I noticed that over the weekend, Scott Travers was on the news. He is putting several rare coins into circulation in New York City by spending them, and challenging people to find them. One is a 1909S VDB. Another is an indian head cent worth $300. The idea is to stir up some interest in coins and examining what you receive in pocket change. I also noticed that Home Shopping Network is putting on a lot of coin spots this week, selling the usual variety of stuff they offer. I would have thought someone would have mentioned this by now, either to inquire about the legitimacy of the offers, or at least to complain about them.
That late? Prices are already crazy for the proof sets. Selling lines like this get people to buy them: "The US Mint will NEVER, and I mean NEVER, make these quarters AGAIN! NEVER EVER!" :headbang:
Most Americans have not yet even noticed the states on the quarters. When the program ends they will want a full set.
How soon we all forget. That is why polticians only go for votes a short time before elections. We all have short memories. I mention this because not long ago there was this same massive coin interest in the famous Bicentennial coins that will never, never be avialable again. I had one friend that had saved thousands of them. I too fell for that one and had many hundreds of them. My friend and myself recently dumped them all at the bank. At coin shows an attempt to sell them only recieved smiles just short of laughter. Soon all these state quarters will join that fate since there are so many saved by so many that unless one is MS90 or something it will be worth, yes a quarter. I sometimes wonder how much I would have made with the same amount in a savings account rather than an investment in Bicentennial coins.
I seem to remember Cladking pointing out that bici's are doing quite well. Cladking is sharp in that area.
Good story. I'm going to remember that the next time I get any sort of urge to buy any uncirculated clad coins. I bought a 1964 Kennedy half dollar collecting dust in a local antique shop for $3.50 to celebrate national coin week in my own small way. It's lightly circulated with speckled toning that looks kind of nice. I frequently browse through antique shops on coin-rescue missions. They tend not to adjust their prices very often once items are put in the display cases.
If the U.S. Mint had any real interest in creating an accelerated interest in state quarters or any other coin types among the general population, they would spend a couple of years taking every coin they could lay their hand on and melting them down to make coins for the current year. The result would be nothing but brand new coins in circulation for years and the price of older coins would skyrocket. Now, would somebody please suggest this to the U.S. Mint so we can all get rich quicker?
I read about Travers putting rare coins in circulation. They're somewhere in New York City. If you guys would like, I can post the article I found in the paper tomorrow.
