I need a 1996-W dime for my collection, and want to know if I can find it in circulation. Should I just buy the whole mint set? In case you're wondering, here's a picture I found on Google: ~gecko
I'm sure you could eventually find one in circulation but that all depends how many thousands of dimes you want to search. It would be much easier just to buy one
These were only issued in the uncirculated mint sets. You can buy them individually from coin dealers or on the bay. The funny thing is though, you can sometimes find the whole mint set, dime included, for what the dime sells for by itself.
I'll just buy the mint set, and consider the other coins an instant rebate. So, what's your opinion of how mush the dime itself should go for?
There were only 1,457,950 of these dimes minted in 1996. They were only released in the Mint Set. While it is true that occasionally, a coin like this gets spent, I think that the likelihood of ever finding one is miniscule at best. Save yourself the eyestrain and the headaches, break down and buy a 1996 Mint Set. You can spend the time you save doing things you enjoy. For that matter, you can also spend the rest of the coins in the 96 Mint set. They don't carry a premium.
If you are careful and lucky sometimes you can buy the mintset for less than what the dime alone sells for. But be careful if you go that route to make sure the dime is actually in the mint set. There have been a lot of sets that have had the dime removed which are then sold as 1996 mint sets with no mention of the missing dime. These get sold to unsuspecting collectors who don't realize that the 96-W dime should be in there. (The 1996-W) cellophane was not connected to the cellophane of the other sets, so it could be easily slipped out.)
Buy the mint set. There are probably a couple circulating...but just like the 1976-S this was a mint set release only.
The buying the mint set idea is a great one. This method also works well when seeking a 1970 D Kennedy half.
There's a couple of these sets listed on eBay for around $17.50-$18: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-U-S-MINT-UNCIRCULATED-COIN-SET-W-DIME-/160645680957?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item25673a8f3d http://www.ebay.com/itm/1996-Uncirc...21?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item3a6a844eed
$17 for the set is too high if you don't need one right away. The Greysheet has this set at $12 bid/$13 ask the last time I checked. Since there are so many dealers out there who loathe modern US Mint products, especially Mint and Proof sets, if you are patient you will be able to find a dealer with one of these sets that is willing to sell it to you at the Greysheet prices (or lower) if you go to a coin show or maybe even a coin shop. In the past two years or so I've bought around 30 of these 1996 Mint Sets at $12.50 or less. Even got some sets for $10. Sure, some dealers out there have them priced at the $17+ eBay prices, but many do not. But yes, as Conder mentioned, definitely make sure the 96-W dime is actually in the set!!!! In looking for these sets at shows I've seen many many sets w/o the dime at full price. And if you don't even want the rest of the set, you do get an instant rebate if you just spend the remaining coins as you mentioned Edited to add that if anyone wants one of these sets (w/ the West Point dime) and can't find a good deal on one elsewhere, I'd hook you up for $15 shipped which is basically my cost plus postage.
Yeah, get the set. If you keep your eyes open, and hold out a bit, you can run across a set cheap. That's how I got mine. I held out until I found a set for 12 bux. Gotta be careful though, some of the 'cheap' sets you find have the dime robbed out of them.
