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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,066 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
790 Posts |
Wow, the Fedex guy just dropped off my set. I can not tell the difference between an MS 65, 66, 67, etc. However, the quality of my set seems superb. A lot better than last year's set. And it came so early!! Jan 15!! Don't these usually come out much later in the year?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
524 Posts |
They were released Jan.11th this year. I can't wait to see the new ATBs.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
809 Posts |
Thats awesome Jays Dad! Can you share some pics with us?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1231 Posts |
What made the mint to finally wise up and offer the proof sets at the begining of the year?
The silver proof set is due out Jan 25th
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
I got the email that mine had been shipped but it's not here yet...
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
Same here but not yet received.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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What made the mint to finally wise up and offer the proof sets at the begining of the year? The time of the year the mint offers the proof sets is a constantly changing date. This isn't the first time they have been offered very early in the year. And there is no guarantee they will do so again next year. Or then might do it for several years and then jump to a different time. There is no hard and fast rule as to when the mint will offer a particular item. But most collectors are impatient. They want EVERYTHING offered early in the year so they don't have to wait. Of course if they go wha they wanted they would buy it all and then have to wait 12 months before they could get anything new again. Oh yes, be a collector of modern coins, but only in January. :) |
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New Member
United States
37 Posts |
The guy I'm buying them from has no idea why they are so early, but its fine by me! I have several of them on their way to me and I'm expecting them any day.  |
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Moderator
 United States
187570 Posts |
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What made the mint to finally wise up and offer the proof sets at the begining of the year? To justify selling the silver proof sets at this year's higher price while silver is still running high, even though they likely purchased that silver at much lower prices. Just my inner-cynic talking. You are free to ignore him.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1027 Posts |
Actually offering some of the sets early brings up new issues. Offering the uncirculated sets that no longer contain coins that are distinguishable from circulation strikes sort of tread on the issue date ceremonies for the ATB Quarters by putting those coins in our hands early. For some reason we still have to wait for the end of the year for the First Spouse bronze medal set. What is the difference this year between the uncirculated quarter set and the circulating quarter set? The latter was just introduced last year but seems to be redundant with the elimination of the satin finish. The mint has both offerings listed, the unc quarter set in April and the circ quarters in November (after the last quarter introduction). Without the satin finish aren't the two coins the same? The mint constantly reminds me of a line from the Disney animated movie "Meet the Robinsons" where the tyrannosaurus says "Master, I don't think this plan was very well thought out." |
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Moderator
United States
187570 Posts |
Supposedly, mint set coins were always struck with greater force than the business strikes, even before the satin finish was added in 2005. This is something I never knew until I read it... https://goccf.com/t/78602#637182So, mint set coins get a stronger strike, while the circulating coins are from the normal mintage. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1027 Posts |
I honestly don't think that has always been true. It may be but many of my mint sets appear to be nothing more than circulation strikes with no evidence that any special striking or handling took place. The only exception I know of are the SMS coins of the mid 1960s, especially the 1965-1967 sets that were minted to cover the lack of proof coins in those years. Even if the mint set coins are nothing but circulation strikes they will still on average grade slightly better than coins pulled from the earliest possible circulation point simply because they would be pulled out of the production stream at some point inside the mint facilities before bulk bagging takes place. That would mean (again on average) just slightly fewer coin to coin strikes for the mint set coins. There has never been any distinction in the numismatic valuation that would lead one to think that two types of coins were being made, there are no "mint set coin" prices and no indication that the mint set coins were devaluing high grade business strike coins. If the only change the mint makes in eliminating the satin finish is to not add the initial satin finish to the planchets (which are still specially prepared) and not satin treat the die, then they will clearly be creating something new. The satin finish coins, while not individually handled are treated much better than the coins that used to go into mint sets. They have far fewer contact marks, especially when you consider how much better contact marks show up on the satin finish. MS68 seems to be the norm among satin coins with 67 & 69 both well represented. In the business strike coins, MS69 are almost non existent (I have been looking at dime numbers since that coin has been virtually unchanged since 1965). If this peak at MS68 with 67 & 69 well represented holds true with the change to brilliant finish, it will mean a major change in the coin population. Even if mint set coins have been struck with extra force since 1968, that did not translate into higher grades in the marketplace, probably since that was the only difference from coins intended for circulation. If all the mint is doing now is taking away the satin finish everything changes with a sudden shift in the grades of what are for all practical purposes business strike coins. The mint sets are produced in such volume that MS69 examples will have little value when compared to an equivalent coin that had been pulled from circulation. Those coins used to be worth a lot of money because they were truly rare. Those days are gone.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
I didn't read the link JB provided......but I believe he's referring to Condor's recent post saying this, and that surprised me too actually. Condor is one of the most knowledgeable people on CCF.....I can't bring myself to doubt him. This information, though, is certainly an avalanche shocker for me. So, even though they've always been a "different strike", which is a "different coin" and never a true circulating business strike coin, apparently, they've always been recognized as such ? ...  Somehow, this revelation brings more questions than answers now. Edited by eaglefoot
01/21/2011 10:42 am
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Moderator
United States
187570 Posts |
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...but I believe he's referring to Condor's recent post saying this... Yes, that is correct. Quote:
Somehow, this revelation brings more questions than answers now. Yes, it does; however, I am not going to worry much over it. The satin finish planchets are gone, so rejoice. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1027 Posts |
I think that the truth of the matter is that the more forceful strike in use from 1968-2004 was never enough by itself to create a statistically separate group or really even have much effect on the grade distribution at all. I fear that now that will no longer be the case. I think that now there will be a set of coins that once removed from mint packaging will be physically indistinguishable from true business strike coins but will have statistically far better grades which will significantly lower the value of all the coins. The satin coins have been true SMS coins like the 1965-1967 sets. If the mint goes back to simply upping the strike force on production presses when it wants a batch of mint set coins and otherwise treats them as business strike coins then we are probably fine. If they continue to make SMS coins but in brilliant finish instead of satin then we are screwed.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1406 Posts |
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...then we are screwed. Some how I feel this to be the case regarding anything relating to collectors and the Mint's decisions.  |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,066 |
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Posted 01/15/2011 7:06 pm
