A couple of questions.....

Brutalfly

I have been doing reading in the 2018 red book that I got from our library and my kids will sit there and look at it with me and then they will take it and look at it.
They look through pretty much the whole book and tell me which coins catch their eye.
We don't really get into the whole value of the coin unless they start asking about numbers and how many are produced.
They have enjoyed seeing the history of the coins as well as how they have changed over time

My couple of questions just by looking at the red book are:
1. When does the total mintage of new coins (like the 2017 quarters)?
2. How can you tell whether and old coin is a remake or not?
3. What is the biggest difference between the blue book and the red book?
4. What exactly is a key date?

Thanks for all your help and sorry for all the questions. Coins are still really new to us and I honestly don't even think we have come close to cracking the ice.

JBK

First off, a "couple" usually implies 2, but you have asked 4 questions.

My own stab at them:
1) this question seems incomplete. Are you asking when final mintage is set/known? Not sure exactly but the regularly issued Mint production reports provide those kinds of details.
2) by remake do you mean counterfeit? There is no one way to tell - it takes knowledge and experience.
3) I think (not sure) that Red Book is retail price (although high retail as I recall) and Blue Book is dealer buy price.
4) a Key Date is an important date for that particular series, in regard to scarcity. In other words, one of the less commonly available, it is harder to fund than the common dates. Key date coins are harder to come by and more expensive, for a particular series. So, if you collect Lincoln Cents, for example, some key dates are 1909S VDB, 1909S, 1922 plain. etc.

Brutalfly

Sorry about the more than 2. I have an inquiring mind.
1. I guess I am asking when it is known and where can you find the final mintage known for the coins.
2. That is exactly what I was wondering. Do they make replicas to commemorate those coins?

Thank you for all the other information you listed above. I appreciate it.

ranger1202

Ask all the questions you like. I'm new to collecting as well and for the most part everyone on here has been a huge help. It's awesome that you can share something like this with your kids.

2) I stick to NGC and PCGS slabbed coins. (they have been graded and authenticated by a third party agency)

JBK

1) final mintages will be announced for sure, just not sure exactly when. The mint's website might have some press releases on this kind of thing. Otherwise, it will trickle out through the numismatic press.

2) For the most part there are no deceptive "replicas" officially issued for US coins (there are a handful of possible exceptions to that rule, but they are also very valuable so no worries if you end up with one). Sometimes there are old counterfeits, or also, replicas for some more obscure stuff like Colonial coinage. Best to familiarize yourself with the coins you are collecting and learning what they are supposed to look like and if there are known copies/counterfeits.

Also, while some would discourage the practice, I don't mind spending 2 or 3 dollars for a fake coin here or there on eBay to have as a reference piece. For silver dollars, for example, the fakes start to look similar to each other after a while and you can easily tell them from real.

JBK

BTW - yes - keep asking questions as it keeps everyone honest and on their toes. Sometimes it turns out that what you thought you knew, you didn't really know as well as you think you did, when someone asks you to explain it to them.

BillyKingsley

If you go to any historical location and they have coins in the gift shop, there's a 99% probability they are modern replicas. The local prerevolutionary fort has colonial replicas in large quantities, but they also sometimes have modern cents, usually glued to a keychain.

MWallace

The most current available mintage totals can be found here. https://www.usmint.gov/about/production-sales-figures

1630Boston

Welcome to the forum, keep asking questions........................I may learn from the answers also
@Brutalfly

BuffaloIronTail

Questions are good.............I sometimes wish my brain had a "Refresh" button.

Pete

ricko

We were all new to the hobby at one time. This forum has the greatest assemblage of highly experienced and expert numismatists on the internet, so it is a great place to ask questions and learn. Cheers, RickO