Comments on: 2012 First Spouse Gold Coin Designs Revealed

By: george glazener

george glazener — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:20:10 +0000

Neither can I. That’s why I just get the bronze versions. Same gorgeous women at a fraction of the price..!!

By: werner c tseng

werner c tseng — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:45:54 +0000

it already costs more to collect this series than the gold buffalos. to get pcgs first strike on all 8 coins (4 proofs and 4 uncirculated) will cost more than $10k this year. so the condensed release schedule is really not helping. i’m not sure if i can continue to keep collecting this series. the first coin should have been release in March.

By: george glazener

george glazener — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:15:05 +0000

@ Jim; I agree, When we get to Eleanor Roosevelt and beyond, starting in 2014, I really think the interest will pick up. The late 19th century was a rather dull phase of the US Presidency, and it’s reflecting in these poor selling products.
@Vachon; You’re also right. This choice surprised me too. I guess somebody made a strong case to the MINT that this person was really REALLY important to the country at that particular time. Politically motivated selection? Sure looks like it.

By: Vachon

Vachon — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:07:08 +0000

What happened to the use of Liberty as depicted on then-current circulating coins for those Presidents who were unmarried or widowered while in office? Alice Paul does not belong. Not that I feel this whole First Spouse NCLT series was a good idea to begin with…or the Presidential Dollar program.

By: jim

jim — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:52:10 +0000

Sales have steadily gone down from beginning to end of 2011 and even though the mint reduced the max mintage from 15,000 to 5,000 there’s only a possibility of a sell out for Mrs. Garfield. So the trend seems to be the more recent the spouse the smaller the sales are. Maybe there’ll be a resurgence when we get to spouses that some people still living might remember, e.g. Eleanor Roosevelt.
Otherwise even though some of these coins are the rarest the mint has released there seems to be little chance of them becoming real collector’s pieces. I myself found the $ commitment for collecting a set way beyond my means.

By: george glazener

george glazener — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:45:41 +0000

Interesting also to note that Caroline Harrison’s dates are 1889-1892, not 1893. She died of TB in October 1892 while husband Benjamin was in re-election mode. She was one of three First Ladies to die “in office”, the others being Letitia Tyler in 1842 and Ellen Wilson in 1914.

By: george glazener

george glazener — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:36:12 +0000

Impressive! These look gorgeous, esp. the Frances Folsom Cleveland coins. I think this 2012 group will reinvigorate the 1st Spouse Series. Presidential trivia buffs will recall that the marriage of Grover Cleveland and Frances Folsom was one of the biggest media sensations of that era, right up there with Charles & Diana’s wedding. And it took place in the White House, a first.