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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;7Jags, post: 25690723, member: 78719&quot;]Recently, I located this set from the defunct Franklin Mint and nearly missed it.</p><p>The FM secured contracts for coinage from several Caribbean and other states in the period of 1970 through 1985 with a progressive wind down in the 1980-85 period and only sporadic issues after that.</p><p><br /></p><p>Guyana was one such country and contracted for coins from the FM during the 1976 to 1980 interval. Most of the coins were 6 and 8 coin proof sets, the latter of which included 2 silver coins - a 0.925 sterling 10 Dollar featuring National Hero Cuffy on reverse and National coat of arms to obverse &amp; an 0.800 silver 5 Dollar coin with hero Critchlow on reverse. The remainder of coins in the set were copper nickel or bronze.</p><p>In 1976 and ‘77 they struck 100 Dollar proof&nbsp; gold coins in 0.500 fine gold with net gold content of about 1/10 ounce, these in proof.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now interestingly they (the FM) had a policy of “legitimizing” their profitable Proof coins by striking uncirculated versions of these proofs. I have posted several times about them on these Boards. For the uncirculated versions, both the PL and matte non-gold denominations were struck in lesser metals (like copper nickel in this instance), such as the Guyana 5 and $10 coins &amp; even lower denominations struck in the same metals as in the proof sets which generally were bronze, copper nickel or aluminum.</p><p><br /></p><p>The first two pictures are of the set in question, and the third of a proof set where one can see the difference visually. The first set is of uncirculated prooflike specimen quality and despite my continuing interest in the area have never seen in all my years. It may well have not even been recorded in the FM records. Exact sets of this type are published for the 1977 and 1978 years and also of prooflike quality. Individual MATTE uncirculated coins are known and on sale occasionally for the 1976 year alone but no individual PL unc coins in this first year are known by me.</p><p><br /></p><p>This however is in full 8 coin specimen format with the larger two coins of copper nickel and as stated I’ve never seen any trace of or sale of previously. Some 5 and 6 coin FM uncirculated sets were cobbled together by the Central Bank of Guyana but these are usually mixed dates and the 1976 year coins when included with rare exceptions are of the matte type.</p><p><br /></p><p>FM does have records of unc. P-L coins struck for 1976 in the amount of 50 for each denomination of 1c through $1 and possibly 300 each in PL for the two larger denominations.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are the pictures:</p><p><br /></p><p>1976 Specimen Set:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1642685[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1642686[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The 1976 Proof set reverses:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1642687[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Here are bonus pictures of the unc. $5 and $10 coins:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1642688[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=full]1642690[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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