Lyndon B. Johnson Coin & Chronicles Set “Unavailable” After 4 Hours

CC Set Spread

The 2015 Lyndon B. Johnson Coin & Chronicles Set is listed as “Unavailable” on the U.S. Mint’s Web site four hours after its release.

The Mint’s Web site processed transactions surprising well today, considering the glitches and crashes experienced by many customers during previous high-traffic product launches.

Officials at the U.S. Mint responded in an email that they will hold first day sales figures until tomorrow morning.

For more information on the 2015 Lyndon B. Johnson Coin & Chronicles Set, please visit the U.S. Mint’s Web site. Further updates will be posted as more information becomes available.

Update (4:51 p.m.): Michael White of the U.S. Mint’s Office of Corporate Communications sent out the following release: 

The United States Mint has sold the 25,000 units of the 2015 Coin and Chronicles Set – Lyndon B. Johnson.  All accepted orders will be processed and fulfilled on a first-in, first-served basis according to existing United States Mint policies.  The product inventory is at the fulfillment center for immediate shipment to customers.  No additional inventory will be produced.  Product shipments, returns and exchanges will be monitored daily over the next few weeks.

To ensure fair and equitable access, a household order limit of two sets was established for the 2015 Coin and Chronicles Set – Lyndon B. Johnson.  The product went on sale at noon Eastern Time October 27, 2015.  By 3:57 p.m. (EST), available inventory had been depleted.”


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Comments

  1. Bill777 says

    Just about right in my view. 4 hours-plus available, so everyone keenly interested could get a set even if they had trouble with getting through the transaction on the website – though in any case there were much less problems than with other RP C&C sets. But not hanging around too long to put a great damper on sentiment.

    Neither an attractive coin nor a very attractive medal in my opinion, but low-mintage and part of the broader RP group as someone mentioned in the earlier thread.

  2. The real "Cool" Dave says

    Just got a great deal on a roll of Silver Frankie’s.

    As for as Johnson? Mine is fine, thank you, LOL!

    Seriously, zero interest anymore on this item — boring.

  3. MarkInFlorida says

    Why do all the C&C product pages say “Mintage Limit: None” “Product limit: (17,000 or 25,000, or 50,000)”?
    Can they mint more reverse proofs and sell them separately?

  4. KCSO says

    CasualCollector says
    OCTOBER 27, 2015 AT 3:40 PM

    @KCSO, just saw your post about orders through 12:48. That’s a lot of order in less than the first hour. I’m guessing they go to Currently Unavailable by 4:30pm EST

    Good call CC! Good at picking Lotto #’s? 😉

  5. KCSO says

    No Mark, these are strictly minted for the set/product; states that in the product description. You’re safe!

  6. KCSO says

    Anyone have an order # for around 4 pm?

    I’d like to see the total count and back into a sales rate and buy %

  7. JBK says

    My guess is that since it is a multi-coin/medal set, they use the “product limit” instead of “mintage limit”. In any case, while I do not expect them to ever make more medals they in theory could. The coins are limited by the authorizing legislation(as to when they can be minted, i.e:. in the year they are dated), but medals are another story. Also, they have stated that the RP dollar will only appear in this set so the product limit is the mintage limit.

  8. The Real "Cool" Brad says

    The real “Cool” Dave says

    “As for as Johnson? Mine is fine, thank you, LOL!”

    Was this you or did your middle school aged son take over again?

  9. The real "Cool" Dave says

    @David

    Yeah — I hear you. Down the road, Ikes and Truman will command the most stable premiums. The rest will come down.

  10. Larry says

    Looks like 25K was the perfect amount. I may have missed one, but I didn’t see any posts here that if you wanted one you didn’t get one. Even the HSN guy is probably happy!

  11. Larry says

    I wonder how long we will have to wait for the Regan set. I can see why they don’t want to do a Nixon set, but I wonder why they won’t do Ford? Maybe he wasn’t the greatest president, but he certainly wasn’t a bad one. There are even stamps of Ford.
    I wonder what surprise the mint will com up with next? I’m hoping for a real RP proof set.

  12. Tinto says

    @Larry

    The Mint order page of the LBJ has a little sentence at the end that says

    “Look for the 2016 Coin and Chronicles Set – Ronald Reagan next year” … so they will just go with Reagan.

    But like you, I’m hoping for a full RP proof set, and for me, maybe a full EU unc set too.

  13. MarkInFlorida says

    Since the US Mint catalog that came in the mail last week had the LBJ C&C set, I asked a friend to order it by mail. I’m curious if the mail order will be filled. The Mint should have gotten the order Friday or Saturday.

  14. John Q. Coinage says

    Is it POLITICAL that no Tricky Dick nor Gerry Ford sets? Weird huh, they were Presidents I know Nixon did write, not sure if Gerald could after his football concussion(s)…

  15. KCSO says

    If 2015 is any indicator, Reagan should show between June and August.., though it is the mint we’re speaking of…

    The C&C release date will follow the coin release, & he’s número tres

    I have to side with Jeff, I think the medals have a lot of potential as well, complete sets in excellent condition will fetch impressive premiums this time next year and onward, and we’ll see more medal activity around an ASE planchet to come 😃

  16. JBK says

    Just for fun I am trying to put some heat on the Director of the Mint about their decision to skip Nixon and Ford. I can see a smaller mintage, but the decision to eliminate them completely from the RP program a bit arbitrary. They are also passing on some amount of profit that could have been made.

    My first letter to him was ignored, and I just sent a reminder. If I do not hear back I may drop a Freedom of Information Act request on them. Let them dig through their notes and emails to provide the backup for their decision. I would be curious to know how blatantly political the decision really was.

  17. says

    I did my part to alleviate the usual congestion during today’s LBJ sale by waiting a few hours to place my order. It was a pleasant ad uneventful experience. I do, however, miss the old waiting room and the good friends I made there.

    @SoKrates–Excellent simple categorical syllogism.

  18. thePhelps says

    I’d suspect the disgraced Nixon and the un-elected Ford… didn’t pass the criteria committees sniff test for honoring them with a set.

  19. NcCoinCollector says

    Pleasantly surprised that I could place the order smoothly for 1 set. Also surprised it took 4 hours for a sellout. I agree with earlier commenters who suggested that many purchasers of Kennedy C&C were interested in that set only.
    After reviewing the Reagan presidential medals I wonder which one the mint will choose- the one with him alone or the second medal that includes the profile of Bush?

  20. GoldFishin says

    @Cagcrisp-(From previous thread)- I collect the $2.50 indian head coins, so you won’t get an argument from me. I love the incuse design, it may not have been great as a circulating coin, but as a numismatic collectible it is very unique and awesome to view in mint state.

    Among my favorite classic silver coins, beyond the 20th century coins already in the queue, are the the Seated Liberty and Trade Dollar. The Gobrecht “Flying Eagle” w/stars or the Seated Liberty with the “In God We Trust” Motto are my two favorites in the seated liberty category.
    Likewise, it’s really tough to beat the design of the Trade Dollar when you take both Obverse and the Reverse into consideration. Yea, the eagle is a bit disproportional, but they all were back then to some degree. I will post a link for the Gobrecht Dollar with Flying Eagle Reverse in the next post.

    http://www.tradedollarnut.com/Home%20Page/Home%20first%20links/dates/1878/03674160-copy.jpg

  21. VABeachEd says

    MarkInFlorida says
    OCTOBER 27, 2015 AT 4:19 PM

    Why do all the C&C product pages say “Mintage Limit: None” “Product limit: (17,000 or 25,000, or 50,000)”?
    Can they mint more reverse proofs and sell them separately?

    This is from the Mint’s web page,

    Item Number: AX4
    Mintage Limit: None
    Product Limit: 25,000
    Household Order Limit: 2

  22. A Different Jeff says

    @MarkInFlorida –
    The mintage limit applies to the fact that there is no legislated limit, and as this is a circulating coin (well, we are stretching he definition of circulating a bit), it is basically a ‘mint to demand’ product. There are no established limits on proofs, and this is a proof, albeit a reverse proof, but for this discussion the mint appears not to differentiate. Thus, no limit on mintage, but a specified product limit. If you look back at the previous RP coins, they were either in a product with a stated limit or they were available for a specified period.

    Hopefully this clears up this question for you.

