Interesting observation from the Grand Pooh-Ba of the Bellaire Coin Club *********************************************************************************** Friends and Bellaire Coin Club Members, We are meeting Monday night, October 20 at the usual place upstairs in the Bellaire library. Meeting starts at 6:15pm. The US mint had a series of commemoratives, starting in 1892 with the Columbian exposition coins and ending in 1954 with the last of the Carver/Washington halves - the classic commemoratives. When I got my edition of the Professional edition of the RedBook - there was something missing. There were no modern commemoratives. What does that mean?? Depending on your vantage, several things. The US mint restarted its commemorative program in 1982 the George Washington half dollar - celebrating 250 years since Georges birth. For the rest of the 80s, there were 9 different coins in 22 varieties , metals, and mint marks in silver and cn - plus 5 designs and 8 varieties in gold. Thats about 1 type a year (non-gold) and 1 type a year in gold. The program continued in the 1990s with 60 issues and 120+ varieties. In the first decade of this century there were 29 issues and so far in the 20tens there have been 25 issued or authorized. My first comment is that I breath a sigh of relief that the US isnt following Canada or Australia. In 1972, my grandmother subscribed to the Canadian mints program where you received one of each item issued that year. I believe it cost her around $20 - for the special commems, mint/proof sets,etc. Now with the birds of Canada series, NHL teams, Olympic coins, Grey Cup coins, WWI coins, the annual animal special toonie, the pure silver commemorative coins ( 4 different sets this year), the $100 silver coins (3 this year), plus gold and platinum series - the cost is higher than most anyone can afford - just a little over $101,000 last year. As a collector that would destroy my collecting - at least collecting a complete set- too many special high priced coins. So what do you think?? This year the mint chose the Civil Rights movement and the baseball hall of fame (which is a cool coin - but a commem??). Next year we get the US marshals service and the March of Dimes - both nice laudable institutions - but should they be honored with a commemorative? In 2016 its Mark Twain and in 2017 Lions Club International. If its coins , it has to be fun. Garth
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 05:17:12 +0000
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