@Rc5280 said:
He's already changing his tune & backtracking. You can see it a mile away.
However, it's soo refreshing to see a single sentence vs a 6 paragraph monologue that repeats itself over & over & over again for the entire thread! SMH.
This is one of those issues where I think any responsible assessment has to leave options open. It's a Mint first. It's a relatively low mintage, but not incredibly so, for a silver medal. It is a medal not a coin. The price is quite high. It's easy to see it as a 5 minute sell out or a total flop... and everything in between.
Just based on the sentiment here, it looks like the silver will sell out quickly. I'm not "backtracking" on anything.
I still think it's extremely overpriced crap, and have been consistently saying people only want it because they think they will be able to flip it for more. Not because any reasonable collector feels that their coin collection will not be complete without a $750+ half ounce silver ingot shaped in the form of the Liberty Bell.
There are flippers for sure. But I'd argue that many people want it because they feel if they don't buy it from the mint it'll be a) more expensive in the after market and b) hard to find after a few months.
Purchases based on nothing other than the greater fool theory always ends in pain and disappointment. And I haven't heard a single person here say anything positive about this, other than the low mintage.
Not always. Some people profit handsomely. If you're saying this you haven't been paying attention.
To date, the Mint has sold exactly 2,999 2024-W AGEs. Containing a full ounce of pure gold. Most of which at prices significantly below what people think the silver bells will be worth. Both sub 3K mintages. Both produced by the Mint.
But one is a tired series. The other is a novel offering tied to the semi-Q event. I don't think that's a fair comparison.
Not saying a silver bell is an AGE. Just saying everything does not have robust demand, just because it is made in very low numbers. And, absent very robust demand, it's puzzling why anyone would find these interesting at the price the Mint is seeking, regardless of the mintage. I personally find each of the BOM silver medals FAR more interesting than these. The fact that they are being sold at a fraction of the price is the least of the reasons why.
Why is it so puzzling?
a) The first non-asymmetrical us mint coin/medal.
b) SemiQ.
c) Low mintage
Just because these reasons don't excite you doesn't mean others aren't moved by them.
No one forced them to do this at all. Things like this should be made in reasonable quantities, at reasonable prices.
Modern Mint issues really should not be bespoke product only available to a select few. Maybe a 10 ounce gold whatever, if they want to test the market for something like that, but not a half ounce silver Liberty Bell commemorating the semisesquicentennial.
You are entitled to your opinion, but I see it that the mint is catering to the elite portion of their market base and have been for a few years now. Most people are just upset that they can't participate in the elite products, the same way most of us can't afford to participate in the market for Ferraris.
People here seem to imply this product offering is a miscalculation and "bad move" on the part of the mint. But I would bet this is a highly calculated move to cater to and serve higher margin clients and boost profits.
@NJCoin said:
To date, the Mint has sold exactly 2,999 2024-W AGEs. Containing a full ounce of pure gold. Most of which at prices significantly below what people think the silver bells will be worth. Both sub 3K mintages. Both produced by the Mint.
The mint has 4,759 more 24EH in inventory, so the final mintage will be around 7,759. Way over the gold bells.
These are also viewed as type coins by the market, so the total supply combines all the mintages. If it was a one-time issue it would have been a one-day sellout at a 3k mintage.
Not if they don't sell them and they are eventually melted down.
I'm not really convinced that the mint melts anything down anymore. I think that prior to the run up in platinum prices, in 2025 they were still trying to sell 2018 APEs. And from listening to coin dealer interviews, it seems like at some point someone with deep pockets makes deals with the mint to buy up old stale inventory.
As a result, as I've said before, that is going to leave you to battle with other flippers for one. A lot of people who might have actually wanted one will be out. Out at noon on the 16th, and out when you go to flip them.
But according to you this will be a dud and there will be a glut of these on ebay at sub-issue pricing. Which is it? Flipping opportunity depriving those who want one or dud leading to "dumping" on ebay at sub issue price?
@fathom said:
I'm struggling to know why the extreme pricing on the gold bells. Maybe they think they can retail them at a Tiffany or high end retailers besides the normal channels. It is an important milestone/anniversary.
Like I said, they are feeling confident about the brand.
Because they are catering to their elite customers, not us ASE/AGE & annual mint set rubes.
Thanks for the link to the very interesting article.
Some other differences w the Pan Pac...
