Hello, I saw prices of some commemorative coins in US Mint's shop and compared with prices in completed listings on Ebay.com. And very often marken prices on Ebay are LOWER than initial prices in US Mint's shop (eg. Bald Eagle coins, Jamestown 400th Anniversary etc.). Why!!!??? In my country, Poland, prices of all nwe issues grow up very quickly and just few days after day of issue, prices of coins can be many tens % higher!
US commems are relatively uncollected, and as a result they don't significantly increase in value for many years, if at all. People who bought from the mint, and then realized that they weren't going to become overnight millionaires then cut their losses by selling them for whatever they can get.
i collect modern commems because i like them. I dont know about Poland, but here in the US, they mint an aboslute TON of them. Price = supply + demand (sorta). So when you have a ton in the market, prices go down on Ebay. On the plus side however, if the Mint didnt make a ton of the commems, dealers would buy them all up, and the collector would end up paying a high premium just to have an example. So in the long run, i may pay a high price buying from the mint, but its cheaper then if the mint produced less, had the dealers buy them all, and then me buying fromt he dealers at inflated prices.
Don't invest in US coins unless you are investing in bullion. Then only buy US Gold Eagles or Silver Eagles for as close to spot as you can without any regard to year.
Yo! Moneyfan: Harding was probably one of the 5 WORST men to ever hold the office of the Presidency!!! How many of those commem's did they make??? I doubt if his dollar will sell individually at all!! As you can see I'm quite a FAN of his and I wasn't even born yet! Seriously though, this is the first time I've heard him mentioned in years.
simple supply and demand. the mint actual charges too high. but then the collectors keep hunger for it.. well, i f you keep buying one set on each year for a series. i think you will not be a loser.