Community Voice Responses: Nov. 26, 2019

From the Nov. 1 Numismatic News E-NewsLetter

Do you think special finishes like Reverse Proof and Enhanced Uncirculated are worth collecting? Why or why not?

Here are some answers sent in from our E-Newsletter readers.

Yes.

Allan Brash
Address withheld

Yes!

Jeff Urban
Address withheld

No, too much of a good thing is not good. I like collecting and enjoy the art but when you overload collectors, you will eventually make them stop.

Guy Cleveland
via Facebook

Modern proofs tend to be a bit gimmicky in the short run. Proofs are something you buy for your grandchildren.

David Wyndoze
via Facebook

Not for me. I gave up on the Silver eagles because of all the gimmick coins and manufactured rarities.

Jimmy McPleasant
via Facebook

No.

Kevin Balka
via Facebook

Absolutely not! They are coins made for the specific purpose of taking money out of the customer’s pockets and enriching the state. For me, they are just artificial coins, and are never meant to be used as “coins.”

Ole Sjoelund
Address withheld

I don’t think people will care about them down the road. For example, the first gold Kennedy is now pretty much the same value as what it’s worth in gold. It’s just a way for the mint to sell some more worthless coins.

Roger Anderson
Starbuck, Minn.

Reverse proofs and their proof sets devalue regular releases. Plus, these releases (at a greater cost) are not worth their cost and sales price.

Alan Leo
Address withheld

I like Reverse Proof and Enhanced Reverse Proof, but Enhanced Uncirculated does not interest me.

John Chopek
Millville, N.J.

I like Reverse Proof coins. It’s always good to have new ideas for collectors. It’s good for the hobby.

Ed Woolsey
Address withheld

Since the dawn of civilization, humanity, it seems, has had an ongoing, profound need to collect myriad, divergent objects. So yes, special finishes like reverse proof and enhanced uncirculated are worth collecting by those who choose that particular genre.

Human nature being what it is, would seem to imply that there are those who enjoy bragging rights such as: “Well, the eye appeal on your coin is nice for a normally struck coin.However, MY coin is far more superior because it has a reverse proof finish.”Or: “Your above average struck uncirculated coin pales in insignificance when compared to MY enhanced example.”To reiterate...bragging rights.

Then there is a matter of the expense.A certain segment of collectors is willing to pay high premiums for reverse finish or enhanced uncirculated issues whereas others are satisfied acquiring coins of said date that are quite flashy and yet well-struck at a fraction of the price.Speaking for myself, I would choose the latter which is what it is all about... one's personal preference.

The crux of the entire matter is, have fun, specialize or collect whatever you want which is what this great, exciting hobby/industry is all about!

Sam Lukes
Visalia, Calif.

Collect the coin, not the holder, finish, date of issue, etc. Making an ounce of silver worth three to six times melt just for the sake of being different generates a lot of money for the U.S. Mint, but not a lot of interest for the collector. In ten or twenty years will anyone really care?

Jim Riley
Dubois, Indiana

Special finishes are worth collecting. The concern is for the common collector who cannot afford to keep up with all of the special finishes that the mint has to offer. I personally like them. I cannot afford to grab them all. If I really, really want one, I’ll put it on the buy list and when my collecting funds build enough, I will buy one. I do appreciate the effort the mint is doing to keep collectors interested.

Tony Brubaker
Elkton Maryland