Mint Sets with Eisenhower and Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony and Ike, aka Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Kennedy too. You're happy you're buying a US proof Mint set that offers tribute to great Americans. Throw in JFK and you, an American history buff, are fired like the cannons during the Revolutionary War. But is your true red, white and blue zeal blinding you? Are these ordinary uncirculated coins, some with slight tarnish, worth as much as you're paying?
While regular SBA dollars and Eisenhower dollars are fairly common, especially if Susan B. is pocket change, as uncirculated coins (proof-like is a plus), and as part of a 1979 copper/nickel-clad Mint set, they're worth the price you're paying, especially if they're graded MS67. The average 1979 US Mint sets will run you $11-$12, especially if there's a prooflike or sharper-struck coin included and your dealer neglects to factor that in the price. If you're getting older US Mint sets secondhand, remember that a 1979 Mint set with SBA, Ike and fewer bag marks is in good condition and worth a few extra dollars. So celebrate genuine American heroes--as the Mastercard commercial says, they're priceless.
Affordable Mint sets
With all this money around your house, you'd think you'd be solvent, but your hobby is expensive. Will switching to US Mint sets lessen the bite? You'd like to keep the electricity on. US Mint sets are actually an affordable way to collect coins.
If you're a novice collector, you can specialize in inexpensive modern-era proof Mint sets as a way to bring your collectors' costs down. If you want to try older coin Mint proof sets, you can usually be successful at buying Mint sets for a fraction of the cost of single rare or older coins. Plus, here's a boost when the boss didn't give you a bonus: if you get a coin in a Mint set with a proof-like surface, in other words mirrored, that coin means you can resell the set for a premium.
Be on the lookout for sharp strikes on "In God We Trust" or Lincoln's profile. The 2005 Mint sets have satin finish for the first time, so you own something special at an affordable price, without cutting into your grocery money. After all, once you get the basic needs taken care of, you can't take money with you, so you might as well enjoy it.
Proof Mint=Improvement
Certain words just go together, like ice cream and cake, bread and butter, pasta and pizza. Are you hungry yet? Chew on this: You may have heard "proof mint" and thought of "improvement." After all, it would be great to have a US Mint set with coin proofs, or a proof mint set. How about a home proof Mint set? Sorry to disappoint you, especially when your stomach's growling, but US mint sets don't contain specially struck proof coins. Mint proof coin sets are issued by the US mint, but they contain proof coins and not regular coins. They're usually not complete sets of every coin issued in a given year. Awww. At this point you probably want to eat several US Mint sets. Here, have a pepperoni pizza instead. Uncirculated Mint sets such as the 1965 Special Mint Coin Set and the 1970 Small Date Coin Set are collector's items. Also, in 1965, 1966 and 1967, the Special Mint Coin Sets took the place of regular proof sets. The coins in these mint proof coin sets or proof mint sets are proof-like in appearance. Now that's an improvement. See, you can have your ice cream and cake and eat it too. Just don't consume the proof mint set while you're snacking.
Slabbing US Mint Sets
You never thought you'd be your parents, putting plastic on your furniture, but you're considering slabbing the pre-1964 mint proof coin sets you're buying. You want to protect your investment. The dealer recommends against it. Who's right, you or the dealer? The dealer is. Haggling is permitted. Arguing won't get you a better deal. Some reasons why you don't slab Mint sets and US Mint sets: * Proof Mint sets from every government typically come in the original envelopes, which are tightly sealed to provide enough protection. * Selling Mint sets in the original envelopes is customary. * If you want to protect your coins, buy a safety-deposit box. * Slabs are usually difficult to open. It's expensive to slab coins, so slabbing is usually done only for rare coins. After all, you never liked those plastic covers anyway.
Proof vs. Mint Sets
You've learned about coins and coin collecting. There's so much to know, so much to remember, and now your new collector friends talk about Mint sets. Huh? What's a Mint set? Of course it has something to do with the US Mint, but you just got used to proof sets. Why does the US Mint issue Mint sets anyway and should you collect Mint proof coin sets?
Mint sets are specially packaged groups of coins containing at least one coin from almost all of the denominations of coins issued by one branch of the US Mint for a given year, such as 1964. In the US, proof mint sets come from Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell, and Denver. If your US Mint set has mint marks of "D" (Denver), "P" (Philadelphia), "S" (San Francisco), or "W" (West Point), you know where your money has been. You can't say that about pocket change!
