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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Kentucky, post: 1646061, member: 33176&quot;]Just a few random thoughts.&nbsp; Most everyone on this forum will tell you that coins are about as good investment as playing the ponies.&nbsp; You should collect what you like.&nbsp; We would like our collection not to go down in value, but appreciation in the financial sense takes second seat to appreciation in the aestetic sense.&nbsp; Now, some stuff.&nbsp; For coins or bullion slugs, there are two kinds, business strikes and proof coins.&nbsp; Proofs are special coins that are struck from specially cleaned blanks on special presses that turn out a coin with a mirror finish with some having either frosted devices or not.&nbsp; These coins were never meant for circulation and many of them have characteristics that distinguish them as proof coins, whether they get stolen and circulated or not.&nbsp; Proof coins are graded with a designation of PR and with a numerical value or nominally from 60 to 70 with the 70 being the mythical ideal coin with perfect strike and no blemishes.&nbsp; The business strikes are just that, coins intended for circulation.&nbsp; These coins are graded with a designation of MS (mint state) of from 1 to 59 for circulated ones and from 60 to 70 for uncirculated ones.&nbsp; In this catagory, ASE&#039;s are a kind of anomoly since they were never intended for circulation.&nbsp; However the US mint makes uncirculated ASE&#039;s which they sell to collectors.&nbsp; As you have said, some collectors buy huge quantities and have them graded in order to get the MS-69 and MS-70 ones to sell at huge premiums.&nbsp; The US government mint is a good source for the current year, and if they don&#039;t make that many, you can end up with a good investment.&nbsp; Check out the US Mint website to see what they have and how much they sell for.&nbsp; Happy Collecting and welcome to CoinTalk.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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