Question: Are any of you guys actually buying this stuff? Is it me, or what? Some of this stuff coming out of the United States Mint today is embarrassing. I've seen better coin design and engraving coming from 3rd world countries!! Just saying......
About the time that the SQ program started, you could buy one of every item from the Mint for about $6K. Then it went to $8K, $10K, $12K and finally to about $18-20K when the SQ program ended, and that is when I cancelled all of my subscriptions with the Mint and I've never gone back. Chris
I just prefer the older coinage and focus on that. I refuse to spend the money needed to work on the old and keep up with the new. However, it ultimately comes down to what you prefer to collect. That's the beauty of coin collecting...tons of options. High-grade, Low-ball, Commemoratives, foreign, old or new. It's all out there and you can usually find something to fit your pocket book.
I'm afraid that I'll have to agree. Remember the old Shell gasoline presidential tokens? Even they looked better: Having said that, however, I must admit that I like a lot of the America the Beautiful coins.
Almost everything minted today is has flat as a pancake relief and the god awful laser enhanced frosted proof finish. It's all designed on a computer and a die is then created from a digital file. No true artistry left. We need another President like Teddy Roosevelt to come in and get the mint back into actually sculpting and creating true art for our coinage.
I've been looking at the crap coming out of the Mint for years, wondering why I haven't been buying it. Thanks for your thoughts and bringing me back to reality. I'm old school as well!
One man's reality is another's ....... Baby Boomers' reality is the coins they collected are flooding the market at shows they attend. So, maybe some deals out there, if you're looking for classic coins. Y2K'ers' reality is online. They collect classics (mostly as type coins), as well as moderns. The bottom line for them is with all the stuff the mint is putting out in low mintages, depending on which moderns catch on down the road, there will be moderns that are huge winners, equal to and/or better than the 1995-w proof ASE.
My problem with the mint is that one coin can be in so many other offerings. What ever happened to just a Mint set, a Proof set, an ASE and a Commemorative offering: and that's it.
When I was a kid collector, the annual event for me and my father was the issuance of the proof set for the year. It was a real collectible until the Mint churned out jillions of them.
I prefer the old coins myself. I still buy what I call my updates every year...the current coins in circulation. I buy them ASAP so I can get them out of the way. I will be so glad next year when the President dollars are done.
The designs on Modern Coinage is a direct result of a "design by committee" philosophy which the US Mint has employed since the creation of the CAC and in conjunction with the CFA. Throw in "computer controlled designs" and you'll end up with the crap we have today. Can I say crap?
