I keep looking at Commem's and buying Walkers!!

keets · May 20, 2020 3:36PM

I've been looking at Commem's lately, trying to find the right coins to buy. One thing I have learned is that the coins are readily available in most grades so the trick is to be patient until I find the "right" coin at the right price. Strangely, while doing that I have bought a few Walkers. I stayed up last night and bid on this 1945-S at a Heritage Auction. Tell me what you think and post a same date/MM if you own one.

Al H.

MFeld · May 20, 2020 3:40PM

If you want to buy commems, it sounds like you should be looking at Walkers.😉

Walkerfan · May 20, 2020 3:49PM

I own three of them....one PCGS and two NGCs:

MS 66

MS 66

kiyote · May 20, 2020 3:54PM

I agree most are very plentiful except for Pan Pac half dollars.. they used to be lots on eBay but now there are mostly just cleaned and AU details coins. Solid MS64 and 65 coins are really far and few in between.

I’m looking for a MS66 Iowa.. there are so many to choose from, even CAC ones.

ReadyFireAim · May 20, 2020 4:21PM

I keep looking at Commem's and buying Walkers!!

Me also...
No way they can tank any further...Right?

cameonut2011 · May 20, 2020 4:31PM

@ReadyFireAim said:

I keep looking at Commem's and buying Walkers!!

Me also...
No way they can tank any further...Right?

Classic commemorative buyers have been saying that for decades now.

cameonut2011 · May 20, 2020 4:33PM

I'd call it a 66+. A light dip to bring out the luster and it could 67.

keets · May 20, 2020 4:36PM

well, I will only say this about Walkers and some of the Commem's --- where I used to look at MS63-65 grades I now tend to look at MS65-67 grades. at that level, prices/premiums are still high for the nicer, more colorful coins. but for brilliant white or moderately toned coins the prices are under what many of the "guides" tend to show. I find myself checking recent sales so I stay close.

right now the two Commem's I'm following are Vermont and Elgin. I just haven't found the right coin(s).

DIMEMAN · May 20, 2020 4:47PM

First Al...…..that is a beautiful Walker. I prefer that look as opposed to bright white. Second.....I have the same problem. I would like to do the Commems and just keep buying Dimes. I just need more $$$!

Hydrant · May 20, 2020 5:00PM

Interesting.

Commencents · May 20, 2020 5:18PM

Nice walker. Even with the tarnish, lol

Smudge · May 20, 2020 5:31PM

Commemoratives = little attrition. Blessing or curse?

winesteven · May 20, 2020 6:02PM

A little more than a year ago I read an article about the very significant price drop with Classic Silver Commems. I also noticed the “premiums” for those with CAC’s were extremely small. As such, I started a 50 coin Type Set.

I’ve derived tremendous pleasure since then in putting this set together. Beautiful designs (for the most part), great history, and so many interesting stories on most of these.

For those of us that don’t just “Talk the talk” about buying coins for the pleasure of the hobby and not for investment, but “Walk the walk” and truly believe that, this has been a great ride. My set is not quite yet complete, but close.

Steve

Walkerguy21D · May 20, 2020 6:13PM

Nice original look to it, and yes, you can get gem+ late date walkers at very modest prices these days.

If I was still actively buying walkers though, I would focus on the middle dates in choice AU.
The prices are comparable to the late dates in gem grades, but in many cases, you're looking at coins
with pops of a couple hundred, rather than thousands.
But to each his own - and I do enjoy seeing the walkers you've been posting!

jmlanzaf · May 20, 2020 6:17PM

@kiyote said:
I agree most are very plentiful except for Pan Pac half dollars.. they used to be lots on eBay but now there are mostly just cleaned and AU details coins. Solid MS64 and 65 coins are really far and few in between.

I’m looking for a MS66 Iowa.. there are so many to choose from, even CAC ones.

