Table of Contents
Foreword 7
About the Author 9
Introduction 11
Modern U.S. Coinage: Index of Topics
Chapter 1 Counting the Cost or 20 Years of Wandering 13
Chapter 2 Choosing Our Course 17
Chapter 3 Collections a Product of Coinage Environment 23
Primary Design Change Rates since 1793 24
Chapter 4 Rare Coin Market Behavior
Stable Designs 28
Unstable Designs 33
The Dawn of Changing Reverse Series 38
Competition Among Series with Different Structures 43
Chapter 5 Key in Their Infancy 43
What Creates Them 45
When to Buy Them: Market Inventory, Absorption, Price & Time 49
When to Expect Them - Typical Inaugural Spike & Sales Collapse 50
Series Life Cycles and Growth Rates 52
Long Term Growth Among Denominations David Goliath 53
Chapter 6 Moderns as Design and Denomination Based Type Rarities 55
Mint State Type Coin Ranking for the Last 200 years and its Lessons 57
Proof Type Coin Ranking Since 1859 and its Lessons 66
Chapter 7 Moderns and Classics: In the Same Family? 71
Chapter 8 Precious Metals Prices and Numismatic Premiums 73
Chapter 9 Common Pitfalls & Things to Remember 80
Gradeflation, Crack Outs, and Special Tags 80
Erosion of 70 Grade Premiums After Initial Issue 82
Classic High Grade Markets Indexed to Inflation 83
Common Coinage and Promotions 83
High Bullion Content Classics 84
Key Dates: The Strong Red Line 84
Coin Dealer Proverbs 85
Chapter 10 The Series:
Lincoln Type Cents 86
Jefferson Type Nickels 88
Fifty State Quarters Basic Mint State 91
Fifty State Quarters Clad Proofs 99
Fifty State Quarters Silver Proofs 100
Sacagawea -Native American Dollars Basic Mint State 103
Sacagawea -Native American Dollars Proof 105
Presidential Dollars Basic Mint State 106
Presidential Dollars proofs 108
American Eagle Silver Dollars Mint State-The Modern Morgan 109
American Eagle Silver Dollars Proof 115
Clad Commemoratives Halves Proof and Mint State 116
Proof Commemorative Silver Dollars 119
Mint State Commemorative Silver Dollars 122
$5 Mint State Gold Commemoratives 125
$5 Proof Gold Commemoratives 127
$5 Mint State Gold Eagles 129
$10 Mint State Gold Eagles 133
$25 Mint State Gold Eagles 136
$50 Mint State Gold Eagles 138
$5 Proof Gold Eagles 140
$10 Proof Gold Eagles 142
$25 Proof Gold Eagles 144
$50 Proof Gold Eagles 145
Buffalo Gold and Silver all Issues 148
$10 Gold Commemoratives all Issues 153
First Spouse $10 Gold all Issues 154
$20 Ultra High Relief Gold Eagle 161
Rarest Type Set since World War I 162
$10 Proof Platinum Eagles 168
$25 Proof Platinum Eagles 170
$50 Proof Platinum Eagles 173
$100 Proof Platinum Eagles 176
Mint State Platinum Eagles-Changing Reverse 178
Mint State Platinum Eagles-Business Strikes 182
Chapter 11 A Perfect Storm of Opportunity 185
Chapter 12 Primary Recommendations 188
Circulating Coinage 188
Silver Coinage 189
Gold Coinage 189
Platinum Coinage 191
Chapter 13 A 60 Trillion Dollar Wind at Your Collection's Back-Ultra Long Cycle Taxable Events 193
Bracket Creep-Who are the "Rich" in 2020? 195
Tax Deferred Retirement-The Taxman's Time Machine 195
Energy Based Tax Policy & Cost-Your Material Price Floor 196
Monetization of Debt 196
Chapter 14 Modern Coins and Estate Planning: Shielding the Children Through Heirlooms 197
Thomas Jefferson's Commentary 197
Chapter 15 Self-Directed IRAs-The Opportunities and Pitfalls 200
Making the Most Out of your Self-Directed IRA 201
Appendices:
Appendix A Defining the Ratios 204
Appendix B Modern Coin Dealers 207
Appendix C Enabling Legislation and its Long Term Influence on the Series 208
Appendix D Trends in The U.S. Mint's Weekly Sales Report 223
Appendix E Master Mintage Listings of All Proof Eagles 1986 to 2008 225
Appendix F Master Mintage Listings of All Mint State Eagles 1986 to 2008 228
Appendix G Master Mintage Listings of Modern Commemoratives 231
Commemorative Coinage 1982-Present 236
