<< <i>The best thing for the plats next year would be if the mint used the best proposed design and skipped the four headed coin. If the mint is truly interested in expanding sales then it seems to reason you use the most popular proposed designs that collectors want.
I would guess but am pretty sure the following design is the one to bring the most sales.
The 4 headed coin posted previuosly would bring the least, and could be a nail biter for bad sales. >>
HalfStike, I thought the mint had decided to go with the "four headed" design for 2009, or are they still considering other designs? Thanks!
Alhas I don't think the final decision has been made yet but that is my guess based on the owl design that was promised and not used for 2008. So I am hoping they will surprise us and use the best design this time IMO.
My favorite proposed design for 2009 was the one noob came up with in response to a concept I suggested was the Mint's real message to collectors with the proposed 2009 designs:
My 4 coin Buff unc arrived. I thought it was full of casino chips cause of all the rattle. After doing the Mint's job of properly repositioning the set....it just looks beautiful. However, the 1/4 & 1/2 are rattlers.
People do not believe it is possible the mint made that many....I believe they did, but even if they didn't and only half as many, there are still many to be sold. They will sell these way into next year...May, June, or July and still not sell out.
I'm surprised the one ounce UNC buffalo sold out that fast, its sales were slow so either deep pockets showed up or the mintage is even scary lower than I thought.
Those unc Buffalos are fantastic! They will have 15+ minutes of fame.
A picture's worth a thousand words. I have to say, that the Proofs are quite stunning in hand, and the Uncs are simply - pure gold. Time will tell what the demand will ultimately be for these.
Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally
I personally believe the fractional buffaloes will prove to be one of the most collected NCLT type gold coins ever produced. (Call it commemorative or Modern Crap, but time will tell).
There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold.
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
This is true, there is the importance of appeal in a coins value. I think the plat UNC W have the low mintage though that may not be broken for decades, so from a historic perspective they will be the Jackie Robinson, not the buffalo.
Jackie Robinson UNC still beats the buffalo UNC, however the coins appeal aspect may make that less important. For a one year release though the mintages of 10,000 for the UNC buffalo are drastically low so the 1/4 UNC will be king of the buffalo series unless the one ounce come in lower.
So I see both sets as being huge winners either way it is sliced, 40 years from now coin dealers will get white knuckles holding these.
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
Not Plat vs Buff, it is Plat and Buff. 08 will be the year of the keys. Even the unc-w Saints, probably, but when you have the Buffs in hand you will agree that they are awesome. I did buy the 06 Buff when it first came out, but now with the low mintage's of 08 and the fractionals somehow they are dramatically more appealing.
The 2008 buffs and most of the 2004-2008 changing reverse platinum eagles in proof and mint state form will will be awsome in time! Hold both.
The 2008-w gold will be good too but they are in no form type rare and the quarter and tenth are not the rarest "w" mint marked coins in the set and that takes some of the heat off them.
I have both buffs and plats but will add this thought..............
Of all the modern silver commemoratives in last 20 years I believe the Buffalo dollar is the only one to sellout at the 500,000 limit and still show a major premium on aftermarket years later.
Actually around a 600-700% premium to issuse price as I recall.
IMO this bodes very well for the future of this years buffs!!!!
I just wanted to thank members of this forum for all the great advice. Eric, I want to thank you for your postings on the Platinum and the W uncirculated buffalo sets. I pulled the trigger at the last minute and now i'm so glad I did. Shortly after I purchased the 4 coin buffalo sets, they sold out. I started collecting in 2006 and have made some nice cash because of this forum. Hopefully I will be able to purchase a home in the near future with the profits. I put most of my money into the platinum coins (purchased 4 sets Unc.) I hope they provide me with a nice return on investment.
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
....not sure what charge I am leading but I am still here and not going anywhere! Love the unc-w plats but did purchase a few sets of the Buffalo proofs which do look very nice.
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
....not sure what charge I am leading but I am still here and not going anywhere! Love the unc-w plats but did purchase a few sets of the Buffalo proofs which do look very nice. >>
Sorry, I guess you are just adding to your post count. I see two posts that were edited to remove what you said.
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
....not sure what charge I am leading but I am still here and not going anywhere! Love the unc-w plats but did purchase a few sets of the Buffalo proofs which do look very nice. >>
Sorry, I guess you are just adding to your post count. I see two posts that were edited to remove what you said. >>
Actually I had replied to something I misread so then I deleted the content taking my foot back out of my mouth.
