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2027 The Year Coin Collecting Died
1776Coins
Posts: 24 ✭✭
Is 2026 going to be last of the Golden Era for US coin collecting? Penny is gone. Nickel's days are waning. Mint sets are priced out of children's allowance. Mint has chosen a very narrow topic on the obverse: youth sports and paralympic sports. Children are using more Venmo/Apple Pay than actual coinage. Yes, there is a market for collectors who must have every coin, but we are aging out. Is 2026 the last hurrah for coin collecting? Have we jumped the shark?
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shark jumped.
there will always be classics
I collect obsolete Mexican coins. They haven’t circulated in 100+ years.
Coin collecting isn’t going to die for me.
I barely got to use change, and by the time I graduated high school, carrying cash was just an unnecessary risk for specific occasions:
I collect mostly esoteric and privately issued gold from the 1800’s, and I love early early type, coins that circulated between 150-200 years ago..perhaps my grandfathers grandfather may have used these coins in commerce, but it has no bearing on my interests.
This is not an uncommon theme with the younger crop of collectors, and from what I’ve seen, many of us don’t have the same sentiment or nostalgia from filling Whitman albums with wheat cents….and if you ask me, that’s why you see a much wider variety of world coins, obscurities, and other esoteric type coins becoming much more popular. I actually think the elimination or removal of coinage from daily life might work the opposite way and create more coin collectors who want to hold something tangible in a world of digital assets.
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"The sky is falling" in numismatics for the last 50+ years.
Yet here many of us are, enjoying ourselves and this fine hobby regardless.
It might slow down but won't go out totally. Not here anyway or with alot of others
I will still be collecting. But me buying from the mint? That may end this month after the Unc set is released. Unless I see something worth a grab or flip, I am priced out of the mint offerings. I would rather spend that kind of money on a classic coin or two.
So, you have confirmed that the mint is incorrect with the Lincoln cent that they have listed as planned for the 2027 proof set to be minted in San Francisco? I have not seen a news release and the mint page still lists a 2027-S cent https://www.usmint.gov/silver-proof-set-subscription-MV.html
While that may not happen, what information do you base that on, or is this secret Paul Hollis account?
Yeah, it is just silly AI, but considering that the Mint wants to keep making money and loss of the cent will drop sales significantly, you might try ChatGPT and see what it expects, as here is its current response to that question:
Based on everything that is publicly known today, I think the likelihood is very high—around 95% or higher—that the 2027 U.S. Mint Proof Set and Uncirculated Mint Set will include a Lincoln cent.
Here's why:
The Mint's annual Proof Set program is defined as containing every denomination struck for that year. Unless the cent denomination itself is abolished, the Mint has historically continued to include every denomination in its annual collector sets. (United States Mint)
The precedent established in 2026 strongly supports this. Although circulation production of the cent ended, the Mint continued making cents specifically for collectors. The 2026 cent is available only in a small number of numismatic products, demonstrating that the Mint intends to preserve the denomination for collectors even without circulation production. (CoinNews)
What could change?
**The only realistic events that would prevent a cent from appearing in the 2027 sets would be:
**
Neither appears likely at this time.
My estimate
In fact, given the Mint's current subscription description for the 2027 Silver Proof Set, it would now be surprising if the 2027 collector sets did not contain a cent. The larger question is not whether there will be a 2027 collector cent, but whether 2027 or a later year becomes the final year that the Lincoln cent is produced in any form.
When is the last time kids spent their allowance on mint sets? 1978?
I'm not a kid. I almost never use cash.
None of those changes are really new or directly related to collecting.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
I collect National Bank Notes - they haven't been issued since 1935. That hasn't stopped people like me, and numerous others, from continually chasing them down.
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There will be a bunch of new coins that collectors will want. The new half sporting a new Kennedy image. Perhaps a new dime? Not sure how popular Sport Quarters will be, but they'll all be new. New Innovation bucks, new President medals, and a new Native American design. Then there probably will be some new privy marks on the ASE that will be collectable. I predict the mint will make a new incuse coin to boost sales. True, prices have made collecting very tough, but I don't think 2027 will mark the year coin collecting dies.
The 21st century is more of a "golden age" for coin collecting. Many coins are a lot more expensive now even adjusted for economics and living costs, but those with the money can buy somewhere in the vicinity of 95% of all coins ever made on demand or short notice.
I started collecting in 1975 at age 10 and collecting now is a lot more interesting vs. then, even if I had more discretionary funds at the time. Nothing to do with the lack of silver in circulating coinage because I'm not interested in 1960's or later circulating coinage. My B&Ms never had the internet's selection.
It's also the biennial American Liberty gold coin year. I think a Pegasus is this year's coin? (vs the sunflower of 2025)
Coin collecting is not dying… 2027 will likely be entertaining depending on what you collect. The World is a pretty big place and the elimination of the US cent and the hike in US mint sets/proof sets prices barely registers as a hiccup in terms of what is numismatically significant.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I used to buy the uncirculated mint sets for ~$7. A kid can afford that. Now they're $124.50, priced far out of reach. Mint prices can definitely be affecting the hobby for beginners.
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So, you're saying 1985? Mint sets have not been $7 in this millennium.
Kids don't buy mint sets, in general. For whatever reason, it has not been common for years. I ran the junior club for 25 years, rarely did a kid show up with a proof or mint set. It's not the gateway that it once was.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Agreed. However, we do not even know that the cent will be eliminated (that takes Congressional action), I actually hope they do if they are too cheap to use bronze to mint it for sets only and it likely means more nickel mintage that has a much worse seigniorage.
BUT one would think that the mint is aware that they are not going to have the sales next year from all of the semiquincentennial coin FOMO that is driving even bank rolls to very high prices. They may need to actually get creative, and not like some of the past quarter program flops, and hopefully not just revert to the old stuff.
You can't spend Pokemon cards and there are still plenty of kids collecting those.
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Just wondering if the people who bought those “last Omega cents” for the big bucks are a bit perturbed that they paid so much for coins that now appear to NOT be the last ones struck?
They shouldn't be. It was known at the time that they were still going to be made for sets.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
A new Half & Kennedy image?
Will be interesting as popular as Kennedy halves are. The dime definitely needs a makeover.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
I think there will always be something out there to collect coin-wise...varieties will surface and the new Washington series and the $1 series do not seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
I do question why the UNC mint sets jumped in price over the years; was it due to collectors, or has the cost of making the coins gone up that much? The silver sets, I can understand, but the CuNi sets being as high as they are makes no sense to me.
I remember 1964/65 well, the similar discussions at shows, meetings and all get togethers for the hobby regarding the removal of silver from our coinage. It's the end was shouted by many, yet here we are yelling the sky is falling 60+ years later. Who ever thought any one would collect clad coinage or lincoln memorial cents. Its a hobby and hopefully people will adapt and collect what interests them as they have in the past. -JMO
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Since I started collecting coins in 2000/2001, I have heard coin collecting will be ending in the next few years.
Still around and prices certainly have not dropped.
Hobby will continue indefinitely. Some people still collect stamps. Values are another thing. Collectibles are risky assets, need to use money you can afford to lose and not cry about it.
The only way you can lose everything with coins is when they're stolen. As long as you own them in your possession, they are always worth at least face or melt value. I guess paper is worth something too, as you can burn it.
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value. Zero. Voltaire. Ebay coinbowlllc
More concerned with Fakes.. everything is being faked.
Ebay are allowing these "dealers" to do live auctions with NO RETURNS so they can sell counterfeit bs.
Whatnot is even worse.
Fraud and absolute distrust will kill this industry
I still get a thrill out of searching for stuff at coin shows and on eBay (they don't always have the coins I need for my sets). Currently building a collection of baseball-themed modern commemoratives.
Tbh I think recent commemorative programs will gain more interest in the coming years. Nobody liked the classics when they came out, and early moderns are starting to age into that window of nostalgia. Also there are so many themes to pick from (e.g. sports, military, charity) compared to classics which were mostly anniversaries of city/state foundings.
It is for me but I'm just a kid at heart. I just paid 136 for 5 1978 mint sets still in the original box.
Still trying to hit MS67 on the Ike.................
Oh that's right! I forgot. Pegasus will be huge. I just wish gold was more affordable...
I loved the sunflower. And it was a hit among my customers as well.
I love it still. One of my favorites. Looking forward to the Pegasus next year.
A tired topic that is raised year after year on this forum. Wait until the hobby retreats from its COVID years plus continued boom to see if there is any traction to your question.
"She comes out of the sun in a silk dress,
running like a water color in the rain...."
I too worry about the decline of the hobby. It might be just sheer number of new designs year after year, or it might be the way we conduct transactions with credit cards and mobile payment . When was the last time you got some pocket change and didn't just stick it in the tip jar.