  23. CasualCollector says

    @VABeachEd
    Regarding your question if they can mint more reverse proofs and sell them separately…

    When you read the description, they mention that the reverse proof coin is found only in this set!

  24. Jerry Diekmann says

    Larry – all the dead presidents have stamps, even Nixon. The Nixon stamp has him looking better than anytime in his life. Ford was NOT a good president for several reasons: He pardoned Nixon for his felonious crimes, when equal justice under the law should have required a lengthy prison term for the disgraced ex-President. Ford signed the Helsinki accords in 1975, effectively honoring the Soviet Union’s strangehold on eastern Europe and the Iron Curtian countries. During a 1976 presidential debate against a then obscure Georgia governor named Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford famously, and unbelievably, uttered, “There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe.” The issue is moot now, since the USSR has disintegrated and these countries are free inations once again, and none of that is due to Ford. Thirdly, he more than ayone else, is responsible for promoting the careers of Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, who re-appeared in their worst form under the George W. Bush presidency and wracked havoc with foreign and domestic policy and started the Iraq war through their lies about Saddam Hussein and his WMD, lies, Bush wanted to and was ready to hear.

  25. Jerry Diekmann says

    JBK – just for fun, I’m curious why you would want to ever see a Nixon or Ford C&C set. Do we really want to be reminded of their two disastrous presidencies, which were a lot more than Watergate, the Vietnam War escalation and the eventual Communist victory, the Helsinki Accords recognizing Soviet domination over all of eastern Europe, and incessantly high inflation and stagflation in spite of “WIN” (whip inflation now)? What should the Mint write that would somehow “polish the turd” for these two failed presidencies? You may think this was a political act, and possibly it was – is there anything that is NOT political that comes out of DC? But honoring these two men would be like Germany honoring Hitler or the SS, the Soviet Union honoring Stalin and Khruschev and Brezhnev, the USA honoring Aaron Burr or Benedict Arnold, or Mexico honoring Antonio Santa Anna or Porfirio Diaz. Some people who were evil or just plain stupid, like Ford, don’t deserve to be remembered after all the damage they have done. Sure, we must remember the mistakes of the past so we don’t make them again, but that does not mean honoring people who did evil or made the mistakes, deserve not honor, but scorn,. That’s my opinion, and people are free to agree or disagree.

  26. cagcrisp says

    @GoldFishin, Thanks for the Reply. I Wish you would give me an Approximation Cost of the Two coins you linked…

  27. VA Bob says

    Jerry – If you look at all the presidents objectively, you can find something rotten under each administration, and even then you have to look at the bigger picture like who controlled congress and bit off on this stuff.

  28. Jeff says

    Dam 4 hr sellout these suck I guess. To boot 25k these really suck. Oh really possible three types of buyers RP, Silver Medals, or the combination of both I say not enough to go round.

  29. GoldFishin says

    @Cag- 🙂 The MS67 Trade dollar has a market value of 70K. An 1836 Gobrecht PF Dollar w/stars in MS62-63 grade would run you around 22-40K at auction.

    You asked me what I would like to see commemorated, not what I owned? 😉

  30. sharks2th says

    jhawk92 – Glad you and Ikaika picked up the next one. I try to check on the pop report after the release date to figure when they should show up. The pops showed up at the end of last week so I figured they would be available in a week or two. They posted the Mercanti ones for presale last night and the plain FS for sale this morning.

  31. A Different Jeff says

    There have been, over several previous threads, comments about returning product to the mint and problems associated with doing so.

    I have had to return several items over the years for various defective coin/packaging.

    Most recent were my 2 Kennedy C&C sets after the product became unavailable. I generated the return label in my order history and received the email from the mint. I then called the customer service number and talked to the CSR, specifically describing the defects (these had spots on both surfaces) and requested replacement. She told me that although the sets were unavailable, the Mint holds back a small number, around 1%, based on historical return trends. She also said she would make a request that the set be screened before shipping. Whether that helped or not, my replacements arrived and are very nice. When I packed the sets, I put sticky notes in each set describing what the defect was and where it was located.

    The next prior sets I had to return were the NA Coin and Currency sets. 4 of my 5 sets had the badly misaligned bills. I followed the same procedure outlined above, and had the same excellent results.

    My replacements were shipped about 2 to 3 days after my return had been received. I used this procedure because I had hit the HH limit and couldn’t order additional sets and cherry pick.

  32. cagcrisp says

    The Mints numbers for Sales of the high relief Liberty has been Increased an additional +176 to 1,923 and a Total YTD Sales of 44,843…

  33. cagcrisp says

    ‘Sold Listing’ of the ‘2015 high relief Liberty’ on the bay Through 10/27/15 since Day 1. (updated Sales Number since 10/11/15):

    OGP…..199…. Average Sold pricing….$1,622.20 (+17 Sold)
    NGC 68…..3…..$1,514.83 (+0)
    NGC 68PL…..1…..$1,625.00 (+0)
    NGC 69…..83…..$1,592.51 (+6)
    NGC 69PL…..13…..$2,099.61 (+0)
    NGC 70…..378…..$1,813.50 (+16)
    NGC 70PL…..6…..$7,224.00 (+1)
    PCGS 69…..72…..$1,555.07 (+5)
    PCGS 70…..467…..$1,816.66 (+55)
    PCGS 70PL…..11…..$9,214.91 (+0)
    TOTAL …..1,233…..$1,848.53 (+100)

  34. CurtO says

    Aside from the Watergate break-in coverup for which he is remembered, Nixon signed some landmark equal rights legislation, created the EPA and Clean WaterAct, opened China to the USA ended the Vietnam War, ended the military draft and negotiated the return of PoWs. If any president needed a Coin and Chronicle set, it would be Richard Nixon.

  35. The real "Cool" Dave (aka, Troll Hunter) says

    @Sherril

    Yes, just either write “edit” and refer to the post by date, or write “delete/disregard” and refer to the post date.

    🙂

  36. paul G says

    i read in a book once that said when nixon went to china, mao tse tung wanted to make him a deal by sending over 38 million chinese women to marry in the united states, but nixon tuned him down. had he agreed to the deal, that alone would have earned him a place on a presidential coin, notwithstanding his dirty tricks. as much as i despised him in my youth, he was the leader of the free world, and although he won his presidency by decieving the american people, he reaped what he sowed.

  37. jhawk92 says

    @sharks2th-

    Yeah, I was surprised to see both the regular and Mercanti versions, since BRP has very few Mercanti slabs. I ended up with just a regular one for that issue, and was hoping Mercanti would be back as a majority of my DMPL’s are that way. I guess we’ll have the last one of the year coming up near Christmas.

    I had an opportunity to preorder the regular one from Aydin, but held off, hoping the signed version would be out. So, not only did I save $25, I got Mercanti as well. Thanks again and feel free to post info on the next one. 😀

  38. So Krates says

    @ PAUL g – I believe it was “thousands” and then eventually 10 million Chinese women that Mao offered to Henry Kissinger(who is interestingly absent from Jerry D.’s tirades)

    Does it really require that much effort to hit a shift key now and then?

  39. DBR says

    My order may have been one of the last ones accepted. It was confirmed as received by the mint at 1:48 pm PST. (4:48pm EST) But I’m thinking it was an acknowledged order but likely one that will not be fulfilled. Oh well! We shall see.

  40. Zaz says

    For some reason I had 2 Kennedy C&Cs already in the cart as of 12 Noon yesterday, so when I added the Johnsons it look like I had a pair of duplicates. The joke’s on me when Noon came I was in post-op recovery coming out of an anesthetic haze, so removed the Johnsons instead of the Kennedy C&Cs in my confusion. Really need an autobit ordering app to place orders when one is incapacitated or under the knife during drop. I am reminded of the drug labels “do not operate heavy machinery” includes operating order pages on the Internet with tiny type as well. Live and learn. LOL.

  41. says

    Omitting Nixon & Ford C&C sets leaves a gaping hole which exposes the short-sighted lingering political and emotional biases of current US Mint decision makers.

    The US Mint has already made official medals for Presidents Nixon & Ford (see below), which it produces for all presidents, and $1 coins for each man will be out in early 2016. The US Postal Service has also made a 32 cent Nixon postage stamp (sheet #2955) and a 44 cent Ford stamp (sheet #4199).

