Also known as modern commems, these bullion coins are collectibles issued by U.S. Mints since 1982. They are noted for their numismatic value above and beyond their bullion content. Most modern commemorative programs will include a variety of coins.
Modern Commemoratives have been issued in four denominations:
The 1982 George Washing half dollar was the first coin to be considered a modern commem. These coins were minted in a proof edition produced at San Francisco and a Brilliant Uncirculated edition produced at Denver. Half dollar modern commem can be a good place for numismatists with a limited budget to start because they tend to have lower costs than their higher denomination relatives. However, the issue of half dollar modern commems has been rather sporadic and most new programs don’t include a half dollar coin.
The Silver dollar is the silver denomination most likely to be included in modern commem programs. With the exception of programs that include only a gold coin, it is safe to assume that there will be a silver dollar in every new program, resulting in a couple of new coins each year. Not surprisingly, they tend to be more expensive than their half dollar counterparts but more affordable than the higher denomination gold coins Interesting, the price of modern silver dollars does not always relate closely to their mintages.
These are the most expensive group of modern commems. Not all programs have both a $5 and $10 gold coin, but most have at least one.
Unlike modern silver dollars, the price of gold commems tends to follow their mintage closely. Those issued prior to 1995 were minted in higher numbers and can often be found for affordable prices.
After 1995 falling collector demand resulted in scarcer issues. These coins tend to sell for far beyond their issue price. Other than the bimetallic 2000 Library of Congress $10 coin, the most expensive modern gold coin tends to be the Jackie Robinson BU $5, which had a mintage just under 5,000 coins.
Since the Modern Commemorative Coin program started the popularity has fluctuated with changes in subject matter and precious metal prices.