Will the U.S. Mint go the way of the post office?

COALPORTER

One reason I lost interest in stamp collecting about 30 years
ago was the lack of any really nice stamp releases and way way too
much garbage printed. And, overall, way too many stamps to even keep track of. The US Postal Service just piled higher and deeper with tons of ugly, boring, and flat out stupid stamps. Most of the art work, if it can be called art work, sucks. Common Elvis and MM ?

Do you think the US Mint is headed in that direction, if they haven't allready ? How long until we see an Elvis or Marylin Monroe quarter ?

jessewvu

The mint is only allowed to mint two commemorative coins each year so that is a good thing. Now for their "special" series coins, that is another bag of worms. If you look at the product list the mint has put out over the past few years, they are pumping out more and more crap.

I think they should start minting bullion coins in 10, 100, and 1000 oz demonimations. That would be cool. Kind of like they did in 1988 with the Space coins that were 1 troy pound.

stockwiz

all the modern crap they are putting out now will just make the older numismatic material that much more appealing, in my opinion. If this stuff gets someone interested in collecting, and gets their foot in the door, so be it.

Another reason stamps aren't more popular though is inconsistancy in postal rates causing stamps of different denominations to be produced, also no minting by year of any sort, so people can collect sets by date. Stamps are just too randomized to focus on any sort of specific "set" or "series" to collect.

Zoins

A major difference between the modern NCLT the US Mint are putting out and the USPS, is that the Mint is catering to people that like classic coins as well as people that like modern coins.

The USPS primarily makes stamps with modern designs and has even made them self-adhesive.

The US Mint makes coins with classic as well as modern designs and is even going to start making HR coins again.

Here are some ways the US Mint caters to people that like classic themes:

Modern NCLT are similar to classic coins in that they are made of precious metals, not paper or even clad.

Modern NCLT are similar to classic coins in that many denominations are the same.

Modern NCLT are similar to classic coins in that some have new and changing allegorical designs. Stamps generally have modern, but not classical designs.

Modern NCLT are similar to classic coin rarities in that some have low mintages. Stamps generally do not.

Modern NCLT are similar to classic coin rarities in that techniques like HR are being used again. Stamps are now self-adhesive which limits the appeal of collecting one stamp at a time.

Modern NCLT are similar to classic coins in design as many use the same designs (ASE, AGE, APEs, NCS $1, Washington $5, etc.).

Modern NCTL are similar to classic coins in that they can be collected by well-defined ways, including: type, series, errors, variety, etc.

Modern NCLT are similar to classic silver coins in that some can produce toners with very strong colors.

As for stamps ...

Modern stamps don't really have very much in similarity to classic stamps.

Classic stamps don't have a broad following like classic coins do.

RWB

Congress authorizes and requires most of the "stuff" the mint produces. Very little of it has been requested by the mint or treasury dept.

RedTiger

Like most things, the number of mint products available goes in cycles. If there is a changeover to steel nickels and/or cents, that might be like 1964 all over again, when numismatic products were shelved so that all production could be used to make enough coins for commerce. There was a long break in commems from Booker T. Washington to the George Washington half. If the economy softens further like so many think it will, I would not be surprised for demand for commems to dry up, and most of the recent commems go for melt value.

These are good days for collectors, enjoy.

Zoins

Comparing US Mint modern commems to US Mint classic commems is pretty sobering, more so than comparing with USPS products.

One major difference is that the ASE/AGE/APEs are more like later classic gold than class commems in that neither are commems and later classic gold didn't really circulate.

Walmann

<< <i>The mint is only allowed to mint two commemorative coins each year so that is a good thing. Now for their "special" series coins, that is another bag of worms. If you look at the product list the mint has put out over the past few years, they are pumping out more and more crap. >>



If the proposed number of commerative NASA coins are made, coupled with the fact these will not be "counted" towards the limit of two commeratives, are a sign of things to come, Coal's concern is well founded. That and as jessewu states the "special" series has gotten out of hand. How many coins now for a complete year set?

When they start commemorating television series and we see Joannie Loves Chaachi halves the end has arrived.

Zoins

Will a downfall of the moderns market drag down the classics market?

Is this the way it happened with stamps?

sumnom

My interest in collecting currently circulating coins has dropped dramatically since the advent of the endlessly changing designs. I don't really want to have to collect so many different coins with so many pedestrian designs for each year. I used to like having a complete set of nice examples of current coinage but not so much anymore. The state quarter program sorta beat the joy out of the experience for me. Now with the pres dollars and NA reverse dollars coming out, I am even less inclined to put together a set each year. Yes, I know, I don't have to collect what I don't like but I used to enjoy having a nice example of each business strike for each year. Now that is becoming a tedious project.

RWB

The “plan,” as many have stated here before, should be to represent national ideals on the circulating coinage, and change those designs infrequently – 25 years seems to makes sense. Place everything else on commemoratives issued for collectors and members of Congress’ egos.

Baley

Will the U.S. Mint go the way of the post office?

Yes, IMO, it already has.