Market Deep Dive: Classic Commemorative Coin Renaissance – Artistic & Intrinsic Appreciation

Classic U.S. commemorative coins represent one of the most interesting series of coins ever produced by the United States Mint. A collector or investor will surely find something intriguing to them among the vast catalog of silver and gold U.S. commemorative coins struck across six decades, from 1892 through 1954.

While it’s been 70 years since the last classic commemorative coin rolled off a United States Mint press, there’s plenty going on with these coins in the marketplace lately. U.S. commemoratives are seeing somewhat quiet but nonetheless real market movements. It’s a noteworthy development given the fact that, after riding to all-time market highs in the late 1980s, commemorative coins had largely been infamously dormant since…

What’s going on? Let me explain…

Astute dealers have been quietly buying PCGS-graded silver and gold classic commemorative coins for the last several years. Many capital-strong dealers had realized the long-term value of these historic items and bought them after premiums fell, usually at times when the coins weren’t being widely promoted and much of the market wasn’t paying attention to them. Yet, a recent groundswell of interest and price appreciation for the U.S. classic commemoratives represents a renaissance in terms of both dealer and collector interest.

Collectors and investors are always hungry to buy nice PCGS-graded coins, and U.S. classic commemoratives represent a plethora of fabulous collecting options. The 50-coin silver commemorative type PCGS Registry Set includes 48 commemorative half dollars along with a single commemorative quarter dollar and a commemorative silver dollar. More advanced collectors may pursue the entire 144-coin classic commemorative PCGS Registry Set includes all dates, mintmarks, and varieties among the various designs.

Whether a collector wants to build a 50-piece type set or complete the 144-piece endeavor, prices are relatively quite affordable – at least given the rarity of these coins in nice Mint State grades. Currently, the PCGS Price Guide shows the majority of the silver classic commemoratives retail in the range of $175 to $1,250 in MS65, with only a handful priced at $5,000 to $8,000.

Another area of U.S. classic commemoratives entails the gold issues, which were struck from 1903 through 1926. While a tidy set at just 13 coins, the gold commemoratives represent a two-tiered challenge to collectors and investors. There were nine gold dollars, two-quarter eagles, and two $50 issues – the latter each costing six figures. Most collectors pursue the 11-piece set involving just the gold dollars and quarter eagles. Currently, nearly all the issues in the 11-piece set are priced at $4,250 in MS65 on the PCGS Price Guide, with the exception of the rare 1915-S Panama Pacific Quarter Eagle.

No matter what type of commemorative set you wish to build, buy the best PCGS-graded examples you can afford, focusing not just on grade but also overall eye appeal. With the marketplace looking more kindly upon classic commemorative coins these days, now indeed may be the time to start – or return to – building a PCGS Registry Set of these diverse and beautiful coins.