Supposedly some of the profit from that issue was to support the event. This is just to make a ton for the Mint.
The Pac Pac was not super low mintage, it was super low sales due to price. Most got melted.
I also do not understand why The Mint seems to imply that these were so expensive to produce, while other world mints produce such items far, far less expensively. Also, many of them look nicer. I don't think these are that impressive looking for all the hype, price and discussion of technology. The Pan Pacs are fantastic looking.
Also, the Mint could have made each of these 2x their weight and still made a killing on them.
@Rc5280 said:
He's already changing his tune & backtracking. You can see it a mile away.
However, it's soo refreshing to see a single sentence vs a 6 paragraph monologue that repeats itself over & over & over again for the entire thread! SMH.
This is one of those issues where I think any responsible assessment has to leave options open. It's a Mint first. It's a relatively low mintage, but not incredibly so, for a silver medal. It is a medal not a coin. The price is quite high. It's easy to see it as a 5 minute sell out or a total flop... and everything in between.
Just based on the sentiment here, it looks like the silver will sell out quickly. I'm not "backtracking" on anything.
I still think it's extremely overpriced crap, and have been consistently saying people only want it because they think they will be able to flip it for more. Not because any reasonable collector feels that their coin collection will not be complete without a $750+ half ounce silver ingot shaped in the form of the Liberty Bell.
There are flippers for sure. But I'd argue that many people want it because they feel if they don't buy it from the mint it'll be a) more expensive in the after market and b) hard to find after a few months.
Purchases based on nothing other than the greater fool theory always ends in pain and disappointment. And I haven't heard a single person here say anything positive about this, other than the low mintage.
Not always. Some people profit handsomely. If you're saying this you haven't been paying attention.
To date, the Mint has sold exactly 2,999 2024-W AGEs. Containing a full ounce of pure gold. Most of which at prices significantly below what people think the silver bells will be worth. Both sub 3K mintages. Both produced by the Mint.
But one is a tired series. The other is a novel offering tied to the semi-Q event. I don't think that's a fair comparison.
Not saying a silver bell is an AGE. Just saying everything does not have robust demand, just because it is made in very low numbers. And, absent very robust demand, it's puzzling why anyone would find these interesting at the price the Mint is seeking, regardless of the mintage. I personally find each of the BOM silver medals FAR more interesting than these. The fact that they are being sold at a fraction of the price is the least of the reasons why.
Why is it so puzzling?
a) The first non-asymmetrical us mint coin/medal.
b) SemiQ.
c) Low mintage
Just because these reasons don't excite you doesn't mean others aren't moved by them.
No one forced them to do this at all. Things like this should be made in reasonable quantities, at reasonable prices.
Modern Mint issues really should not be bespoke product only available to a select few. Maybe a 10 ounce gold whatever, if they want to test the market for something like that, but not a half ounce silver Liberty Bell commemorating the semisesquicentennial.
You are entitled to your opinion, but I see it that the mint is catering to the elite portion of their market base and have been for a few years now. Most people are just upset that they can't participate in the elite products, the same way most of us can't afford to participate in the market for Ferraris.
People here seem to imply this product offering is a miscalculation and "bad move" on the part of the mint. But I would bet this is a highly calculated move to cater to and serve higher margin clients and boost profits.
@NJCoin said:
To date, the Mint has sold exactly 2,999 2024-W AGEs. Containing a full ounce of pure gold. Most of which at prices significantly below what people think the silver bells will be worth. Both sub 3K mintages. Both produced by the Mint.
The mint has 4,759 more 24EH in inventory, so the final mintage will be around 7,759. Way over the gold bells.
These are also viewed as type coins by the market, so the total supply combines all the mintages. If it was a one-time issue it would have been a one-day sellout at a 3k mintage.
Not if they don't sell them and they are eventually melted down.
I'm not really convinced that the mint melts anything down anymore. I think that prior to the run up in platinum prices, in 2025 they were still trying to sell 2018 APEs. And from listening to coin dealer interviews, it seems like at some point someone with deep pockets makes deals with the mint to buy up old stale inventory.
As a result, as I've said before, that is going to leave you to battle with other flippers for one. A lot of people who might have actually wanted one will be out. Out at noon on the 16th, and out when you go to flip them.
But according to you this will be a dud and there will be a glut of these on ebay at sub-issue pricing. Which is it? Flipping opportunity depriving those who want one or dud leading to "dumping" on ebay at sub issue price?
