Modern Kennedy Halves - worth the money?

Agreed... but don't just say "registry guys". I consider myself a reg guy but I won't pay "insane amounts of money" for a modern coin neither. Maybe I would if it was toned...

 

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Again that is an assumption and condescending to someone that wants to collect at the deep end of the modern pool.

Actually for the sake of argument lets say sure it is all registry guys. Why does someone start a registry? Why would they want the best?

Why is it that registry all of a sudden means someone is clueless. Do people forget that someone starts a registry set in the first place because it is something they enjoy and are interested in?

 

You know what, since this thread is just turning into a massive argument, how about we drop the subject?

I was the one who started this fire in the first place, so I'll just put it out.

 

What argument? This thread was a nice discussion of the values of kennedys and hunting modern high grades until you guys came in and bashed them then tried to hide behind "registry this and that". If you want to bash areas of collecting just be prepared to be called on it

 

Yup, Rule #1...never to pay a premium for any coin that was made yesterday.

 

If folks want to pay a grand for a top pop Kennedy are they anymore of a sucker than a fella that pays $100 for a meal? $200 for a meal? How about a grand for a meal?

Those folks aren't suckers. They are called "affluent" primarily because, the $1,000 meal will NEVER be recovered and if a higher pop Kennedy gets graded, they NEVER recover the premium they paid but then, they won't really care.

For the small time collector looking just for an example of each date/mm, stick with buying whats already graded that falls in your price range. Try to avoid over extending yourself. Buying these Kennedy's by the bag can and most likely WILL BE an expensive disappointment.

 

That's not exactly being a sucker... that's called being rich.

You can go get round whiskey ice cubes specially made delivered to your house at like $100 a pop. Why do H2 Hummer's even exist? Lamborghini? Point being, I think you are severely underestimating how little $1000 is to the richest of the rich.

Besides the uber rich, you also have competitive dealers, private organizations and others who all have very deep pockets and budgets set aside to acquire top coins. When a new top population coin is found for a year those people don't cuss and scream over spilt milk. They go and see how they can get together enough money to acquire the new arrival.
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Some folks here think very highly of themselves and you just have to learn to ignore their banter. They're legends (in their own minds). Don't ruin their fantasy and just ignore them.

 

The illusion is the rarity of the coin, and people think rare = valuable. However, a 1979 cent is anything but rare.



There are still a billion in "circulation". You can buy these all day long for a couple dollars a roll and there are still another half million in mint sets.

Just for fun try finding a nice attractive Gem! A nice clean MS-65. You'll be surprised how tough it is.

 

Most dealers just don't care about moderns and won't even check what comes in. They often sell $1000 coins for $3 but usually it'll cost closer to $1.

 

They are like any other series of U S coins, the highest grades command the highest premiums. Collect what you like not what others like, but if you plan on collecting Kennedys expect to pay stiff premiums for the best grades.

 

Amen. Thanks for clarifying what it is all about. I wouldn't consider myself a "registry guy," since I buy high grade stuff in whatever slab I like the particular coin better. However, I do like uncommon high grade moderns, as well as my extensive Morgan collection. So, where's the beef? lol

 

I don't consider my self a registry guy either even though I enjoy things that would fit well in some of the better sets including modern ones, I know that there are a lot of people with a lot more money than I have. I have casually used them though as like an inventory page. I've never really understood the knock on them though, most of those exist because of people's love of what they have. Sure some type sets probably have some coins that are just there to fill a slot, but most type collectors have a series or two they don't really care for.

Like you I enjoy high grade moderns as well, heck I even like SBAs. Even though more top pop moderns will probably be made, a lot of people seem to underestimate just how difficult it can be to locate them.

 

Occasionally I buy Kennedy clad coins but, like green18, I don't have a clue why. If you are looking to make money, the time commitment (in my opinion) is too great: you won't be able to pay yourself "a living wage" hunting through rolls or bags of Kennedy clads for an error-variety coin with greater value than the ordinary clad coin.

My preference is to take the same money I spend on Kennedy clads and buy pre-1965 U.S., 90% silver. Still, occasionally, the Spirit moves me and I buy a Kennedy clad coin or roll.

 

The 2012 silver proof sells everywhere for over $100.

 

Exactly.

Folks just do not KNOW who it is that buy these.

 

There's just something about beautiful clad. It's easy to get used to seeing poorly made and dinged up coins or nasty and worn coins in circulation. Seeing a 1977-D half dollar that's clean and has a clean top on the shield gets my heart racing.

Coins like this may not be rare for most dates but nice Gems are far tougher than most people have any idea. Some dates are very elusive with clean shields and none are actually common.

The demand for moderns is very weak but this comes from decades of people believing they are all common in all grades. Nice Gems are only "common" because there is so little demand. As people wake up these coins can disappear pretty quickly.

 

Try locating a 1994-D MS 67 Kennedy, or even a 1990-D.

 

A lot of these come very pretty but they've almost all got plenty of scratches. MS-67 is really high grade for these.

 

Completely agree. It seems to me from looking around auction sites and eBay that the modern market seems to be fairly healthy or at least improving as fewer new collectors are shunning it and maybe even some older ones are converting. One thing that has always struck me as odd is how is it that Washingtons or Rosies are a great series in silver but as soon as they switch to clad some people consider them junk