Community Voice Responses (11/12/13)

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From the Oct. 18 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Will you be giving Mint proof sets as gifts this holiday season?

Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.

I most definitely will be sending out mint proof sets for the holidays plus some reasonably priced graded coins. I think there is no better time to do so.
Erik Soderstrom
Woodbridge Conn.

Since 1999 I have been giving my sons-in-law silver proof sets from the Mint. Each of my nine grandchildren get Presidential dollar proof mint sets. I plan to continue this tradition as long as the Mint doesn’t go wild on price.
Steve Michalicek
Spring, Texas

I don’t think that I will give 2013 Mint proof sets this holiday season, as the prices on the clad sets typically fall from the issue price in the following years. However, I have picked up several proof sets from the ‘80s and ‘90s at reasonable prices ($5 and $8) to give as gifts.
Robert Matitia
Cleveland, Ohio

I have been giving my eight grandchildren proof sets since 1999. Every year they get the same thing for Christmas from me. I must say that they react with lackluster enthusiasm. Most of the time they don’t even look at them. In the long run those sets will be the only thing they have from their childhood.
I give these sets each year in the hopes that at least one of them will take an interest in coin collecting. I have given up on the hopes of passing my collection to one of them. I am sure that they would just sell the collection after they find out how much it’s worth.
I also purchase give-a-way sets (10 of them) and hand them out to folks I work with who have babies during the year. It’s my way of commemorating the addition to their families. It’s nice to have something from your birth year when you get older. The sets are always graciously accepted. What happens from there is anyone’s guess.
I still believe that giving away the sets gives me the best bang for my buck. At least they won’t end up in the trash like most toys do in a month or two.
Jayne Shelby
Hollywood, Md.

I normally buy silver proof sets for each of my three kids and will hopefully add the grandbaby this year. I did buy a birth set and congratulations set too. I see the recent drop in prices for proof and mint sets so a few more sets seem warranted. But there were lots of bad years still!
Paul Schmitt
Address withheld

No! I quit the proof sets and mint sets when the Mint start ed to sell their worthless dollar coins. They will never, ever have true value. This will make a lot of people angry. A coin’s true value is the gold or silver it contains.
Yes, I do have coin sets of silver dollar halves (favorite Walkers), silver quarters, silver dimes and the pennies. With the exception of the 1996-W dime, the clad coins are just junk. The new Shield penny ia so poorly struck it looks printed on. The quarter and nickel are a disgrace. Fire the Mint director or whoever you need to so we can produce the coins we deserve. As worthless as our money is, maybe we should use sea shells.
Douglas Ivey
Address withheld