@fathom said:
I'm struggling to know why the extreme pricing on the gold bells. Maybe they think they can retail them at a Tiffany or high end retailers besides the normal channels. It is an important milestone/anniversary.
Like I said, they are feeling confident about the brand.
Because they are catering to their elite customers, not us ASE/AGE & annual mint set rubes.
I think they need the rubes (your terminology) that is partly what is confounding.
Also to NJ ultimately you don't capture market value you earn it and keep it with proper merchandising and pricing to go along. That is also what is confounding.
@Rc5280 said:
He's already changing his tune & backtracking. You can see it a mile away.
However, it's soo refreshing to see a single sentence vs a 6 paragraph monologue that repeats itself over & over & over again for the entire thread! SMH.
This is one of those issues where I think any responsible assessment has to leave options open. It's a Mint first. It's a relatively low mintage, but not incredibly so, for a silver medal. It is a medal not a coin. The price is quite high. It's easy to see it as a 5 minute sell out or a total flop... and everything in between.
Just based on the sentiment here, it looks like the silver will sell out quickly. I'm not "backtracking" on anything.
I still think it's extremely overpriced crap, and have been consistently saying people only want it because they think they will be able to flip it for more. Not because any reasonable collector feels that their coin collection will not be complete without a $750+ half ounce silver ingot shaped in the form of the Liberty Bell.
There are flippers for sure. But I'd argue that many people want it because they feel if they don't buy it from the mint it'll be a) more expensive in the after market and b) hard to find after a few months.
Purchases based on nothing other than the greater fool theory always ends in pain and disappointment. And I haven't heard a single person here say anything positive about this, other than the low mintage.
Not always. Some people profit handsomely. If you're saying this you haven't been paying attention.
To date, the Mint has sold exactly 2,999 2024-W AGEs. Containing a full ounce of pure gold. Most of which at prices significantly below what people think the silver bells will be worth. Both sub 3K mintages. Both produced by the Mint.
But one is a tired series. The other is a novel offering tied to the semi-Q event. I don't think that's a fair comparison.
Not saying a silver bell is an AGE. Just saying everything does not have robust demand, just because it is made in very low numbers. And, absent very robust demand, it's puzzling why anyone would find these interesting at the price the Mint is seeking, regardless of the mintage. I personally find each of the BOM silver medals FAR more interesting than these. The fact that they are being sold at a fraction of the price is the least of the reasons why.
Why is it so puzzling?
a) The first non-asymmetrical us mint coin/medal.
b) SemiQ.
c) Low mintage
Just because these reasons don't excite you doesn't mean others aren't moved by them.
No one forced them to do this at all. Things like this should be made in reasonable quantities, at reasonable prices.
Modern Mint issues really should not be bespoke product only available to a select few. Maybe a 10 ounce gold whatever, if they want to test the market for something like that, but not a half ounce silver Liberty Bell commemorating the semisesquicentennial.
You are entitled to your opinion, but I see it that the mint is catering to the elite portion of their market base and have been for a few years now. Most people are just upset that they can't participate in the elite products, the same way most of us can't afford to participate in the market for Ferraris.
People here seem to imply this product offering is a miscalculation and "bad move" on the part of the mint. But I would bet this is a highly calculated move to cater to and serve higher margin clients and boost profits.
@NJCoin said:
To date, the Mint has sold exactly 2,999 2024-W AGEs. Containing a full ounce of pure gold. Most of which at prices significantly below what people think the silver bells will be worth. Both sub 3K mintages. Both produced by the Mint.
The mint has 4,759 more 24EH in inventory, so the final mintage will be around 7,759. Way over the gold bells.
These are also viewed as type coins by the market, so the total supply combines all the mintages. If it was a one-time issue it would have been a one-day sellout at a 3k mintage.
Not if they don't sell them and they are eventually melted down.
I'm not really convinced that the mint melts anything down anymore. I think that prior to the run up in platinum prices, in 2025 they were still trying to sell 2018 APEs. And from listening to coin dealer interviews, it seems like at some point someone with deep pockets makes deals with the mint to buy up old stale inventory.
As a result, as I've said before, that is going to leave you to battle with other flippers for one. A lot of people who might have actually wanted one will be out. Out at noon on the 16th, and out when you go to flip them.