Well, the buffs are all gone--except for the 8-8-8 Double Colonoscopy Set. And speaking of, does anyone have ANY idea how many of the Double Colonoscopy sets the Mint has sold? I know I asked before, but it will play a role in the 1/2 unc w buff and eagle mintages.
So anyway, looks like that's all she wrote. Guesses on which coins will have the next buying frenzy--the proof plats or the gold unc w eagles? Meanwhile, I expect a bump in prices on all the buffs after the new year.
Been to FL the past week, including Disney World. Doesn't look like the economy has slowed spending on fantasy escapism AT ALL!
<< <i>Well, the buffs are all gone--except for the 8-8-8 Double Colonoscopy Set. And speaking of, does anyone have ANY idea how many of the Double Colonoscopy sets the Mint has sold? I know I asked before, but it will play a role in the 1/2 unc w buff and eagle mintages. >>
They are keeping it a well guarded secret like the final mintages on the plats.
BTW off topic here but I still have to wonder if the mint keeping the production of bullion plat coins will be a drag on the 2006 to 2008 W UNC. For some reason there seems to be more interest if a series is ended rather than one that is continuing. The spouse coins are continuing and are sleepers.
Will the bullion plats keep the 2006 to 2008 W UNC as sleepers?
I think the proof plat franctionals will behave like an ended series so should see more interest now. I only hope the W UNC do as well.
<< <i> BTW off topic here but I still have to wonder if the mint keeping the production of bullion plat coins will be a drag on the 2006 to 2008 W UNC. For some reason there seems to be more interest if a series is ended rather than one that is continuing. The spouse coins are continuing and are sleepers.
Will the bullion plats keep the 2006 to 2008 W UNC as sleepers? >>
I wouldn't think so--unless a shortage of plat bullion coins could have FORCED people to buy the unc w plats just to park their money in plats. I think there are far more people collecting the unc w plats than are collecting the bullion plats. The latter group includes, what, 10 or 12 people, all of whom are on these boards? These are true independent thinkers and I admire their courage.
I wouldn't think so--unless a shortage of plat bullion coins could have FORCED people to buy the unc w plats just to park their money in plats. I think there are far more people collecting the unc w plats than are collecting the bullion plats. The latter group includes, what, 10 or 12 people, all of whom are on these boards? These are true independent thinkers and I admire their courage. >>
I think you are at least the second person to say this, but when you check the registry set or pops it doesn't play out that way IMO.
Let's just take the 1/10 UNC ounce coins as an example. This is the total population of graded coins.
Now look at both years 2006 and 2007. The regular strike are graded at over a 3 to 1 amount, and the highest pop years are 2002 to 2005.
The only worse year excluding 2008 compared to 2006W or 2007W in terms of total graded coins is 1998.
Now if we were to assume that the only collector base is in the UNC W coins then I would expect to see the pops at much lower levels for regular strike years and also registry sets compared to plats.
None of that is the case so it appears there must be more regular strike collectors than W UNC collectors. Either they have bypassed the w UNC coins or haven't heard of them or don't want them yet.
If people only collect one per year per series then the 2006 W to 2008 W will be bypassed.
If people collect by type then they will do the W UNC plus one regular strike.
So which is it? Right now it looks like series collectors may have been established prior to the W UNC coins and they didn't change their habits.
Bottom line for me is I am keeping my hoard and stashing them away, I expect these to slowly climb like a baby first learning to walk. They are not instant classics it appears. Had they been done without the bullion coins then I think aftermarket sales would have been dramatically different perhaps, or at least recognition after the series ended.
I hope I am wrong on this and in a year we can look back and see them at high multiples but it may not happen that quick is all I am saying. With the economy and other coins continuing these are seemingly in a series established collector base perhaps, and hopefully not forever.
<< <i>PS There are way more regular strike plats graded than W UNC or plat proofs. >>
Correct because guys like Universal coin and their ilk slab them by the roll and sell the graded bullion plats and gold eagles like they are great rarities to investors who don't know any better when they are not in fact rare moderns. Bullion eagle over the sun plats do not have Original Govt Packaging so if you want to sell them they must be slabbed in most cases if you want to sell retail.
