With a mintage of 75,000 each, could the March of Dimes three-coin set provide two new key dates to the Roosevelt dime series?
Ron Drzewucki, CEO of Modern Coin Wholesale, Lakewood Ranch, Fla., said that while they will be popular and low mintage, it will be up to the market to decide whether the coins will be considered keys.
“I think it’s a good opportunity,” he said. “I think that since dealers have tried to go a little crazy with the last few issues, they will back off and let collectors lead the sales.”
With collectors leading sales, the market will be better for the set, he said.
“I see this being in the hands of collectors,” he said. “(If) this set is something our customers like, they will want this set.”
Kevin Crane of L&C Coins, Los Alamitos, Calif., said he doesn’t see this being an extremely scarce set.
“There will be a lot of supply and a lot of demand for this set,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they go for over $100 on eBay.”
Issue price is $61.95.
Crane isn’t too far off, as dealers on eBay already are pre-selling the set in the $90 to $100 price range as of April 9.
Julian Leidman, owner of Bonanza Coins, Silver Spring, Md., said that while he figures sales of the set will be less speculative and less difficult to purchase, he still wasn’t planning on seeking them out.
“I don’t normally go after modern sets,” he said. “I leave those for the other dealers. I’m more focused on classic coins. I’ll buy them if they come into the store, though.”
He did try purchasing one set ahead of time, however.
“I saw the set at the Portland ANA show,” Leidman said, where the U.S. Mint had a booth. “I asked the lady there if I could buy it right there, but she said no.”
Crane said that for those buying the set, the biggest selling point will be the low mintage dimes.
“It’s going to excite collectors,” he said. “It appeals to the broad collector body because of the low mintage. Just given that 75,000 mintage, it has to be different.”
Another big selling point is the reverse proof dime, he said.
“With the reverse proofs, there’s been about six so far, those have always been popular,” he said.
When asked if many buyers will want their sets graded by third-party services, Crane said many will be sent in for certification.
“That’s the way to go,” he said. “They will want Proof-70 (PF) and Reverse Proof-70 (RP) coins.”
Drzewucki said that all collectors shouldn’t expect their sets to make the coveted 70 grade though.
“Just because it came out of the Mint, doesn’t make the coin grade 70,” he said. “There could be flaws that prevent the coins from reaching those grades.”
As for the market for the PF-70 and RP-70 dimes, grading totals will matter, he said.
“If every coin is perfect, it will lower the market,” he said. “If only a few reach 70, those will light up the market.
“Everyone wants a perfect coin. They want one as close to perfection as possible.”
As far as his company buying the sets, he said he plans to buy enough to satisfy his customers.
“We’re going to determine how many we’re going to get for our customers,” he said. “I try not to get too carried away with getting too many because I want the collector to get their hands on it as well. It’s better if everyone gets one instead of one person getting 100.”
With a household limit of five sets, Crane said that L&C Coins will do their best to have a supply of them as well.
“We’ll have to buy many on the secondary market,” he said. “We’ll have to at the end of the day.”
Where that secondary market action will take the retail price when the set releases is anyone’s guess. For a low mintage set with two special dimes in it, expect interest to be high.