But according to you this will be a dud and there will be a glut of these on ebay at sub-issue pricing. Which is it? Flipping opportunity depriving those who want one or dud leading to "dumping" on ebay at sub issue price?
@fathom said:
I'm struggling to know why the extreme pricing on the gold bells. Maybe they think they can retail them at a Tiffany or high end retailers besides the normal channels. It is an important milestone/anniversary.
Like I said, they are feeling confident about the brand.
Because they are catering to their elite customers, not us ASE/AGE & annual mint set rubes.
I think they need the rubes (your terminology) that is partly what is confounding.
Also to NJ ultimately you don't capture market value you earn it and keep it with proper merchandising and pricing to go along. That is also what is confounding.
Respectfully disagree. At least with things like this. The Mint sells at a price, and, if the quantity is low enough relative to demand, flippers capture excess profits.
The flippers certainly are not doing anything to create that excess value. They are just capturing it. Can't blame the Mint, who creates the value by creating the product, for wanting to capture it for taxpayers.
My issue with the bells is that it's all artificial, and I lack the imagination to understand why anyone would want to own a half ounce of silver molded in the shape of a Liberty Bell, at a cost of $750, or maybe thousands of dollars, just because it was made by the US Mint, and just because they only made 2,026 of them.
Either I am missing something, or this is nothing more than a greater fool hot potato, where the last people holding are going to get burned.
I can't see purchasing the gold coins..... and I am still reluctant to purchase the silver medal ,however I will take a chance at getting one thou. Time will tell how this will pan out ?
Again I wish the best to all who wishes for them .
What you're saying is it's all "Reddit insanity" until they agree with you...
Correct. This thread did not consist of a bunch of images of pocket change, asking if it was worth anything. So, yeah, they agree with me and they didn't seem like trolls.
Like I said, for what it's worth. A view from the street, rather than from our penthouse.
And, for what it's worth, not a single dissenting post. These are the people the flippers will be hoping to flip to. Retail not savvy enough to hit the website at exactly noon.
I admittedly don't know a ton of people who don't blink at dropping a few grand, or tens of thousands of dollars, on a single coin or medal. But, other than here, I don't know anyone who has any interest in the bells.
So, other than the scammers and schemers and flippers, I honestly don't know a single person who cared about the bells before the mintages were announced, and who is now all excited over the prospect of acquiring one of only 2,026 of them.
I am starting to think that retail flippers will be going for the silver, because they can swing it, but that both golds will be easily obtainable, because the juice won't be worth the squeeze in trying to flip them. And that they won't sell out, any more than the superhero coins did, because people with that kind of money to burn on a single coin won't be looking to burn it on artificial rarities shaped like bells.
TBD. Maybe I'm totally off base, but at least I'm willing to put it out here, as with the FH gold privies, where I was right, and others where I have been wrong.
What you're saying is it's all "Reddit insanity" until they agree with you...
Correct. This thread did not consist of a bunch of images of pocket change, asking if it was worth anything. So, yeah, they agree with me and they didn't seem like trolls.
Like I said, for what it's worth. A view from the street, rather than from out penthouse.
And, for what it's worth, not a single dissenting post. These are the people the flippers will be hoping to flip to. Retail not savvy enough to hit the website at exactly noon.
I admittedly don't know a ton of people who don't blink at dropping a few grand, or tens of thousands of dollars, on a single coin or medal. But, other than here, I don't know anyone who has any interest in the bells.
So, other than the scammers and schemers and flippers, I honestly don't know a single person who cared about the bells before the mintages were announced, and who is now all excited over the prospect of acquiring one of only 2,026 of them.
I am starting to think that retail flippers will be going for the silver, because they can swing it, but that both golds will be easily obtainable, because the juice won't be worth the squeeze in trying to flip them. And that they won't sell out, any more than the superhero coins did, because people with that kind of money to burn on a single coin won't be looking to burn it on artificial rarities shaped like bells.
TBD. Maybe I'm totally off base, but at least I'm willing to put it out here, as with the FH gold privies, where I was right, and others where I have been wrong.
I'll agree, this forum isn't indicative of the average collector. The average collector has never spent $750 on any coin, ever. But any $750 and up offering isn't aimed at the "average collector" anyway. Gold eagles, even the bullion variety, are not aimed at the average collector or even the average stacker. Those "average" folks don't have $4000 to plunk down on a coin all at once, either.
But, who knows. There may be 2,000 people in the numismatic penthouse...or not.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
@NJCoin said:
No one actually needs them. Make them inaccessible, and they just might be ignored by the people you hope to sell to.
Read the article I posted above. It really does say it all, in a fair, unbiased way.
What? Nobody needs any of the coins the mint produces for collectors, none at all. The mint is a casino and always has been. You can sit on the sidelines and tell everyone to stay away, but some people like the casino and want to play the slots.
The idea that there is no demand for these is ludicrous.
It is unfortunate but in years past we would have got an explanation for these from the PR person who often said what was happening. Now it is crickets from the mint.
Keep up the good work and scare lots of people away so those of us who want to pull the lever can.
What you're saying is it's all "Reddit insanity" until they agree with you...
Correct. This thread did not consist of a bunch of images of pocket change, asking if it was worth anything. So, yeah, they agree with me and they didn't seem like trolls.
Like I said, for what it's worth. A view from the street, rather than from out penthouse.
And, for what it's worth, not a single dissenting post. These are the people the flippers will be hoping to flip to. Retail not savvy enough to hit the website at exactly noon.
I admittedly don't know a ton of people who don't blink at dropping a few grand, or tens of thousands of dollars, on a single coin or medal. But, other than here, I don't know anyone who has any interest in the bells.
So, other than the scammers and schemers and flippers, I honestly don't know a single person who cared about the bells before the mintages were announced, and who is now all excited over the prospect of acquiring one of only 2,026 of them.
I am starting to think that retail flippers will be going for the silver, because they can swing it, but that both golds will be easily obtainable, because the juice won't be worth the squeeze in trying to flip them. And that they won't sell out, any more than the superhero coins did, because people with that kind of money to burn on a single coin won't be looking to burn it on artificial rarities shaped like bells.
TBD. Maybe I'm totally off base, but at least I'm willing to put it out here, as with the FH gold privies, where I was right, and others where I have been wrong.
I'll agree, this forum isn't indicative of the average collector. The average collector has never spent $750 on any coin, ever. But any $750 and up offering isn't aimed at the "average collector" anyway. Gold eagles, even the bullion variety, are not aimed at the average collector or even the average stacker. Those "average" folks don't have $4000 to plunk down on a coin all at once, either.
But, who knows. There may be 2,000 people in the numismatic penthouse...or not.
Oh, don't get me wrong. There are surely way more than 2,000 people in the numismatic penthouse. I'm just questioning their interest in these, other than as flips. And then I'm questioning just who they think they will be flipping to, since the type of collectors typically interested in things like bells, and Barbies, and Hot Wheels, are the HSN/Reddit crowd who won't have the interest or means to get involved with these.
People pimping these here are not talking about anything other than the mintage. They are forgetting that lots of things will low mintage have even lower demand.
And then they are not even considering what impact a $750 starting price on the half ounce silver version will have on demand. Because they see another silver medal, albeit one with twice as much silver and a rendition of the nation's first silver dollar, and a very special privy mark, and think medal=medal, and the other one is currently selling for $6K in 70 slab, so this can't lose at $750.
Maybe they are right, maybe not. But those FH privy silver medals were sold by the Mint for $104. Not $1,500. So there's that.
FH privy silver medals were released into the wild as winning lottery tickets. Not at an outrageous premium that might have killed demand in its crib had they tried it. It then built momentum in the market over the past 2 years.
TBD if the people grabbing these at $750 will have an immediate $3K+ flip because of that. Because, again, I just don't see the people who are interested in a FH silver privy medal having any interest in a Liberty Bell, regardless of the mintage.
As I keep saying, maybe I'm wrong, but I won't believe it until I see it. In actual, in hand sales. Not eBay pre-sales, which I think are more likely than not shams and shills, since it makes no sense for buyers to commit to anything that will only be canceled if they are not otherwise getting screwed.
@NJCoin said:
No one actually needs them. Make them inaccessible, and they just might be ignored by the people you hope to sell to.
Read the article I posted above. It really does say it all, in a fair, unbiased way.
What? Nobody needs any of the coins the mint produces for collectors, none at all. The mint is a casino and always has been. You can sit on the sidelines and tell everyone to stay away, but some people like the casino and want to play the slots.
The idea that there is no demand for these is ludicrous.
It is unfortunate but in years past we would have got an explanation for these from the PR person who often said what was happening. Now it is crickets from the mint.
