Seemingly unbreakable records are incredible. Allure, rarity, backstory, and more contribute to some of the best record holders. However, do we not secretly love it when a record is broken? It almost feels like the impossible was done, and the story will live on forever. That is certainly the case with this next entry on the list of Whitman Publishing’s fourth edition of the 100 Greatest United States Modern Coins series. With authors Jeff Garrett and Scott Schechter guiding us along, let us learn more about the record breaker that, unbeknownst to the authors when this list was published in 2017, would be broken itself just a year later.
#76 – 2016-W National Park Service $5 Commemorative
Up until 2016, the lowest minted modern commemorative issue was held by the 1997-W Uncirculated Jackie Robinson $5 gold coin. With just 5,174 minted, it was one of the best records in all of modern numismatics. It was a solid number, and one that was thought to have been almost impossible to beat. That is, until the National Park Service $5 commemorative coin was struck to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
The design featured the profiles of popular President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir. Known to the outdoor community, Muir and Roosevelt traveled to Yosemite together in 1903. It was there that Muir convinced Roosevelt that the government should manage and preserve the lands there. In the background of the two profiles, Half Dome, Yosemite’s signature element, is featured on the coin.
The other $5 gold issues that year, including the Mark Twain $5 commemorative and the 2016 Centennial gold coins, are likened to be the reason the 2016 National Park Service $5 coin was overlooked. That all changed though when rumblings of the Jackie Robinson commemorative low mintage record being broken broke loose across the hobby. The Mint would post the cumulative sales totals weekly, which had the National Park Service $5 gold coins short of 5,000.
However, when the fog started to clear in 2017, the final sales figure landed at 5,184. Close to the record, but no breaker it was. The following week though would change everything as the sales figures were updated to include returns. The final totaled 5,164. Record breaker! All in all, there were more returns and cancelled orders to be accounted for, bringing the final confirmed mintage number to just 5,150.
Now while this publication at the time was correct in labelling the 2016-W National Park Service $5 Commemorative as the lowest mintage coin in the series, it would not be aware of what was to come. Also in the year 2017, the 2017-W Uncirculated Boys Town $5 Gold coin would come in to break the record again with just 2,947 coins issued. This was a staggering new low that was confirmed in May of 2018. While the Jackie Robinson coin was considered in a league of its own at one point, it has nothing on the new king of the series, the 2017-W Boys Town gold coin.
Additional Source: PCGS