Chester Arthur Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse Medal Set

Today, October 18, 2012 at 12:00 Noon ET, the United States Mint will release the Presidential $1 Coin & First Spouse Medal Set for the Presidency of Chester Arthur.

Each set includes one uncirculated Chester Arthur Presidential Dollar and one Alice Paul and the Suffrage Movement Bronze Medal. The coin and medal are mounted on a plastic card with an image of the President on the front and issuance information on the back.

The sets are priced at $9.95 each. This reflects a $5 reduction from the last release for the product type, which went on sale near the end of 2011.

This actually represents the first availability of the Alice Paul Bronze Medal. For all previous releases within the First Spouse Gold Coin Program, the US Mint has started sales for individual bronze medals at the same time that the gold coins went on sale. This did not occur for the Alice Paul release.

I am trying to confirm if the bronze medal versions of the 2012 First Spouse Gold Coins will be available individually at some point in the future. If not, this may provide a boost for sales of the Presidential $1 Coin and First Spouse Medal Sets. Over the years, sales for this product type have edged lower, with the most last release for James & Lucretia Garfield selling only 4,639 units after almost ten months of availability.

Whether or not the bronze medals are offered individually, it seems likely that they will be offered within the annual First Spouse Bronze Medal Set later in the year. Back in March, the US Mint published pricing for this product at $16.95.

Facebook Twitter Email

BEFORE YOU COMMENT:

  1. Mint News Blog is not a retail website. If you wish to buy a coin or banknote, you should contact a reputable dealer. One of our sponsors (see ads at left and top of page) may also have what you’re looking for, so be sure to check out their websites.
  2. Per policy, we do not advise on the value, authenticity, or rarity of readers’ coins and banknotes. For this kind of assistance, you should contact a reputable dealer, preferably one who’s certified by the American Numismatic Association and/or the Professional Numismatists Guild.
  3. Vulgar and/or abusive comments will not be tolerated. Nor will trolls.
  4. Allegations of fraudulent or criminal activity against a named party, when said activity has not been proven in a court of law, will be removed.

Comments

  1. Brad says

    This product type really seems to have fallen out of favor. Remember when the Thomas Jefferson Liberty set was consistently selling for $200 just a few months after it sold out? I was kicking myself for not buying any.

    Now, even though the 2009 sets have much lower sales numbers than the 2007’s, they’re practically worthless with almost non-existent demand. And, it seems the Mint will never stop selling the 2010’s!

  2. Kraw says

    People paid $200 for a copper dollar and bronze medal?! Holy cow there is no accounting for taste I suppose.

  3. george glazener says

    @ Brad;
    No kidding, me too. I began collecting this set in reverse order starting in 2011, and paid dearly for Washington, Adams, & Jefferson. But what the hey, they are some of the finest looking presentation items going.

  4. Brad says

    George,

    Yeah, I paid a lot more for the 2007 sets as well, a total of $180 for the four I believe. A decent price at the time, but they’re probably not even worth that much anymore. I got the 2008 and onward sets from the Mint at issue prices.

    I wish the Mint would make the 2010 sets part of the “last chance” this year and stop selling them in December. Maybe locking in the low sales numbers of those might help spur interest, but I doubt it.

    I’ll continue to buy these sets going forward, since they’re the most attractive option for collecting the dollars and the medals.

    Off-topic, but I saw on the upcoming products page that the 2012 ATB Quarters Circulating Coin Set goes on sale November 8. And, we have our answer on whether or not it will contain the circulating quality “S” quarters. That would be “no.” Too bad, but I wasn’t really expecting it. It sure would have been nice, though. But, at least the price did go down from $9.95 to $5.95. I would have rather had the price stay at $9.95 and have the “S” coins included, though. But, I don’t think any of us REALLY expected that to happen. We were just dreaming.

  5. Hidalgo says

    I just received a US Mint survey. I copied and pasted the proposal to have the commemorative gold buffalo coins below:

    The American Buffalo 24K Gold Coin’s obverse and reverse designs feature images by noted American sculptor James Earle Fraser. The designs were originally featured on the popular “Indian Head,” or “Buffalo Nickel” which was introduced in 1913 to showcase the native beauty of the American West.

    2013 is the 100th Anniversary of the James Earle Fraser design on the American Buffalo 24K Gold Coin. In celebration, the United States Mint is considering introducing a two-coin standard proof and reverse proof set, which would not be minted to demand but would be minted in quantities sufficient so that most people who currently purchase American Buffalo coins would have the opportunity to buy the set. (A reverse proof coin consists of reversing the mirror-like background finish of a traditional proof coin, and applying it to the design elements of the coin to achieve a unique contrast.) In addition, the standard American Buffalo proof coin would be minted to demand.

