My adventures with the "100 Greatest", part 3

[Cellgazer]

Farewell to the coin that started my "problem".

 

I used to be an "old coin" snob. Coin collecting to me was owning bits and pieces of history. I thought that the US Mint collector's products were a little bit of a cop out (for lack of better words). AND poor investments at that! Then one day in 2000 I got something in the mail advertising the latest mint offering, and this one caught my attention big time! it was b-imetallic and beautiful! The 2000 Library of Congress Commemerative $10 coin, platinum wraped in gold! Never mind that "how BORING" is the thought of a coin celebrating a library (Zzzzz) I had to have that coin! So, against my now ex wife's threats, I ordered the shiny proof for around $400. I thought "why would anybody order the dull uncirdulated version for ten dollars less?"

Well a lot of people must have thought the same thing because the proof outsold the uncirculated version nearly 5 to 1, and today an MS70 version may sell for as much as $5000!

Know that, I have been keeping my eye out for an NGC MS70 coin for my "100 Greatest" collection, occasionally putting in "low ball" bids. Well son of a gun if one of those low ball bids came through! (Maybe $3550 was not so low ball...) so to make room for the new arrival I am selling the coin that started my obsession with modern US mint products. I have enjoyed it over the years, but now it's just not "dull" enough for me.

(Coin is being auction at that "big site" by Cellgazer.)

 

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[mkman123]

congrats on getting a 70!!!

[RichH]

Hi Cellgazer, I was lucky enough to purchase the coin in MS from the mint as years earlier I had noticed the differences in the mintage between modern gold proofs and unc's. I can cite two other commems that also command a large premiun in Unc over the Proof, the 2001 Capital Center ( about $1750 vs $450 and the 1997 Jackie Robinson. $2900 vs $600 ) Both are driven by the difference in mintage. Unfortunately I bought neither coin. In my modern gold commem collection I have 16 coins all UNC with all 6 that I purchased direct from the mint at MS70. As I have nice locked in profits on this series I will be selling shortly ( probably through Bowers at FUN) with the funding to help with my mom's assisted living care. Congrats on your upgrade !! RichH