Top 50 Most Popular Modern Coins- Let's Talk Moderns!

[John Maben]

Eric, I appreciate your opinions, but I'm not going to buy a 112 page book of them.

 

All the best,

-Brandon

 

Ummm.... that's all well and good. However, I think many others will. Eric is highly regarded for his research and mining of data as witnessed by the thread he started ATS that currently has 10,374 replies.

 

Aside from that, besides comparative analysis and popularity, scarcity, and affordability charts which does contain opinions, (though based on extensive research and experience) the book has a great deal of FACTUAL (not opinions) information.

 

John

[James_OldeTowne]

If I have an inventory of ultramoderns to sell, how do I get hold of you for the purpose of a quote?

[John Maben]

Hi James,

 

Feel free to PM me.

 

John

[ComicConnoisseur]

I think 1997-W Mint State $5 Gold Jackie Robinson Commemorative

and 1997-W Proof $5 Gold Jackie Robinson Commemorative should have been higher on the list,and eventually will be. IMHO

[John Maben]

I think 1997-W Mint State $5 Gold Jackie Robinson Commemorative

and 1997-W Proof $5 Gold Jackie Robinson Commemorative should have been higher on the list,and eventually will be. IMHO

 

In case you've just joined us and not read through all the replies and answers, there is no "ranking" here. It's a group of 50 coins that stand on their own and are not ranked against each other, IE: not 1 through 50.

 

However, I am with you in that I personaly love those two coins.

 

John

[ericj96-migration]

You know Brandon when I go to a lecture or read a book or anything else I have found that there is no one that I agree with on everything they say. If agreement on everything is the criteria I would have hard time growing in my areas of interest. If on the other hand I look for one new concept that is helpful because some one else sees some things I dont then reading the article or hearing the lecture was useful because I walked off with SOMETHING that I did not know and can use. I dump the rest.

 

I try to remember that "He who is taught only by himself had a fool as his master" and I learn a ton from others one scrap at a time.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I think 1997-W Mint State $5 Gold Jackie Robinson Commemorative

and 1997-W Proof $5 Gold Jackie Robinson Commemorative should have been higher on the list,and eventually will be. IMHO

 

In case you've just joined us and not read through all the replies and answers, there is no "ranking" here. It's a group of 50 coins that stand on their own and are not ranked against each other, IE: not 1 through 50.

 

However, I am with you in that I personaly love those two coins.

John

(thumbs u

[BillJones]

"When I was a dealer I never met a collector who had a numismatic interest in these coins."

 

Bill- I'll let you in on something here. Collectors of moderns for the most part don't go to shows, many don't go to shops. Welcome to the electronic age. Many are doctors, dentists, professors, and many are just the average "Joe". Many that attempt to buy at shows and shops end up disappointed and turn to the internet. Some have been burned by overpaying and figure that out real quick when they find those of us that sell at prices that actually make sense. Remarkably most of those people stay in the hobby from my experience because they actually like the coins that much.There are some very intelligent people that collect moderns, with far more brains than me. Classics are generally more intimidating to most new collectors because they require a greater level of expertise which is not beyond today's modern collector they simply don't want to invest the time. Some do later expand to classics.

 

 

 

One can get away with buying the modern platinum coins on the Internet because the grade is seldom an issue unless you are looking for MS or PR-70 graded pieces. In that case you buy certified coins only. When one is collecting classic coins, the grade and eye appeal are very important issues, and depending upon photos to provide you with sufficient information on those scores is a tenuous proposition. If these guys are not willing to put the effort to learn how grade coins, and only want to buy high grade modern material, then they are probably doing the right thing. If you want to become a serious numismatist, you have put in some effort or at a minimum work with a dealer you trust to guide you in the right direction.

 

As for the modern platinum coins I’ll stand by my earlier statement they are not popular among most serious collectors of United States coins. The cost of maintaining a set of these prices is so prohibitive for most collectors who wish to form classic collections that they are something that most of us ignore.