I swear (without statistical proof) that Pan Pacs are the most abused of the commems. I'm not sure why.

jmlanzaf · May 20, 2020 6:22PM

@winesteven said:
A little more than a year ago I read an article about the very significant price drop with Classic Silver Commems. I also noticed the “premiums” for those with CAC’s were extremely small. As such, I started a 50 coin Type Set.

I’ve derived tremendous pleasure since then in putting this set together. Beautiful designs (for the most part), great history, and so many interesting stories on most of these.

For those of us that don’t just “Talk the talk” about buying coins for the pleasure of the hobby and not for investment, but “Walk the walk” and truly believe that, this has been a great ride. My set is not quite yet complete, but close.

Steve

I love the Commem series.

I don't know whether the prices have bottomed or not. But so many of them are available in 63/64 for a little over $100 and a bunch of them in 65 for $150. It just seems like a great value to me relative to other series.

And there are so many different designs. If I put together a set of Walkers, for example, they all look alike except the date and mint mark. With the commems, except for the few that were overproduced over multiple years, they are all so very different. You even have the octagonal Norse medals included in the series.

And some of the mintages are crazy low. People got all drooly (including me) over the 30,000 ASE last year. You've got multiple commems that have mintages of 10,000 or less.

I think they are fun.

jmlanzaf · May 20, 2020 6:26PM

@Smudge said:
Commemoratives = little attrition. Blessing or curse?

Well, they aren't minting any new ones. LOL. Does the attrition matter?

Obviously demand is lower than supply. BUT, even with zero attrition there were only ever 10,000 Hudsons and 10,000 Spanish Trails.

What kind of attrition do you need on an ASE to make them as scarce?

And yes, a good percentage of those 10,000 coins are Gem Uncs. But there's still only 10,000 of them.

kiyote · May 20, 2020 6:46PM

@winesteven said:
A little more than a year ago I read an article about the very significant price drop with Classic Silver Commems. I also noticed the “premiums” for those with CAC’s were extremely small. As such, I started a 50 coin Type Set.
Steve

It’s such a fun series at great prices these days. Most barely have a price increase from 65 to 66.

shorecoll · May 20, 2020 7:34PM

I have the 50-piece set plus about 30 more, I keep trying to talk myself into some upgrades but I get diverted into...
1) bust halves
2) early date walkers in mid-high circ.
I've put Walker short sets together several times, but I never seem to hang on to them...they don't "hook" me like other coins.

Smudge · May 20, 2020 8:46PM

@jmlanzaf said:

@Smudge said:
Commemoratives = little attrition. Blessing or curse?

Well, they aren't minting any new ones. LOL. Does the attrition matter?

Obviously demand is lower than supply. BUT, even with zero attrition there were only ever 10,000 Hudsons and 10,000 Spanish Trails.

What kind of attrition do you need on an ASE to make them as scarce?

And yes, a good percentage of those 10,000 coins are Gem Uncs. But there's still only 10,000 of them.

I like pre Civil War QE’s and HE’s and for those, coins with PCGS survival estimates of 500 are priced as type coins They aren’t as popular as Commems though. I enjoy collecting commems, but I‘ve done that decades ago and now prefer old gold.

Edit to add comma.

keets · May 21, 2020 4:21AM

I enjoy collecting commems, but I‘ve done that decades ago and now prefer old gold.,

ah, yes, the maturation of a Coin Collector. nice!!!

ricko · May 21, 2020 5:52AM

Years ago I focused on commems, but just to put together a set of the states I have lived in...Still have those, and a couple others that I liked along the way. Have not been doing any series now for quite a few years. Cheers, RickO

ElmerFusterpuck · May 21, 2020 6:28AM

Nice coin and love that series! I'm working on the 1934 thru 1947 series with MS-66 or better example and preferably white. The 1945-S is one I don't have yet, I've just missed on a few pieces I really liked. I have to pass on the weakly struck ones for this date, because I know enough good one are out there.

The prices for MS-65 thru 67 later date Walkers has really slid over the past decade or so.

I keep looking at Commem's and buying Walkers!!

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