many over the decades, but always sold and bought at melt. Just a way to hold gold at the time and of course to sell gold when money was needed.

    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • ernie11ernie11 Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Smudge said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @Smudge said:
    Weren’t they made to complete with Krugerrands?

    Indirectly, I think.

    Didn't the post office sell them?

    Not sure, I think so.

    I bought some of these from my bank at the time and some directly from the Mint.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,579 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Agree with all the above.

    I would think that their day in the spotlight might eventually come. They were modern official gold bullion before the US relented and issued bullion coins with denominations.

    Treasury bars have value to collectors as do those bullion rounds made for Saudi Arabia. Why not these? ;)

  • ernie11ernie11 Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They're slightly historic because, even though they aren't legal tender, they led directly to the gold eagle bullion coin program starting in 1986.

  • JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Those are nice. Very balanced eye appeal.

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,345 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I bought a few the first year they were issued but quickly lost interest as gold prices dropped and collector interest dropped with it. They were sold for melt long ago. No regrets at having done so.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,213 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I never could understand why they didn't put the weight and fineness on them

  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,579 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I never could understand why they didn't put the weight and fineness on them

    Some (not all) do have the weight, based on the pics. But no fineness.

  • WillieBoyd2WillieBoyd2 Posts: 5,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I bought this one in 1981 for $340.

    image
    American Arts Commemorative Series one oz. gold medal - Mark Twain 1981

    The medal came in a small black box with a green Certificate of Authenticity.

    To purchase the medal, I had to telephone a special number to get the price, then purchase a US postal money order, and mail it the same day.

    Much more recently I bought a John Steinbeck 1984 medal.

    :)

    https://www.brianrxm.com
    The Mysterious Egyptian Magic Coin
    Coins in Movies
    Coins on Television

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,117 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 25, 2021 11:31AM

    @WillieBoyd2 said:
    I bought this one in 1981 for $340.

    image
    American Arts Commemorative Series one oz. gold medal - Mark Twain 1981

    The medal came in a small black box with a green Certificate of Authenticity.

    To purchase the medal, I had to telephone a special number to get the price, then purchase a US postal money order, and mail it the same day.

    Much more recently I bought a John Steinbeck 1984 medal.

    :)

    Great pick up! Great return on that medal!

    I still treasure my 1oz old 2006 American Gold Buffalo which I bought for about $600.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,213 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @JBK said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I never could understand why they didn't put the weight and fineness on them

    Some (not all) do have the weight, based on the pics. But no fineness.

    I know that a couple did. But if you wanted this to be accepted as a bullion coin, that should have been automatic on all of them

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,117 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @JBK said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I never could understand why they didn't put the weight and fineness on them

    Some (not all) do have the weight, based on the pics. But no fineness.

    I know that a couple did. But if you wanted this to be accepted as a bullion coin, that should have been automatic on all of them

    So maybe they weren't meant to be just bullion?

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,144 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Dennis Tucker did a book about them.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,213 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Zoins said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @JBK said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I never could understand why they didn't put the weight and fineness on them

    Some (not all) do have the weight, based on the pics. But no fineness.

    I know that a couple did. But if you wanted this to be accepted as a bullion coin, that should have been automatic on all of them

    So maybe they weren'Alegriat meant to be just bullion?

    They were allegedly, see earlier posts, created to compete with Kruggerands and other foreign gold.

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 34,117 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 25, 2021 12:26PM

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @Zoins said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @JBK said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I never could understand why they didn't put the weight and fineness on them

    Some (not all) do have the weight, based on the pics. But no fineness.

    I know that a couple did. But if you wanted this to be accepted as a bullion coin, that should have been automatic on all of them

    So maybe they weren’t meant to be just bullion?

    They were allegedly, see earlier posts, created to compete with Kruggerands and other foreign gold.

    But then wouldn’t they have the fineness and weight as you said was necessary?

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    These did not appeal to me, however, when the AGE's came out, I was hooked. Collected them all up until around 2009 or so.... plus Britannia's and a few others. Cheers, RickO

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,144 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,213 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Zoins said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @Zoins said:

    @jmlanzaf said:

    @JBK said:

    @jmlanzaf said:
    I never could understand why they didn't put the weight and fineness on them

    Some (not all) do have the weight, based on the pics. But no fineness.

    I know that a couple did. But if you wanted this to be accepted as a bullion coin, that should have been automatic on all of them

    So maybe they weren’t meant to be just bullion?

    They were allegedly, see earlier posts, created to compete with Kruggerands and other foreign gold.

    But then wouldn’t they have the fineness and weight as you said was necessary?

    It's not necessary, but desirable. And, as I said, they should have. But they didn't.

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file