Hi. I figured what better way to create an instant collection than to just jump right in and buy a large number of uncirculated US Mint sets. I was able to purchase this collection: http://cgi.ebay.com/1964-2006-COMPLETE-US-Mint-SET-Run-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ270474332573QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCoins_US_Individual?hash=item3ef986c99d for a final bid price of $360.56. Looks like this guy (not me and no affiliation!) has a couple of them available...the link above is to a current listing. Looking at the prices for the sets on a few price guides, PCGS, etc, I think that I did pretty good in price....but the one other set that sold was only sold for $20 higher than I paid which makes me think perhaps I got a "good" deal, but not a "great" deal. I'd value the thoughts of you true professionals as to how I did on my first big purchase based on my own research instead of just asking "should I buy this" in advance.
Good way to start, can't really say about price since I do not collect them. Well I only started in the 90's somewhere along the way. It averages out to around $9(or so) a set so it sounds good to me. Congrats.
That's certainly a nice way to start a Mint Set or even a US Moderns collection. I think you did very well on this one.
one comment that I have is that as I put together much this very same set piece-by-piece, I found the late 60s and early 70s Lincoln cents to be problematic. Many of the coins while still in the packaging had this ugly black junk on them. Many sets exist with nice, pristine examples, but I had to look at more than a few sets to find them. I love this collection! I also wanted to tell you that Mint Souvenir Sets exist for 1982 and 1983. They can sometimes be harder to find, but they are out there, and they are available. Many of these Mint Set collections are missing those two years. Do yourself a favor and find these 4 sets (1 P and 1 D each year) and make your clad coin collection complete. Also, I was noticing no 2007, 2008, or 2009 Mint Sets, I hope that you either have these or plan to add them soon. The 2008 Mint Set is selling for a premium over issue right now.
I will also add to those who plan on using Mint Sets as a collection of all of the clad coins, there are a few that are not included which are: 1971 and 1972 Ike dollars, both P and D, the 1979 S SBA coin, and anything 2005 and newer. Since 2005 the Mint Sets are made with a satin finish and differ from the regular circulation strikes. If you want a complete clad collection, you have to find a source for regular unc coins from 2005 - date and the afore mentioned dollar coins absent from the Mint Sets. just a little food for thought...
I love these modern sets since as the mint has said "they are the backbone of serious modern collections". They are not the be all end all as some might think since some varieties, gems, and even regular issues don't appear in them. I usually suggest that people seek out the gems individually to fill whichever sets they want. The best bet is to collect multiple sets like cents and nickels or all the moderns and check mint sets, rolls, and dealer stock for nice attractive specimens. While doing this you will run into some nice mint sets that are collectible in their own right. Singles and partial sets can be traded off for coins you need so this hobby can be very inexpensive still and you can end up with great looking collections. There are not going to be a lot of collections of nice mint sets just because all the mint sets are getting chewed up to make collections. After looking at a few mint sets you might get the impression that a complete mint set that's nice is impossible but they're actually surprisingly common. Remember you can take the Denver packet from one set and a Philly from another and this makes it far easier. The mints seemed to try to make some very high quality sets and these account for about .2 to 2 percent of the mintage dependent on year.
Thanks everyone for the feedback and information. Lots to comment on... I'm really excited to get these in hand and actually see in person everything I just got and what may be missing...ala the Ike and Susan B dollar coins that were mentioned. Any idea why those were left out? I'll keep an eye out for the 1982 and 1983 souvenir sets. What differentiates them from the regular mint sets that weren't released? (Well, other than that they *were* released...lol) I'll also need the 2007 and 2008 sets...I purchased two each of the uncirculated and proof 2009 sets already when I ordered my LN6 (which I just got the shipping confirmation number on!) Speaking of the 2009 sets though, I see what you mean about quality and expectations. Some of the coins look "dirty" or have some spots on them...especially the dollar coins and the pennies. I suppose I'll have to wait to get my shipment to check those 60's and 70's pennies and then just go from their regarding what I may need a replacement of. It was a little disappointing...I figured ordering directly from the mint would yield better quality results. What's the deal with the 2005 plus uncirculted sets with the satin finish? Are the mints each making two types of coins...one for circulation and one for the mint sets, each with the same mintmark, just with the different finish? What's the goal there? Just adding another type of collectable to the mix? My 2009's did seem a bit duller than I expected. I guess this is why. I couldn't bring myself to tear open a mint set just to get a good coin example out. I mean, as long as I own it and can view it, I can't see breaking down one "original" set in order to create another. Besides, it seems handling the coin and then forcing it into one of the those blasted albums would only do damage to it. Hey, maybe as everyone breaks down their sets and they become more and more scarce, I'll be the only one left with an original. chaching! Wow, long winded. Sorry. Can't wait to get these things and actually view my new hoard. Thanks for the feedback!
