Vatican Medallic sets

danglen

I just got a flyer from the Numismatic Office of the Vatican offering a 21 piece medallic set that commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the papacy of John Paul II. Although I have bought a lot of coin sets from the Vatican, I have never purchased a set of medals, and even if they are sterling silver in a nice presentation case, the 1,000 Euro price seems a bit high even for them. Does anyone have any experience with these types of medallic sets, and can you tell me if there is a secondary market for them?

Askari

I've not bought any of these sets, but I do know that Vatican coins and medals are popularly collected. However, I suspect that like the set issues of most countries, the secondary market offers a better deal on price. I recall several years ago coming across an article on Vatican mint coin sets that noted they retain their value better than those of most countrie's issues and usually "regain" their issue price within 5-25 years after their issuance. I don't know about medals, but I have noticed that when I occasionally bid on a Vatican medal, the competition is usually much stiffer and more numerous.