Registry sets gain momentum over time in normal financial environments. The $10 mint state eagle over the sun reverse plats have been picking up a few registry set participants yearly for 11 years now. The 2006-w through 2008-w coins have had two and a half years and many of us that collect them have no interest in putting them in a registry set because the set in no way shape or form represents how many of us collect plats. Most of the guys I know have a structure or are interested in a structure that looks something like this:
Halves Cameo Proofs 1997 Proof-eagle over the sun proof 1998 Proof-eagle over new england 1999 Proof-eagle over wetlands 2000 Proof-eagle over heart land 2001 Proof-eagle over desert (south west) 2002 Proof-eagle over mountain lake (north west) 2003 Proof-Patriotic vigilance 2004 Proof-America Seated 2005 Proof-Plenty 2006 Proof-Legislative 2007 Proof-Executive 2008 Proof-Judicial
Reverse Proofs 1997+ Reverse Proof Bullion-Eagle over the sun, need one example 2007 Reverse proof Executive
Mint State Finish 2006 Unc-w Legislative 2007 Unc-w Executive 2008 Unc-w Judicial
And maybe a single matte finish bullion 2004-present eagle over the sun example if you are feeling rigorous.
Problem is nothing like this shows up in the registry sets so many of the plat guys I know just enter the proofs if they are going to mess with it at all and don't enter "w" plats at all even through they are important to the collection.
<< <i>PS There are way more regular strike plats graded than W UNC or plat proofs. >>
Correct because guys like Universal coin and their ilk slab them by the roll and sell the graded bullion plats and gold eagles like they are great rarities to investors who don't know any better when they are not in fact rare moderns. Bullion eagle over the sun plats do not have Original Govt Packaging so if you want to sell them they must be slabbed in most cases if you want to sell retail.
Registry sets gain momentum over time in normal financial environments. The $10 mint state eagle over the sun reverse plats have been picking up a few registry set participants yearly for 11 years now. The 2006-w through 2008-w coins have had two and a half years and many of us that collect them have no interest in putting them in a registry set because the set in no way shape or form represents how many of us collect plats. Most of the guys I know have a structure or are interested in a structure that looks something like this:
Halves Cameo Proofs 1997 Proof-eagle over the sun proof 1998 Proof-eagle over new england 1999 Proof-eagle over wetlands 2000 Proof-eagle over heart land 2001 Proof-eagle over desert (south west) 2002 Proof-eagle over mountain lake (north west) 2003 Proof-Patriotic vigilance 2004 Proof-America Seated 2005 Proof-Plenty 2006 Proof-Legislative 2007 Proof-Executive 2008 Proof-Judicial
Reverse Proofs 1997+ Reverse Proof Bullion-Eagle over the sun, need one example 2007 Reverse proof Executive
Mint State Finish 2006 Unc-w Legislative 2007 Unc-w Executive 2008 Unc-w Judicial
And maybe a single matte finish bullion 2004-present eagle over the sun example if you are feeling rigorous.
Problem is nothing like this shows up in the registry sets so many of the plat guys I know just enter the proofs if they are going to mess with it at all and don't enter "w" plats at all even through they are important to the collection. >>
Very true...I personally don't mess with it at all.
The 2004 and 2005 were both designed on the theme of abundant America. The 2004 was the fist coin out of the designs reviewed and in 2005 they did not have anything else designed so the runner up got struck the next year.
Nice info and speculation. I especially appreciated seeing the total slabbed bullions by year. I would also guess, however, that the vast majority of these are not in the hands of collectors, but it's just a guess. Still, it shows that the coins ARE available for someone to build a collection--if most have not been melted. I believe jmski finds it difficult to find these so we could speculate a lot on if they still exist and if so, where they might be stashed.
And Ericj, I like the structure you put up. What do you mean by the "halves" in the first line? Do you mean most people are collecting the halves--or do you mean most are collecting only a single denomination? Or do you mean something else? Interestingly, that is almost exactly what my collection looks like, so you appear to be right on the money.
The main thing I've talked over with my plat collecting friends is just the shortage of material for sale. It's dramatic and could either mean the coins don't exist or are being hoarded. I think it's the latter. After tasting $2300/oz platinum, I wouldn't think ANYONE would want to let them go at current prices. If plat gets back up to $12-1400, though, I bet they'll start coming out.
With all the Plat and Buff coins selling out at the mint I havent noticed that many of the first spouse coins are now on backorder. I wonder if the Mints' new policies might allow for the spouse coins to be sold out this year befor they reach the 40,000 coin cap?
I can't see any compelling reasons to change current First Spouse policies. They get yanked after a year anyway and if I were the Mint, I'd want to give each issue a whole year to sell as many as possible. I could easily see them cutting their production runs down to 5,000 or so coins. I'll bet they're already doing that, in fact.