    The price of the 100th Anniversary American Buffalo two-coin standard proof and reverse proof set will be approximately $4,000.

    The price of the standard American Buffalo proof coin will be approximately $2,000.

    Note: Pricing for gold coin products is tied to the market price for an ounce of gold and can vary dependent upon changes in the market value (based on the London Fix).

  6. Hidalgo says

    Another question in the survey:

    Q7c. What mintage quantity would you recommend the United States Mint consider for the American Buffalo 100th Anniversary two-coin standard proof and reverse proof set?
    Mintage Quantity for American Buffalo Two-Coin Standard Proof and Reverse Proof Set

    20,000

    35,000

    50,000

    Open sell window (where the coin is sold for a limited amount of time, but all orders placed during this time are fulfilled).

    Mint to demand

  7. Hidalgo says

    And another question of great interest:

    Q12. Do you think the United States Mint should consider changing the design of the American Buffalo Gold Proof Coin (pictured below)?

    Design of American Buffalo Gold Proof Coin

    Yes – Should consider changing design, but only in special circumstances (e.g., 100th Anniversary of American Buffalo in 2013)

    Yes – Should consider changing design annually

    Yes – Should consider changing design, but only every 2-5 years

    No – Should not change

    I have no opinion

  8. hi ho silver says

    Ill sell some coins for this offering if it comes next year. Even if its a 3 coin set !!! Who is getting this survey ? I didn’t get it yet.

  9. Hidalgo says

    More questions from the survey….

    Q16. If the United States Mint changes the buffalo design to another image, the United States Mint could insert a privy mark of a buffalo on the new design to connect it to the American Buffalo series.

    If the United States Mint replaces the buffalo design on the American Buffalo Gold Proof Coin, do you think they should use a buffalo privy mark?

    Q17. The United States Mint is also considering introducing different options of American Buffalo 24K Gold Coins in addition to the current 1 oz. Proof Coin. For instance, an uncirculated coin and/or fractionals (e.g., 1/2 oz., 1/4 oz., and 1/10 oz. coins) could be offered in addition to the 1 oz. Proof Coin. Note: Regardless of which design is chosen for the 1 oz. Proof Coin, the designs for these other options would be the same as the American Buffalo 24K 1 oz. Proof Coin.

  10. Zaz says

    Please, please vote to bring back the buffalo fractionals for the 100th. The 1/4 oz is as close as you can get to the original nickel. Loved the offering in ’08.

  11. Leo S. says

    Off Topic

    Just recieved the Alice Paul coins and if mine are any example the Mint has done a Great Job with the quality of these coins.

  12. Eric The Red says

    I would like to see 100th Anniversary of American Buffalo 2013 24K Gold Coins offered in fractionals 1/2 oz. 1/4 oz., and 1/10 oz. It is much lighter on the wallet when buying coins to add to the kids collections.

  13. Ikaika says

    I wonder if the US mint will offer financing for the gold buffalo set? At $4000 not many can purchase this set.

  14. Tom says

    The Buffalo design is great, but I would love to see an annual design change. If there is one thing we bullion investors/collectors love it is regular design changes (Wildlife, Pandas, Kookaburras, etc.). I wondered if the mint had the authority to change the design, so I went back and read the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 and confirmed that the mint does indeed have the authority to change the obverse and reverse designs so long as the first year of issuance was the current Fraser design.

    A privy mark of a buffalo to tie it to the buffalo series? Really? Privy marks are so dumb that the lack of one on US bullion has been something I have been proud of to this point. Please, no.

    I have not been a collector of the buffalo proofs simply because I am more of a gold investor and not a gold collector, so I invest in Buffalo and Eagle bullion as close to spot as I can buy it. But, if the mint starts offering a gold bullion option with a changing annual design, I would definitely become a gold proof collector.

  15. Two Cents says

    I would be in favor of a Reverse Type II Buffalo gold to go along with the current Reverse Type I. The difference is subtle, but noticeable to collectors.

    As for other changes to the Buffalo/Indian design in subsequent years, I suggest that the US Mint uses pattern or proposed designs for the Buffalo Nickel that were not used. Then collectors could see what might have been if other designs were selected back in 1913.

    It would seem odd not to have a buffalo as the main element on a so-called American Buffalo gold coin — a small privy mark of a mini-buffalo would not cut it.

  16. William says

    Give us a beautiful gold Indian head coin to go with the Buffalo…

    Call the pairing a “western heritage” set.

    Wild Bill

  17. Tom says

    Off Topic…silver hit intraday low of $31.83 today; guessing it would have to drop to about $30 before the mint would consider repricing back downward.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *