A collecting forum. CollectingBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » CollectingBanter forum » Collecting newsgroups » Coins
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Commemerative coin question



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old February 2nd 05, 02:41 PM
Russell
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Commemerative coin question

Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ

Ads
  #2  
Old February 2nd 05, 02:51 PM
Dale Hallmark
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Russell" wrote in message
oups.com...
Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ



I am working on the Modern US Commemorative set in both Unc and Proof but
I don't think that is necessary. It depends on your mindset.

I would have been perfectly happy putting together a set in Unc but
this is the way I started. Others might choose Proof and others might mix and
match.

If I sold my proofs I might be able to finish it in Unc.
I have been thinking about that!

It is your collection and I think you get to define it any way you want.

Dale
My Jefferson Nickel set doesn't include proofs, only Unc :-)



  #3  
Old February 2nd 05, 02:59 PM
Eric Babula
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Russell" wrote in
oups.com:

Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one
unc and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a
collection, or just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ


I don't collect commems, but the same question can go for, say, the US
State Quarters sets, too. I started getting the Mint Set and the Proof
Set. Why? I don't know. I've since quit buying the Mint Set and will
just get the Proof Set of each year from now on. (Mental note: Time to
get on ebaY and sell off those Mint Sets.)

All depends on which you like better - you certainly don't 'need' to
have both, but can, if you like the contrast. Like Dale said, "It is
your collection and I think you get to define it any way you want."

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

  #4  
Old February 2nd 05, 08:50 PM
Harv
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Russell" wrote in message
oups.com...
Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ


I don't speak for the group, just for me..

This is going to depend entirely on what you want your collection to be..
and it's going to vary from one person to the next..

If you're trying to make a complete collection of Modern Commemoratives
(1982 - present).. then yes, you need one of each Unc., Proof, of all the
Halves, Dollars, $5.00 Golds., and $10.00 Golds.. some Moderns are only
offered as two Halves, two Dollar coins, an Unc and a Proof each.. some add
an Unc. and Proof $5.00 Gold, a scant few have a $10.00 Gold instead of (but
never in addition to).. a $5.00 Gold..

Thus.. for some issues, there can be eight different coins.. for others
four, and for others just two. A few times, The Mint went absolutely nuts
issuing commemoratives, such as for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and they
really ****ed off collectors trying to maintain a complete collection, by
making so many different designs..

Some Congresscritter proposes legislation to issue a Commemorative.. the
legislation gets modified, voted on, then the guy in the White House signs
it, and that legislation determines which denominations will be issued, the
limit of how many will be made, when they will start being sold and when
they will stop being sold.. very few Moderns totally sell out before their
legislated sales period is over..

For example, the wildly popular 2001 Buffalo Dollar was issued as an Unc.
and a Proof Dollar and that's it. 500,000 coins total, and it sold out in
about two weeks. The recent 2003 "First Flight" Wright Brothers added a
$10.00 Gold, to the two types of Dollars, but no Half. The 1991 Mt.
Rushmores were Unc. and Proof Halves, Dollars, and a $5.00 Gold.. crazy,
isn't it ..

There was a George Washington Commemorative a few years ago that was sold
ONLY as an Unc. or Proof $5.00 Gold.. no Halves or Dollars at all..

The Mint never sells a Commeorative in JUST Unc. or Proof, they always sell
both.

Now as to which ones you want to buy, that's a totally personal choice.
Again, if you want to build a complete collection of all of them, from 1982
onwards, then you need every Unc. and every Proof of all denominations they
offered. And if you really want to get completely complete, you also need
the special packaging options, such as the Buffalo Coin And Currency Set,
the Lewis And Clark Coin And Currency Set and the Pouch Set, and so on.. in
past years, The Mint offered full collections of that year's Commemoratives,
all flavors, all denominations in really fancy cherry wood boxes.. but they
haven't done that for quite a few years..

Grab yourself the current Red Book and look in the back where the Modern
Commemoratives are listed, and you'll have a list of what was issued every
year since 1982, how many were made, and a picture of each one.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm not made out of money.. If I am going to
buy just ONE flavor of a Commemorative of any given issue, I'll usually buy
just the Unc. Dollar.. the Unc.s always have a MUCH lower mintage than the
Proof of the same coin.. always.. sometimes radically lower, thus, they tend
to be worth more later.. although the Proofs are prettier, to most people,
which is why they usually sell far more Proofs than Uncs. of the same
issue..