I was at an auction a couple of years ago and I purchased a lot of 1970's mint sets for $3/each. Each set was a different auction but no one was bidding against me. I just keep getting them at 3 bucks. It was kind of funny since each set had $3.82 of coins in it. Even after the 10% buyer's premium, I was making out on them. In all, I think I purchased 30 sets ranging from 1970 to 1979.
Wow Phil, bet you got some good coins out of that run of good luck! I suppose the other advantage to the deal I got, even if more per set than a few of the years are going, is that I got free shipping. I can't imagine the cost of shipping alone if I got each of these separately. I'm jealous of your 1970 acquisitions. A 1970 half dollar and a 1987 P is all I need to finish my kennedy collection. I know I'm getting one in my purchase, but like I said, if I only have one, I don't want to tear apart the set just to put it in the album. Grr.
Take a hard look at the 1996 mint set. The Roosevelt dime that's added has the "W" mint mark. If your's is FB and high grade you might consider having it slabbed by PCGS. The cost will be well covered by the price you can get when sold.
Some nice purchases there. I don't really collect those sets but from back in the 50's I started ordering them, putting them in boxes never opened. Don't know why, just did. Somewhere in the early 70's, not sure, I started ordering 15 of each, Proof and Uncirc sets and giving most away as Christmas gifts with the latest Red Book. Due to people's age, passing away and people moving away, that has drindled down to 10 of each. I still keep at least one of each for that box where they are never opened since I really don't collect them or do I? I say I don't collect them since I never open them, just store away for ?
Looks like you can pick up the '82 and '83 for roughly $60 each. Times 4 will mean another $240 added to what you already paid.
NGC MS68FT is running in the $100 range on Teletrade. PCGS 68FB sold in July for $160. I don't see very many of these for sale, so I'm guessing the price trend would be up.
The souvenir mint sets went into production in 1971 or '72 and were made every year through 1998. They were intended as a "sample" of the current coins being made at the mint for visitors who took the tour and cost $4. Many were available at various times to persons enterring from the street and in later years were sold at other FED distribution points. The '82 and '83 sets were actually available mail order but very few were aware of the fact and sales were extremely light. Over the years mintages varied from 400 to close to 80,000. These higher figures were for the '87 sets which contained the mint set "only" half dollars. Regular mint set coins are made on numismatic presses and tend to be far higher quality than souvenir set coins but it's obvious that pains were taken to find nice specimens for the souvenir sets. Mintages for these have been reported as 10,000 for each of the Philly sets, 15,000 for the '82-D, and 20,000 for the '83-D. None of the mintages appear to be official but a few have been published by the mint or other parties apparently in communication with the mint.
Not sure if the price on the entire lot was great or not, and it would be hard to tell w/o looking at each of the coins for quality. I wouldn't count on the '96-W dime being worth $100+ since very few are of the quality to grade a 68. Still, make sure it's there as it's most of the value of the 1996 set which typically goes for $15-$20 on eBay. Take note of those coins referenced by others which aren't found in the normal mint sets if you want to have a more complete set. Another I can think of is the 1999 SBA dollar which was sold separate from the usual mint set. Have fun with all of those coins!!!
Ha. I think I feel you! I'm sure having a lot more fun roll searching and putting together a set than just buying an existing one like this. I guess on some psychological level my collection will feel more "complete" knowing that I've got a mint set for each of the years. I'll look through them for any of high quality or other rarity (aka the 96 dime mentioned), but will probably store them separate from my active collecting zone. It's just sort of comforting know that I *have* them. Illini420, yes, I'll have to gauge the quality to see how good this actually was. Like I mentioned though, it was at the very least a *convenient* purchase what with the shipping savings and the dealing with multiple vendors and whatnot. CladKing, thanks for the info on the souvenir sets. I'll start price watching them and pick em up when I can find a deal.
