If so then why? Just to be clear I do this as well and am trying to figure out why I am doing it. They don't change. Its modern metal. I guess you could get lucky and have a low mintage one but most seem to sell out. Am I just mindlessly doing this and should stop or is it perfectly normal and many of you have wrestled with the question and decided to keep doing it? Its not like I started at the beginning so I am not completing a set. I got involved only a few years back. May be a dumb question but I don't know if the OCD part of me is winning out over the rational side.
I had been buying one proof ASE and one AGE every year since 1986, but started buying the first spouse proofs when they came out instead of the AGE. That's right, I'm going down with the ship. I just prefer the rarity and variety. I continue to purchase a couple of ASE proof every year though.
Nothing wrong with buying ASEs or AGEs. I get the ASE proofs every year, just to collect them. No different than collecting any other coin. With the exception of the reverse, and the wartime metal change, the Lincoln cent has been the same since 1909, so sameness does not change its collectibility.
Not to mention that for a price not much more over spot, you get a big pretty coin. If I remember correctly, I paid just over $600 for the AGE in 86, of course they've gone all over the place since then.
I buy 2 proof ASE's each year and have been doing so since 2000 when I re-entered the hobby. I don't look at it as being OCD anymore than one who is passionate about collecting other series of coins. It's just what I do to feed my addiction of collecting moderns........
My coin dealer has a stack of them and each one is the same price, slightly over spot. I go through them trying to complete my set getting each year. I get one of each year, except when my dealer had two beautiful 1996 Silver Eagles, for the same price as any other year. I got both and went home happy. They are fun to collect, I do not blame you for doing that, if I could afford the proofs I would do the same.
It's what got me into collecting. My brother got me an ASE Proof for Xmas every year since the late 90's. Then since my birthday is just a few days later, he started adding the Silver Proof Set for that occasion... Been collecting ever since....
I buy the ASE proofs and at least a 1/10 oz proof gold eagle each year. I'm trying to collect all the 1/10 gold proofs and have done well locating most of them so far that I missed from the mint at release. I did buy the 4 coin AGE set of my children's birth years 2007, 2008 and 2013 though.
Personally, they just don't grab my interest. Mintage figures exclude rarity. I do like the designs, but the Walking Libs and Saints satisfy that urge for the most part. I'm with @ TomB, in that I'll pick up a few MS pieces for a bit over spot occasionally, as they are large and easy to store. I'd just rather spend my numismatic budget on the classics. JMO.
I have two ASE proofs from every year they were issued, minus some of the special collector sets. I don't have the budget for AGE every year, but I have managed to pick up four (two each at two different years) over the years. Why two of each? I have two sons.
2 Proof America Eagle since 1986 gold and silver. But since 2012 I had to cut my coin buying down to 1 set. I don't buy the bullion coins