You heard if here first. The Denver Mint will strike Proof coins beginning in 2012! I was in Denver this afternoon and I had some time to kill so I went to the Mint and took the public tour. As I was leaving I bumped into a Mint employee who was also leaving. We walked together for a couple of blocks on my way to my car. I asked him if all the coin presses were Schuler. He said all the Bliss presses were removed a few years ago and now all the coin presses are Schuler presses - both horizontal and vertical models. Then he said the Denver Mint is going to receive two Graebner presses in a couple of months. He said the Graebner presses will be used to strike Proof coins beginning in January 2012. He did not explain why the Denver Mint will start striking Proof coins. Is the San Francisco Mint unable to keep up with the demand for Proof coins? I don't know. Whatever the reason, in 9 months the Denver Mint will start producing Proof coins for the first time. At least that is what I was told from a reliable source. (I don't know the name of the Mint employee and I will not disclose the area of the Mint in which he works because I don't want to bring him any grief if he was not supposed to talk about the Mint's plans.)
There's a lot of what if's here. What if they stop making circulation coins from Denver? What if the S mint starts making circulation strikes?What if they close the mint in San Francisco entirely and just get rid of it? Most of these probably won't happen, maybe the San Francisco circulation strikes though
Whoa. That is big news. Pretty cool. If it's true, I'm sure it will hit the magazines before long. I wonder who's idea this was and why? And I wonder if they'll be doing proof sets, commems or both? Really makes you wonder if S.F. will continue as well. Interesting....
IF it is true it is HUGE news. I heard it directly from a Mint employee. There is no doubt what I heard. But there is no guarantee it is true. I don't know the details. I did not want to press him for details (no pun intended). I felt priviledged to be told what little I have related to you.
Hmm, if they start issuing both D and S proof sets, I wonder how much extra revenue they'll bring in from collectors who want both..
I'm thinking Proof Silver/Gold Eagles perhaps, to let the other mints just focus on the mass production of the regular bullion versions to keep up with demand. Who knows though?
Oye Vey, who leaked this info? Hobo? Were're gonna keep an an eye on you. We have ways of making people talk......
It will be interesting to see if this ends up being what really happens...and if so how it happens. Does this mean proof sets from both S and D...or some proof commems from D, or proof ASE/AGE/APE from D...does this mean no more S mint. Who knows? It will be interesting for sure.
It'd be interesting if they moved annual CLAD proof sets to Denver and kept the silver proofs at SF... Just a thought. Not only would collectors be pressed to get each set for the metal difference, but now the mint difference.
coinmaster, you better watch it. Some here may call you a counterfeiter and not a real collector for that. Hobo, thanks for sharing that. That could be freaking awesome. Though not for my wallet. Having to buy at east 4 proof sets a year...ouch. Not to mention the barrel full of the first set I would buy. OK, gotta get VAcookey to start working some serious OT.
Maybe the Government is shutting down the San Fran mint due to lack of funds, in an effort to save money...:devil: