Budget or daydream?

Collectors hate budgeting, but I have to think about it from time to time as an editor.

Since we are about to turn the page on the calendar to the last month of the year, my mind is turning to what new coins might be issued by the U.S. Mint in 2013.

Some things we already know. There will be America the Beautiful quarters and their 5-ounce silver counterparts. There will be standard proof and mint sets.

But if the Mint has new American Eagle sets in mind, wouldn’t you like to know it ahead of time so you can plan to have sufficient funds ready to make the purchases?

If you say yes to that, then you are engaging in a form of budgeting. It is not the boring kind practiced by accountants, because it involves visions of beautiful coins and potentially high profits from Proof-70 examples of them. But it is still budgeting.

If the cent will have a new composition, new collector sets might be created to highlight this change.

Who knows, perhaps the “S” mintmark could be added to other circulation strike coins beyond the quarter, and whatever the S-mint coins there might be, they should all be added to the regular uncirculated coin set.

Come January, it is my wish that we will be treated to a comprehensive list of what will be available from the Mint in 2013.

Is that realistic?

I can dream, can’t I?

That’s far more pleasant than doing a budget.

Buzz blogger Dave Harper is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."