 

I consider myself to be a very series collector of U.S. coins. Two areas that I ignore because of the expense and lack of collector merit are the First Lady gold pieces and the platinum series. If I got involved with them, my ability to further my other collecting objectives would be seriously impaired.

 

[ericj96-migration]

$25 Proof Platinum Eagle Complete Basic Set

 

1997 Eagle Over The Sun $500

1998 New England Coast $500

1999 Swamp Land $500

2000 Heart Land Farm $500

2001 Mid west $500

2002 North West $500

2003 Eagle & flag $600

2004 Seated America $1000

2005 Plenty $550

2006 Legislative $500

2007 Presidential $500

2008 Judicial $1000

 

Total cost for set = about 7 grand.

 

Thats cheap compared to most classic sets of like populations?

 

Fractional Plats are dirt cheap for the rarity class.

[dimefreak]

$25 Proof Platinum Eagle Complete Basic Set

 

1997 Eagle Over The Sun $500

1998 New England Coast $500

1999 Swamp Land $500

2000 Heart Land Farm $500

2001 Mid west $500

2002 North West $500

2003 Eagle & flag $600

2004 Seated America $1000

2005 Plenty $550

2006 Legislative $500

2007 Presidential $500

2008 Judicial $1000

 

Total cost for set = about 7 grand.

 

Thats cheap compared to most classic sets of like populations?

 

Fractional Plats are dirt cheap for the rarity class.

 

My bust half dime set has around the same amount of coins and will be worth around $60K when I am finished. Just MS66 grades. With that said I am sorry you have to deal with all of this negativity. Im not big into moderns but Im not against them wither. To each there own. To be honest I have been thinking about grabbing me one of these platinums..... One day maybe.

[John Maben]

"With that said I am sorry you have to deal with all of this negativity. Im not big into moderns but Im not against them wither. To each there own. To be honest I have been thinking about grabbing me one of these platinums..... One day maybe."

 

We expected it. Moderns have become mainstream but oddly there are still some that haven't figured that out. Good for you sir for having an open mind.

 

When I converted from classicism to modernism I was all but laughed at by others and told I was wasting talent. They aren't laughing anymore, Well, except for maybe a few that resist change.

 

I have a 2010 CTS-V sitting in my garage that still has the tag hanging from the headrest and nipples on the tires, Why? Because they made 3000 of them and it will be a classic some day. I also like being pinned back in my seat when the pedal hits the metal. It's a modern day muscle car in disguise as a luxury sedan.

 

Let's take a look at wine. I am not a connoisseur. However, I know that fine wines must age and that many a great bottle can be found today for under $30.That said, enthusiasts (like the people on this board) either embrace that concept or are snobs and turn their nose up at anything that isn't vintage.

 

We don't need to be "right" in the eyes of everyone. We just need to do what we do, what we believe in, what we like, deal with integrity and the rest will follow.

 

John

 

[ericj96-migration]

$25 Proof Platinum Eagle Complete Basic Set

 

1997 Eagle Over The Sun $500

1998 New England Coast $500

1999 Swamp Land $500

2000 Heart Land Farm $500

2001 Mid west $500

2002 North West $500

2003 Eagle & flag $600

2004 Seated America $1000

2005 Plenty $550

2006 Legislative $500

2007 Presidential $500

2008 Judicial $1000

 

Total cost for set = about 7 grand.

 

Thats cheap compared to most classic sets of like populations?

 

Fractional Plats are dirt cheap for the rarity class.

 

My bust half dime set has around the same amount of coins and will be worth around $60K when I am finished. Just MS66 grades. With that said I am sorry you have to deal with all of this negativity. Im not big into moderns but Im not against them wither. To each there own. To be honest I have been thinking about grabbing me one of these platinums..... One day maybe.

 

 

Thanks!

 

I collect in complete set form the changing reverse fractional plats. The reverse designs look great to me and I like the low mintages. My normally disciplined approach just goes out the window. I just have to have all of them in 70.

