I notice the Mint STILL has 2005 Silver Proof Sets posted for sale, even though we're almost to the end of 2006. Did the mint overproduce these by a ridiculous amount or something? I don't understand how their projections could have been so far off, unless this was done on purpose or something.
Yeh, I think 2005 was a year the Mint decided to over produce. I know they minted almost 9 million ASE's, which will make them not much of a collectable anytime in the future. IMHO I believe the Mint is really trying to cash in on these modern collectables.
Thanks for that information; it was very informative. I know that unlike the silver sets, the 2005 Clad Proof and Uncirculated sets both sold out in December. Does this happen every year, or do the sales of these sets also sometimes carry over into the following year? Last year I missed my opportunity to purchase sets directly from the mint, and I don't want to make the same mistake this year. How much more time do you think I have until the 2006 Proof & Unc. sets are sold out?
I bought 10 sets of Silver 11 piece 2004 Proof sets in June 2005 from the mint. I returned one set with major defects in the Jeff Nickel. I was happy to buy them at such a late date. Turns out to be a VERY low mintage.
The 2004 and 2005 nickels, by law, could NOT be sold after the last day of December so this basically locked up the remaining stock of proof sets, mint sets and nickels. But, lo and behold, in early 2006 Congress changed the law so the Mint could get rid of all those products gathering dust at the Mint. Also the move guaranteed the U.S. Mint could control the secondary market by flooding the market with these items. The U.S. Mint is the only mint in the world that goes out of its way to control the secondary market thus destroying future sales with collectors they manage to run off. Canada, in the past year or two, has made every effort to cut production and limit maximum issues in an effort to strengthen the secondary market. Seems to be working as they ALWAYS sell out their products and those products are strong on the secondary market. Is the U.S. Mint paying any attention? Or are they the only ones who are supposed to make ridiculous money off of their products?