Keep up the good work and scare lots of people away so those of us who want to pull the lever can.
Knock yourself out with your lever, but I don't think you are understanding what I am trying to say.
You are agreeing with me that no one needs any of this stuff. I am then saying that if the Mint makes it too rare, and too expensive, it will turn people off and keep them away. Other than, apparently you, who will buy anything if the mintage is low enough.
Which leaves me wondering just how many complete First Spouse sets you have socked away for a rainy day?
So, yeah, I don't think there is real demand for $20K per ounce gold and $1,500 per ounce silver molded in the shape of a bell. I think a bunch of people like you will slam the website, blinded by 2026, and expecting a lucrative flip.
I honestly don't think 2,000 people will want to keep these, either at the issue price or at the price the flippers hope to get. If there is an immediate flip, it will also be to people looking for the greater fool.
I truly hope it works out for you. Either the flip or adding several copies of the oh so rare treasure to your collection.
@NJCoin said:
Maybe they are right, maybe not. But those FH privy silver medals were sold by the Mint for $104. Not $1,500. So there's that.
What does the issue price have to do with anything as far as what they are worth today?
If they had charged $1500 for the silver privy FH medals you would have been claiming the mint is gouging everyone and for us suckers to stay as far away as possible.
Yet those have sold for up to $10,000 each.
You are grasping at straws about all of this.
Are the Liberty bells the best they could have been? No, I have posted about that. And some of your gripes are accurate We are paying for a premium hamburger and they are giving us a McD 99 center without onions, lettuce, and tomatoes. Everyone can decide the prices and if they are worth it. A 2026 mintage is low enough that the flippers will dry up fairly fast. The mint will not make these again.
@NJCoin said:
Maybe they are right, maybe not. But those FH privy silver medals were sold by the Mint for $104. Not $1,500. So there's that.
What does the issue price have to do with anything as far as what they are worth today?
If they had charged $1500 for the silver privy FH medals you would have been claiming the mint is gouging everyone and for us suckers to stay as far away as possible.
Yet those have sold for up to $10,000 each.
You are grasping at straws about all of this.
Are the Liberty bells the best they could have been? No, I have posted about that. And some of your gripes are accurate We are paying for a premium hamburger and they are giving us a McD 99 center without onions, lettuce, and tomatoes. Everyone can decide the prices and if they are worth it. A 2026 mintage is low enough that the flippers will dry up fairly fast. The mint will not make these again.
But I am happy you keep people away.
Yes, yes, yes. This is my point! If they tried to charge $1,500 for the FH privies, people might very well have been turned off, and they might not have sold out.
People loved the Superman coins and medals. But not so much at the prices they were charging, so they sat.
I'm not saying that 2,026 silver Liberty Bells would not have sold out in 2 minutes at $100 each, and that they would not have been a very decent flip at that price. I'm saying that $750 is such a turn off that lots of FOMO is going to be lost.
We'll see. I think lots of people will not want any part of this at this price. If I'm right, the low mintage won't matter.
You're clearly all worked up over this, but you never did respond to my question about how many First Spouse sets you are currently sitting on, given how much low mintages seem to float your boat.
You're excited about this because you are anticipating overwhelming demand. But you have no basis for that. You are looking at other items that were not offered at the obnoxious premiums these are being sold at, while ignoring other low mintage items no one cares about.
This could go either way, but I happen to think the one-off, odd nature of the trinkets, in addition to the crazy pricing, are bugs, not features here. If I'm right, what could have been an interesting commemorative if made in normal quantities at normal pricing will instead become something interesting that most people just don't care about. Like the superhero coins and medals.
Comments
There are flippers for sure. But I'd argue that many people want it because they feel if they don't buy it from the mint it'll be a) more expensive in the after market and b) hard to find after a few months.
Not always. Some people profit handsomely. If you're saying this you haven't been paying attention.
But one is a tired series. The other is a novel offering tied to the semi-Q event. I don't think that's a fair comparison.
Why is it so puzzling?
a) The first non-asymmetrical us mint coin/medal.
b) SemiQ.
c) Low mintage
Just because these reasons don't excite you doesn't mean others aren't moved by them.
You are entitled to your opinion, but I see it that the mint is catering to the elite portion of their market base and have been for a few years now. Most people are just upset that they can't participate in the elite products, the same way most of us can't afford to participate in the market for Ferraris.