    Combining these three usual elements into presidential coin & chronicles sets thus requires only slight modification of the generic C&C packaging design now used for the sets and two biographical brochures. Say what you will about these two presidents’ politics, but history already views the terms of both men as two of the most controversial, interesting, and unique of all who served, precisely because of the the way Ford rose and Nixon declined. This interest will only grow over time.

    The Mint seems to be using short-sighted, contemporary political lenses through which to view the need for Nixon and Ford C&C sets instead of considering the interest which people 100+ years from now will have in them. If Presidential C&C sets are meant to be a library of presidential history, then Nixon and Ford sets must be included and, arguably, are among the most important presidencies to chronicle and coin.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/U-S-Mint-Indian-Peace-Presidential-Medal-42-Piece-Set-Washington-to-Carter-/190744222840?hash=item2c693ddc78:m:mPrOfdHm9of4ybGmosNdG-A

  42. gatortreke says

    But honoring these two men would be like Germany honoring Hitler or the SS, the Soviet Union honoring Stalin and Khruschev and Brezhnev

    I like reading the varied discussion of coins on this blog and even the general discussion of politics as it relates to coins, even when I disagree with the comments. However, the over the top statement above goes too far IMO. Comparing Nixon and Ford to men who were responsible for the systematic deaths of tens of millions of people is nonsensical. There are rational arguments to made against both Nixon and Ford but the hyperbole we see above mutes whatever other points the author intends to make.

  43. Erik H says

    DBR, if “A Different Jeff” is correct that the mint is now holding 1% of inventory for returns then you should get yours. Somebody on this blog noted a while back that the Truman & Ike sets had an opening day sales number that was 1% short of the 17k mintage.

  44. Rudy says

    After reading about Nixon and the Vietnam War, I feel that the mint should cancel shipment of the Johnson C&Cs and over strike the coins and medals with Nixon images. Since Nixon spent most of his presidency cleaning up or dealing with the messes that Johnson made, it would be fitting to use Johnson’s coins as raw material to honor a more worthy president.

  45. merryxmasmrscrooge says

    passed on the LBJ. I think the Mint should have made a set for US Grant (was it coincidence that his initials were US?). He was a great general although a new coin with bothLee and Grant would be nice.. For that matter why didn’t the Mint make these sets for Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Andrew Jackson? Will we be seeing them or similar products in the future?

  46. thePhelps says

    @gatortreke… I read the same thing you did and felt the same way. While there are a lot of things bad that can be said for Nixon or Ford – the comparison to Hitler was a bit off the wall and over the top.

  47. Boz says

    That ping pong deal with China is something our grandkids are going to have to deal with in an eventual hot war. China is well on the way to world economic domination with their fake knockoffs, government backed dumping of steel and manufactured goods at below cost, and total lack of environmental responsibility. Nixon was only the first of all the following Presidents to conveniently overlook China’s lack of respect for cultural and religious dignity. Why we continue to deal with such an anti-Christian government and overlook their human rights issues is beyond me. We blackball, boycott, and sanction poor little Cuba and Iran, but we drool at the thought of possibly selling Big Macs and KFC to China. With the one-sided government monetary of China and all of the counterfeiting, how can we be so stupid as to think we will ever come out on the good side on any deals with China?

  48. Boz says

    I might add China is why I had to stop collecting older US coinage. There is no way to tell the real from the fake, short of buying my own personal mass spectrometer.

  49. Larry says

    Nixon and Ford were both presidents. If you are going to do C&C sets of the presidents, you should do all of them. You can find good and bad in all of the presidents. What’s the big deal. If you don’t want them, don’t buy them. I just think they are nice sets.

  50. Zaz says

    Didn’t miss out after all — credit rejected and cancelled orders are allowing a small inventory yet again. Just placed my order for two, #37200xx, from my wish list. Both the Kennedy and Johnson are showing as in stock available, but the main page for each has “remind me” buttons instead of “add to bag.”

  51. So Krates says

    @ Zaz – So did your order go through with an order number even though the Kennedy C & C is on backorder?

  52. Zaz says

    @SoK: The Kennedy C&Cs accidentally ordered yesterday @ 9:13am were confirmed with an email 2-1/2 hours later. Not sure if they are truly back ordered or not. I had to return my original sets due to defective RP coins and one of the sets was missing the descriptive booklet of all things.

  53. Igor Srtrabinsky says

    Th Mint explained why there is no Ford reverse proof. The effect of the brilliant reverse proof projecting off Ford’s well-known bald head would produce a blinding light possibly damaging viewers retinas. The Mint could not take the chance of having a subsequent class action lawsuit.

  54. Mint News Blog says

    @Sherril: I took them all down, let me know if you want any of them back up. Thanks – Dan

  55. Bill777 says

    @Zaz: This is interesting, and I just checked and I can put the Kennedy C&C in my bag and presumably check out if I wanted to (didn’t do that because already have 2). I am wondering whether the the system has been changed so that these items don’t specifically show “unavailable” and even though they are temporarily out of stock it is possible to order them and then they come through if they become available? That would be a great improvement over the earlier business of trying at 7:30 AM to catch some like happened with the Truman and Ike sets. Anyone else tried this with Kennedy C&C (and would presumably work with Johnson as well)?

  56. Sith says

    @merryxmasmrscrooge – The first Coin & Chronicles sets released were special . I think the current batch were released to cover JFK., but with their I success I think we will see more of them. However I also think the mint will need to come up with an excuse to release a Presidential set, or a commemorative coin (which can only be approved by Congress) to include in the set if its not Presidential. Of course the Mint could celebrate anything even remotely involving a Presidents administration or just use a odd year. IE the mint could release a C&C for Washington in order to celebrate the 238th anniversary of Valley Forge encampment.

  57. Jayarejr says

    Regardless of what you think politically about Nixon and Ford, they were Presidents and should each have a C&C set.

  58. Jayarejr says

    Nixon committed “heinous” crimes? Are any of you old enough to remember Nixon’s presidency? It wasn’t all bad. And compared to Obama, Nixon looks like a saint.

  59. The Real "Cool" Brad says

    Compared to “W” Bush, Nixon looks like a Rhodes Scholar, but that doesn’t strengthen the argument because they most definitely won’t be making any bush or Obama C&C sets.

  60. Jeff says

    Well Brad that’s quite obvious since they both are alive. Where have you been on the moon. Man you must be physic, or psycho I think the latter. Dumb statement, since most of us know these sets are for deceased leaders.

  61. Larry says

    Interest in these sets sure dropped like a rock. I remember the Truman and Ike sets had like 400+ comments per day.

  62. JBK says

    I am late to the discussion, but for the record, I do think there should be a Ford and Nixon C&C. This is in the interests of continuity, and without regard to politics. RPs and C&C sets for the last 7 coins in the series is defensible – 5 out of the last 7 is not. If they had just done JFK and Reagan I would have understood, but to do all four 2015 coins but only one 2016 coin is just plain odd.

    As others have mentioned, every President can be praised or condemned based on the reviewer’s political bias. Not to pick on one President, but let’s examine JFK, who most (including me) feel is a no brainier for recognition with a set. Detractors (and there are many) would point to the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion and his betrayal of the Cuban exiles who were left high and dry once they reached shore and did not get the air support they were promised. Or there is Viet Nam, which would have been JFK’s legacy had he served a full 8 years in office. Then there is the election of 1960 and voting irregularities in Illinois which put him over the top….

    It seems that the comments against a Ford and Nixon coin are all based heavily on partisan political arguments. If we were to use that as the basis for which presidents should be honored, most if not all of the 2015 RPs would never have passed someone’s suitability test. JFK was a likely candidate for a set, Johnson the least likely, and the other two in the middle somewhere. Yet, they all had a C&C set. Personally, I don’t consider Ford or Nixon to be any more controversial than LBJ, but I am trying to leave the politics out of it.

    To issue Ford and Nixon is not a political decision, but to not issue sets for them IS a political decision.

  63. The Real "Cool" Brad says

    @jeff: see comment above.

    That was the point. I guess you didn’t read “most definitely”. Comparing a president who is obviously not getting a set doesn’t strengthen the argument to add Nixon on the list. Now if you compared Nixon to johnson, that would more appropriate. If it helps I can write at a 3rd grade level in future comments.

