2012 may have been the year predicted by the Mayans to be the end of the world, and the House of Money (Casa de Moneda), a.k.a. the Mexican Mint, seems to be treating it as such. First, they shocked collectors by refusing to offer the fractional libertad proof coins that had been minted since 1992. They offered only the 1 ounce proof coin and only the BU fractionals. Then, by all accounts, the 2012 1 ounce proof libertad sold out in hours, selling for a high premium before it was ever received by USA collectors.
As we mentioned in this blog before– with the discontinuation of the fractionals- perhaps they were going to offer something later on in the year as a ‘surprise’ set? It was 1982 that the first 1 ounce silver libertad went on sale, and 1992 that the first libertad fractional arrived. Would there be a 30th anniversary of libertad or 20th anniversary of fractionals set?
We have our answer! On July 8th the Banco de Mexico released the “surprise” 30th Anniversary Libertad Set. Featuring a mintage of just 1500, with a wooden box, COA, and perhaps most noteworthy, a gold-plated bronze statue figurine fashioned after the Winged Goddess of Victory. The statute was first seen last year in the difficult to find 30th anniversary gold proof set- limited to just 500 (and priced in the 4-5k range).
What does this mean? Well, for one, these sets are going to be tough to find. Although 1500 were produced, various reports list the numbers as being between 700-900 offered for sale in Mexico, and between 600-800 offered to European dealers. This leaves the USA collectors with the task of having to buy through distributors connected to Mexico or Europe.
The two-coin set contains the 1/2 ounce libertad BU and the 1 ounce proof- neither of which is unique to the set. However, unlike the US Mint releases, libertad collectors have shown a willingness to pay a substantial premium for set offerings that remain in the wood boxes with the COA’s. There is also the matter of the beautiful gold statuette, which is not available anywhere else except the very expensive gold proof set from last year.
Finally, there is a “cool factor” with this set- it just looks really beautiful with the gold figure. In a year where they stopped producing the fractional proofs (and the 2 and 5 ounce proofs), this set stands alongside the US Mint’s SF two coin set as one of the most intriguing two-coin sets of the year.
Now, will they offer another set commemorating the fractionals? It’s not likely, as they haven’t done multiple set offerings in the past. Those who think they might, however, would point to the 2011 proof gold sets, which were released without the figurines in a slightly higher mintage. So, if they follow course it would suggest that if they did release another set, it would only be a non-figure set. And, since both coins are available separately, a large premium could lead to dealers selling the sets with a single proof and half ounce BU coin themselves (and even throwing in a spare box) and billing it as the 30th anniversary set. This is often done with the other libertad sets (particularly the 2011 proof set), since the wooden box with COA proof sets of the last few years have been limited to 1000. A search on eBay on completed listings reveals that buyers will pay much more for the in-the-box-with-the-coa version- sometimes close to double. The gold goddess statuette will likely add even more to the premium.
In an exciting year with more questions than answers, it seems as if the Mexico Mint is taking the approach (either on purpose or not) of keeping collectors in the dark- which could lead to an offering flying under the radar and then becoming very popular later on. Assuming, of course, that the Mayans were wrong about 2012.
jeff72 says
Sooo….this means that the 2011 fractional proof sets will BE VERY COLLECTIBLE?! ….AWSOME!!
Louis says
Terrific post and nice product. Mine arrived today. Thanks, Gabriel.
Ikaika says
@ Gabriel
Thank you for the article. Where can we purchase this set besides the online auction site?
Louis says
Ikaika,
Try Panda America, that’s where I got mine.
Ikaika says
@ Louis
Thank you for the info. Will do.
Dan says
Gabriel
Ordered my set last Friday evening and it arrived today, looks great. Your previous article wetted my interest in them and after your article again today I am sure they will be harder to find. Thanks for another great article!!
Louis says
FYI- world collectors- Silvertowne has a sale going on and I managed to get my first HR Kangaroo, the 2011 coin, for $90 delivered, which is the best price I have seen. I like last year’s design more than the new one. Ok, back to Libertads!