Comments
<< <i>4 coin unc platinum set raw in mint packaging brought $2,999 yesterday on ebay.
Seems like a good sign to me. >>
Here's a graded set PCGS 70's for around 3100 after cashback, not mineLINK
If I could get my wife to quit spending $600.00 a day I'd buy it...
<< <i>It is kind of strange that there is only 1 raw four coin set of Buffalo on sale on Ebay right now. >>
Calm before the storm.......................
Oh happy day...my second 4-coin Plat Unc set has arrived...can't wait to get home to see it!
<< <i>The best thing for the plats next year would be if the mint used the best proposed design and skipped the four headed coin. If the mint is truly interested in expanding sales then it seems to reason you use the most popular proposed designs that collectors want.
I would guess but am pretty sure the following design is the one to bring the most sales.
The 4 headed coin posted previuosly would bring the least, and could be a nail biter for bad sales. >>
HalfStike, I thought the mint had decided to go with the "four headed" design for 2009, or are they still considering other designs? Thanks!
My favorite proposed design for 2009 was the one noob came up with in response to a concept I suggested was the Mint's real message to collectors with the proposed 2009 designs:
earlier discussion
Ren
I knew it would happen.
This product is limited to 10,000 units. Mintage limits for each coin across all product options are as follows:
One Ounce – 16,000
One-Half Ounce – 15,000
One-Quarter Ounce – 15,000
One-Tenth Ounce – 20,000
People do not believe it is possible the mint made that many....I believe they did, but even if they didn't and only half as many, there are still many to be sold. They will sell these way into next year...May, June, or July and still not sell out.
<< <i>Next weeks sales reports will show the unc plats decreasing in numbers........... >>
The plats are passe...... yesterdays hot product. Can you say Ben Franklin commemoratives?
Time to jump on the Buffaloes and ride their 15 minutes of fame.
A picture's worth a thousand words. I have to say, that the Proofs are quite stunning in hand, and the Uncs are simply - pure gold. Time will tell what the demand will ultimately be for these.
I knew it would happen.
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
This is true, there is the importance of appeal in a coins value. I think the plat UNC W have the low mintage though that may not be broken for decades, so from a historic perspective they will be the Jackie Robinson, not the buffalo.
Jackie Robinson UNC still beats the buffalo UNC, however the coins appeal aspect may make that less important. For a one year release though the mintages of 10,000 for the UNC buffalo are drastically low so the 1/4 UNC will be king of the buffalo series unless the one ounce come in lower.
So I see both sets as being huge winners either way it is sliced, 40 years from now coin dealers will get white knuckles holding these.
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
Not Plat vs Buff, it is Plat and Buff. 08 will be the year of the keys. Even the unc-w Saints, probably, but when you have the Buffs in hand you will agree that they are awesome. I did buy the 06 Buff when it first came out, but now with the low mintage's of 08 and the fractionals somehow they are dramatically more appealing.
The 2008-w gold will be good too but they are in no form type rare and the quarter and tenth are not the rarest "w" mint marked coins in the set and that takes some of the heat off them.
I knew it would happen.
Of all the modern silver commemoratives in last 20 years I believe the Buffalo dollar is the only one to sellout at the 500,000 limit and still show a major premium on aftermarket years later.
Actually around a 600-700% premium to issuse price as I recall.
IMO this bodes very well for the future of this years buffs!!!!
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
<< <i>
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
Sorry, I guess you are just adding to your post count. I see two posts that were edited to remove what you said.
<< <i>
<< <i>
<< <i>There sure seems to be a Plat vs Gold Buff here, with groht5 trying to lead the charge but then retreating. Just remember, a lot of people buy coins for the look and gold has the "look." The plats are nice looking coin but to most people, they look like a silver coin. They don't have the warmth of gold. >>
Sorry, I guess you are just adding to your post count. I see two posts that were edited to remove what you said. >>
Actually I had replied to something I misread so then I deleted the content taking my foot back out of my mouth.
LINKY to CoinFacts Wiki
So anyway, looks like that's all she wrote. Guesses on which coins will have the next buying frenzy--the proof plats or the gold unc w eagles? Meanwhile, I expect a bump in prices on all the buffs after the new year.
Been to FL the past week, including Disney World. Doesn't look like the economy has slowed spending on fantasy escapism AT ALL!
