A question and a poll regarding early commems?

dizzyfoxx

Do you collect them? and/or do you think they're currently under-valued, over-valued, or right on the money?(no pun intended)
Please explain.

dizzyfoxx

a very early

Bear

mirabela

I have no idea what prices will or should do, but I am sometimes able to buy really pleasing coins in this series at prices that feel pretty reasonable to me on my Budweiser budget.

I sort of collect them. There are perhaps 20 of the original 50 that I would want; I guess I've got about half. I like nearly everything from the Colombian on up through the Vermont, Hawaii, and Oregon. Additionally, I'm in the very early stages of trying to do a 30-coin set of BTW's and GWC's. Give that time, though. It is not a front-burner project.

I get pretty burnt out with all the 1934-39 issues. The only ones that spark me are the ones with personal relevance. I like the Bay Bridge, for instance, having lived for a long time in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Richmond. Beyond that, though -- it would take a really special coin to get me to want a Bridgeport or a Columbia or whatever all those others are.

mozin

I fully expect Classic Commemorative prices to again reach the 1989 highs. There are more and more collectors, and the mintages are very low for many issues.

Some of the monster toned Commems that have already sold for sky high money. I would not care to guess where their prices will go. These monsters are priced out of my league, and I think, out for most Classic Commem collectors. The big money boys will decide.

Steve27

"Incredibly under-valued and will boom sooner or later"

I keep hearing this and all I can do is laugh. The only way they will go up in price is if they become much more popular, and I see no sign of this happening. A lot of people thought that the State Quarter crowd would start to look for other coins to collect and would turn to items like these; instead, it appears they are buying Mint products.

ram1946

Like Mirabela, I too have no idea what prices will be, although I would expect prices in the future to be higher than they are today for the reasons previously stated. While not my number one collecting priority, I am attempting to put together a 50 coin type set and have 17 pieces so far. I find the coins appealing (for the most part), they offer the option of collecting a series with 50 different designs and can be purchased for the most part at reasonable prices in higher mint state grades. There's also history connected with each piece (although it's hard to believe so much "hsitory" happened in the mid to late 30'S).

LeeG

All depends on the coin. Just about any MS65 Commem, and some 66's, with color can be found for very resonable prices. I think I've found my nitch here. I feel the value here will continue to rise. When you get to the 67 and 68 Low POP area it's "Madness" I tell ya. Have to put a 2nd on the House to get these. I'm very happy that I picked my first commem to be this Boone I got from Wayne. Still a POP 24/1 but it's value has risen dramatically since 2004 when I purchased it.

dizzyfoxx

<< <i>"Incredibly under-valued and will boom sooner or later"

I keep hearing this and all I can do is laugh. The only way they will go up in price is if they become much more popular, and I see no sign of this happening. A lot of people thought that the State Quarter crowd would start to look for other coins to collect and would turn to items like these; instead, it appears they are buying Mint products. >>



It will be interesting to see who will, and won't be laughing later.

beartracks42

I do not know, but I suspect that prices will rise on the early commens. I collect them as a side-light to my other interests and buy in the MS63 to Ms 66 range. I especially like the coins with reverses of Ships and eagles. I am currently seeking a Alabama and a Antietam.

RYK

I do not buy the "undervalued" argument. There are so many of them. Certainly, certain pockets are probably undervalued, but large numbers (especially those types that were created in large numbers--BTWs, Boones, Oregons, Columbians, etc.) are fully valued, at least.

mrcommem

I bought many of the coins in my 50-piece type from 1996 to 1998. Many of the prices from the late nineties have doubled and seems to me that unless the participation increases, this series has gone up just about as much as it can. Once the state quarter series ends in 1908 maybe some of these state quarter commem collectors will start collecting early commems.

TomB

I love them but the fact that an extraordinarily high percentage of each issue is extant in very high MS grade, coupled with the fast-and-loose grading that the TPGs have historically given to these pieces makes me believe that the market for them is carrying a tremendous yolk around its neck.

BigE

People seem to put together 50 piece sets, if just a few more did the 144 piece they would go way up--------------------BigE

mommam17

I think they are undervalued. They are so beautful people will always want them. Today I had an Isabella NGC 61 prooflike offered to me for $1100. Untoned coin that looked to be at least a 63. I wonder if I should of bought it? Not sure on the value?

RedTiger

My opinion is that Classic Commems are basically dead money. I believe that the main reason is that a high percenatage of the people that put together a set go on to sell it after it is complete. I think this is why some other series are down over the past few years, such as Mercury Dimes, Walking Liberty halves. Once a collector is finished, the coins are often returned to the market.

mirabela

I'm not sure, but I think I might finally have found my Isabella:

jamesfsm

Regarding early commems, it seems like there are so many indistinguished ones in white graded MS66 or MS67 so the coin doctors have turned their sights on early commems. Anybody notice all the toned ones out there these days with questionable color? I remember when the ONLY toned commems were tab toned. Now, numerically, tabbed toners are a minority to rainbow toners. Whatever is happening?????

a039

Great question, how bout this one- I went to this local coin shop where a old codger of perhaps 73 mentioned to me as I looked at his commems ya know silver's over ten! Did he mean that the silver market affects these coins? If silver hit twenty would it have any affect on the market for early commems? I think more than likely not, but it could spotlight them somehow. I ended up getting a Maine, Grant, and Vermont from him(this was last Thursday) for $520 and they are nice coins. From my personal perspective I started out with Lincoln wheats and this is my next set to complete I am currently half finished on my 7094. The next one is the 7070 it never ends...This was a natural progression for me and I would imagine for other new collectors as well so with a lot of new collectors out there I would say yes there will be a definite upside in at least the keys and toners. I really enjoy early commems and it is so much different than my registry set! I will be at Anaheim tomorrow looking for wheats, commems and trade dollars. Take care, BigMark

mozin

<< <i>I think they are undervalued. They are so beautful people will always want them. Today I had an Isabella NGC 61 prooflike offered to me for $1100. Untoned coin that looked to be at least a 63. I wonder if I should of bought it? Not sure on the value? >>

The last Isabella NGC MS61PL I tracked sold last Summer for $510. The latest offered on Ebay twice lately has not sold. Opening on it was $950.

Isabella prooflikes below MS63 usually do not look very nice, too many marks show on the mirrors. $1,100 for an NGC MS61PL is far too much money.

I go out of my way to find NGC PL Classic Commemoratives.

mommam17

Mozin- The 61 you tracked last summer was quite a buy since a greysheet MS 60 bid is $530! The 61 I looked at was nice without a lot of marks even though they really stand out on prooflikes. I was told NGC has certified less than 100 prooflikes. I`m sorry I missed the 64 that sold last Nov. for$1380. I can`t find a prooflike Isabella and $1100 probably isn`t that far off!

Gemini

The many unique designs to choose from in the early commems keep my interest in them. The who how and why stories behind their issuance is also fun to read. The mishandling due to poor protection when issued plus the remelting of many issues adds to the spice and hunt of finding nice examples. Even though I don't own many I will always appreciate seeing original well preserved pieces.



One heavily remelted and mishandled of all commems issued was the 1926 Sesquicentennial- 1,000,000 minted- returned to the melting pot were 859,408 coins making a total surviving mintage of 140,592!!!

I forgot to add yes I think nice original coins will continue to grow in value as they have in the past...

tincup

I think they will come into their own again. But when, I do not know. The early commems are an attainable closed set... with themes that interest various groups.... so will not just disappear in the future. Just may take awhile for the newer collectors to realize which ones are out there, but when they do and have more disposable income, the demand will reappear and the prices will respond accordingly.