The Coast Guard was pilfered from the Defense Department thanks to the panic-reactive formation of the Department of Homeland Security, a very unfortunately 1984ish sounding name for a totally uncalled for bureaucratic monstrosity.
Coins and stocks are not mutually exclusive; my moolah is in both.
LEGO collecting sounds reasonable, especially since unlike with coins you can actually do something with those little blocks.

Having put forth the above sentiment and just as a bit of an aside or a footnote if you will, it’s become more than a little apparent to me that with the passing of each year that gets me closer to being 80 I seem to worry less and less about “future values” of anything. I’m sure you get my drift. 😉

I think 2 coast guard coins made before 1 army coin as well. What strikes me odd is that CG only falls under dept of defense during war time. Then again America’s always at war with something. Maybe I’ll switch to other mints. Somehow the shipping is about the same. But most likely will move from coins to stocks. Maybe even start collecting LEGO. They seem to increase in value faster than anything.

It’s interesting that you should bring up this very subject, Dazed and Coinfused, because I myself have been wondering since day one of the appearance of the first of these U.S. Armed Forces medals how it came to be that the United States Army didn’t rate the number one position in the Mint’s order of release. After all, or at least one would think so, that the first formed and the first in action Service would unquestionably warrant first in line for a commemorative medal. Alas, for whatever reason this clearly has not turned out to be the case, but at least now that the Mint has worked it’s way through all the other Services with the exception of the new Spaceballs Force, here at long last comes the U.S. Army medal.

I passed on the military medals, but since the army is finally getting an issue I will get one, how can i pass on the coin of the branch that showed me for 27 months that a lot of sand without water makes no beach. For the last couple years the other branches got a release while the army was looked over. Biden will probably make the salvation army a special forces arm of the military. Anywho. For whatever messed up reason I survived and still here. Sad ain’t it.

It might well mean lower mintages for 2023, Major D; it could just as well indicate a desire by the Mint to ensure that more individual buyers aka collectors will have a better chance to be able to procure more of the items in the Mint’s annual catalog. The Mint is of course fully aware that the big dealers, major buying clubs and professional flippers are just as well equipped to acquire high HOL subscriptions as they were in prior years able to scoop up a majority of the coins available on release days via their thousands of paid minions.

East Coast Guru,
I have never been able to grasp the rationale for any premium to be assigned to the Congratulations Sets as they are nothing more than a standard proof ASE with the simple addition of a cardboard card. Then again, I suppose one might consider them to have been a sort of precursor to those coins that have added value (some of it rather substantial) due to the scarcity of the older version third party grading slab they are encased in.

East Coast Guru, it was surprising to me as well- all I can think of is that the 2021 Congrat set had the last Type 1 Proof ASE.

Here’s something interesting I just noticed: the Mint reduced the HOL for the W-Uncirculated ASE and S-Proof ASE down to 10 while the W-Proof ASE is still at HOL=25. Additionally, the AI Proof set and AI Reverse Proof set was each reduced down to HOL=5. And the Limited Edition Silver Proof set is now showing an HOL=2. None of these products sold out that quickly, and some are still available. So, does that mean there will be lower mintages in 2023?

Major D, a very good synopsis for predicting 2023 best buys. I agree. Of course, I can’t understand the 2021 congrats set as it makes no sense to me as to why it is priced so high. It will be interesting to see if mintages are reduced on any American Eagle product or a fantastic designed new commemorative or /Liberty coin gold or silver that gets a surprise entry into the 23 line up. Interesting year ahead. Hoping for a Space Force medal this year too

I must admit I hadn’t given much thought to this not being an item that one could line up a subscription for. Well, I’ll either get this medal or I won’t, but if I do it will be all that much sweeter since I will have fought for it the old-fashioned way.