 

To me they are the royal moderns set.

 

Eric

 

 

[BillJones]

Let's take a look at wine. I am not a connoisseur. However, I know that fine wines must age and that many a great bottle can be found today for under $30.That said, enthusiasts (like the people on this board) either embrace that concept or are snobs and turn their nose up at anything that isn't vintage.

 

 

That is a very narrow characterization of the people on this board. I keep up with annual Proof sets, base metal and silver, and I collect all of the copper-nickel and silver modern commemoratives. I collect all of the $5 and $10 gold modern commemoratives excluding the First Lady series. I don’t collect any of the platinum coins. From the list above you can see that I’m hardly an anti-modern coin snob.

 

I don’t collect the First Lady series because most of the women honored there are not historically important enough to rate a U.S. commemorative coin IMO. I don’t collect the platinum coins because they are not historically important and maintaining a set of them would divert too many dollars from my other collecting interests. Prior to this, platinum was used in only three 1814 dated pattern half dollars in the U.S. series. The metal has no significant historic place in the history of United State coinage. It is now mostly an investment vehicle for those who wish to purchase platinum as an investment

 

[John Maben]

Let's take a look at wine. I am not a connoisseur. However, I know that fine wines must age and that many a great bottle can be found today for under $30.That said, enthusiasts (like the people on this board) either embrace that concept or are snobs and turn their nose up at anything that isn't vintage.

 

 

That is a very narrow characterization of the people on this board. I keep up with annual Proof sets, base metal and silver, and I collect all of the copper-nickel and silver modern commemoratives. I collect all of the $5 and $10 gold modern commemoratives excluding the First Lady series. I don’t collect any of the platinum coins. From the list above you can see that I’m hardly an anti-modern coin snob.

 

I don’t collect the First Lady series because most of the women honored there are not historically important enough to rate a U.S. commemorative coin IMO. I don’t collect the platinum coins because they are not historically important and maintaining a set of them would divert too many dollars from my other collecting interests. Prior to this, platinum was used in only three 1814 dated pattern half dollars in the U.S. series. The metal has no significant historic place in the history of United State coinage. It is now mostly an investment vehicle for those who wish to purchase platinum as an investment

 

"That is a very narrow characterization of the people on this board."

 

I think it was a "generalization" of coin collectors and dealers, that is true. Most (not all) either accept modern coins as a legitimate area of collecting that deserves respect as would any other, or they do not. Just read some of the responses here. You're right of course, it isn't black and white many fall in between, and as time passes the first group mentioned grows while the second is shrinking.

 

John

[ericj96-migration]

When you guys get the chance, if you like silver eagles check out the 2008w rev of 07 text. That coin is rarer than the market realizes.

 

 

[IRISHBONZ4U]

i have a full raw set of eagles, working on a nice set of slabbed, just picked up the burnished in 70 and have a 20th anniv ready for grade praying atleast the reverse proof comes back 69. so far seems the 1994 and 1995 are the hardest to get because of the mintage and now with the 25th anniv......

 

another is the millenium silver eagle got that a long time ago but not sure whether its worth grading

[IRISHBONZ4U]

As far as modern comms go I like the military, civil war, west point, the new army, marine coin have them all.... kind of a personal interest

[coppercoins-migration]

As for the military coins - I like them all, and have collected some of the ones that are near and dear to me. That's the glory of the modern coins - you can collect only what appeals to you personally, whether it be an artistic taste thing or a subject driven thing. Because I have a long history of military veterans in my family (and am a veteran myself), I really like the military related silver dollars. I could never collect the gold because of their cost - but the silver makes for a great shelf decorator along with my ribbons and medals.

 

Another topic that I hold near and dear is scouting. I was pleasantly surprised to see the 100th Anniversary of the BSA coin in 2010. I am an Eagle scout, and my son is now a life scout working on his Eagle rank. When that coin came out - instant GIFT idea!

