are you into early commems? why is the market so lacklustre for them?

[michael]

seems like the early commem market has yet to take off so to speak

 

i would think they are more historical and actually more extremely interesting designs moreso than the state quarters and many are affordable for many yet they just seem to be lacklustre in todays market

 

whats up??

 

 

michael

[Numbers-migration]

I have 4 of them in my Dansco US type set because of their historical/"sentemental" significance.

 

San Diego (1935-S)

Bay Bridge (1936-S)

California Diamond Jubilee (1925-S)

Oregon Trail (1926-S)

[Chippewa]

I am into early commems. The market for ultra high grade toned monsters is still red hot with prices being bid up by a small group with deep pockets. The market for more average coins in 65 and less is pretty soft because, with only about a dozen exceptions these coins are common in high grades. We need to get about another 200 people working on full date sets to pump up the market.

[Bruceswar]

no no no... Keep them away from my commems

[Wihlborg]

Michael,

 

I find early commems very interesting, both historically as well as design wise. I am working on putting a complete date/mint set together and find it refreshing to collect a series where the design of the coins are not all the same.

 

While it is true that most of the early commems survived in mint state, overall the mintage for a large number of the issues is extremely low, with the certified pop of MS-65 and better coins of these issues even lower. Exactly why these coins have not done much better than they have over the past few years is a mystery to me, but IMO if or when collectors do begin to focus on these coins it will not take a huge demand for the prices to move up significantly.

 

Meanwhile, I am happy to be able to buy the coins I still need to complete my set at bargain prices, after all the golden rule of investing is to buy low and sell high.

 

John

 

[gmarguli]

I've got about 50 nicely toned ones and am always looking for more (hint, hint).

 

I think the modern commems are hurting them. People see the junk coming out of the mint now than drops in value the second they purchase it and they can't help but associate these with early commems.

 

The white ones are dead, but even the nice colorful toned ones are selling fast. The prices on these have risen a lot over the last few years and it's still going up.

[RobertB]

Early commem.s are my specialty. I suggest we keep people out of this field (at least until I finish my set ). I actually go after MS 62-64 pieces. Often times some issues are down right bargains at these grades compared to MS 65 and above. There are very nice pieces available at these grades as well. Also, undergrading of commem.s seems to be common, and if you've got an eye, it isn't hard to turn alot of these coins in higher grades through proper submissions.

[mommam17]

My guess it`s the large amount of available certified coins that have no eye-apeal. Dealers dumping grounds are full of coins that they can`t sell. Coins that are nice go above current levels. If you to ebay or Teletrade, how many coins do you find nice? Maybe 2 or 3 out of 100 for me!!!

[Wihlborg]

My guess it`s the large amount of available certified coins that have no eye-apeal. Dealers dumping grounds are full of coins that they can`t sell. Coins that are nice go above current levels. If you to ebay or Teletrade, how many coins do you find nice? Maybe 2 or 3 out of 100 for me!!!

 

Good point mommam17. If you don't care what the coins look like, it's not hard to find almost any of the issues, but if you are looking for nice eye appealing coins with great luster, toned OR white, you will find that these coins are not as common as some may think.

 

John

 

 

 

[BillJones]

I don’t think that the early commem market to be quite as dead as some people are painting it to be. It is definitely quieter that some other parts of the market, like Mint State and better date gold, all early coins and key date coins, have been recently; but it’s not dead by any means.

 

I maintain a stock of early commems in grades ranging from MS-63 to MS-66, and the turnover has been quite good at the current levels. There were very few properly graded NGC and PCGS commems available at the Gray Sheet “bid” price at the recent FUN show. Most every piece I purchased from other dealers was at more than “bid,” and I sold a lot of pieces to other dealers at numbers that were higher than the published wholesale prices. The tough issues like the Missouri were priced at “ask” or more. I purchased one Missouri plain in PCGS MS-64 at just under “ask” and turned down an offer above “ask” for it.

 

The early commemoratives are selling well and the scarcer issues are bringing good prices. The market just isn’t “overheated” as it is for some other coins.

 

[michael]

I am into early commems. The market for ultra high grade toned monsters is still red hot with prices being bid up by a small group with deep pockets. The market for more average coins in 65 and less is pretty soft because, with only about a dozen exceptions these coins are common in high grades. We need to get about another 200 people working on full date sets to pump up the market.

***********************************************************

Michael,

 

I find early commems very interesting, both historically as well as design wise. I am working on putting a complete date/mint set together and find it refreshing to collect a series where the design of the coins are not all the same.

 

While it is true that most of the early commems survived in mint state, overall the mintage for a large number of the issues is extremely low, with the certified pop of MS-65 and better coins of these issues even lower. Exactly why these coins have not done much better than they have over the past few years is a mystery to me, but IMO if or when collectors do begin to focus on these coins it will not take a huge demand for the prices to move up significantly.

