Is the US Mint confusing young collectors??

What about the matte finish and reverse proof finishes? Sorry, had to throw that in there.

The mint has always been a bit confusing to young collectors; they still call cents pennies even after having written the word cent on hundreds of billions of coins. I like 'em anyway though.

 

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My big issue is the fact they indicate a different finish...it is not a different finish, it is a different manufacturing process of a coin with the same finish. Proof, Matte, SMS, Reverse Proof, Enhanced, Satin, Vapor Blasted....these are different finishes. The TPG services are not even trying to differentiate because the difference is so minor there would be mistakes on a regular basis. A 2011 mint set coin in 2036 (25 years)...versus a 2011 business strike in 2036....given that the finish on the two coins is identical, as they age they will become indiscernible. You will still be able to tell a Proof, Matte, SMS, Reverse Proof, Enhanced, Satin, and Vapor blasted as different finishes. The confusion on these will continue.

 

The finishes are not identical, the mint set coin is described as brilliant, it looks more polished than a frosty business strike.

 

From this press release from the mint, the brilliant finish since 2011 is the same as always has been a "brilliant uncriculated (BU)" prior to the satin finishes of 2005.

http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/?action=press_release&ID=1186

From this site (not official US Mint), they state the finish is the same as the business strike coins

http://mintsetguide.com/2011-mint-set/

From this site (not official US Mint), they reference the US Mint with a different manufacturing process (special press, higher force, and handling)....not a different finish. This manufacturing process results in higher quality.

http://mintnewsblog.com/2013/01/2012-uncirculated-mint-set-sold-out/

 

According to the OP, it's "circulated". Perhaps he used the wrong word.

Chris

 

Here is the press release from the Mint. It does reference a "circulating" quality half dollar rather than a "circulated" quality half dollar.

http://catalog.usmint.gov/coin-discovery-set-an-introduction-to-coin-collecting-YC1.html

However, I have to disagree with the Mint's description of the three "finishes". Uncirculated and circulating quality coins are struck from the same dies and struck just once. Veteran collectors who are familiar with the minting process know this.

Personally, I think they are just using this "three finishes" hype to sell this P-D-S set of half dollars to the new collector who doesn't know any different. So, what is the purpose of this offer? It's simple! They want to get rid of more of the half dollars that are being produced which would otherwise end up in the Treasury vaults.

Chris

 

Absolutely right! That's the way it's always been. The US Mint is not going to circulate a coin simply to put it in a set to say it's been circulated. I'd say people need to start using the old noggin, young or old, get real.

 

Are we to assume that the mint is a liar?

"Uncirculated Coins: Are hand-loaded into the coining press and struck on specially burnished blanks, yet have a soft, matt-like finish appearance.

These coins:Are made like circulating coins (which are used everyday as money), but with a special process that produces a brilliant finish."

 

From Mint News Blog quoting the mint in 2011.

The coins included in the set will feature a “brilliant finish,” which represents a change from recent years. From 2005 to 2010, the US Mint had utilized a “satin finish” for the annual Mint Sets and certain other products.

According to a Mint press release, the reason for the change was to create more “aesthetically pleasing” coins. With the satin finish, contact marks resulting from coin-on-coin contact were more apparent. In separate statements, the US Mint also indicated that the change was in response to customer feedback and would serve to extend die life.

The US mint does seem to be trying to emphasize the difference between uncirculated coins included in the set versus circulating coins, stating, “United States Mint uncirculated coins are struck on special presses using greater force than circulating coins, producing a sharp, intricately detailed image, and feature a brilliant finish.”

When the brilliant finish was previously in use, collectors did not differentiate the coins in the same way that they have differentiated the satin finish coins. Since 2005, when updating collections with new releases, some collectors would seek out examples of both business strikes issued for circulation in addition to the satin finish versions included in Mint Sets. The major grading services also separately classified “satin finish” coins from regular circulation strikes.

http://mintnewsblog.com/2011/02/2011-us-mint-uncirculated-coin-set/

Of course we don't need to be told what they are, one can see the difference.

So, for a collection to be truly complete, one needs to acquire the business strikes, the special mint set coins (satins & brilliants), proofs (including the silver proofs), and, in some cases, enhanced uncirculateds.

And remember, take what the TPG'ers tell you with "a grain of salt". They're concerned with their profit, which often conflicts with how a collector should collect.

So, to answer the OP's question, "Is the US Mint confusing young collectors", the answer is NO - but, the TPG'ers ARE.

 

Okay...

So yes, I meant Circulating quality in the OP instead of Circulated...sorry there.

We have StateQuarterGuy saying Mint Set and Circulating have different finishes.
We have cpm9ball saying they are the same finish
I believe they are the same finish different production quality
The mint has published varied information based on all the reference links above
Other sites and TPG saying same finish

Confusion does exist as the collector community cannot even come to agreement. If we, as experienced collectors, do not have a common view, what can we expect a young collector to do?