 

Modern coins have SO much to offer as a departure from the classic world. Yeah...I'm a classic collector at heart and a purist numismatist...but never once would I exclude modern coins as a serious part of numismatics.

[KeyMan64]

I consider MODERNS as 1965-PRESENT, not 1995-PRESENT. I think the book misses 30 years of coins. With only 1 circulating coin with the majority being popular just because of the run up in precious metal prices over the past few years I think the book is a big miss. I think it could have been called the "Book of Popular Bullion" or something like that. I am by no means trying to be negative...I just think the title is very wrong for the content of the book is all. I am sure the book is beautiful and all that but this is just my critique based on the title of the book. I guess I am judging the book by its cover/title. I congratulate you on writing a book though. It is a tough process to go through...one that I am just learning about.

[John Maben]

Our intention wasn't for this book to be an encyclopedia. It is comprehensive in it's descriptions for each of the 50, not for all modern coins. We chose to limit our picks to 50 coins, and it just so happened that the first pick was dated 1995. In order to keep the list at 50 there were none prior to that we could agree on including at the expense of omitting another. As stated earlier, we don't consider any of these coins to be "bullion". None were minted as bullion. You can't confuse the bullion issues of these coin types with the collector versions. Thank you for the congrats!

[brg5658]

We chose to limit our picks to 50 coins, and it just so happened that the first pick was dated 1995. In order to keep the list at 50 there were none prior to that we could agree on including at the expense of omitting another.

 

Yes, because none of those 13 platinum eagles were expendable?

[ericj96-migration]

Good to see you back Brandon. :-)

 

We need someone to "keep us honest".

 

There are three classes of modern eagle.

Silver

Gold

Platinum

 

The Platinum eagles listed and some that are not in the listings but are mentioned (2008 proof plats) are very hard to write off. They are the best of the platinum series and have type rarity that is hard to look past. Brandon we are looking at coins with a mintages of 2200 + and a bunch of them were sold off shipped loose by some big buyers when very bad mintage data came out after close of sales so sub 2000 populations in high grade are a likely reality.

 

I make no bones about it. Changing reverse platinum eagles are the high end expression of the changing reverse/stable obverse series structures that are showing up everywhere in the cheap series. 50 states quarters, parks quarters, presidential dollars, nature dollars, life of lincoln cents etc etc and with such low mark ups on the coins they are serious coins for very little money that fit the current drift in set structures.

 

Eric

[19Lyds]

1) What were the criteria used to classify these as the "Top 50 Most Popular"? Most popular according to whom and to what metrics?

 

Answer: No science was applied. However, we looked back at the sales of two big dealers for many years that are probably of the biggest sellers of certified modern coins to see what people bought. Aside from that, a team of numismatist specializing in moderns all agreed in the final 50 including myself and John.

 

2) The list only includes one actual circulation coin (the Washington Presidential Dollar Missing Edge Error). While it is "popular" it is certainly not even remotely uncommon. Indeed, NGC has graded more than 40,000 of these errors and PCGS has graded more than 20,000 of these coins. It is certainly popularly marketed, but I dare you to try to unload one if you have one to sale. The popularity has all but died.

 

Answer:

The Top Fifty are not to be misconstrued as the most rare (although many are rare). Tens of thousands of these have been sold and they re without a doubt popular. As for diminished popularity it is true that many of the items on the list are not hot at the moment but coins fall in and out of favor. Right now, almost every area of the numismatics is a little soft but like everything else this moves in cycles.

 

 

3) The other 49 "coins" on the list are comprised of 6 Silver Eagles, 2 Silver Buffalos, 26 gold issues, 13 platinum issues, and 2 bimetallic issues (gold and platinum). The book is titled "Top 50 Most Popular Modern Coins" and is subtitled "Comprehensive Guide to the Most Sought after U.S. Issues (1986-Date)". Yet, all of the "coins" are dated 1995-2011, with only 5 pre-2000. My point is that it seems neither comprehensive nor does it cover the dates listed.

