The 2000 Library of Congress Commemorative Coins - Modern Rarities

Jaime Hernandez - November 17, 2006
 

Most collectors have been pleased with their recent purchases from the U.S. Mint, especially since secondary market prices have sometimes advanced rather significantly. For example, the 2000 $10 Library of Congress Commemorative Mint State coins have proven to be a wise purchase decision. This particular commemorative coin has some very unique qualities when compared to other modern commemorative coins.

In October 1998, Congress authorized the production of four different 2000 Library of Congress Commemorative coins. This was in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the world's largest library, located in Washington, DC across from the U.S. Capitol Building. The Library of Congress contains approximately 119 million items and has roughly 530 miles of bookshelves, making it one of the world's most informative places.

The U.S. Mint produced two One Dollar Silver Coins in both Mint State and Proof. For the Ten Dollar denomination, the Mint produced a unique Bimetallic Gold and Platinum coin, something never done before in the U.S. Mint's History. That this coin was produced in the millennium year lent additional significance.

The Bimetallic Ten Dollar coin was produced in Mint State and Proof versions. The Mint's issue price was $380 for the Uncirculated version and $395 for the Proof version. As of this writing, you certainly won't find any available at or near those prices. Since first issued, this coin has performed very well in price.

Another alluring aspect is the coin's relatively low mintage. The Ten Dollar Uncirculated has a mintage of just 6,683 coins, making it one of the lowest mintages of the modern era. Today, some of the dealers in modern commemorative coins are loading up with these relatively low issue coins. Some dealers on the Certified Coin Exchange (CCE) http://www.certifiedcoinexchange.com/cce/CCECatalog.asp?Action=ViewMarket are bidding as high as $2950 for raw Uncirculated examples. Not bad for a $380 investment! Will any other recently-issued commemorative coins produce the same results? Only time will tell. In the meantime, this one is worth looking for.




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