New Coin Issues Can be Fickle
Why new collector coins, like the U.S. Mint’s Superman series, may thrill fans but test investors’ patience.
New collector coin issues can be fickle. A few will increase in value following their initial release; however, many will decline in value once they reach the secondary market. Good examples of this are most of the issues in the modern series of non-circulating legal tender commemoratives, modern Mints, and modern Proof sets. This is where it could get interesting, with perhaps a cautionary ‘buyer beware’ to be watched.
The U.S. Mint has launched its Comic Art Coin and Medal Program, the initial offering featuring the DC Comics superhero Superman. The program offers a .9999 fine half-ounce gold $50 coin priced significantly higher than its equivalent, the 2025 half-ounce $25 Gold American Eagle. The silver versions in the Superman program are a 2.5 and one-ounce piece, each being a medal rather than a coin. Once again, the mint’s price is significantly higher than the 2025 one-ounce $1 Silver American Eagle.
Exuberant purchasers, not all being coin collectors, will likely be thrilled to purchase the Superman items, but what about investors? Also, what about the secondary market, which is comprised primarily of coin collectors? The American Arts Gold medal series was just that—medals, not coins. We’ve seen what happened there.
One of the biggest questions whose answer will spell success or failure for the Comic Art program is if the coins as well as the medals will be viewed as an expensive competition to the bullion and Proof versions of the Gold and Silver American Eagles or if Superman will be viewed as truly being super, with the Comic Arts series becoming something popular not only with comic character enthusiasts, but have staying power with coin collectors and serious investors as well.
You may also like: