A modern the mint got right!

[Bruceswar]

There are quite a few modern coins where the mint left alot to be desired. Now the mint does make some nice coins still. Here is one that is not often talked about but it should be. It is a great looking coin. The Eagle on this coin is fantastic. It takes modern and mixes it with classic. This coin comes from the Skyman Collection and I was lucky enough to get to photo it. Your thoughts?

 

[Cannon Coins]

Also one of my favorite mod commems.IMO The design symbolizes what this great countries foundation was built on. An excellent image of an excellent coin. The Boss Eagle too! Nice job Bruce.. sweet coin Skyman. CC

[rrantique]

Very nice comemorative. Great photo Bruce.

[SkyMan]

VERY nice picture Bruce!

 

This design (as a cameo proof) is unquestionably my favorite modern gold commemorative design.

[Zoins]

Wow, very nice coin Bruce and Skyman! I agree this is one of the nicer mod commems and one that we don't get to see enough of here. Excellent photo and post

[Zoins]

Here's some information from the US Mint Coin Library:

 

Mintage (max.): 1,000,000

Public Law: 99-582

U.S. Mint Facility: West Point, NY (Proof/Uncirculated)

 

Obverse

Sculptor-Engraver: Marcel Jovine

 

Reverse

Sculptor-Engraver: Marcel Jovine

[James_OldeTowne]

My thoughts are: I agree. This is one of the very few moderns that I have pegged as competently designed.

[Zoins]

One really cool thing about this coin is the placement of stars on the reverse. There are nine to the left of the quill and 4 to the right to symbolize the 9 states needed for ratification. Once the 9th state, NH, sent its notice of ratification to the Congress of the Confederation, the Constitution was put into effect and the new government was formed.

 

Here are the nine with dates of ratification. The last two numbers are yes:no votes

 

1) DE 12/07/1787 30:0

2) PA 12/12/1787 46:23

3) NJ 12/18/1787 38:0

4) GA 01/02/1788 26:0

5) CT 01/09/1788 128:40

6) MA 02/06/1788 187:168

7) MD 04/28/1788 63:11

8) SC 05/23/1788 149:47

9) NH 06/21/1788 57:47

 

And the latecomers:

 

10) VA 06/25/1788 89:79

11) NY 07/26/1788 30:27

12) NC 11/21/1789 194:77

13) RI 05/29/1790 34:32

 

Nice way to work in a bit of history.

[SkyMan]

One really cool thing about this coin is the placement of stars on the reverse. There are nine to the left of the quill and 4 to the right to symbolize the 9 states needed for ratification. Once the 9th state, NH, sent it's notice of ratification to the Congress of the Confederation, the Constitution was put into effect and the new government was formed.

 

Nice way to work in a bit of history.

 

Huh! Whaddya' know? Thanks for the info (and the other info provided above)! I was wondering why the stars were offset.

[Hoot]

Zoins - an excellent note!

 

This is a beautiful coin, and greatly underappreciated. You can often find the coin in original Mint sets for less than melt. The Mint made a lot of them (651,659 proofs and 214,225 uncs) so they are readily available.

 

Nice photo Bruce.

 

Hoot

[MunkyMan95]

I agree, Bruce! That is just about the only modern coin that I hold in high regard. The eagle is astounding!

[RGT]

An excellent photo of a very nice design.

 

In 1987 the Statue of Liberty coins were selling at a hefty premium. I didn't buy any of them from the mint or in the aftermarket. The price was just starting to settle a bit on those when the Constitution coins were offered. Like many people it seems, I jumped on the Constitution coins thinking they would also experience a hefty jump early on. I was thinking of selling them for a nice profit after a couple of months. There was no eBay for a quick sale back then, but things really haven't changed that much.

 

I ordered one proof two piece set, one unc two piece set and the four piece set in the mahogony display box, along with a couple of the prestige proof sets and I believe seven regular proof sets. Well, the price on these never budged from their issue price and then eventually fell to bullion levels. I still have every one of those sets including all seven proof sets. I'm not sure that I could recover my investment even today, twenty years later. I also haven't made any speculative buys from the mint since so I have missed out on some great opportunities lately it seems.

 

Still, I have always liked the five dollar piece from this set, even though the dollar is somewhat lame.

[Conder101]

I've always thought it rather dull and uninspiring. And the repetition of the quill on both sides was, in my opinion, an error.

 

The reverse is dull and wordy being almost entirely inscriptions. On the obverse we have a tin eagle that got its wing caught in a shredder. The positioning of the talons in order to make them hold the quill is forced and awkward.

 

Frankly I thought it was horrible.