Unlike proof coins, mint coins aren't especially manufactured to have that sharp mirrorlike surface. So why would you want US Mint sets? Some good reasons: * Complete sets of coins issued direct and uncirculated by the US Mint. * Valuable for people collecting examples of all the US coinage of the 20th century. * The price you get for a proof Mint set can be several times the face value, especially for 1940s proof Mint Sets. * Mint set comes in the original US government envelope, much like mid-20th century proof sets. * Contains actual (uncirculated) coins issued that year for history fans. * Great for collectors who want to trace the history of US coinage. Of course, there's no reason you can't collect both proof sets and Mint sets. After all, if you're confused, just think of how your buddies will react when you show them your new acquisitions. Then you get to educate everyone for a change.
Mint Sets with Commemorative Coins
You love your commemorative coins--you'd buy one commemorating the finale of "Friends" if you could. But since you don't have Ross and Rachel on a golden eagle, you'll settle for proof mint sets with commemorative coins from 2004.
Sorry to say, US Mint sets don't include commemorative coins, only coins issued by a particular Mint from 2004. Oh no. How about a Golden Eagle instead? Golden Eagles don't belong in mint proof coin sets, since these special dollars are proofs. But Mint sets do include the Golden Dollar--the 2004 and 2005 Mint sets pay tribute to Sacagawea with the Sacagawea Golden Dollar. That's close to a commemorative Mint set. Now if they just made an Elvis commemorative coin, you'd be happy.
Global Mint Sets
You'd love to collect global Mint sets, but with global currency fluctuations, is buying Mint sets a safe investment, and are you making a moral investment in a fair trade country? While global stocks may not be right for your portfolio or conscience, global Mint sets are.
You can buy Mint sets?directly from another country's Mint, or you can take your chances in coin shops and on eBay. Chances are that your neighborhood coin shop may not have the 2003 Andorran Mint Set with the Euro, or the 2004 Japan Mint Set. Global mint sets are especially great for your collection if you specialize in: * All coin mint proof sets and proof sets * World coins * Proof mint sets from a particular time, such as 1995 to the present World Mints such as the British Royal Mint, the Australian Royal Mint and tha Japan Mint make it easy to buy over the Internet. Some tips to remember: * If you're buying someone in, say, Canada or Brazil a gift, make sure you fill out the appropriate customs forms, if you're mailing coins, and be sure to purchase insurance. Ordering and shipping directly is the better option. * World Mint sets have attractive unusual covers that are part of the collector's cachet. For example, the 2004 Japan Mint set cover portrays cherry blossoms. * International mail gets inspected, so make sure you know all the coins and denominations of coins so you can recognize if coins are lost or misplaced. However, many world Mint sets are in plastic cases. * Always know the fair market value of the coins as well as any special issue coins such as the Australian Lunar series. After all, you might not want to invest in companies that use child labor, but you can feel good about banking on world coins. Many investments (think Worldcom) won't give you that piece of mind, but world proof Mint sets will.
Small Date, Small Value?
Good things come in small packages, so the ad campaign says. But when you're struggling to read the type on your coins, and that's with the aid of a magnfifier, you doubt Madison Avenue. It's natural to resist advertising hype, but a 1970 proof Mint set, small date, can be valuable.
Some coin value guides have estimated the face value of these Mint proof coin sets at $4 and the selling price at $58. The large date US mint sets from 1970 sell for $24. If you have to squint to see the date on a 1970 cent or dime in a proof mint set it's a valuable coin. According to an auction on eBay, a small date 1970 Lincoln penny "books" or is valued at $1,200 in MS67--the seller claims to have a rare MS70, which most numismatic experts say is nearly impossible to find, rather like finding a fat-free cheese spread that tastes just like genuine rich Brie. Imagine how much more the whole proof Mint set is worth! How do you know if you have the 1970 small date Mint set?
The tops of all the numbers in the dates of each coin in the US Mint sets line up perfectly. Collectors usually desire the small date coins, and the 1970 US Mint sets are among the most wanted. So advertising doesn't lie all of the time. But you're still skeptical about those weight loss commercials.