 

Meanwhile, I am happy to be able to buy the coins I still need to complete my set at bargain prices, after all the golden rule of investing is to buy low and sell high.

 

John

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

 

I've got about 50 nicely toned ones and am always looking for more (hint, hint).

 

I think the modern commems are hurting them. People see the junk coming out of the mint now than drops in value the second they purchase it and they can't help but associate these with early commems.

 

The white ones are dead, but even the nice colorful toned ones are selling fast. The prices on these have risen a lot over the last few years and it's still going up.

***********************************************************

 

My guess it`s the large amount of available certified coins that have no eye-apeal. Dealers dumping grounds are full of coins that they can`t sell. Coins that are nice go above current levels. If you to ebay or Teletrade, how many coins do you find nice? Maybe 2 or 3 out of 100 for me!!!

************************************************************

 

 

Good point mommam17. If you don't care what the coins look like, it's not hard to find almost any of the issues, but if you are looking for nice eye appealing coins with great luster, toned OR white, you will find that these coins are not as common as some may think.

 

John

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

 

 

nting it to be. It is definitely quieter that some other parts of the market, like Mint State and better date gold, all early coins and key date coins, have been recently; but it’s not dead by any means.

 

I maintain a stock of early commems in grades ranging from MS-63 to MS-66, and the turnover has been quite good at the current levels. There were very few properly graded NGC and PCGS commems available at the Gray Sheet “bid” price at the recent FUN show. Most every piece I purchased from other dealers was at more than “bid,” and I sold a lot of pieces to other dealers at numbers that were higher than the published wholesale prices. The tough issues like the Missouri were priced at “ask” or more. I purchased one Missouri plain in PCGS MS-64 at just under “ask” and turned down an offer above “ask” for it.

 

The early commemoratives are selling well and the scarcer issues are bringing good prices. The market just isn’t “overheated” as it is for some other coins.

 

********************************************************

 

i love it!!!!!!!!!!!!! all monster extremely astute correct replies i love it!

 

these statements are the type of thing that should go into a newsletter and in a coin world article and read by many it sums up the market correctly and with no hype just all responsible statements

 

wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

thanks all

 

 

michael

 

[TomB]

I believe the market is artificially depressed because of all the dogs in high grade holders. The services have played fast-and-loose with the high grade coins in many of these issues with the result being that there are many coins in gem and ultra-gem holders. Since a fair percentage of these coins do not deserve to have these grades, it lowers the bid prices for the issue across the board. This is why classic commems are a great buy when they are original, have eye appeal and are superb. Even if you pay a strong premium, you are still underpaying relative to their scarcity.

[michael]

tom wow you have a knack of saying the correct things and putting them into words well

 

you are totally correct

 

please comment on the mark feld threAD ON THAT 1838 large cent he posted a scan of on here

 

michael

 

 

[Merc]

No, I'm not into early commems. When I was a kid bidding in auctions, my friend and I would never bid on the commems because we didn't consider them real coins. I'm still not crazy about them. Some like the Iowa are as common as can be. Others have a really ugly design and I'd never buy one. I do like the Oregon trail for the design and imagery so I own 1 flashy one in MS65 NGC graded. The only others I like are the 1915 Pan-pacs and the 1925 California. If other collectors think like me, there won't be much demand for them.

[BillJones]

I've been a collector for more than 40 years, and until about five or six years ago, I was not big in the old commemorative coins either. Then I started selling some as dealer and found that they were more interesting than I had once thought.

 

You really need to buy some books about these coins. They are interesting not only for the events that they commemorated but also for the scandals that surrounded the distribution of some issues.

 

Yes, some designs are better than others, but most of the bad designs, except for perhaps the Arkansas, which is pretty bland and unattractive, have a certain charm.

 

[Wihlborg]

You really need to buy some books about these coins. They are interesting not only for the events that they commemorated but also for the scandals that surrounded the distribution of some issues.

 

Bill,

 

I agree, and one of the best books to gain insight about how these coin really came about is Commemorative Coins of the United States A Complete Encyclopedia by Q. David Bowers. The information in this book about each of the issues is excellent.

 

I have a copy that Dave Bowers signed personally to me years ago, and I treasure it.

 

John

 

[Trime-migration]

Michael,

I was wondering the same thing two days ago. All the comments about quality are a given but the early commems have not kept up with some series. I suppose there were enough well preserves specimens saved away in SD boxes by many collectors and savers to keep the market in check. The special ones stand out with blinkers.

[michael]

hi there trime

 

you hit the key to the early commems

 

"The **special ones** stand out with blinkers."

 

 

 

 

only buy the special ones

 

 

michael