Mercury Dime 2016 Centennial Gold Coin

As I stated on the other thread, I think they should have adjusted the purity to match the diameter AND thickness if possible. They will be fairly thin and I'm surprised they can strike them up without the designs reflecting through on other side. You'll have to forgive me as the term for that is escaping me at the moment.

 

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These are not bullion coins. These are commemoratives, commemorating the 100th anniversary of their original appearance in 1916. This release has been much anticipated and will be a one time deal.

 

Not true. Legally they ARE bullion coins, and legally is the only thing that counts. If they were not bullion coins, they would be illegal, because "commemoratives" require an Act of Congress.

 

Alright, point accepted. But they are being produced one time to commemorate an anniversary regardless of the will of Congress. I'm looking at the intent and collect ability. They're not the same as this year's 2016 AGE offerings.
Do we think lack of a congressional approval will impact the value whatsoever for better or worse?

 

Nope, these three 2016 releases fall into a fairly new and different category - single year bullion issues. The 2009 Ultra High Relief Double Eagle, the 2013 Reverse Proof Gold Buffalo, the 2014 gold Kennedy half dollar, and (arguably) all the 2008 gold Buffalo fractional sizes taken as a unit, are the first four issues, and the three new ones this year will make seven issues total. I recognize that all that is necessary to takes the Buffs out of the list is for the Mint to issue them again some year. And make no mistake, the Mint has the legal authority RIGHT NOW to reissue ANY of these single year bullion issues any time they get the whim.

All "true" commemorative gold coins have been sized and alloyed to the standard of classic U.S. gold coins, most but not all of them half eagles.

 

Ah, a trivia contest.

I'm dimly aware of a few pre-1933 issues -- the McKinley dollar, the Pan-Pac and Sesquicentennial quarter eagles, and I see that there were several other gold dollars.

For contemporary issues, I'm aware of a few eagles and a slew of half-eagles. Any other denominations? (I'm ignoring, as have most collectors, the First Spouse series.)

 

They had to do something to deter counterfeiting, otherwise someone would take unc Mercs, alter the dates, and gold plate them.

We had a similar problem with Galley Mint Museum large cents. Someone machined the word "COPY" off the coin, tumbled it for circulation, and sold it to an unknowing dealer who then sent it in for slabbing.

 

The exception I had in mind there was the 2-finish 1984 Olympic gold eagle, and the bi-metallic Library of Congress whatever-it-is stands as the oddest piece in modern U.S. numismatics. There was also a quarter eagle or two in the classic commem era.

 

Oh, yeah, that thing. Gotcha.

 

That doesn't seem like the most direct or profitable path. If someone can undetectably alter "19" to "20", they can surely fudge the entire date. More likely, though, I'd expect them to do it the same way our overseas friends produce new mint-state Mercury dimes.

 

I got my first college email address in 1984. "Scorpio" was taken, so I chose "Mercury." It has been part of my emails ever since. Right now, I am mike49mercury@gmail. In addition to being the messenger of the gods, Mercury was the patron god of merchants and thieves, it being so hard to tell them apart sometimes.

I have Mercury phone cards (UK) to go with my Mercury Dimes in a Whitman (no 16-D). Among my ancient Greeks, I have a Hermes. I have a French silver jeton and a bronze "Conder" token both with a caduceus. Other analogs include the Egyptian Thoth and the Aztec Huehue Coyotl.

I would say more, but I gotta run...

 

I think it is a shame that the mint will not produce the Mercury Dimes, Standing Liberty Quarter and Walking Liberty Half Dollar in SILVER! It really irritates me that the mint is not going to make them in silver to commemorate the originally silver coins. It just makes since to make them in both silver and gold so that even poorer collectors can get in on the hype!

 

Congress would have had to have passed a law to authorize that

 

@baseball21 is correct. The Mint has a blanket authority, already in a passed piece of legislation, to make gold and platinum bullion pieces in just about any size and denomination their little hearts desire. There is no similar authority to strike ANY silver bullion in any size other than the existing 1 ounce ASE. Any other bullion-grade silver, or .900 coin silver, requires new legislation. There presently is insufficient partisan goodwill to get much of ANY legislation passed.

 

If you just have to have them wait until Christmas and get them below melt.

 

US Mint gold generally available below melt? Yeah, I'll stay tuned for that.

 

Platinum versions would have been an interesting twist.

Or any gold really. I'll buy in bulk if that's the case

 

We'll see. By obsessively watching for new Buy It Now auctions, I managed to buy probably several ounces of gold slightly below melt -- when gold was north of $1600.

 

so in theory if such a legislation was ever passed. the mint would have a free run of silver as it has of gold. heavens help us if that happens.

 

From what I have gathered from the mint by speaking to them on Facebook, I think that the mint is going to make the design for the proof American Eagle the same as the Walking Liberty type to honor the centennial as well as the 30th anniversary of the American Eagle. By the way if you are wondering about the American Liberty 2016 Silver Medal's this year I will give you a hint they won't be from last years design they will be the Mercury dime and Standing Liberty Quarter. So the mint will make a fortune and I am so excited. Again this is what I have gathered based on my Facebook interaction.