<< <i>Well, the buffs are all gone--except for the 8-8-8 Double Colonoscopy Set. And speaking of, does anyone have ANY idea how many of the Double Colonoscopy sets the Mint has sold? I know I asked before, but it will play a role in the 1/2 unc w buff and eagle mintages.
>>
They are keeping it a well guarded secret like the final mintages on the plats.
BTW off topic here but I still have to wonder if the mint keeping the production of bullion plat coins will be a drag on the 2006 to 2008 W UNC. For some reason there seems to be more interest if a series is ended rather than one that is continuing. The spouse coins are continuing and are sleepers.
Will the bullion plats keep the 2006 to 2008 W UNC as sleepers?
I think the proof plat franctionals will behave like an ended series so should see more interest now. I only hope the W UNC do as well.
<< <i>
BTW off topic here but I still have to wonder if the mint keeping the production of bullion plat coins will be a drag on the 2006 to 2008 W UNC. For some reason there seems to be more interest if a series is ended rather than one that is continuing. The spouse coins are continuing and are sleepers.
Will the bullion plats keep the 2006 to 2008 W UNC as sleepers? >>
I wouldn't think so--unless a shortage of plat bullion coins could have FORCED people to buy the unc w plats just to park their money in plats. I think there are far more people collecting the unc w plats than are collecting the bullion plats. The latter group includes, what, 10 or 12 people, all of whom are on these boards? These are true independent thinkers and I admire their courage.
No.
<< <i>
I wouldn't think so--unless a shortage of plat bullion coins could have FORCED people to buy the unc w plats just to park their money in plats. I think there are far more people collecting the unc w plats than are collecting the bullion plats. The latter group includes, what, 10 or 12 people, all of whom are on these boards? These are true independent thinkers and I admire their courage. >>
I think you are at least the second person to say this, but when you check the registry set or pops it doesn't play out that way IMO.
Let's just take the 1/10 UNC ounce coins as an example. This is the total population of graded coins.
1997 1141
1998 954
1999 1279
2000 1485
2001 1486
2002 5565
2003 4949
2004 4174
2005 5317
2006 4881
2006W 1031
2007 2105
2007W 326
2008 274
Now look at both years 2006 and 2007. The regular strike are graded at over a 3 to 1 amount, and the highest pop years are 2002 to 2005.
The only worse year excluding 2008 compared to 2006W or 2007W in terms of total graded coins is 1998.
Now if we were to assume that the only collector base is in the UNC W coins then I would expect to see the pops at much lower levels for regular strike years and also registry sets compared to plats.
None of that is the case so it appears there must be more regular strike collectors than W UNC collectors. Either they have bypassed the w UNC coins or haven't heard of them or don't want them yet.
If people only collect one per year per series then the 2006 W to 2008 W will be bypassed.
If people collect by type then they will do the W UNC plus one regular strike.
So which is it? Right now it looks like series collectors may have been established prior to the W UNC coins and they didn't change their habits.
Bottom line for me is I am keeping my hoard and stashing them away, I expect these to slowly climb like a baby first learning to walk. They are not instant classics it appears. Had they been done without the bullion coins then I think aftermarket sales would have been dramatically different perhaps, or at least recognition after the series ended.
I hope I am wrong on this and in a year we can look back and see them at high multiples but it may not happen that quick is all I am saying. With the economy and other coins continuing these are seemingly in a series established collector base perhaps, and hopefully not forever.
<< <i>PS There are way more regular strike plats graded than W UNC or plat proofs. >>
Correct because guys like Universal coin and their ilk slab them by the roll and sell the graded bullion plats and gold eagles like they are great rarities to investors who don't know any better when they are not in fact rare moderns. Bullion eagle over the sun plats do not have Original Govt Packaging so if you want to sell them they must be slabbed in most cases if you want to sell retail.
Registry sets gain momentum over time in normal financial environments. The $10 mint state eagle over the sun reverse plats have been picking up a few registry set participants yearly for 11 years now. The 2006-w through 2008-w coins have had two and a half years and many of us that collect them have no interest in putting them in a registry set because the set in no way shape or form represents how many of us collect plats. Most of the guys I know have a structure or are interested in a structure that looks something like this:
Halves
Cameo Proofs
1997 Proof-eagle over the sun proof
1998 Proof-eagle over new england
1999 Proof-eagle over wetlands
2000 Proof-eagle over heart land
2001 Proof-eagle over desert (south west)
2002 Proof-eagle over mountain lake (north west)
2003 Proof-Patriotic vigilance
2004 Proof-America Seated
2005 Proof-Plenty
2006 Proof-Legislative
2007 Proof-Executive
2008 Proof-Judicial
Reverse Proofs
1997+ Reverse Proof Bullion-Eagle over the sun, need one example
2007 Reverse proof Executive
Mint State Finish
2006 Unc-w Legislative
2007 Unc-w Executive
2008 Unc-w Judicial
And maybe a single matte finish bullion 2004-present eagle over the sun example if you are feeling rigorous.