  64. cagcrisp says

    If you look at Sale prices for Johnson you will see that they are all over the board. There is One bidder that has been very active in Bidding prices Up. He/she is the Same person that about 3 weeks ago did the same thing with the Eisenhower’s. On the Eisenhower’s he/she was just Interested in BIN’s. On the Johnson he/she is just going after auctions. Does Not appear as interested in Buying as interested in Bidding Up..,

  65. sharks2th says

    @jhawk92 – I’ve bought a few from Aydin and like their service, but their recent prices are not as competitive when the new releases come out. Sometimes their sales offer good prices. They were actually the first ones I saw with the BH available. For the recent releases I’ve found mcm seems to offer the best early prices on the slabs. I’ve been picking up some previous years Mercantis if they are at a reasonable price, but do not see them being worth $20 more for a signature. I agree it is nice if you can keep the set with all the same labels. I agree with others on here about the labels being a gimmick. The coin quality and the grade are the important things.

  66. KCSO says

    Larry says
    OCTOBER 28, 2015 AT 12:24 PM

    “Interest in these sets sure dropped like a rock. I remember the Truman and Ike sets had like 400+ comments per day.”

    Larry – I would offer that the lack of comments is more systemic of a larger MNB issue, which is that the matriarchs and core posters of MNB that have consistently provided value added and insightful posts have rapidly ceased posting throughout this year.

    It is not the result of the MNB change of hands in which Dan and team are doing a fine job, it is the result coming to a blog and constantly seeing the repetitive:
    Caustic Troll behavior
    Negativity
    Sophomoric BS
    Fraudulent theft
    Unwarranted Political opinions
    Growing Troll populace

    Just start reading the above posts, enough said.

    Why do I think this? It’s been shared in emails from some that don’t post here anymore or have cut back noticeably, & those that have been here a while can easily count a dozen we don’t hear from anymore, well they didn’t stop collecting over night.

    When people feel comfortable posting here and get a quality, respectful response in return, then the health of the blog will improve.

    I’m hopeful (and optimistic) that 2016 will bring some great coin designs, and a return of those that are serious about exchanging thoughts and information about coins to MNB.

    Peace Out! 😎

  67. coinrattler says

    Nixon and Ford should each have C&C Sets. Nixon had some high points as a President before he took a nose dive and indulged his insecurities. Ford fell into it but it was thankless job at the time and someone had to do it.
    Irrespective, they both held the office and should be recognized. It’s our history, take the good with the bad. Will Clinton get skipped because he was impeached after lying about his affair with an employee. I doubt it and I don’t think he should be . So tit for tat.

  68. Jeff says

    KCSO totally disagree the hobby is dwindling there’s no rhyme or reason what the mint is doing, or lack of doing. there is no accountability on the mints part, there is nothing good about the representation these artist portray. These are pathetic renditions. It’s a clad world the mint keeps pumping out cheese., with no substance. If the mint continues on this track the hobby will die.

  69. cagcrisp says

    Fed Slightly More Hawkish( my opinion) and Gold, Banks, Bonds and Stocks are reacted accordingly…

  70. Erik H says

    There were no C & C sets for the presidents between Lincoln & TR.

    The mint then skipped the presidents from TR to FDR.

    Now they are skipping two more, does it really make since, nope but it’s the mint we’re talking about..

  71. AkBob says

    @KCSO – You hit the nail on the head!!! The very reason I no longer participate in this blog.

  72. Az Dan says

    Depending on who you are and when in history you look at a President and his time in office, you can find both good and bad things to say about them. I don’t even bother reading those comments when I run into them here or elsewhere.

    Can the Mint go back and reissue C&C sets (with Silver medals and Reverse Proofs) for the earlier Presidents or is there a law preventing them from doing so?

  73. Zaz says

    @bill777: Couldn’t agree more, the 7:30am daily check ins were tedious for Truman & Ike. If it is coding change, it couldn’t be more welcome, however, unless the Mint puts out a statement, most people will still be unaware their wish list is center stage for sell outs and near sellouts. It’s interesting that wish list items are drop downs for quantity unlike the individual product pages.

  74. Mint News Blog says

    @KCSO, cagcrisp, and AkBob: I sympathize with these concerns and am looking at ways to tighten up the moderation. Thanks for your input! – Dan

  75. A Different Jeff says

    @Az Dan-
    No, the Mint cannot go back and issue C&C sets for previous presidents with Reverse Proof cons. However, if they have stock of regular Proofs, they could issue C&C sets using those previously minted Proof presidential dollars. The reason is that the Mint is able to only strike coins in the year of their date, although it has had to have some leeway, as the Civil Rights coin went on sale January 2nd, 2014 and they had to have sufficient stock on hand. The presidentials are further constrained so that only certain presidents can be minted in a particular year, thus precluding a 2016 Abraham Lincoln, for example.
    In 2008, the mint released a short-lived packaging series with Proof ‘S’ mint dollars called the ‘Historical Signature Sets’. The first 4 coins released were the 2007 dollars, taken from stock they had on hand. These did not sell well, and the series was discontinued at the end of 2008. Fewer than 10,000 of each were sold, with the exception of the Washington, which was on sale the longest.

  76. Larry says

    @ KSCO, I don’t know. The last C&C sets were only a couple months ago, did everyone just leave?

  77. DBR says

    @ Erik H

    Thanks for the insight into the mint’s withholding of 1% and the returns aspect. I’m willing to accept people’s returns to fulfill my order. I enjoy the history attached to these C&Csets. It may be hard to believe but one of my earliest memories was of watching the news about the death of LBJ. I was very little and living in Houston, TX at the time.

  78. gatortreke says

    Excellent posts both by JBK @ 10/28/2015 12:31 pm and by KCSO @ 10/28/2015 1:14 pm. I don’t post a lot but I do read the blog regularly. The name calling is very childish, really there is no need for it. We’re all here because we love coins to some degree, that should bind us together but unfortunately this doesn’t always seem to be the case.

  79. Sith says

    @Gary Not Dave – Not trying to name call here but that is a silly suggestion. If the comment’s section bothers you so much, you can get the same results by simply not them.

  80. MarkInFlorida says

    I’ve gotten lots of good info from the comments section, I’d come to this site much less often without it. Anyone who doesn’t like it, just stop reading it!

  81. GoldFishin says

    @KCSO- Hear, Here!! It’s like you are reading my mind? Although that doesn’t take much effort… 🙂

    OT- Maggie might be available if Glen didn’t scurry up under that dumpster, or maybe the next menu item. I hope not! 😉

  82. Az Dan says

    Confirmation that my order for the LBJ C&C shipped today. My order was USM03704xxx. Oddly enough my status on the Mint website is still PROCESSING. Glad it’s in the mail.

    I understand the Presidents that appear on coins had to have been deceased for a certain period of time before they could be on a coin. What I don’t understand is if they will be featured on a Presidential Coin why would the mint not offer a C&C set for them. Is the Mint playing politics or have they provided a reason for not doing C&C’s for them?

  83. MarkInFlorida says

    Maybe the Mint couldn’t get enough of the Nixon or Ford stamps to make a C&C? While old unused stamps are plentiful and cheap, it can’t be too easy to round up tens of thousands of any particular one.

  84. JBK says

    Good question Az Dan. I think they are playing politics but we will know soon enough. Today I mailed my Freedom of Information Act request to the US Mint for everything they have related to the decision to skip Ford and Nixon. They are obligated by law to respond, but I have no idea how long it might take. I will post any insight here if they send me anything useful.

  85. Bernie in FL says

    Just got confirmation that my Coin & Chronicles Set was just shipped !!!! Order Number: USM037041xx

  86. thePhelps says

    I happen to think you are reading too much into the C&C offerings. The mint didn’t start with these sets this year… they have offered them for what might be deemed the more popular presidents. Even taking that into account they sold just over 15,000 Theodore (don’t call me teddy) Roosevelt’s and just under 20,000 FDR – prior to this years sets. There was no outcry over the missing Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge and Hoover sets prior to now.

  87. thePhelps says

    @NcCoinCollector … these are not legislated. The presidential coins are – the C&C are simply a concoction of the mint.

