The following post is pulled from Coin World editor Steve Roach’s Market Analysis column in the Aug. 25 issue.

The 2014 Baseball Hall of Fame commemorative coin program has been hugely popular with collectors.

The coins were launched on March 27, 2014, at the Baltimore Whitman Expo. Both Numismatic Guaranty Corp. and Professional Coin Grading Service got clever with special labels used to identify coins sold at the Baltimore show on the first day. NGC used the familiar baseball phrasing “Opening Day” while PCGS used the phrase “Baltimore First Pitch.”

Coins released during the first 30 days of a program’s start are eligible for “First Strike” (PCGS) and “Early Release” (NGC) labels. 

After the frenzy of the first few months, prices for these have settled down. Here’s a look at the $5 half eagle in the marketplace.
 
The coin: 2014-W Baseball gold $5 half eagle, NGC Proof 70 Ultra Cameo, Early Release

The price: $760.10 

The story: The 2014-W Baseball gold $5 half eagles were quick sellers. Just a few days after the March 27, 2014, release, the U.S. Mint sold out of both the Uncirculated and Proof half eagle — with a total authorized mintage of 50,000 pieces — at $419.75 and $424.75, respectively. 

Within the month, the secondary market for uncertified examples quickly rose to $750 per coin, with a PCGS Proof 70 Deep Cameo “First Pitch” example selling for $5,000 in an April 1 eBay auction. 

As the Mint ships its final coins to buyers, the market for these gold coins has settled down with dealers offering $600 to $650 for uncertified Proof examples, with Uncirculated examples at $100 less. 

The prices for certified examples have largely cooled off as well. In a July 27 GreatCollections.com auction one graded NGC Proof 70 Ultra Cameo, Early Release, brought $760.10. Several months ago these were trading for more than $1,000. 

As reference, roughly two-thirds of the nearly 1,000 “First Strike” examples that PCGS has graded of the Proof $5 coin have been graded Proof 70 Deep Cameo, a sign that these coins were well-produced and packaged carefully. 

Read the rest of Steve Roach's Aug. 25 Market Analysis:

• MS-70 First Strike silver dollar signed by Cal Ripken Jr. goes for $500
• Proof 69 Deep Cameo half dollar brings $37 in auction

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