 

Answer: The book was proof read about 20 times by at least 5 different people. That said, the one error we found besides what I think was a duplicate comma was the 1986 to present date. Our intention was to actually make this 1982 to date. 1982 marks the start of Modern Commems but I guess we were all thinking Eagles at the time. As for no coins prior to 1995 that was simply because we limited the coins to 50 and did not agree on any prior to 1995. If this was a top 100 book, no doubt there would be some..

.

 

4) I see that NGC is now offering a special label for these 50 pieces. I get the impression this is yet another marketing game? It's really disappointing to see the hobby being taken over by marketing and hype. This book doesn't help; sorry, just my opinion.

Answer: Another marketing game? Well those that have taken the time to read my first book know I am heavy into research and series modeling and have very little tolerance for marketing hype. If my research indicates that a coin is unlikely to age well I will can it. If you were to put together a "box of 50" to give to your grand children you could do little better. Solomon once said that only a fool answers a question before he has heard it. Without reading the text it had to know if its marketing hype or not.

 

We think many perhaps even you will change your mind once you have the book in hand. It should prove a very useful tool for all in the community that have even a remote interest in moderns.

To me, a true moderns coin collector, the book and subsequent list appears to be nothing more than a marketing checklist of what bullion pieces most folks gravitate toward either through advertising or direct mailings. Collecting bullion coins as "coin sets" is perhaps the simplest form of collecting since it does not involve roll searching of circulating coinage which is the basis for coin collecting. Instead, each peice had to have been purchased directly from the US Mint.

 

Regardless of what is stated, the pieces on this book were selected based upon TPG graded modern bullion coin sales from dealers that only sell bullion and is more than likely an accurate list "according to a Modern Bullion Coin Dealer".

 

When I first heard about this publication, I was fairly excited but after seeing the Chapter Titles, the book is now on my "Meh" List. Chasing MS/PR70 Bullion "collectibles" with fancy labels is not collecting IMO. Chasing high grade Lincolns, Jefferson, Roosevelts, Washingtons, Kennedy's, Presidential Dollars and Commemoratives is Modern Coin Collecting.

[delta]

To Eric & John, Thanks for the book and for this thread, both will be of considerable value, especially to persons who are relatively new and inexperienced in numismatics.

 

As for the harsh critics in this discussion thread, some who made supercilious remarks, it's a useful exercise for you two to counter their negative arguments.

 

If this sort of book had been available ten years ago, it might have helped persons who happened to make unfortunate choices, such as the gentleman with this sad story, explained recently here in the NGC forums:

 

numismatic lament

 

The critics really seem to not fully grasp the collecting philosophy so expertly espoused by Eric Jordan in several other forums and in his previous book:

 

Amazon link to illustrate book

[John Maben]

19Lyds-

 

If I am the "modern bullion dealer" you are referring to, you're incorrect. We are thinking about expanding into bullion but up until now with very few exceptions over the years don't sell bullion. Examples of companies that do: APMEX, Gainesville, Goldmart, Dillon-Gage, MTB, A-Mark.

 

I am sorry you are disappointed, but I must say that your thoughts on this are not consistent with how the book is being received so far by the people that I am in contact with every day, many of whom have already read it in electronic format.

 

 

[19Lyds]

What criteria are you using to define bullion? By my definition, there is not a single coin on the Top 50 list that is a pure bullion play."Pure" bullion is distributed to the AP's in massive quantity and sold at small percentages over spot. Many of these Top 50 coins have extremely low mintages vs their bullion counterparts and were originally sold as collectible items (not as bullion) by the U.S. Mint. Many forward thinkers collect modern coins selectively in hopes of identifying coins that have potential to be tomorrow's valued classics. Down the road, these "moderns" will no longer be modern. REMEMBER, ALL COINS WERE MODERN AT SOME POINT.

 

As for designs, we think most of the Top 50 are outstanding designs, and that too was a factor for inclusion.