People here seem to imply this product offering is a miscalculation and "bad move" on the part of the mint. But I would bet this is a highly calculated move to cater to and serve higher margin clients and boost profits.
I'm not really convinced that the mint melts anything down anymore. I think that prior to the run up in platinum prices, in 2025 they were still trying to sell 2018 APEs. And from listening to coin dealer interviews, it seems like at some point someone with deep pockets makes deals with the mint to buy up old stale inventory.
But according to you this will be a dud and there will be a glut of these on ebay at sub-issue pricing. Which is it? Flipping opportunity depriving those who want one or dud leading to "dumping" on ebay at sub issue price?
Because they are catering to their elite customers, not us ASE/AGE & annual mint set rubes.
Thanks for the link to the very interesting article.
Some other differences w the Pan Pac...
Supposedly some of the profit from that issue was to support the event. This is just to make a ton for the Mint.
The Pac Pac was not super low mintage, it was super low sales due to price. Most got melted.
I also do not understand why The Mint seems to imply that these were so expensive to produce, while other world mints produce such items far, far less expensively. Also, many of them look nicer. I don't think these are that impressive looking for all the hype, price and discussion of technology. The Pan Pacs are fantastic looking.
Also, the Mint could have made each of these 2x their weight and still made a killing on them.
Just my opinion, of course.
I think they need the rubes (your terminology) that is partly what is confounding.
Also to NJ ultimately you don't capture market value you earn it and keep it with proper merchandising and pricing to go along. That is also what is confounding.
What you're saying is it's all "Reddit insanity" until they agree with you...
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Respectfully disagree. At least with things like this. The Mint sells at a price, and, if the quantity is low enough relative to demand, flippers capture excess profits.
The flippers certainly are not doing anything to create that excess value. They are just capturing it. Can't blame the Mint, who creates the value by creating the product, for wanting to capture it for taxpayers.
My issue with the bells is that it's all artificial, and I lack the imagination to understand why anyone would want to own a half ounce of silver molded in the shape of a Liberty Bell, at a cost of $750, or maybe thousands of dollars, just because it was made by the US Mint, and just because they only made 2,026 of them.
Either I am missing something, or this is nothing more than a greater fool hot potato, where the last people holding are going to get burned.
I can't see purchasing the gold coins..... and I am still reluctant to purchase the silver medal ,however I will take a chance at getting one thou. Time will tell how this will pan out ?
Again I wish the best to all who wishes for them .
Correct. This thread did not consist of a bunch of images of pocket change, asking if it was worth anything. So, yeah, they agree with me and they didn't seem like trolls.
Like I said, for what it's worth. A view from the street, rather than from our penthouse.
And, for what it's worth, not a single dissenting post. These are the people the flippers will be hoping to flip to. Retail not savvy enough to hit the website at exactly noon.
I admittedly don't know a ton of people who don't blink at dropping a few grand, or tens of thousands of dollars, on a single coin or medal. But, other than here, I don't know anyone who has any interest in the bells.
So, other than the scammers and schemers and flippers, I honestly don't know a single person who cared about the bells before the mintages were announced, and who is now all excited over the prospect of acquiring one of only 2,026 of them.
I am starting to think that retail flippers will be going for the silver, because they can swing it, but that both golds will be easily obtainable, because the juice won't be worth the squeeze in trying to flip them. And that they won't sell out, any more than the superhero coins did, because people with that kind of money to burn on a single coin won't be looking to burn it on artificial rarities shaped like bells.
TBD. Maybe I'm totally off base, but at least I'm willing to put it out here, as with the FH gold privies, where I was right, and others where I have been wrong.
I'll agree, this forum isn't indicative of the average collector. The average collector has never spent $750 on any coin, ever. But any $750 and up offering isn't aimed at the "average collector" anyway. Gold eagles, even the bullion variety, are not aimed at the average collector or even the average stacker. Those "average" folks don't have $4000 to plunk down on a coin all at once, either.
But, who knows. There may be 2,000 people in the numismatic penthouse...or not.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
What? Nobody needs any of the coins the mint produces for collectors, none at all. The mint is a casino and always has been. You can sit on the sidelines and tell everyone to stay away, but some people like the casino and want to play the slots.
The idea that there is no demand for these is ludicrous.
It is unfortunate but in years past we would have got an explanation for these from the PR person who often said what was happening. Now it is crickets from the mint.
Keep up the good work and scare lots of people away so those of us who want to pull the lever can.
