I've noticed many posts about mintage numbers, so here's probably a basic question: What is considered as "low mintage?" I'm sure it has to do with the denomination (surely there's more cents being produced than dollars) but if that's the case, what is deemed "low?" Does one simply look at the past numbers and base what is low on those numbers? I'm just curious and any answers would be appreciated. Thanks.
Thats a darn good question. I don't know the full answer, but I know the population at the time of minting has a role in it. Lets see what the pro's have to say...
I think most collector's are hoping to find coins that will someday be highly sought after in the collector community. Mintage figures help, but distribution and popularity play a large roll, too. For instance, the 1955-d Washington quarter has a low mintage, but many uncirculated rolls were hoarded at the time and can be bought rather cheaply on eBay today. There were 3x more 1949-p quarters minted, but the PCGS Price Guide list an MS-63 1949 @ $54 vs. $10 for a 1955-d in the same grade. In the early '50s, The San Francisco mint produced Franklin halves with rather "mushy" strikes. Any Franklin from that mint with "Full Bell Lines" sells for a premium because they are true rarities. I bought my first uncirculated 1916-d Mercury dime in 1972 for $800; that'll cost you $20,000+ today! It's the key date of one of the most highly collected series. There's plenty of them out there, but everyone wants one. The Spouse gold coins have low mintages, but if nobody wants them, you might as well melt them together and make a boat anchor. Mintage figures are just one piece of the puzzle. Collect what's pleasing to you and chances are, over time, it will be pleasing to others.
There really is no real answer, or definitive number. It would depend on the denomination, and series, and even mint. The key thing to focus on isn't particularly the mintage number, but the survival rate, plus the demand for the coin.
Mintage numbers can be very misleading with silver coins. This is due to many having been melted down over the years and none is sure how many. A low mintage coin as someone stated earlier doesn't necessarily mean they are or will become valuable because so many were hoarded. Another good example of this is the '09 cent, millions in rolls have been hoarded by collectors.
There are far more people who don't understand how it works than there are those who do understand it. But the answer has already been given. It doesn't matter how many were minted, the only thing that matters is how many still survive. Now that is speaking in purely a general sense. But here's something that even fewer understand - the mintage can sometimes be too low. And if if the mintage is too low, then those coins can languish virtually forever in the price doldrums and never be worth much. It's kind of like the Goldilocks story, too hot, too cold - and just right. Typically the coins that attain the greatest value are those in the "just right" category
GDJSMP, I don't totally agree with you. Obviously survival is important, but you left out demand. Neither original mintage (a redundant term, unless there were later restrikes) nor subsequent survival matters, if no one desires the coin. Best Regards, George VDB Coins
I didn't leave it out giorgio - I just said it in different words. For unless it's "just right" - there is no demand.
