Price goes up; mind changes

As every collector knows, prices and conditions can change. When they do, opinions have to change with them.

At the time of their first release, I wrote that the 2012 United States Mint Limited Edition Silver Proof Set looked like a way to pay more for some coins that were more cheaply purchased in other sales options.

For $149.95, buyers of the set get the silver coins from the 2012 silver proof set and a proof 2012-W silver American Eagle. It added up to about a $20 premium for the set.

Now it looks like the set is a sure sellout at 50,000 mintage limit.

Why?

As a helpful reader pointed out to me by email this morning, with the standard 2012 silver proof set now off sale and trading at a far higher price on the secondary market, the limited edition set is, in his words, "not be such a bad deal after all."

With the latest sales report from the U.S. Mint in hand, I see that buyers have taken 48,251 of the available limited edition sets.

If you have been sitting on the fence in regard to this set, you had better act today. Those remaining 1,749 sets likely won’t last long.

Have I changed my tune about the set?

Absolutely.

Can you blame me?

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