Schalk says
Louis
Is the CoA that came with your set numbered? I also received my set from Panda America but the CoA was not numbered. It is a beautiful set, though.
Schalk says
I just spoke to Panda America and they told me that they got in contact with Casa de Moneda de Mexico and confirmed that none of the sets were numbered. If anyone gets a set that is numbered, please let us know and we can then possibly take it up with Panda America. Casa de Moneda de Mexico did confirm the mintage of 1,500 for the set.
I cannot find a cheaper price than $179.00 from Panda – not even on the auction sites. They received 200 sets and, apparently, these are flying off the shelves at a fast pace.
Dan says
Schalk
Received 2 sets today, both COA’s are numbered!!
Schalk says
Dan
From where did you order?
Dan says
Panda America
G says
Thanks guys! I can confirm that my set arrived from Panda America yesterday and was not numbered either- the COA has a blank spot where the number goes.
Samuel says
my sets are still at regional sorting center. if there is no # on the CoA, how we know the mintage is 1500? the # should be computer printed or handwritten?
William says
Hi Guys – Will from Panda America here. If you purchased your set from us & it came without a number on the COA, please send the blank one back to us, and we will send you a certificate with a number on it. Thanks, and YES – the sets are selling GREAT.
G says
Our first variety? Numbered and non-numbered. I wonder if they only marked the ones earmarked for Europe/Mexico and not vice-versa. If people want to share the number, roughly that they get, it would be interesting.
Dan says
G
You got me paranoid, so I went back and rechecked. They are printed in a 4 number format i.e. 1234. They appear to be generated mechanically with the fourth number being lighter in print and slightly high in strike. Both mine are in the low 300’s.
Louis says
Well, mine came from Panda and is in good condition. It’s a really nice set and box, and the figurine is awesome, but the COA is unnumbered. The dealer G knows (Don Bailey) also has some for a few dollars less than Panda. I am in a rush now, but later I will ask the contact there if he wants to post something with ordering info. By the way, the half ounce coin appears to be better quality than my other examples but I will have to check more closely.
jocoin says
Great Post! I was wondering about the fractionals. Thanks for the info!
Samuel says
i wonder how this happened?! why sets from same seller got numbered/not-numbered? seller numbers the coins themselves? perthmint has number on both CoA and the outer box.
G says
Also- I have had it confirmed from Pat at Don Bailey this afternoon that there were 700 sets sold in Mexico and 800 in Europe. Also, I called Panda America and they said they had an error and half of their shipment from Mexico didn’t have the number and if you send them the blank COA they will send one of the printed ones back. They said they have received a lot of complaints. Also, if you look at the photograph of the set here, and in other photographs (on ebay)- it looks like the COA has been usually blank. This is a first.
Samuel says
they have more CoA than coin sets?
Dan says
Looks like a lot of sets maybe 0001!
Samuel says
the ones on ebay are blank, thats understandable, because they all use stock picture maybe from mint before the # are printed.
i checked Don’s website, there is no link at all, right? u have to call to order?
Samuel says
not sure how to keep the # unique!
Samuel says
Dan, u dont have a chance to be #0001 since u have # already, others will.
Schalk says
Maybe the unnumbered certificate will become a rarity! I now may have second thoughts on sending it back for a numbered one…
Dan says
Story of my life Samuel
Samuel says
Schalk, u may want to be careful. “…send them the blank COA they will send one of the printed ones back…”, i dont know how it works, but it sounds to me like there are EXTRA CoAs out there.
Sam H says
Just picked one up as well — looks like an interesting item
Louis says
I just asked Pat at Don Bailey’s to post ordering info. I forgot to ask if his are numbered. Someone may want to ask. I am not sure if I want to send my blank COA back, but I probably will.
Schalk says
William @ Panda America
Will, I have already sent my unnumbered certificate back for replacement, but, a lot of questions are now popping up here on the blog and some of them not unwarranted:
Are you taking the numbered certificates out of the sets you have to send back to us?
I assume that you will send the unnumbered certificates back to Casa de Moneda de Mexico for numbering, and, even if you do, how do they know which numbers they have already printed and which ones they did not?
