Kennedy name still magic?

The John F. Kennedy 2015 Presidential $1 Coin and First Spouse Medal Set is already on back order at the U.S. Mint website.

It went on sale July 9.

The set contains an uncirculated John F. Kennedy Presidential dollar, which many collectors say they don’t like. It is paired with a Jackie Kennedy First Spouse Medal.

Price is $9.95.

Demand obviously is running higher than the U.S. Mint was initially prepared for.

Is this a surprise?

Those of us who remember the Kennedy Presidency will nod knowingly, recalling the summons to “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

Idealism. Glamour. The seemingly endless possibilities of an administration called Camelot as exemplified by the decision to go to the moon before the decade was out.

These memories of old hopes can be indulged for just a $9.95 per set.

No wonder it is on back order.

On the other hand, medals are not particularly sought after by average collectors.

There have been a few notable exceptions in my time, like the John Wayne medal in 1978 and the 9/11 National Medal in 2011 as well as the beginning of this particular First Spouse medal series. Enthusiasm has diminished greatly over the years for First Spouses.

There is no mintage limit nor any order limit for the Kennedy set.

In recent years sales of these sets have been around 4,000 to 5,000 depending on the individuals involved.

Eleanor Roosevelt caused sales to pop up to 7,000 from the 4,500 of the previous issue for Lou Hoover.

The further back you go, the higher the sales levels. Mary Todd Lincoln was 15,858. Abigail Fillmore was 10,785.

It seems strange to wonder if Jackie Kennedy will outsell Abigail Fillmore.

I hope so.

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Buzz blogger Dave Harper is winner of the 2014 Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."