  88. thePhelps says

    I should also say they offer the Lincoln set – but that was a beast of a different sort because of his stature and standing in history…

  89. JBK says

    But this year they did them all – without regard to who was popular, and they also introduced the RP. Personally, I focus on that more than the name “Coin & Chronicles”. I understand if some what to collect ALL the C&C sets, but to me the RPs are a set on their own. To put it another way, aside form some medals that are very nice but not widely collected, most of the prior C&C sets are just packaging options. This year’s C&C sets have a unique coin in them, four of them to be specific, and it is reasonable to expect that they would continue through the end of the series. They could have started with FDR, but in any case these are the Presidents people alive today remember.

  90. thePhelps says

    JBK – be that as it may … they have already made some and skipped some… RP or no RP… plus how do you package and present a Nixon set showing the highlights of his career that doesn’t end badly? Or present a Ford set that doesn’t point out he was never elected president… I think skipping them makes perfect sense.

  91. Larry says

    Just out of curiosity, has anyone ever got one of those “remind me” emails from the mint for the Truman or Ike set?

  92. Tinto says

    Just got an email from the Mint saying my order just shipped. Last time it took them almost a week to ship … hope this is not a one time flash in the pan ….

  93. NcCoinCollector says

    Thanks @thePhelps!
    I really like the silver medals they include in the sets. That and the fact they standardized the packaging is one of the reasons I plan to get the FDR set. I was wondering about legislation after a previous thread mentioned that sometimes silver medals are only authorized for specific recipients.
    I do think Nixon merited a set because in hindsight he had some incredible accomplishments and a fascinating story, but it’s not my call to make.
    For the record, I started reading this blog during the fanfare concerning the first NA enhanced uncirculated. What a wealth of timely information concerning coins and their acquisition!
    That said I have also noticed that the most knowledgeable participants (IMO) have been posting less and less. That’s unfortunate and hopefully the trend can be reversed.

  94. Gary Not Dave says

    @Sith
    The comment section can be enlightening and enjoyable but when you get a bunch of non-sense going on, it may be time to squash it for a while. Happens all the time..one or two bad apples spoil the whole bunch and ruins it for everyone.
    I will leave it up to Dan. Well, WE will all leave it up to Dan.

  95. So Krates says

    If reducing conflict is the goal, just eliminate names and have the comments stand on their own.

    When everyone is “Anonymous” the insults are greatly reduced.

  96. So Krates says

    I decided to give up on completing a full reverse proof set by selling my RP GAE today. I was only missing the dime but was just not feeling it anymore. The Mint finally wore me down.

  97. A Different Jeff says

    For those contemplating an FDR C&C set, they are nearing sell-out status. This year’s C&C sets have spurred interest in the FDR sets – we’re down to about 1700 remaining.

  98. Larry says

    @So krates , I have been trying to get that RP AGE for quite a while. That would be a hard one to give up. Tried three years in a row at the World of Money show. I either was just too late or they would only sell the set of three.

  99. Sith says

    “When everyone is “Anonymous” the insults are greatly reduced.”

    I’m not sure on what planet that is a true statement, but among other things this blog use to be anonymous, it was worst than Detroit. It would however be the perfect environment for trolls.

  100. Sith says

    @Gary Not Dave – No arguments. Going to my previous post this was the reason this blog stopped anonymous posts, it allowed the administrator control, but it only works if you actually use that control. IE this is what happens when you expect trolls to behave like normal bloggers.

    Then add the “troll hunters.” Fighting back against trolls is fun, I know this from first hand experience but when you fight someone, you take on that person’s qualities. You become that person. You become your enemy. And your enemy wins because now there’s another one of him in the world or in this case we have another troll on the blog, which is why I stopped, and keep saying DNFTT.

  101. Kentucky Chicken Fried says

    Add me to the list. I have never received a remind me email when I have ask to receive one.

  102. Kentucky Chicken Fried says

    FYI, it took 3 minutes (12:03) to get my order completed. I received “my order has shipped’ at 5:44 East. Couldn’t believe it. Took 26 min on JFK. Got froze out on Ike as I was caught up in the mint.gov vs catalog.

  103. gatortreke says

    I’ve never received a remind me either though I’ve signed up for a couple. I’m in these Coin and Chronicles sets because of the silver medals, not the RP Presidential dollars though they are a nice bonus. I have all except the Lincoln.

  104. Jeff says

    Ok, let’s stop trolling and while we’re are at it let’s stop personal assumptions, lies, untruthful statements, half truth, white lies, possibilities, might happen, hope fulness, probability, if I was them, I think it best, what were they thinking, if I may suggest from one troll to another all rebubliturd banned that should take care of this problem since they do nothing anyways in office.

  105. Robert says

    @ Cool Dave/Troll Hunter-

    Yeah, been pretty busy in life as of late. Still read the blog, but not as much time to comment, especially with the word battles going on here. I enjoy the knowledge here, but get turned off with all the bickering.

    @sharks2th-

    I agree with you on Aydin’s good customer service, and I’ve picked up a few things from them in the past, but pricing lately has been above the average. I got their pre-sale email on the BH and so I’ve been on the lookout for them. While I am not a fan of all the label hype, I am trying to stay consistent with my DMPL set. However, I have a few that aren’t Mercanti, including BRP, since I wasn’t interested in spending nearly 3x the price for that one. But to get one from MCM at that price…I’ll keep things going.

    @So Krates-

    Sorry to hear about your RP AGE. That one is the last coin I need for my RP set. I have them all in OGP, and so the Platinum Eagle was pricey, but I picked that set up recently, so it was actually less than issue price, which is cool. I would like to get the RP AGE in the set as well, but that’s going to be something I have to save up for.

    And count me in the group of folks who have never gotten a remind me email.

  106. Tinto says

    I have never received an email from the Mint either, I had checked the Remind Me button for the Ike after it became unavailable and one other product but all I have ever gotten since from the Mint was more advertising on some other stuff they were selling.

  107. Dustyroads says

    Blue Ridge is a beautiful coin, collecting these in both versions has become something I love doing.
    I’m not really sure why so many people don’t like the Saratoga design. So many commenters here see the hand of General Gates as being dainty, but if they were to appreciate what is happening in the scene, they would understand the refusal to take the sword out of respect and have drinks between them.

  108. Hail Mary says

    @Seth

    Really Seth? Excuse me, we all know you contribute your share, and I mean that nicely 🙂

  109. So Krates says

    I have never received one, but someone DID post a few threads back that he had received a “Remind Me” email.

    I had already sold the proof and burnished coins from the ’06 GAE set last year. I would suggest others do the same if they can’t tie up $5K+ in the whole set. Robert’s comment reminded me that I was also still short the platinum. I don’t like like that ’07 $50 coin at all as it appears from certain angles as if the Statue is wearing blackface. The standard PAE in the early years with some limited areas of reverse proofing had a more attractive finish. Now that my RP GAE is finally gone, I’ll be liquidating the rest of the RPs by selling the C & Cs, the SAE sets, and the JFK set.

    On a side note, the RP GAE buyer had a ’15 HR in his case and told me how much he liked the design and how much better it was than the 09 UHR. He was convinced the 50K mintage would make it a success but in the same sentence said he had only sold one of the five he bought.

  110. Rudy says

    the Phelps said, “JBK – be that as it may … they have already made some and skipped some… RP or no RP… plus how do you package and present a Nixon set showing the highlights of his career that doesn’t end badly? Or present a Ford set that doesn’t point out he was never elected president… I think skipping them makes perfect sense.”

    Simple. You pull the last page from Nixon’s Chronicle booklet, and put in the Ford set.

  111. Rudy says

    So Krates said, “Bill Clinton is a Rhodes Scholar”. That depends on what your definition of “is”, is. Bills’ words, not mine.

  112. Rudy says

    But seriously folks, it is an issue of continuity. Being a collector (and I am sure a bunch of you are in the same boat), all of the holes in the book need to be filled. Remember the 2009 Proof Silver Eagle flap?
    I don’t have a problem with doing all of the Presidents from FDR on up. I even think that they should bend the rules and do Carter (Leave no hole unfilled). But they need to do all of them. These are the guys we remember (not too many people alive today remember Taft, Coolidge or Hoover, so who cares if they skip them).

    Now, let us all chant together:

    Fill them holes!
    Fill them holes!
    Fill them holes!

    Come on, SoKrates, you aren’t chanting loud enough!

  113. So Krates says

    @ Rudy – I get your point, but actually, it DOES depend on what your definition of “is” is.

