A very "pleasant" surprize for those of us who collect/invest...

Greetings Collectors,

I was going to include this info in my previous post but I tend to "title" a post one way and then talk about it (the title) & and a "ton" of other stuff. This makes the post much too long for some. Many of you have grown accustomed to my "ramblings". I am sure there are a few who when they see the length, say, "I ain't gonna read all that". To those of you who feel that way, I apologize.

The main reason for this post is to inform those of you who do not know about the "revised" numbers for all of the Gold & Silver and Platinum Eagles minted for 2008. I am not going to go into each and every category, only the main ones and the few different ones I own. There are many who follow these mintages much closer than I who are surprized that the final "tally" dropped to what it did.

In the past, I suscribed to just about every monthly magazine and weekly paper related to our hobby. I would read each one, cover to cover and sometimes more than once. I have since found that time restraints limited me so I let the subscriptions run out on each one but the weekly issue of "Numismatic News". I like them all but have found this publication to be the most informative. Many topics were touched on in both this paper and "Coin World" along with the various "monthlys" and I just couldn't see the reason to spend the funds to take all of them when there was so much redundancy.

I have made mention several times about the importance of items with very "low mintages". Coins with high mintages, coupled with very high "pops" of 69's and 70's will never be worth what you would have liked. On the other hand, there are several "modern" issues that have the best of all worlds, low mintages, fairly moderate to low "pops" and a wide "collector base". These coins, in my opinion, will continue to apreciate in value over the years.

The main issues are of course, led by 2008-W Silver Eagle which the revised figures show a total of 436,702 minted/sold compared to the March 2009 figure of 444,558. Not a huge difference but a "downward" revision all the same. The following figures will show the revised total first followed by the previous March totals. All of the uncirculated are of the West Point Mint. Gold Unc. 1oz.9,057 vs 9,390 1/2 oz. 5,209 vs 5,378 1/4 oz. 6,032 vs 6,203 1/10 oz. 9,806 vs 10,379. This is very good news for those of us who collect these coins. Platinum coins have low mintages anyway but some of these revised totals on them are astounding. The most shocking to me and one that will give you that can afford them pause, and could entice you to run out and purchase one or more, is the 2008-W 1/2 oz. Platinum version with the totals of 1,257 tallied in March revised downward to a "mere" 970 total pieces sold at the latest count. The half and quarter ounce coins in Gold and Platinum have always been the best to "invest" in as far as the mintages go. This continues to "hold true" for 2008. It seems like the "secret" should be out by now, but it doesn't look as though it is.

I was fortunate in the case of having purchased two of each of the 2008-W 1/2 ounce coins in both the Gold Eagle and the Gold Buffalo. I also picked up two of the 2008-W 1/4 Gold Eagles in UNC. The half oz. Buffalo had mintages of 3,237 (revised) vs 3,297 in March. The totals I have just mentioned are "super low" and I as well as many others will watch very carefully the anticipated "rise" in the secondary market for all of these coins. Again these figures are for the "W" unciculated versions, which are my personal favorite. All of the Proof issues showed "downward" revisions as well. Please refer to the November 24th dated issue of Numismatic News on page #4, upper left for totals on "ALL" the Mint issues of the Eagles and Buffalos, both in Proof as well as mint state.

I have mixed emotions as these aformentioned figures are a "double edged sword". On one hand, it's great to have a few of these low mintage beauties, and know they will dramaticly increase in value over the years and possibly sooner rather than later due to the influx of people wanting to diversify their investments and who do not collect coins in general but have been sold on the idea by "so-called" "investment guru's". All this bodes well for those of us holding "said coins" but it stinks if people, myself included, want to get a few of these dates and denominations we do not have. The "price of poker" just went way up after these revelations.

I do hope all of you continue to procure that special coin or coins you need for whatever set you are working on and that you don't forget to tell "Santa" to bring you a "low mintage" Gold coin of your choice, be it "modern" or otherwise.

Happy Collecting/Investing

WKF

I leave you with the "Ultra Low Mintage " 2008-W 1/2 Ounce Gold Buffalo. One of a mere 3,237 sold.