Should a Franklin or Walker be worth more than melt ?

coolpix9 · Jan 25, 2012

With silver at $31.67 per ounce, melt on an average Franklin or Walker is $11.45. So I guess these non-key date 90% halves have no numismatic value above melt. I guess it is just a sign of the times. Jim

Generic_Lad · Jan 25, 2012

Honestly, I'd never pay more than melt for a Ben, its just a boring design that reeks of blandness.

As for walkers, BU gems I'd pay a bit more than melt for, but they are such a common type coin (and the design lives on with the silver eagles) that I wouldn't pay too much over scrap for them.

MIhunter · Jan 25, 2012

Supply and Demand count for everything

Age of coin counts for nothing

Red book is our bible

Walkers are beautiful to me but to the world they are silver bullion unless high grade and/or very low mintage

jrf30 · Jan 25, 2012

It's not that the Ben's are worth only melt value. It's that melt value has caught up to numismatic value.

Yes, there's a difference. :-)

When melt was at $1.50 for Bens, you still could sell them for $4. Then melt went to $3, and you could sell them for $5. But now that melt is $11, you can sell them for $11. Melt caught numismatic, not numismatic went down to melt.

I saw a good article about how many Peace and Morgans are now just melt, including semi key dates. It took longer for those to go to melt, as they kept a premium when non-key dates were equal to melt, but now melt has surpassed semi key value too. the author was saying since semi key and non key are now priced the same, for the first time ever (I think the second time, as it happpened when silver went up with the HUnt brothers thing too) that you should sell your non semi for melt, buy the semi for melt, and trade up. Then, if things ever change, the semi key will hold value better. Of course, "I" think silver will be higher, and so it won't matter whether you have junk, semi key or even some key dates. All will be absorbed by melt value soon except the best exammples of certain dates.

jethro1469 · Jan 25, 2012

jrf30 said:
It's not that the Ben's are worth only melt value. It's that melt value has caught up to numismatic value.

Yes, there's a difference. :-)

When melt was at $1.50 for Bens, you still could sell them for $4. Then melt went to $3, and you could sell them for $5. But now that melt is $11, you can sell them for $11. Melt caught numismatic, not numismatic went down to melt.

I saw a good article about how many Peace and Morgans are now just melt, including semi key dates. It took longer for those to go to melt, as they kept a premium when non-key dates were equal to melt, but now melt has surpassed semi key value too. the author was saying since semi key and non key are now priced the same, for the first time ever (I think the second time, as it happpened when silver went up with the HUnt brothers thing too) that you should sell your non semi for melt, buy the semi for melt, and trade up. Then, if things ever change, the semi key will hold value better. Of course, "I" think silver will be higher, and so it won't matter whether you have junk, semi key or even some key dates. All will be absorbed by melt value soon except the best exammples of certain dates.

Yes. What he said.

silvernd · Jan 25, 2012

jrf30 said:
I saw a good article about how many Peace and Morgans are now just melt, including semi key dates. It took longer for those to go to melt, as they kept a premium when non-key dates were equal to melt, but now melt has surpassed semi key value too. the author was saying since semi key and non key are now priced the same, for the first time ever (I think the second time, as it happpened when silver went up with the HUnt brothers thing too) that you should sell your non semi for melt, buy the semi for melt, and trade up. Then, if things ever change, the semi key will hold value better. Of course, "I" think silver will be higher, and so it won't matter whether you have junk, semi key or even some key dates. All will be absorbed by melt value soon except the best exammples of certain dates.

That makes great sense. I just wish I knew of a place to get Peace or Morgans at melt. My best local shop wanted $28 when melt was $22. Online I've seen them for $32 now that melt is around $25.5. Any ideas on where to find them closer to melt?

TheRockDoc · Jan 25, 2012

jrf30 said:
It's not that the Ben's are worth only melt value. It's that melt value has caught up to numismatic value.

Yes, there's a difference. :-)

When melt was at $1.50 for Bens, you still could sell them for $4. Then melt went to $3, and you could sell them for $5. But now that melt is $11, you can sell them for $11. Melt caught numismatic, not numismatic went down to melt.

I saw a good article about how many Peace and Morgans are now just melt, including semi key dates. It took longer for those to go to melt, as they kept a premium when non-key dates were equal to melt, but now melt has surpassed semi key value too. the author was saying since semi key and non key are now priced the same, for the first time ever (I think the second time, as it happpened when silver went up with the HUnt brothers thing too) that you should sell your non semi for melt, buy the semi for melt, and trade up. Then, if things ever change, the semi key will hold value better. Of course, "I" think silver will be higher, and so it won't matter whether you have junk, semi key or even some key dates. All will be absorbed by melt value soon except the best exammples of certain dates.

Its nice to see someone with some "logic"

I am just amazed as I watch the local classifieds in my area.... It is an absolute rarity to find an ad for U.S. junk silver below melt, (I mean even a tiny bit below melt). When you do, it is gone in less than 1 or 2 minutes. Every couple of days, I will see an ad for 90% junk silver being offered at spot price, and same goes there, it is gone that day for sure. 95% of the ads I see all day are for people who are asking more than the several local coin shops in the area, It seems that everybody here is convinced that as the spot price goes up, so does the numismatic value, meaning that they figure they should get a 10-20% premium for their U.S. "junk silver". I think my favorite though, is all the people who clarify in their ads, "This is not junk silver" followed by something like this: All dates on these rosies and mercs are clearly readable, along with full rims to boot.

I feel like calling them up, just to educate them on what the term "junk silver" means...... By the way guys, I have these 2 rolls of 1960-1964 beautiful silver quarters, they are all shiny and uncirculated... THESE ARE NOT JUNK SILVER so do not lowball me. I am asking 600 for the pair of them or 350 each... FIRM on price. ha ha.... ads like that I see them all day long.. ALL DAY.

Its a joke. I still lurk on the ads though, when I first got into this hobby, I found an ad that some good ol boy had put up, and I scored huge (it was literally the first day I ever looked at the classifieds for silver). I dont remember exactly but it was like 1200 worth (at spot) of junk silver, for under 400 bucks. I thought I was onto something, I've been lurking in the shadows waiting to "pounce" on the next great deal ever since, and havent found anything like it since...... It is similiar to CRH'ing to me I guess, seems like I get the same thrill as I do when I open a roll and see a white shiny edge..

Happy hunting everyone.

coolpix9 · Jan 25, 2012

Boy, Look at this fool. Good Luck to him !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,450384.0.html

BuffaloBoy · Jan 25, 2012

I won an AU(MS63 or MS64) franklin half dollar at a raffle at a local coin show. I think it's worth more than melt.

And I am not a very lucky person either!

clovis97 · Jan 25, 2012

jrf30 is right.

On the other hand, to a non-coin collector like me, it does seem odd that my local coin shop offers Walking Libs, Bens, and 64's at the same price. It is the same for Mercs and Roosies...all one price.

It does seem, at least to me, that the WL and Mercs should carry a premium, but again, I think jrf30 nail it.

Is it possible that in 10 years, the Mercs and WL will have a premium?

FormerTeller · Jan 26, 2012

clovis97 said:
jrf30 is right.

On the other hand, to a non-coin collector like me, it does seem odd that my local coin shop offers Walking Libs, Bens, and 64's at the same price. It is the same for Mercs and Roosies...all one price.

It does seem, at least to me, that the WL and Mercs should carry a premium, but again, I think jrf30 nail it.

Is it possible that in 10 years, the Mercs and WL will have a premium?

I believe it will be less than 10 years, as silver coins are currently not only being removed from circulation but actually destroyed (melted) at never before seen rates. I believe the value of coins will rise above melt due to their rarity, sooner rather than later.