    If you define “is” as “currently engaged in that activity”, and Bubba is not currently studying at Oxford, so technically he “WAS” a Rhodes Scholar not “is”.

    If you define “is” as including “having been actively engaged in the activity and still holding the title then Bubba “is” (still considered) a Rhodes Scholar even though he is not currently studying at Oxford.

    So, yes! Depending on what your definition of is is, The Future First Gentleman, is a Rhodes Scholar.

    Nuance is sometimes lost on simple folks looking for a sound bite onto which to grab.

  114. bigboy says

    Never get any email from mint any more since they changed to the new web site a year ago or so. the only thing I get is junk mail no ship dated no order conformation nothing of importance,have talked to about 15 different people ,all tell me it should work but it does not.I have to log in and go to order history to check tracking number and the status of the order. sure is crazy. it is not my computer or settings because I get their junk mail,just nothing that I need to get

  115. data dave says

    @bigboy – You might want to just create a brand new account from scratch and I bet that would fix the problem. I know this is a pain, but sometimes the computer databases just get screwed up and no one can fix them.

  116. Bill G. says

    I used the remind me button on the Ike set. The mint sent me a reminder on the day of issue at 12:35 pm, 25 minutes after it was sold out. Fortunately, I was on the site and placed my order by 12:05.

  117. says

    With a mintage of only around 17.5k I’m thinking BRP might be the lowest of 2015. It would be nice also if they capped Kisatchie at 18.5k. imo

  118. fmtransmitter says

    The remind me button has been intermittent at best…No rhyme or reason, it goes out when it wants to….Many many technical issues with new E Commerce provider but then again, they never had to deal with the US Mint which does things with no rhyme or reason as well sometimes. Seems like a great match! Have a great and sunny day all…<<>>

  119. cagcrisp says

    This is Just for those that plan on selling a set of the Coin & Chronicles in 2016 After the release of Reagan. IF you are not planning on selling in 2016 then you can Stop reading now. This is concerning the rationale between selling Individual coins vs. selling as a Set in 2016. That’s all. Nothing to do with long term holding, giving them away or willing them to grandchildren. Just selling Individually vs. selling as a Set in 2016 After the release of Reagan.

    Potential Selling Price: There have been 254 Johnson’s Sold since launch at an Average selling price of $97.80. The last 254 Truman’s Sold at an Average selling price of $210.80. The last 254 Eisenhower’s Sold at an Average selling price of $155.92. I have Not kept up with selling prices of Kennedy but for this purpose let’s use $72.00. Let’s just Assume a selling price of $125.00 for Reagan.

    +97.80 +$210.80 +$155.92 +$72.00 +$125.00= $661.52

    See the problem? You are trying to Sell 5 coins that could have collectively been bought for $314.50 Spread out $62.90 a pop over several months vs. selling something for $661.52 at one time.

    Just who are you going to sell the set to? You had minutes to get the Truman and Eisenhower. You had 4 hours to get Johnson. You had weeks to get Kennedy. So you May have missed the first two offering but there really is No reason that you should not have had ample opportunity to get a Kennedy or Johnson IF you truly wanted one. So again I ask who are you going to sell a Set to in 2016? IF you have ANY of the individual coins then Yes you may need to go back and pick up a Truman or an Eisenhower but Exactly who in 2016 will want a Set of 5 that did Not know or have any interest in 2015? If you had Any interest in 2015 then Surely you could have picked up a Kennedy or Johnson in 2015.

    Money. $661.52 is getting into some money. Just how many of you have shelled out $661.52 at one time for a Set of coins on the bay when you had Ample opportunity to purchase them previously for a Much reduced price? You’re talking about some money there. In 2016 you are going to be bumping up against a 2016 Gold Winged Liberty dime for approximately $180.00, a 2016 Gold Standing Liberty quarter for approximately $422.50, a 2016 Gold Walking Liberty half for approximately $820.00. In 2016 you will also be competing with the 30 year Anniversary of the ASE. After all the Gold and Silver offerings, just how much money will be left to pay $661.52 (more/less) for a Set of Coin and Chronicles? Now I Know there Will be sets Sold. I just don’t see that you will get More by selling a set vs. selling Specific Individual coins.

    Here are Some examples of coins being sold Together:

    On 10/28 2 Eisenhower’s and 2 Kennedy’s Sold together for $389.00. Do the math
    On 10/12 1 Eisenhower and 1 Kennedy Sold for $184.50. Do the math
    On 10/3 1 Eisenhower and 1 Kennedy Sold for $211.60. Do the math
    On 9/9 1 Eisenhower and 1 Truman Sold for $354.75. Do the math
    On 9/7 1 Eisenhower and 1 Truman Sold for $335.99. Do the math
    On 9/1 1 Eisenhower and 1 Truman Sold for $375.00 as a BIN and this was Above average selling prices for each Individual at the time So it is possible…

  120. JagFan says

    @Cag – wouldn’t surprise me if the mintage for Reagan is set at 50k just like Kennedy. That will lower your value…

    By this time next year, the Kennedy C&C set will be under $50 – i don’t think it will hold its value.

  121. So Krates says

    @ Larry – Sorry you missed that last one at the show but don’t give up hope! There are some still out there. Seems almost all the loose ones are graded and most seem to be 70s. It gets pricey (at least for me) in 70 but the 3-coin set ain’t cheap either. That’s why I suggested buying the set and selling the proof and burnished and keep the raw RP costing you around $2K.

  122. Dustyroads says

    cagcrisp, All good points cag, but there still may be a way to make money on these sold as a set, that is if the seller can figure out how to charge 5 easy payments of $132.50.
    Seriously though, I question one of your points, that’s the competition aspect. I believe it’s impossible to assume that there will be a set amount of money which will be spent on numismatics in 2016. I simply believe that there is no shortage of money out there, and that there are enough supporters of the hobby/investment to spend regardless of the competition.
    The reason the US Mint can afford to sell numismatics and bullion is not because of the buying habits of the average Joe collector, it’s because of the big buyer who buys with little risk.

  123. Zephin says

    Just placed my order for C&C today and it took?

    Order Placed: Oct 29, 2015 @ 10:20 a.m

    Order Number: USM03722

  124. JBK says

    Someone asked: “how do you package and present a Nixon set showing the highlights of his career that doesn’t end badly? Or present a Ford set that doesn’t point out he was never elected president.”

    Easy – just state the facts, and without any partisan slant., Nixon had a lot of accomplishments in office, and then resigned amidst a scandal . I also think it would be a very interesting exercise to reassess what his “crimes” were, and to compare them to things that have occurred since then….

    As for Ford – however he got there, he was a US President and is included in the presidential dollar series. The booklet that might accompany a C&C set would simply detail his life and accomplishments. As they used to say on Dragnet, “just the facts, ma’am”. No need to engage in any handwringing – just state the facts and move on.

    And another thing…..who among us actually reads those booklets? I am sure some have, but most do not, I expect. For those who do, does LBJ’s booklet mention the mess we got into in Viet Nam, or the cultural mahem that occurred in our Nation in the 1960s? Does JFK’s mention the Bay of Pigs or Marilyn Monroe? Does Truman’s mention the great controversy that followed (and does to this day)his decision to nuke Japan?

    My guess is they either do not mention these things, or the subjects were sanitized, as they should be for a publication such as those in the C&C sets.

    If the mint said that they were only going to issue 5 of the last 7 dollar cons as RPs, different people would have very different opinions on which 2 should be left out. That is precisely why all 7 should have been issued.

  125. says

    Cag—

    Nice reasoning and recap of recent presidential C&C offerings. I am inclined to agree with you on the basis that bundling together different US Mint products, in my limited experience, dilutes the value of the more expensive elements in the bundle–in an auction format sale. However, as highly desirable elements in a bundled offering become more difficult or expensive to acquire, a fixed price (BIN) bundle is more likely to sell at the desired price IF a seller is patient.