Like stamps, coin collecting is no longer taught to kids as a way to spend a rainy summer afternoon like we did back in the early 1960's (the last years of the pre-clad era of the silver coins). Baseball cards, Beatles Cards (yes they had them) were just getting started. At least there is some hope for collecting cards in there along with comic books
I have subscribed to a dozen or so coin channels on YouTube but they all seem to be oriented toward silver stackers, roll hunters looking for the $12,000 error coin that you might have in your change jar, yet don't have. The mint's lack of quality control has created a new market. The die chip, and error coins are doing well, but the scams are out there. Found in pocket change used to be fun. but I do so few transactions in cash. Roll hunting was a pandemic thing. I think most of the old rolls have been picked over. But I still watch videos of people searching for those key dates, and possible silver or errors.
Coin collecting will survive but it needs a club or some kind of social structure, like Scouting or Boys and Girls clubs to promote it.
Once upon a time, people were unhappy because there had been no new designs for 20-30 years.
FWIW...
Lol. I did not include you under "kids"
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Did kids in the 1960s collect coins from the 1960s? Or did they collect older coins? Because I don’t understand how today’s inferior mint products will affect collecting. I don’t collect coins from the 1960s. I collect much older coins that are presumably more collectible.
I get that kids don’t collect coins as much today as compared to that era but I don’t understand how that will affect the collectibility of coins from the 1800s anytime soon.
I mean, when did coin collecting become a thing did kids in the 1890s collect coins from the early 1800s?
Was anybody collecting coins in 1306? 1189? 3300 BC?
The popularity might be waning while kids are going through a digital awakening, but they too will grow up, and I don’t think our hobby or at least the value of our precious collectibles is in too much danger.
It varies. Most kids in the post-war period collected from circulation.
Coin collecting really started in the Renaissance with ancients and the upper classes. Kids and working class people didn't collect coins until the 20th century, more or less.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Well, then, maybe it is a little more fragile than I expect.
What will be the easy, inexpensive entry level introduction into coin collecting 5, 10, 20 years from now?
I just researched the upcoming changes to the 2027-2030 JFK halves. I have to say that most of the portraits in the competition hardly resembled him. And maybe I'm "old-school", but these new "facing" portraits like the new Jefferson nickels are off-putting. I'll take the old side-views for both the nickel & half over the newer ones any day........
That said, I also see where 2027-2030 will have 1 new reverse per year honoring paralympics. Nothing against paralympics (I donate to them), but is anyone else sick & tired of all the "special reverse" series that Congress seems to be wasting their time over, instead of enacting any REAL legislation?!
State quarters were interesting & helped bring more interest to the hobby, but do we REALLY need one series after another for parks, monuments, animals, flowers, women/wives, sports, para-sports, inventions, ad-nauseum?
Back in the day, many 3rd-world countries issued an infinite number of "special commemorative" coins, currency, stamps, FDC's, etc honoring U.S. people & places as a "cash-cow" way to fill their treasuries. Is that what we have now reduced ourselves to? At what point does it all end?...... when every special interest group has had a series on U.S. coinage?
Personally, I'd like to see a return to the IHC, Mercury dime, Walkers, & Morgan dollar designs (and even away from dead presidents), and call it a day. It's just been a couple decades of sensory overkill and brand dilution, in my humble opinion.....
They've definitely "jumped-the-shark" here.
--Dave
Part of why the 2026 dime and half dollar were so special was how long it's been since the last new designs on those coins. The quarters are a little unique with the different obverses, but they don't stand out when we've had a constant carousel for the whole 21st century. I shuddered when the women/sports programs were approved in 2021 because it's hard to see an end to it now.
Well, if you don’t use the old designs, dead presidents, and etc. then what are you gonna put on them? I think they’ve run out of ideas.
How about Sydney Sweeney on the obverse American flag on the reverse?
If you buy a counterfeit on eBay, they will take the return no matter what.
Modern coin collecting became a thing here in the US in 1857 when we switched from the large cent to the small cent. People started to collect the large cents by date.
I'd buy that for a dollar!
While I agree that I do not like the new "facing" portraits, saying "Congress seems to be wasting their time over, instead of enacting any REAL legislation" is silly, of course multiple bills can pass , they can do more than one thing at a time.
In ultra high relief?
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"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Cac?