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How do you value a space-flown US gold coin?

RYKRYK Posts: 35,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
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This coin was flown in space on the Gemini 4 mission. If you were considering adding it to your collection (which I am not), how would you value it?

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Comments

  • OPAOPA Posts: 17,141 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wow ... in my opinion .. it's priceless & should be in the DC Smithsonian< Air & Space Museum.
    "Bongo drive 1984 Lincoln that looks like old coin dug from ground."
  • anablepanablep Posts: 5,160 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No different than any other quarter eagle of the same date & mint IMHO.
    Always looking for attractive rim toned Morgan and Peace dollars in PCGS or (older) ANA/ANACS holders!

    "Bongo hurtles along the rain soaked highway of life on underinflated bald retread tires."


    ~Wayne
  • CladiatorCladiator Posts: 18,246 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Depends, does it smell like space smoke?
  • IGWTIGWT Posts: 4,975


    << <i>Depends, does it smell like space smoke? >>


    image
  • Steve27Steve27 Posts: 13,275 ✭✭✭
    Search auction archives, I'm sure it's not the only space-flown coin.
    "It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
  • MidLifeCrisisMidLifeCrisis Posts: 10,550 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't know...but it's pretty cool.

    If I were seriously considering it, I would look at most recent auction results for an average and I might pay 10% more or so...maybe.
  • At melt. image
  • adamlaneusadamlaneus Posts: 6,969 ✭✭✭
    To pay extra for such a condition, i'd have to feel pretty special about it, which I don't really.

    Reminds me of this. Bowie in Space


    It looks like an "AU" coin to me, so I would pay "AU" prices.

    It is interesting to note that there is no numeric grade on this slab. I suspect that is because a numeric grade often implies a spot in a price grid. They don't want to do that with this coin. It is special.
  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd put very little premium on it as a coin. "On the other hand side," if I collected space exploration memorabilia, then I'd have an answer for you from that "standpoint of view." (It's not often I get to use two of my favorite German-English idioms in one sentence.)

    I also don't like that the prongs severely encroach on the coin in the holder.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Book value of the coin independent of the slab... I could care less if a coin flew in space or sat on the ocean floor. Cheers, RickO
  • Sunshine Rare CoinsSunshine Rare Coins Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭✭✭
    not 2,400 dollars!
  • Moon Money
  • Awesome piece of history. To a space nerd, it's priceless.
  • BECOKABECOKA Posts: 16,961 ✭✭✭
    It's a neat trinket but I really can't see paying much of a premium if any.
  • In my opinion this is much different than an ordinary space-flown coin. This is not a simple shuttle-flown piece, but a piece flown during the capsule era and witness to one of America's early triumphs in the space race, and pedigreed to one of NASA's most well known astronauts.

    It also appears to be roughly MS64.
  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,685 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That kind of thing does nothing for me - no premium over the normal numismatic price.

    That is an ugly holder!
    All glory is fleeting.
  • BECOKABECOKA Posts: 16,961 ✭✭✭


    << <i>In my opinion this is much different than an ordinary space-flown coin. This is not a simple shuttle-flown piece, but a piece flown during the capsule era and witness to one of America's early triumphs in the space race and, and pedigreed to one of NASA's most well known astronauts.

    It also appears to be roughly MS64. >>



    OK, I take back my comments, it is probably worth a bit more to the folks that were alive and remember this historic time.
  • The new holder and label too!

    Cameron Kiefer
  • If you're a space nut then it's priceless. It's not like these feats will be duplicated.

    Millertime
  • The value depends on the collector's interests. To a Numismatist it's probably valued with a similar premium for any pedigreed coin. How much would the name "Ford" add? For a numismatist probably not much.

    For a spacenerd (astronatisist?), any bit of flown debris is worth a high premium.

  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Same as Ex Shipwreck Gold I would assume image
    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • UtahCoinUtahCoin Posts: 5,366 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would bet that it would sell for 10X book value....
    I used to be somebody, now I'm just a coin collector.
    Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
  • BarndogBarndog Posts: 20,515 ✭✭✭✭✭
    melt value for me, since I don't care about its space flight history
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No mention on the Novaspace Certificate if this was earlier conserved at NCS with Preparation H for Asteroids image

    image
    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • Having only made it only into orbit, not Moon Money.

    For those that are collectors of space exploration memrobilia it may well command that price, it may be the oldest or one of the oldest man made objects sent into space and returned to on terra firma. That and being a relic of the early Gemini program would likely be desireable.