    With that said:

    1) Selling anything on ebay is possible because purchases are not always rational; and
    2) Selling Truman/Eisenhower C&C sets individually is more likely to yield higher returns than selling them as part of a larger bundle of Presidential C&C sets. IMHO

  126. cagcrisp says

    @Dustyroads, You and I have disagreed on that point in the past. I think GoldFishin has agreed with you on that point also. I think there is money for Specific items but in General I see a downtrend in Gold. I really don’t look at much other than Gold. As this years high relief Liberty as an example, Yes the Big Boys will come out when they want something. IF something Major doesn’t change you will see a New Low for the Buffalo Proof in 2015 and in 2016 I look for new Lows for Some Gold offerings because of the 2016 Classic Gold offerings. The only reason I see a new Low for the Buffalo is money being pulled from the high relief or being saved for next year. I know Personally I would like to buy the 2015 Buffalo proof but I’m all In on the high relief and just waiting for 2016. IF it were NOT for the 2016 Gold Classics I would have gotten more high reliefs or the Buffalo this year…

  127. Rudy says

    Cag, I’m not trying to be contrary, I’m just going to try to answer your questions.

    Short answer: Me, or a least people like me.
    Long answer: I bought my limit of Trumans when they hit. Not just to flip, but to hedge against the potentially high prices of the rest of the series. Assuming that they didn’t tweak the limits on JFK and LBJ, this year’s set could have quite easily topped $1000. I was ready to sell all 5 of mine for a tidy profit when they were hot and just pick up a complete set from somebody at the end of the year. It would have been a lot easier than sitting down on the sale dates and going through the frustration of trying to pick up the set individually from the Mint.

    There is an example of this from just last year. Everybody had the opportunity to pick up the First Spouse medals in the Coin and Medal sets for a total of $60 (includes shipping). Yet, in November people were paying upwards of $200 for the 4 medal set (which they could have had for around $20 in October)

    People like sets. This goes back to my previous post about holes. The examples you gave don’t quite fit. They are partial sets, thus there is little interest. Especially the pairings with JFK. The prices on those tanked, and most people that wanted one got one, so they aren’t inclined to pay big money for another one just to get the set it is paired with.

    I agree about not waiting for 2016. I have a feeling that the Reagan set will be overproduced. This is a gov’ment entity, if there is a knee to jerk, they will jerk it.

  128. So Krates says

    @ JBK – You and others have made valid points have on both sides of this “argument”. I am very curious as to the outcome of your FOIA request. I appreciate you making the effort on behalf of us all.

    You say:

    “…..who among us actually reads those booklets? …does LBJ’s booklet mention the mess we got into in Viet Nam…. Does JFK’s mention the Bay of Pigs or Marilyn Monroe? Does Truman’s mention…his decision to nuke Japan?

    I actually do read the small booklet front to back when I open my sets. Paid $60, might as well read ’em right?

    In fact, the decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan IS mentioned in the Truman book. Obviously, M. Monroe is not mentioned in the booklet, but the Bay of Pigs invasion is. I would not be surprised if there was some mention of the undeclared war in Vietnam in LBJ’s booklet.

  129. JBK says

    Thx SK for the review of the booklets – I am shamed to say I have not read mine yet but probably should. I am generally prepared for the worst in these matters (biased or slanted biographical info) but at times I am pleasantly surprised. On a related note, I once visited the Nixon library in Calif. (when it was still a private operation and not yet put under the wing of the Natl Archives) and Watergate was thoroughly covered in its own exhibit.

  130. Larry says

    It would be nice if someday someone from the mint would tell us why no Nixon or Ford. Until then, this is all goofy theories.
    @cagcrisp, who knows what the future price for a complete set is? I don’t really care, I will probably keep my set for quite a while, I really like them. I am not worried about next year, but what do you think about ten years from now? I can see someone wanting a set then, and with so few of them made, I think they will be worth a few bucks.

  131. The Real "Cool" Brad says

    Thanks Cag, well thought out opinion. I have a few sets that are up to date but will probably wait a few more years to sell them and might take your advice to sell them separately, though at that future date it might make sense to sell in one bundle.

  132. fmtransmitter says

    @Larry: I like the the long term for these. These truly are a modern day classic as far as mintage goes IMHO..

  133. cagcrisp says

    @Larry, I think you Either (1) Sell while they are Hot or (2) Hold long term and HOPE that the Mint does NOT go down the road of RCM and Perth and become a boutique Mint. I HOPE that the Mint does not go down that road.

    17k is Low currently but you have No idea what will be low in the years to come…

  134. fmtransmitter says

    Did anyone ever come to a solid conclusion WHY the 4 coin Spouse Set jumped last year the way it did? That was such an anomaly I still haven’t figured that out…Finicky group these numismatists are…

  135. Dustyroads says

    cagcrisp, I had a conversation with Rich about the very same coin, the `16 Buffalo. I said basically the same thing to him that I said to you, except that I added more emphasis on the trending spot prices as the main motivation rather than competition. At this time I don’t see any real motivation to predict any drastic move one way or another. So it’s hard to say if we will see a new low in `16 on the grounds of added competition alone, unless of course you are correct.
    And then there’s the way you buy the coin which presents a problem. If you do end up with a low, you better had been able to predict it and make the purchase before a surprise sellout, like what we saw in 2012.
    If you buy the coin at the lowest cost directly from the Mint, you then will most likely end up with a 69, plus if you are doing that you must be planning on holding in ogp for the long term. Even a key coin can have a much lower that expected resell price in 69.
    You can purchase before sellout on the bay in PCGS FS PF70 which will undoubtedly bring you the most return, at least in the short term, since no one can predict the future TPG trends, but you will of course end up spending more than I know you want to.
    If I were you and really believed in a sellout occurring in `16, I would absolutely keep my eye closely on weekly sells, as I know you do, just don’t underestimate the new Mint policy of NO more losses like what were seen in 2012. They do keep products on the shelf much longer than they did then, AND prices are not tanking presently, nor is anyone expecting that to happen any time soon.
    I love the Buff, and should I be in the position to reward myself I just may take you thoughts to heart. Otherwise, I am planning on taking the three coins and hopefully avoid any natural disasters which could come my way and force a liquidation.
    My plan is easy, stack steady and slowly, but take much caution with the bigger priced products. Number 2’s are frowned upon in moderns.

  136. Dustyroads says

    cagcrisp, The Mint has been very good at not reproducing or undercutting supper low mintage coins like the 17,000 RP’s. I’m confident that these will remain the keys in the RP dollar Presidential series.

  137. cagcrisp says

    @Dustyroads, I wasn’t referring to the RP Presidential. I agree that 17k is Low for them but just how many More Low’s can we see in Other new products? Colors? Shapes? Finish? Whatever that we haven’t even thought of yet. Once you start down that Road I don’t know where it ends. That’s what I worry about.

    One thing I will say, I don’t think the Mint will ever come out with a Gold coin that CURRENTLY has Less Love than the FS coins. Hard to imagine an American Gold coin with Final Sales of Less than 2k…

  138. JBK says

    I think 17K for Truman and Ike was a mistake on the part of the Mint. We liked it (most of us) but from a business perspective they could have sold a few K more. 50K for JFK and presumably Reagan is a better target (from a business standpoint) but I don’t think we will see the 17000 again. That # was based on the sale of previous C&C sets that did not have a special/RPcoin.

  139. Bill777 says

    Just to flag, further to @Zaz’s communication yesterday, both Johnson and Kennedy C&C sets have been available from time to time, for periods more like hours than seconds or minutes. Although they still have only the “Remind Me” button (i.e. no “Add to Bag”), below that is “Add to Wish List”. After you’ve done that, you can to to your wish list and from Wish List add to Bag and do Check-out. So anyone who’s missed these may still have another chance. When it is billed “currently unavailable” this does’t work (there is no Add to Wish List button), but whenever the currently unavailable sign is not there, it may be possible to purchase but only through the wish list mechanism.

  140. Bill G. says

    Cagcrisp, I agree that selling a complete set of RP Presidential dollars in 2016 would likely result in a lower profit margin. Where I think a complete set would be profitable is at that point in time where collectors try to put together complete sets of the Presidential Dollar series. The more widely collectors believe the rp’s to be necessary to complete the set, the higher the prices will go.

    I wouldn’t worry about future lower mintages. I don’t believe the mint will ever make the mistake of selling a super low mintage of a separate coin finish or variation. They will certainly sell limited sets with low mintages of coins that can be found in other sets as well. But, a set with the only RP or Enhanced coin in a mintage of 17,000? I doubt it. They are too greedy for that.