Will the end result be duplicate numbers?
Samuel says
most likely, a typewriter will do the job.
Louis says
Don Bailey sold out first day.
Dan says
G
Do you know if anyone else got numbers either from panda or Bailey?
G says
Just got word from Pat at Don Bailey, and he said he talked to the Mexican Bank and they said that for the official version, the printer did not apply cert numbers, and released them with numbers supplied to dealers to ” hand write” in the certs.
I would take that to mean that there were 1500 certificates released, and the Bank for whatever reason didn’t want to print or write the numbers in. So, there you have it from the source.
charles says
How many sets did Don Bailey sell?
Louis says
One other question for G or anyone else-
Any idea yet how many 2012 proof coins were made? There seems to be a lot of mystery about that too.
Even the 2011 numbers for the proof set, etc. are not available from any official or reliable sources that I know of.
Louis says
Thanks, G. If the Panda guy is just going to hand write in a number, and the Mint sent them out blank, then maybe it is better to leave it blank. Maybe the world is ending this year!!!!!!!!!
Steve says
So if our COA is not numbered we can just “hand write” a number?
How is Panda America replacing COA’s without numbers? Do they have extra COA’s…are they sending them back?
I should receive my set from Panda America tomorrow or Monday, and if it isn’t numbered, I’m not sure what I want/should do.
Steve says
For those that have received there set….does the COA indicate the Maxinum mintage of 1500?
I’ve got the 2010 Libertad Proof set with wood box & COA and on one side it has the printed number (0001-1000) and on the other side underneath the coins specs it says “Limited Mintage 1000 SETS”
Louis says
Steve, no numbers or indication of mintage on the COA. Just info. on the coins and figurine and says it is for the 30th anniv. I am going to leave mine as is since that is how the Mint made them. Maybe all these oddities are the Mexican Mint’s way to drum up interest.
eric says
Great article gabe.
Any idea on the half oz. Coins
Number mintage finish?
Ikaika says
@ Louis
Thanks for the info on Panda America. Got a set today. Although, we are paying a hefty premium for this set based on silver content. I like the proof libertads and been picking up the rare ones in the past 10 years. Hopefully we will be rewarded one day, but the beauty is there 🙂
Steve says
Will, (Panda America) any more useful info you can provide regarding the COA’s? What is the process if we send COA without a number back to you? Do you have some you can send right back? How long will it take to get a replacement? Is there the possibility that we may never get an authentite COA back in return? Would we be better off just keeping our blank COA?
Lastly, why did this go unnoticed to begin with…while Mexico is mainly to blame, Panda America should of noticed this and done something about it..IMO
Louis says
Ikaika- I think you and your heirs will like the set. I am thinking of just holding on to the COA with no number. It is still the right COA for the product, though I don’t understand why they forgot to put numbers or even state the mintage. The guy I spoke to at Panda said they have plenty more COA’s, which does seem weird. And he sounded mighty busy I guess fielding all the COA calls!
By the way, does anyone out there have a 2011 Libertad proof set with a COA? The Panda guy said they did not issue them with certificates, but I am curious.
Samuel says
i dont understand with only “1500” sets, there is still this kind of mistake. we need to understand when panda guy said “mail in the blank one and replace with a numbered one.” what does it mean? they just handwrite a number on it or what? every dealer knows their number range, for example 200-250?
i probably will keep them as is if i get a blank one. this joke will last for many years and everyone will know it, so nobody will question the blank CoA.
i also worry abt there r maybe plenty of CoA out there.
finally, seems both usmint and mexico mint try to ruin our weekend.
Louis says
Samuel, the blank COA and the box and sleeve all state clearly 30th anniv. set, so maybe numbers don’t matter. I don’t know. But these sets should still have some value and look pretty nice. Have a good weekend!! Don’t let those mint people get you down. I had a horrible experience tonight with transportation where I live, but life goes on……..
Samuel says
just got the sets, with numbers.
Louis says
So what are those who got COA’s w/o numbers planning to do? Send them back for a new one, or keep the one w/o numbers?