WTC 'Ground Zero Recovery' questions...

I did an exhibit at the 2011 NH Coin Expo on my 2001 dated 1 oz silver and 1 oz, .5 ox, .25 oz and .1 oz gold eagles. I appreciate the story they hold and find them to be interesting pieces.

 

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If that is all that similar items are going for. OK I know they can ask whatever fool price they want for it and I also know that some people will pay overly high prices. I don't have to like it and I still feel that such sellers are being greedy, but if it works for them it works.

 

+1

 

I believe these are right to carry a substantial premium. Its all in how you frame the situation. To me, these coins symbolize how we recovered strong from the tragedy and how we made it through the struggles. They don't represent the terrible loss of life from that day. And for that, I value these coins very highly and have no problem paying premiums.

 

It's one thing to pay the premium to the original marketing source as they sent part of the purchase price to the victim's families.

But at this stage in the game, those who bought them when they were first marketed, are selling them at a higher price to recoup their original expense plus a profit, none of which are being donated. It's all going into the pockets of the people who bought these when they were first released for sale.

It's like when I play bingo, we leave our returnables on the table for the bingo crew to add to their box for the deposits. Some lady, just the other day, was going through the hall afterwards and gathering up the returnables and placing them in a bag, and she came to our table and asked if we were done with the bottles. I said yes, but we are leaving them here for the bingo crew to collect and add to their funds they use to give children choices with. She was annoyed but when she realized she was keeping the money for herself, she put the bottles back on the tables.

 

People are paying premiums now because they are pieces of history. They're not paying extra because of the terribles deaths associated for them, but rather, at least in my case, for the historical importance of having a piece from the WTC. Its a tangible reminder of the struggles of that day.

 

However, since these were in the underground vaults at the WTC, and people died there, many of whom jumped to their deaths, you can't have a piece of history that is not associated with the tragedies of that fateful day.

 

So, are you saying we should not buy coins recovered from shipwrecks, battlefields, the hawaii overprint notes which were the result of pearl harbor or any other of these kinds of numismatic items?

 

The truth of the matter is that you can make an arguement why not to collect ANY typeof coin. How about the Indian Head Cent. Can you imagine the insult it must have presented to the native americans? We hunt down a whole nation of people and those that we don't kill we pen up on some of the most uninhabitable land on the continent. We then take an image that represents them and use it to portray "liberty". Look at both sides of the buffalo nickel and you can find symbols of our inhumanity. Washington and Jefferson owned slaves. you could go on and on....

 

Thats the American way...compassion, with interest.
Guy

 

How did you comprehend what I said into that?

Seriously?