  141. Az Dan says

    I think the future value of any item containing gold, silver or a precious metal will also depend on the intrinsic value of the metal itself. If gold heads to $1800+ and silver to $50+ then what one gets for a C&C added to however rare the issue might be is only a bonus.

    The thing is no one knows where the metals will be at down the road.

  142. Dustyroads says

    Cagcrisp, I personally hold our US Mint to a higher standard and believe it would have a difficult time producing products such as a Micky Mouse coin. Besides, we currently have many private mints providing that service to those who want the off Government type issue PM rounds which are very popular. I’m not going to begin worrying just yet.
    BTW, have you noticed we haven’t seen any more enhanced coins lately besides the `14 NA C&C, and it was done with a wire brush.
    Correct me if I’m wrong…the Marshals may be enhanced, just don’t see it on the Mint website.

    OK, honestly, the Mint is playing a dangerously close game of generating hype over perceived low mintage production coins because the Mint knows how we think. The Mint is in the business of creating revenue, but this is a unique time we live in, it’s hard to say what lies in our futures. We very well could be caught up in a time of revenue over superb design and production. It’s just so hard to imagine the US Mint making coins resembling toys.
    You will however get the chance to own a pink gold 1/4 oz. commemorative soon.

  143. says

    It appears the Mutilated Coin Scheme might be coming to a head. Here’s an article which describes how it worked: http://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/2015/03/feds-investigate-counterfeit-mutilated-u-s–coins-from-china.html.

    Today, the Mint published a notice in the Federal Register announcing it is suspending the program. Also today, one of the Chinese companies involved, Wealthy Max (gotta love Chinese company names) announced it has filed a lawsuit against: US Treasury, US Mint and Bureau of Customs and Border Protection along with Jacob J. Lew, Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, Rhett Jeppson, Deputy Director of the US Mint, and R. Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection. Click HERE to read a copy of their press release.

  144. DBR says

    @ Erik H

    You were correct. I think I got in under the wire. My order shipped today. USM03718XXX. I think it helped to ship sooner by purchasing 2 LBJ sets versus the one JFK set. I bought. That JFK set took a lot longer to receive a shipping notice. I’m just speculating on order fulfillment speed on 2 versus 1 set purchased.

  145. M says

    Why are these low mintage products not scarce? If the 1909 Penny had a variation with a mintage of 25,000 it would be super expensive.

  146. Jerry Diekmann says

    Clark – if you want to see losers in C&C sets, then why not ask the Mint to go back and make up sets for Harding and Hoover? After all, they were Presidents, who like Nixon and Ford, are judged rather harshly by historians for their failures – and rightly so. I personally think we should remember the Presidents who were the most successful at making our country a stronger and better country, and not dwell on people who were failures. That;s why we give gold, silver, and bronze medals to our best athletes, and don’t reward those who never made it to the finals. The Nixon-Ford-Carter years are sad years in our country’s history.

  147. Jerry Diekmann says

    Merryxmas scrooge – Grant’s real name was Hiram Ulysses Grant. Simpson was his mother’s maiden name. It was an easy change to combine his second name with his mother’s maiden name to make “US”. The politicians at the time liked to use “US” for “unconditional surrender”, Grant’s terms to the Confederates at the siege of Ft. Donelson on the Cumberland River in Tennessee early in the war, in February 1862. Grant’s victory allowed the Union to occupy the State capital of Nashville and maintain control over Tennessee for most of the rest of the war.

  148. Jerry Diekmann says

    Boz – Went shopping at Costco today with my wife, and they have got all the Christmas stuff out. Saw a nice 3-foot statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary with her hands clasped in prayer. Checked out where it came from – China, of course, along with all the manger sets and everything else Christmasy. Ironic for an atheist country to be manufacturing stuff like that, I thought, but what the hell – it’s more money to them. They don’t care any more about Christianity than they do about the environment or counterfeiting other nation’s coins. But if you are caught counterfeiting Chinese coins, all you will get is a bullet to the back of your head. The Chinese must think Americans are the biggest fools on earth, and maybe they’re right.

  149. Jerry Diekmann says

    Sith – you’re absolutely right! In 1991 the Mint produvced a Korean War commemorative coin honoring the 38th anniversary (1953-1991) of the truce that ended active hostilities. The reason for honoring the 38th anniversary is unclear, but the truce line was set at the 38 degree N parallel to separate North from South Korea. How a demarcation line would fit into a commemorative date is beyond me, but this is just an earlier example of how Congress and the Mint work. By the way – it’s an ugly coin too.

  150. Jerry Diekmann says

    SoKrates – Bill Clinton might be a Rhodes scholar, but there is ZERO correlation between scholarship and intelligence and morality and integrity. It would be nice if it weren’t so, but this is planet Earth we’re living on.

  151. Jerry Diekmann says

    Where are the Millard Fillmore and James Buchanan C&C sets? They were presidents. For that matter, where are the Washington and Jefferson C&C sets? They were presidents too. I think it is a specious argument to say that we should have C&C sets for all the presidents, or all the presidents since TR, or whatever time you want to pick. Some presidents are simply more worthy of being honored. Do Nixon or Ford or Clinton – yes, I know he’s still alive – really warrant being “honored”? They can all be on postage stamps, without regard to their careers. Indeed, back in 1938, all the presidents from Washington through Coolidge were listed on stamps with different denominations, from 1 cent for Washington to $5.00 for Coolidge. It was called the “Presidential series”, and it used to be avidly collected, maybe not so much anymore, since stamp collecting has gone pretty much the way of sports cards and dinosaurs.

  152. Az Dan says

    An enterprising eBay seller from Brooklyn managed to sell 20 LBJ C&C sets on October 30th. Average sold price before shipping was $67.56. Factor in shipping and eBay & PayPal fee’s and the seller cleared a total $105.61 on 20 sets for an average profit of $5.28 per set. Those were the last 20 LBJ C&C sets sold – any more and the profit margin will be really thin or negative. The Brooklyn seller lost money on 3 sets and made just under $12 on one set.

  153. NcCoinCollector says

    Reagan will be a different story. There was an effort to make sure he would get a coin no matter what the law read. Most assumed since Carter was still on the scene he would not. Add in the fact that hard money types tend to be conservative ( name a Democrat who supports returning to the gold standard) and it could be the best selling dollar yet. Given that his C&C set will be the last I don’t expect it to follow the current format too closely. Expect additional coins , medals, stamps and whatever else. Maybe a bronze medal with a different finish?

  154. achmed says

    I got my sets today. Description on the left of the medal: “The reverse includes the date of his inauguration: January 20, 1965” On my two medals there is the date of his first inauguration: November 22, 1963. Are there different packages or are there different medals? Or is it just a mistake?

  155. John Q. Coinage says

    As to ? on mint reminders, have never gotten ONE…never, ever…BS
    LBJ is in the mail…….

  156. AshersPapa says

    Received my LBJ C&C yesterday, completing the 2015 set. I have received reminders on a couple of occasions, although I hardly need them.

    Count me among those who believe the Mint SHOULD issue Nixon and Ford C&C sets with RPs and silver medals. I wouldn’t call Truman and LBJ particularly “popular” presidents, so that excuse doesn’t hold water. Once now that Reagan is confirmed, omitting Nixon and Ford seems petty. A Nixon pamphlet would make very interesting reading. Even though his presidency ended badly, (1) he was elected by the people twice and (2) he did accomplish some notable things, such as re-opening relations with China.

    Besides, the 2015 set of Presidential dollars fits nicely in a Dansco blank Presidential Dollar page (4×4) with P-D-S-RP. Now the 2016 page will have holes or presidents on multiple rows–ruins the nice symmetry and completeness.

    Nixon and Ford stamps also shouldn’t be hard to obtain…did the Mint really pick up the FDR stamps from secondary sources. Is there anything to prevent the USPS from re-printing stamps?

  157. AshersPapa says

    Also…just saw a Ike RP-Silver Medal 70 set on ebay for $1,899.99!!!!

    Seriously?

    There have been many comments about the ridiculous profiteering on modern coins that make little intrinsic value, but nearly $2000 for $17 worth of silver and a worthless composite because somebody at PCGS thinks they’re perfect? Really? I doubt 1 in a million people could consistently tell any difference between a coin graded at 68, 69 or 70.

    On the other hand, I suppose if anyone’s stupid enough to pay that kind of money, there shouldn’t be any law against it.

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