Seeds of desire
I have taken the time to browse through the latest U.S. Mint sales catalog that arrived in my home mailbox recently.
It is a holiday offering called “2014 Gift Ideas.”
The cover shows photographs of the silver American Eagle, the gold Kennedy half dollar and the Civil Rights commemorative silver dollar.
This should catch the eyes of collectors.
Anyone who wants to order these three products will be able to do so and not be disappointed that the coins are out of stock when the order is received.
Though the heavy hitting precious metal coinage might be the first thing you notice in the catalog, popular and traditional products get their due.
The clad Baseball half dollar commemorative coin, which wowed the hobby last spring, gets prominent mention.
Proof and uncirculated examples of these cup-shaped half dollars can be ordered as well as the uncirculated piece in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Young Collectors set.
The 2013 Presidential Discovery Set – Theodore Roosevelt has been included.
Fans of Roosevelt, who went from Rough Rider to possessing the bully pulpit of the nation’s presidency, might like to spend $9.95 to acquire it. It is actually intended for kids 8 to 12 years of age, but I don’t think I would be unhappy to receive it as a gift. How about you?
The heavy hitting gold and platinum coins are in the back. Some are already marked sold out. Others have sold out while this catalog was in preparation, so it was a wise move not to put these pieces in the spotlight.
The huge photographs, though, can make any collector drool over them. They can also remind all of us to order them in 2015 when they first go on the market.
There is nothing in the catalog that will generate headlines, but sometimes collectors simply need a little quiet time to look and to daydream about what they might like to have.
That purpose is not what the Mint has in mind by issuing this catalog. It wants immediate sales.
However, by planting that numismatic seed of desire, it will sprout eventually. Demand for new dates will be higher next year and beyond.
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."
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