Basically, your collection can be considered "complete" depending on how you
define the word. The definitive "complete" collection would be one of
everything, in every packaging option offered for every Commemorative. And
if you try to complete one of those, you're talking about spending some very
serious money, in the low five figures..

Then again, you might want to collect them all in matching slabs, at the
same grade, from the same grading company, as one regular poster here is
doing, for visual consistancy.. if that kind of thing is important to you..
You might want to store them in albums, in slab boxes, it's all a very
personal decision..

Harv




  #5  
Old February 2nd 05, 10:00 PM
linxlvr
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

On Wed, 02 Feb 2005 05:41:39 -0800, Russell wrote:

Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ


I use to say I would only collect the UNC coins in modern issues, but now
I ended up collecting PRF's also. I plan on doing a modern commem set
myself, and I plan on it just being all the proof dollars. Like every
one else said to each their own. But if you wanted a complete commem
set, then you need to consider the UNC's also, especially w/ commems,
because a few times the UNC's are actually more valuable than the proof's.

-- DW

  #6  
Old February 2nd 05, 10:41 PM
gogu
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

? "Russell" ?????? ??? ??????
oups.com...
Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.


When I first started collecting modern commemoratives I faced the same
dilemma as you. For one reason or another I decided to collect only proofs.
I
know that many people will say real coins (or more near to "real") are the
UNC ones but hey, that was my choice !
Today I have the full set in proof and I am happy with it. Of course UNC
commemoratives score higher prices in the secondary market but I do not
intend to sell my collection, so I am happy with it:-)
Personally I don't find any reason to have both collections, proof and UNC
but this is a matter of personal choice.


--
E' mai possibile, oh porco di un cane, che le avventure
in codesto reame debban risolversi tutte con grandi
puttane! F.d.A

http://gogu.enosi.org/index.html
http://www.romclub.4t.com/rabin.html

Russ




  #7  
Old February 2nd 05, 10:48 PM
Alan Williams
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Russell wrote:

Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ


Personally, I tend to purchase only the Proof examples. That's because
I view each coin as an artwork in the Modern Commem series and prefer
the way they look as proofs. I did buy the Botanic Gardens (on the
secondary market) as an UNC because I was impressed by the low mintage. ;-)

Alan
'it ain't going anywhere'
  #8  
Old February 3rd 05, 12:32 AM
Banknote Addict
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Russell" wrote in news:1107351699.837887.188170
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ


The only coins you need in your collection are the ones that you really
like, so it's up to you. Personally, I prefer to get the UNC versions
because they are generally sold in smaller numbers (rarer), they cost less,
and they are a little more forgiving than proofs if you store them in a
sub-optimal environment.
  #9  
Old February 3rd 05, 12:42 AM
Russ
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

The proofs are different than uncs, they are "S" mint marked. The commems
are the same coin.



"Eric Babula" wrote in message
...
"Russell" wrote in
oups.com:

Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one
unc and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a
collection, or just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ


I don't collect commems, but the same question can go for, say, the US
State Quarters sets, too. I started getting the Mint Set and the Proof
Set. Why? I don't know. I've since quit buying the Mint Set and will
just get the Proof Set of each year from now on. (Mental note: Time to
get on ebaY and sell off those Mint Sets.)

All depends on which you like better - you certainly don't 'need' to
have both, but can, if you like the contrast. Like Dale said, "It is
your collection and I think you get to define it any way you want."

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA



  #10  
Old February 3rd 05, 02:38 AM
Numismatist
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Russell" wrote in message
oups.com...
Alot of the new issues have the same coin, same mint mark, but one unc
and one proof. Do you guys think both are need for a collection, or
just one example?

Just wondering what the group thinks.

Russ


I agree with the previous posters that you should collect only what appeals to
you. Personally, I am missing a few Atlanta Olympics unc dollars, and they are
quite pricey, therefore-the reason I am missing them. I collect both proof and
unc for the halves and the dollars, but collect proof only for the gold. The
reason for proof only in gold is a) they are really pretty b) they cost much
less than the uncs, generally.

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Getting started with ancient coins - periodic post Reid Goldsborough Coins 2 August 9th 04 07:40 PM
Getting the most from coin price guides -- periodic post Reid Goldsborough Coins 7 July 22nd 04 03:22 PM
Counterfeit detection primer -- periodic post Reid Goldsborough Coins 51 February 15th 04 01:36 AM
Counterfeit detection primer -- periodic post Reid Goldsborough Coins 2 January 31st 04 10:29 PM
Coin returns and a question about toning Bill Krummel Coins 28 July 11th 03 02:09 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:58 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 CollectingBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.