    I don't believe for the average collector of coins would be as willing to pay as high a premium as the average se collectors.
  • No premium whatsoever! I have some premium ocean beach front property locatred in Arizona if interested-heck I'll even get it encapsulated and attributed if needed prior to completing the sale
    imageimage
    Charter member of CA, Coinaholics Anonymous-6/7/2003
    Kewpie Doll award-10/29/2007
    Successful BST transactions with Coinboy and Wondercoin.
  • DennisHDennisH Posts: 14,010 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Interesting but, sorry, no premium in my book.
    When in doubt, don't.
  • No premium.. plus I HATE the looks of the new NGC slab with those clunky "tabs".
  • To be honest, I'm a big sucker for things like this. I simply love coins with history to it...
    I would love to own this, but at the current $2K, it isn't within the budget of a high school student image
    -Ben T. * Collector of Errors! * Proud member of the CUFYNA
  • lasvegasteddylasvegasteddy Posts: 10,432 ✭✭✭
    <<<in my opinion .. it's priceless & should be in the DC Smithsonian< Air & Space Museum>>>

    i agree and would think some museum curator would be on this

    if not his descendants,friends or relatives

    as to how do you value it...sling it in the open promoted...no reserve
    everything in life is but merely on loan to us by our appreciation....lose your appreciation and see


  • Sorry, but anyone who doesn't think a coin like this is worth at least a modest premium is grossly ignorant of American history, IMO.


  • << <i>Moon Money >>



    I don't think any comment will beat this one. =)
  • SanctionIISanctionII Posts: 12,591 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ask Skyman.

    He collects coins but also collects space memorabilia. He could give you an opinion that would be very interesting given his two area of collecting interest.
  • cmerlo1cmerlo1 Posts: 7,960 ✭✭✭✭✭
    As a collector of both historical artifacts and coins, I would pay a premium for that coin if I could afford it...
    You Suck! Awarded 6/2008- 1901-O Micro O Morgan, 8/2008- 1878 VAM-123 Morgan, 9/2022 1888-O VAM-1B3 H8 Morgan | Senior Regional Representative- ANACS Coin Grading. Posted opinions on coins are my own, and are not an official ANACS opinion.
  • BochimanBochiman Posts: 25,556 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If it isn't easily identifiable, then I wouldn't add any/much extra value to it.
    If, for some reason, that slab were cracked (say, stolen, dropped, etc), then the coin has no extra value.

    My son has some wheaties that a forum member put up into a shuttle run I believe. I think it is cool and something he can do at show & tell at school if he wants. However, for extra value? None.

    I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment

  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 23,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's pretty cool, but a Saturn V rocket would be cooler.image
    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • JRoccoJRocco Posts: 14,277 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Reminds me of my younger cousin.
    When we were kids growing up in Brooklyn he had a nasty habit of swallowing coins.
    Mostly cents and nickels. His parents had to ... well... sift through some "stuff" till they found
    the "offensive" image coin. That or it was a trip to the hospital for an X-Ray.
    Well his parents used to put the aforementioned "offensive" coins in a jar to show him what he
    did from time to time and I have to say that there were some wildly toned coins in that there jar (I think it was a mayonnaise jar...)

    To make this long story short, I would pay the same premium for my cousins old "offensive" coins
    as I would for a coin flown in spaceimage
    Some coins are just plain "Interesting"


  • << <i>It's pretty cool, but a Saturn V rocket would be cooler.image >>



    I suppose I could settle for a Saturn 1B. image


  • << <i>Reminds me of my younger cousin.
    When we were kids growing up in Brooklyn he had a nasty habit of swallowing coins.
    Mostly cents and nickels. His parents had to ... well... sift through some "stuff" till they found
    the "offensive" image coin. That or it was a trip to the hospital for an X-Ray.
    Well his parents used to put the aforementioned "offensive" coins in a jar to show him what he
    did from time to time and I have to say that there were some wildly toned coins in that there jar (I think it was a mayonnaise jar...)

    To make this long story short, I would pay the same premium for my cousins old "offensive" coins
    as I would for a coin flown in spaceimageJRocco >>




    Hey Rocky............
    If your cousin is still around, force feed him a bunch of pocket change and when they come out get em toned up good then list them on Ebay.
    Make some good money off the Toning Nuts.

    Ray
  • How many of you here were actually old enough to watch this mission? I know I watched it, and it does lead credence to historical value- odds are pretty damn close that it will never be in a Saturn V rocket again.

    comparing it to shipwrecked gold- pure stupidity, if you buy the stuff that came off the ocean floor and paid moon money for it- well don't knock something that won't happen again in history. Ships wreck all the time, some may have gold in them when they wreck- but the overall odds of a defunct and de commisioned Saturn V rocket to go back up and orbit the earth again are probably in the millions :1 ratio. I believe the current rockets are the Titan missile systems, and these are getting old as well.

    History- yep should be in the Smithsonian.
  • I don't know how much this gold coin will ultimately bring, but this silver dollar got more than melt:

    imageimage


  • << <i>How many of you here were actually old enough to watch this mission? I know I watched it, and it does lead credence to historical value- odds are pretty damn close that it will never be in a Saturn V rocket again.

    comparing it to shipwrecked gold- pure stupidity, if you buy the stuff that came off the ocean floor and paid moon money for it- well don't knock something that won't happen again in history. Ships wreck all the time, some may have gold in them when they wreck- but the overall odds of a defunct and de commisioned Saturn V rocket to go back up and orbit the earth again are probably in the millions :1 ratio. I believe the current rockets are the Titan missile systems, and these are getting old as well.