 

John

All coins were NOT Modern at some point. All coins may have been commonly available, but that certainly does not make them modern.

 

Too often, coin availability gets confused with Coin Design which is the backbone of the Modern vs Classic Coin arguments.

 

The Classic Coin design period stopped when images of LIBERTY was replaced with images of actual people.

 

Granted, modern Bullion products have depictions of Liberty but of the four bullion products available, three are knockoffs of popular Classic Designs (which had they not had a "dollar" amount minted on them would be absolutely no different than any other bullion "look alike") leaving only One with a truly Classical Design, the Platinum Eagles.

 

Silver Eagles, Gold Eagles, Gold Buffalo's and First Spouse Gold coins depicting previously used coin designs will always be nothing more than bullion collected either for registry sets or pure speculation.

[19Lyds]

19Lyds-

 

If I am the "modern bullion dealer" you are referring to, you're incorrect. We are thinking about expanding into bullion but up until now with very few exceptions over the years don't sell bullion. Examples of companies that do: APMEX, Gainesville, Goldmart, Dillon-Gage, MTB, A-Mark.

 

I am sorry you are disappointed, but I must say that your thoughts on this are not consistent with how the book is being received so far by the people that I am in contact with every day, many of whom have already read it in electronic format.

 

OK. So you don't sell bullion. I understand John.

[physics-fan3.14]

If this sort of book had been available ten years ago, it might have helped persons who happened to make unfortunate choices, such as the gentleman with this sad story, explained recently here in the NGC forums:

 

numismatic lament

 

I strongly disagree. If someone bought according to this book, they would be just trading one set of moderns for another. This book is almost exclusively bullion - someone who buys this is going to loose their shirt when bullion inevitably goes back down.

 

Circulating or bullion - most of the market in moderns is driven by advertising and gimmickry. Gimmickry on the part of the mint with the State Quarters, and then a hundred new designs a year. Gimmickry on the part of the TPG's with the Registry and 70's. And Gimmickry on the part of dealers who write "books" with "authority" on "popular" issues in order to drive sales. Like it or not, that is what the modern coin market is.

[delta]

I strongly disagree. If someone bought according to this book, they would be just trading one set of moderns for another. This book is almost exclusively bullion - someone who buys this is going to loose their shirt when bullion inevitably goes back down.

Circulating or bullion - most of the market in moderns is driven by advertising and gimmickry. Gimmickry on the part of the mint with the State Quarters, and then a hundred new designs a year. Gimmickry on the part of the TPG's with the Registry and 70's. And Gimmickry on the part of dealers who write "books" with "authority" on "popular" issues in order to drive sales. Like it or not, that is what the modern coin market is.

 

According to the same logic, all US proof coins going back to the early 1800s, and commemorative coins going back to 1892 are also gimmickry. In effect you're implying it's all gimmickry except what you collect, and everybody should be collecting the same things as you.

 

And what's wrong with having a coin collection consisting of coins with bullion value? What's wrong with having it both ways, a coin collection hopefully including at least some low mintage attractive modern rarities which are in great demand, and also at the same time coins with a precious metal basis, precious metals that in themselves are considered money?

[cladking]

Circulating or bullion - most of the market in moderns is driven by advertising and gimmickry. Gimmickry on the part of the mint with the State Quarters, and then a hundred new designs a year. Gimmickry on the part of the TPG's with the Registry and 70's. And Gimmickry on the part of dealers who write "books" with "authority" on "popular" issues in order to drive sales. Like it or not, that is what the modern coin market is.

 

There's far more promotion and investment in old coins than moderns. Despite the fact that moderns have been enjoying the most spectacular gains for decades now you'll almost never hear someone touting them as investments. You can pick up nice slick brochures anywhere telling you what old coin is the next to go up but this hardly exists in any moderns.

 

This isn't to say there are no "investment dollars" in moderns, merely that there is much less as a percentage of the market.