Coins in Mint Proof Sets
One of the very fascinating hobbies is coin collecting. The numismatist or coin collector generally adds coins to his collection based on some standard of legislative, economic, metrological or artistic viewpoint. From a historical perspective coins from a certain era reflect the social and historical trends during the time the coins were developed.
Coin collecting for many people starts when they are children. They become fascinated with the different faces on the front and the many pictures on the back of the coins. It’s easy to collect different coins as they readily come into a persons hand on a daily basis as we pay for items at the store. Lately, the US government has aided in the interest of coin collecting by minting separate quarters for every state in the union. Many people now await the coming of the next state coin to add to their collection.
In recent times, more and more people are beginning to collect coins as an investment. With the price of gold and silver continuing to rise, these collectible coins increase in value along with and in many cases the coins value far exceeds the face value of the coin itself. This is especially true with regard to coins in mint proof sets.
Okay, so what’s the big deal about proof coins? Well, to start with, a proof coin must be uncirculated which means that the coin itself does not show any wear. As we all know, any coin that is passed from hand to hand gets worn on the surface which can degrade its value. When coins are minted they often bump into each other and as a result receive various nicks and abrasion marks during the minting process. When they are transported to the local bank for distribution, the coins are placed in large bags where they are more likely to receive what are called “bag marks’ which will then result in the coin being classified as a lower grade uncirculated coin.
When coins are minted, the minter uses two dies which strike a piece of metal to create the face and back of the coin. A proof coin is made with a special die which has been polished and treated. As a result, the coins minted in this fashion look different than those coins minted by the regular method for circulation. Today, the high points on the coin design can be treated with acid during the proofing process. The background of the coin die is polished which makes a shiny finish of that part of the coin. The raised parts of the coin appear with a frosted look.
Not only are proof coins struck with a special die, but are also struck multiple times to enhance the detail of the coin that is minted. This process adds to the cost of production which, in the end, generally results in higher prices for the proof set coins. Many proof sets today are commemorative in nature to reflect a person, place, or event that occurred.
This site is dedicated to the collection of coins that are mint proof sets as there are a variety of coins and the value is the highest for any given coin that is collected.
The only remaining 2008 American Gold Eagle coins for sale at the US Mint are the 2008-W Uncirculated Gold Eagles in 1 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1/4 oz sizes. The Double Prosperity Set, which contains the 2008-W 1/2 oz. Uncirculated Gold Eagle.
Harrison Presidential $1 Coins
William Henry Harrison Presidential $1 Coins were officially launched in a ceremonial release on Presidents Day (Monday) by the United States Mint.
The Darwin coin is limited to only 5000 coins and a strike limit of 20 000 has been placed on the Robert Burns silver coin. The silver coins are priced at £32.50 on the Royal Mint website. All the coins are struck to proof quality.
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