Problem is nothing like this shows up in the registry sets so many of the plat guys I know just enter the proofs if they are going to mess with it at all and don't enter "w" plats at all even through they are important to the collection.
Also, do the 2003-2005 proof plats constitute a subset, or are they considered "stand-alone" designs?
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
<< <i>
<< <i>PS There are way more regular strike plats graded than W UNC or plat proofs. >>
Correct because guys like Universal coin and their ilk slab them by the roll and sell the graded bullion plats and gold eagles like they are great rarities to investors who don't know any better when they are not in fact rare moderns. Bullion eagle over the sun plats do not have Original Govt Packaging so if you want to sell them they must be slabbed in most cases if you want to sell retail.
Registry sets gain momentum over time in normal financial environments. The $10 mint state eagle over the sun reverse plats have been picking up a few registry set participants yearly for 11 years now. The 2006-w through 2008-w coins have had two and a half years and many of us that collect them have no interest in putting them in a registry set because the set in no way shape or form represents how many of us collect plats. Most of the guys I know have a structure or are interested in a structure that looks something like this:
Halves
Cameo Proofs
1997 Proof-eagle over the sun proof
1998 Proof-eagle over new england
1999 Proof-eagle over wetlands
2000 Proof-eagle over heart land
2001 Proof-eagle over desert (south west)
2002 Proof-eagle over mountain lake (north west)
2003 Proof-Patriotic vigilance
2004 Proof-America Seated
2005 Proof-Plenty
2006 Proof-Legislative
2007 Proof-Executive
2008 Proof-Judicial
Reverse Proofs
1997+ Reverse Proof Bullion-Eagle over the sun, need one example
2007 Reverse proof Executive
Mint State Finish
2006 Unc-w Legislative
2007 Unc-w Executive
2008 Unc-w Judicial
And maybe a single matte finish bullion 2004-present eagle over the sun example if you are feeling rigorous.
Problem is nothing like this shows up in the registry sets so many of the plat guys I know just enter the proofs if they are going to mess with it at all and don't enter "w" plats at all even through they are important to the collection. >>
Very true...I personally don't mess with it at all.
1998-2002 Vistas of Liberty
2006-2008 Foundations of Democracy
1997 Stands alone
2003 Stands alone
2004 Stands alone
2005 Stands alone
The 2004 and 2005 were both designed on the theme of abundant America. The 2004 was the fist coin out of the designs reviewed and in 2005 they did not have anything else designed so the runner up got struck the next year.
Nice info and speculation. I especially appreciated seeing the total slabbed bullions by year. I would also guess, however, that the vast majority of these are not in the hands of collectors, but it's just a guess. Still, it shows that the coins ARE available for someone to build a collection--if most have not been melted. I believe jmski finds it difficult to find these so we could speculate a lot on if they still exist and if so, where they might be stashed.
And Ericj, I like the structure you put up. What do you mean by the "halves" in the first line? Do you mean most people are collecting the halves--or do you mean most are collecting only a single denomination? Or do you mean something else? Interestingly, that is almost exactly what my collection looks like, so you appear to be right on the money.
The main thing I've talked over with my plat collecting friends is just the shortage of material for sale. It's dramatic and could either mean the coins don't exist or are being hoarded. I think it's the latter. After tasting $2300/oz platinum, I wouldn't think ANYONE would want to let them go at current prices. If plat gets back up to $12-1400, though, I bet they'll start coming out.
Ren
And if it keeps going lower, they may start showing up in change!
My Adolph A. Weinman signature
I opened quite a few(well over 50) boxes of buffs this weekend.
These were multiple orders over several weeks.
These were both proof and unc............1/4, 1/2, and 4 coin sets.
Outstanding coins and packaging.
HOWEVER about 1/5-1/4 had loose capsules and there were even a few with coins loose ouside of capsules!!!
I mention this only because IMO I would not want to buy any sealed sets off of ebay.
The second trip through shipping and handling at USPS-UPS or Fed Ex would undoubtly result in even a higher % of loose capsules and coins.