Oh, don't get me wrong. There are surely way more than 2,000 people in the numismatic penthouse. I'm just questioning their interest in these, other than as flips. And then I'm questioning just who they think they will be flipping to, since the type of collectors typically interested in things like bells, and Barbies, and Hot Wheels, are the HSN/Reddit crowd who won't have the interest or means to get involved with these.
People pimping these here are not talking about anything other than the mintage. They are forgetting that lots of things will low mintage have even lower demand.
And then they are not even considering what impact a $750 starting price on the half ounce silver version will have on demand. Because they see another silver medal, albeit one with twice as much silver and a rendition of the nation's first silver dollar, and a very special privy mark, and think medal=medal, and the other one is currently selling for $6K in 70 slab, so this can't lose at $750.
Maybe they are right, maybe not. But those FH privy silver medals were sold by the Mint for $104. Not $1,500. So there's that.
FH privy silver medals were released into the wild as winning lottery tickets. Not at an outrageous premium that might have killed demand in its crib had they tried it. It then built momentum in the market over the past 2 years.
TBD if the people grabbing these at $750 will have an immediate $3K+ flip because of that. Because, again, I just don't see the people who are interested in a FH silver privy medal having any interest in a Liberty Bell, regardless of the mintage.
As I keep saying, maybe I'm wrong, but I won't believe it until I see it. In actual, in hand sales. Not eBay pre-sales, which I think are more likely than not shams and shills, since it makes no sense for buyers to commit to anything that will only be canceled if they are not otherwise getting screwed.
Knock yourself out with your lever, but I don't think you are understanding what I am trying to say.
You are agreeing with me that no one needs any of this stuff. I am then saying that if the Mint makes it too rare, and too expensive, it will turn people off and keep them away. Other than, apparently you, who will buy anything if the mintage is low enough.
Which leaves me wondering just how many complete First Spouse sets you have socked away for a rainy day?
So, yeah, I don't think there is real demand for $20K per ounce gold and $1,500 per ounce silver molded in the shape of a bell. I think a bunch of people like you will slam the website, blinded by 2026, and expecting a lucrative flip.
I honestly don't think 2,000 people will want to keep these, either at the issue price or at the price the flippers hope to get. If there is an immediate flip, it will also be to people looking for the greater fool.
I truly hope it works out for you. Either the flip or adding several copies of the oh so rare treasure to your collection.
What does the issue price have to do with anything as far as what they are worth today?
If they had charged $1500 for the silver privy FH medals you would have been claiming the mint is gouging everyone and for us suckers to stay as far away as possible.
Yet those have sold for up to $10,000 each.
You are grasping at straws about all of this.
Are the Liberty bells the best they could have been? No, I have posted about that. And some of your gripes are accurate We are paying for a premium hamburger and they are giving us a McD 99 center without onions, lettuce, and tomatoes. Everyone can decide the prices and if they are worth it. A 2026 mintage is low enough that the flippers will dry up fairly fast. The mint will not make these again.
But I am happy you keep people away.
Same argument over, and over, and over again.
Yes, yes, yes. This is my point! If they tried to charge $1,500 for the FH privies, people might very well have been turned off, and they might not have sold out.
People loved the Superman coins and medals. But not so much at the prices they were charging, so they sat.
I'm not saying that 2,026 silver Liberty Bells would not have sold out in 2 minutes at $100 each, and that they would not have been a very decent flip at that price. I'm saying that $750 is such a turn off that lots of FOMO is going to be lost.
We'll see. I think lots of people will not want any part of this at this price. If I'm right, the low mintage won't matter.
You're clearly all worked up over this, but you never did respond to my question about how many First Spouse sets you are currently sitting on, given how much low mintages seem to float your boat.
You're excited about this because you are anticipating overwhelming demand. But you have no basis for that. You are looking at other items that were not offered at the obnoxious premiums these are being sold at, while ignoring other low mintage items no one cares about.
This could go either way, but I happen to think the one-off, odd nature of the trinkets, in addition to the crazy pricing, are bugs, not features here. If I'm right, what could have been an interesting commemorative if made in normal quantities at normal pricing will instead become something interesting that most people just don't care about. Like the superhero coins and medals.
"You're clearly all worked up over this"
Speak for yourself, look in the mirror. SMH!
You keep penning the same nonsense over & over & over again.
Give it a rest, Please.