America the Beautiful 5 Ounce Silver Uncirculated Coins
Frank Galikanokus
Even as the market for America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins has
cooled, some details remain unknown for the numismatic versions of the
coins which will soon be available for purchase directly from the United
States Mint.
http://news.coinupdate.com/america-the-beautiful-ounce-silver-uncirculated-coins-0694/
JAM
Bremick
"Frank Galikanokus" <"Frank Galikanokus"@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:4D65B6B3...@nospam.net...
Sounds like they will only be offered in sets?
Beanie
"Bremick" <rem...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:ik4e2e$knu$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
In the 2/28 issue of Coin World, Ken Pine is offering a set for around $1500.
The telemarkets still want $3000 or so.
I have little interest in these things and would only buy them at a price that
was close to spot.
Bremick
"Beanie" <b...@ea.ne> wrote in message news:ik5ktp$htb$1...@speranza.aioe.org...
I have no particular interest either. It just seems only fair to collectors
on a tight budget for the Mint to offer a single "coin" option, since each
issue features a different scene.
Beanie
go.
If a private corporation was run like the US Mint is, it would be bankrupt.
The idea of selling to redistributers invites corruption and charges of
political favoritism.
This is the 21st century, surely the Mint can find a way to sell it bullion
issues directly to the public.
Yes, it would require expansion of their shipping operation but it surely would
be a profit center.
Frank Galikanokus
I'm only interested in the Grand Canyon coin. I've stood in the spot where the image was
taken from.
Beanie
"Frank Galikanokus" <FrankGal...@nospam.net> wrote in message
news:4D668D4F...@nospam.net...
I'm sure singles will turn up on eBay eventually.
Frankly, I don't think that there are 33,000 people that are interested in
buying these items at anything other than close to spot, now that the initial
excitement has abated.
The clad proof ATB quarters are attractive but I still think the designs are too
"busy".
The Mint needs to hire sculptors whose talents are in medallic art.
Too many coins are being released with 2D designs that don't translate well into
3D coins.
Michael Benveniste
> I'm sure singles will turn up on eBay eventually.
They are available now, although the asking prices tend to be
significantly higher on a per coin basis than the sets.
> Frankly, I don't think that there are 33,000 people that
> are interested in buying these items at anything other than
> close to spot, now that the initial excitement has abated.
Time will tell. I don't know if you've seen the hockey pucks in person
or not, but to my eye the "busy" obverse designs of at least three of
the 2010 coins look better in large scale. On the other hand, the
Washington "reverse" does suffer from the supersize treatment -- the
spaghetti hair is particularly problematic.
Once I heard what the mintage was, I was willing to pay APMEX $1395
for a set, so I was fine with getting a set and a refund check. But
when the bubble hit, I listed them on eBay. I even said in the
description, "I don't think these coins are worth my asking price" and
they still sold in 11 minutes.
My own guess, already documented on cointalk, is that they will settle
in between 150% and 225% of spot. That's only because of the low
mintage -- I predict all upcoming hockey pucks will trade just above
spot. If the Mint can't legally sell the 27,000 "collector's" versions,
then that price will go up.
If I'm right, give full credit to APMEX for setting a good market
clearly price so early in the game. If I'm wrong, well, it won't be
the first time nor the last. For example, I once passed up a 1995-W
American Eagle proof set, including the SAE, at $2400 because it was
too high a premium over bullion value.
--
Mike Benveniste -- m...@murkyether.com (Clarification Required)
Its name is Public opinion. It is held in reverence. It settles
everything. Some think it is the voice of God. -- Mark Twain
Frank Galikanokus
I believe the designs we are seeing today are being done on computers by
artist that have no experience in coin or medal design.
JAM
mazorj
> Beanie wrote:
>> The clad proof ATB quarters are attractive but I still think the designs
>> are too
>> "busy".
>> The Mint needs to hire sculptors whose talents are in medallic art.
>> Too many coins are being released with 2D designs that don't translate
>> well into
>> 3D coins.
>
> I believe the designs we are seeing today are being done on computers by
> artist that have no experience in coin or medal design.
>
> JAM
I'll take it one step lower and note that colleges and for-profit tech
schools are gladly taking tuition money from people who got into the CG
field because they were made to believe that they have some "artistic
ability" and/or this is a profitable career skill. The technical skill to
smear paint on canvas or chisel a marble block does not an artist make.
Ditto for knowing how to use CAD.
Another factor in play here is the long-standing numismatic tug-of-war
between the artistic desire to use surface relief to enhance the
attractiveness of a coin, versus the bean-counters' desire to minimize
production problems by eliminating design features that can be problematic
in the minting process. "Flatter is better" in their view.
And while this doesn't necessarily create the 2D/3D issues, there's the
politics of what design elements must be included on a coin. I'm still
shaking my head over the choice of Duke Ellington for the DC state quarter.
Granted that he is an iconic figure for American jazz, and granted the
desire to avoid the standard iconic devices associated with our nation's
capital that already have been used on other coinage, but IMO there were
better choices to be had. Others have similarly questioned the design
choices for other states. For example, an outline of a state as the main
device is inherently 2D.
Bremick
"mazorj" <maz...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:ik8s87$nhh$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
As a former Fine Arts student (RISD), I agree 100%.