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Message:: [QUOTE="yakpoo, post: 1654140, member: 18157"]I wouldn't call them "restrikes"...they were all US Mint production strikes. The early '60s was an interesting time for the Mint. The growing economy, the expansion of coin vending machines, and the rise in silver demand (prices) caused a coin shortage that wasn't foreseen by the Mint. By 1960, the US went from a "net buyer" of silver to a "net seller"...to maintain price stability and to calm the markets. The crisis was blamed on Coin Collectors for hoarding silver coins which were now on par with silver prices ($1.29.Oz)...and rising. To discourage coin speculators (and you know who you are :kewl<img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />, Congress authorized the use of the date "1964" for Cents through Half Dollars as late as 1966 to create the "appearance" of abundant supply. That mostly accounts for the large 1964 mintage figures. Even after the new compositions were in place, the Mint suspended the use of Mint Marks to further discourage coin hoarding by collectors. Mint marks were reintroduced in 1969. There are a number of books that discuss this interesting period of the US Mint. "The History of the US Mint and its Coinage" by David Lange is an easy, enjoyable read (See Chapter 15). You should be able to find it on Amazon.com.[/QUOTE]