Community Voice Responses (July 10, 2018)

From the June 15 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Should the Mint issue a medal to mark the North Korea-United States summit?

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

My reply would be a very cautious “not now, not yet, if at all.”

As much as I applaud President Trump and almost everything he says and does, I think it’s a bit premature to make a celebratory medal before the dust settles on the agreements that were signed and the understandings that were achieved.

Furthermore, this might create a dangerous precedent to other “events,” major or significant, or not at all, that are performed by our Presidents to come.

The U.S. Mint did not mint anything special for other Presidential main events, as far as I know. In contrast, it did not (thank God) mint any medals to “honor” President Obama’s Iran deal, right?

Oded Paz
Arco, Idaho

A private mint has already issued a challenge-type coin for this monumental meeting. It sold out, and on the secondary market, prices are past $50 a coin on eBay. I think that ANYTHING North Korean or related to this summit will be VERY collectible, particularly commemorative coins and philatelic stamps…we are entering a new world-wide arena.

Robert Matitia
Address Withheld

Should the mint make a medal for the summit? Why not? Why not make them twice as big as the current medals, charge twice as much, and make twice as much money? Of course, I myself would not buy any. I have not bought a single item directly from the U.S. Mint since the proof silver Eagle fiasco of 2009. All that postage wasted on those catalog mailings.

Max Stucky
Colorado Springs, Colo.

Absolutely not! Just because two world leaders met to discuss various topics doesn’t justify a new coin to commemorate the meeting. It hasn’t accomplished anything yet.

Even if it does result in some positive results, what basis would the mint have to issue a coin for it? Would the mint then issue a new coin every time there is a meeting with a foreign country?

How about a coin to commemorate the meeting with China to discuss the trade tariffs? Do we need a coin for that, too? I don’t think so.

Leonard Benson
Ohio

How many other summits in recent times have been marked by a U.S. Mint medal? A quick check of their user-hostile catalog revealed zero summit medals – plenty of golfers, but no summits. So it is not necessary to issue one for this occasion. Besides, there are several already on the market for this event.

Bob Fritsch
Nashua, N.H.

Let’s wait until the 10th or 20th Anniversary to gauge the value of
this summit.

Fred Morgan
Lincoln City, Ore.

No commemorative until something tangible emerges from it. Then, go crazy.

Jeff Schwartzman
Los Angeles, Calif.

NO, no medal for the summit. Wait until we see how it works out.

Tom Miller

Not sure if this is a question, or a joke.

Absolutely not.

Lorne LaVertu

Not till something has been accomplished; nothing but meaningless fluff at this point.

Barry McClain

I think it’s a “mute” idea. All other prior “meetings” should have had the same consideration. This includes all the “G” summits and the like. I am glad to see the question asked, before just issuing the medals. Kudos for doing so!

Gary Kess
Sherman, Texas

Absolutely not. Trump gives in to stop Military Drills with S. Korea. What did we get from this vicious killer “UN.” The same old empty vague promises. Trump says this Dictator is honorable, loves his people and that they love him, is a funny guy and is so very, very smart. If Trump loves this guy so much, I can only imagine how much he’d have loved Hitler.

No medal for nothing accomplished Although a medal made from bull manure may be more appropriate.

Steve McGowan, USMC {RET}

More Collecting Resources

• Download The Metal Mania Seminar with David Harper to learn more about the metals market.

• Check out the newly-updated Standard Catalog of World Coins, 2001-Date that provides accurate identification, listing and pricing information for the latest coin releases.