    History- yep should be in the Smithsonian. >>



    Gemini 4 was flown with a Titan II rocket, not a Saturn V.

    The odds of a Titan II ever being brought back into commission for space flight are even smaller.


  • << <i>I don't know how much this gold coin will ultimately bring, but this silver dollar got more than melt:

    imageimage >>



    For those of you curious as to how much over melt.image


  • << <i>

    << <i>How many of you here were actually old enough to watch this mission? I know I watched it, and it does lead credence to historical value- odds are pretty damn close that it will never be in a Saturn V rocket again.

    comparing it to shipwrecked gold- pure stupidity, if you buy the stuff that came off the ocean floor and paid moon money for it- well don't knock something that won't happen again in history. Ships wreck all the time, some may have gold in them when they wreck- but the overall odds of a defunct and de commisioned Saturn V rocket to go back up and orbit the earth again are probably in the millions :1 ratio. I believe the current rockets are the Titan missile systems, and these are getting old as well.

    History- yep should be in the Smithsonian. >>



    Gemini 4 was flown with a Titan II rocket, not a Saturn V.

    The odds of a Titan II evbeing brought abck into commission for space flight are even smaller. >>




    Mission statistics
    Mission name Gemini 4
    Spacecraft name Gemini 4
    Spacecraft mass 3,574 kilograms (7,880 lb)
    Crew size 2
    Call sign Gemini 4
    Booster Titan II #62-12559
    Launch pad LC-19 (CCAF)
    Launch date June 3, 1965
    15:15:59 UTC
    Spacewalk begin June 3, 1965
    Open hatch: 19:34 UTC
    Start: 19:46 UTC
    Spacewalk end June 3, 1965
    End: 20:06 UTC
    Close hatch: 20:10 UTC
    Landing June 7, 1965
    17:12:11 UTC
    27‹44ŒN, 74‹11ŒW
    Mission duration 4d/01:56:12
    Number of orbits 62
    Apogee 282.1 kilometres (152.3 nmi)
    Perigee 162.3 kilometres (87.6 nmi)
    Orbital period 88.94 min
    Orbital inclination 32.53‹
    Distance traveled 2,782,486 kilometres (1,728,957 mi)

    I apologize it was the Titan II system-which is now obsolete. I have it from a very reliable authoritative figure (wife worked for M/M for 10yrs (79-89) and you can guess that her clearance is bettern smoe of you knuckleheads. Think black hole.



  • bidaskbidask Posts: 14,028 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd rather have an astronaut's autograph.
    I manage money. I earn money. I save money .
    I give away money. I collect money.
    I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.






  • << <i>I'd rather have an astronaut's autograph. >>



    Those are much less expensive!
  • MrEurekaMrEureka Posts: 24,416 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It depends on "the rest of the story". If I learned that this was McDivitt's grandfather's coin, passed down to McDivitt, and that it was flown as his "lucky coin", then it's a national treasure. On the other hand, if McDivitt filled his pockets with coins owned by the local coin dealer, in hopes of selling them to idiots for big profits, the coin becomes another piece of commercial crap.
    Andy Lustig

    Doggedly collecting coins of the Central American Republic.

    Visit the Society of US Pattern Collectors at USPatterns.com.


  • << <i>

    << <i>Reminds me of my younger cousin.
    When we were kids growing up in Brooklyn he had a nasty habit of swallowing coins.
    Mostly cents and nickels. His parents had to ... well... sift through some "stuff" till they found
    the "offensive" image coin. That or it was a trip to the hospital for an X-Ray.
    Well his parents used to put the aforementioned "offensive" coins in a jar to show him what he
    did from time to time and I have to say that there were some wildly toned coins in that there jar (I think it was a mayonnaise jar...)

    To make this long story short, I would pay the same premium for my cousins old "offensive" coins
    as I would for a coin flown in spaceimageJRocco >>




    Hey Rocky............
    If your cousin is still around, force feed him a bunch of pocket change and when they come out get em toned up good then list them on Ebay.
    Make some good money off the Toning Nuts.

    Ray >>



    I cannot help thinking of my favorite cartoon (Bullwinkle) when I read this, except that instead of Bullwinkle Moose saying- "Hey, Rocky- watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat", I could hear JRocco's cousin saying- "Hey, Rocky- watch me pull a coin....."

    Sorry.imageimage
    "College men from LSU- went in dumb, come out dumb too..."
    -Randy Newmanimage
  • As to the value of the coin, I am sure that there are a lot of space memorabilia enthusiasts who think coin collectors are insane- and who would pay a good price for the coin based on its history. To each his own...
    "College men from LSU- went in dumb, come out dumb too..."
    -Randy Newmanimage
  • Comps. Or as close to a relevant comp as can be found.

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