'Glorious' Obama coin no more than a trinket

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/1349306,CST-NWS-coins25.article

U.S. MINT | It's a souvenir, not investment, collectors warned

December 25, 2008

BY DONNA LEINWAND

The TV ads tout a "genuine" U.S. Inaugural Presidential Dollar showing President-elect Barack Obama depicted in "glorious full color" for just $9.95, plus shipping and handling.

A coin-collecting expert says the gold-dipped, painted coins are nothing more than a trinket, and the U.S. Mint -- the only official purveyor of U.S. currency -- says buyer beware.

"They are worth the face value of the coin. If the coin says 25 cents, it's worth a quarter," says Scott Travers, author of the Coin Collector's Survival Manual and a New York City coin dealer.

The U.S. Mint last month issued a warning that the heavily advertised commemorative coins -- produced by several private companies in various designs -- are not official U.S. Treasury products.

[Atman]

1. GOSH! You're kidding? What about my Obama plates?

I haven't even received my Thomas Kinkaid "Obama of Light" Hummell figurine yet. You mean...these things are JUNK? I'm shocked!

.

[jmowreader]

3. Now, now. Why would Thomas Kinkade do a figurine of Obama?

The man's entire body of work screams "by Republicans for Republicans."

[Atman]

4. Because he's a blatant opportunist and an outright fraud?

Oh, wait...you already said he was "by Republicans for Republicans."

Never mind.

:hi:

.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. But Bernard Madoff told me otherwise . . . .

Said I'd be able to live off my coins.

[librechik]

5. Duh

and because they make so many collectible items, the large quantity decreases the collectible value of each. Remember 1976 centennial collectible coins? They are stil at face value 40 years later