Coin World today said the mint cancelled the set due to the law passed requiring 2016 proof & unc ASE's to be minted on special smooth sided blanks. But why would this be a problem?, The proof ASE's should be minted during 2015 stored, then packaged in 2016 if there is a problem with the current packaging? And why is there a problem every year with the packaging for this set? The US Mint in general doesn't have a problem selling coins minted in previous years. In fact the 2014 LE Silver proof set is still for sale! Yes all 2016 proof ASE's have to be minted on smooth sided blanks, but what in the law says coins minted in 2015 can not be packaged and sold in 2016? Sounds like the mint is just getting lazy or doesn't have the capacity to mint them, or simply does not want to be bothered... Jim
Darn! Those sets maybe ugly and unnecessary but why! In my opinion the mint is looking for any opportunity to make a new coin, so many.
It is not the blank that needs to be smooth-sided. It is the "3rd side" of the coining chamber otherwise known as the retaining collar that needs to be smooth. All previous collars for the SAE's were reeded. It's my guess that they want to halt the production of the 2015 coins so as not to have another SNAFU like the 2008 SAE's with the 2007 Reverse. Besides, there is nothing in the coinage laws that requires the Mint to continue striking coins for a given year until the very last day/hour/minute/second of the year. Chris
Maybe because silver is so low they would not make as much money? Maybe not, they always charge too much anyhow
Because the law mentioned says that every proof or burnished silver eagle ISSUED in 2016 has to have the lettered edge. the 2015's in the set may have been struck in 2015, but they would be ISSUED in 2016 and would not comply with the law. If the law had said STRUCK in 2016, then the 2015 set could have still been made and sold.
"US Mint cancels 2015 Limited Edition Proof Set, Why?" Uhh, because they can? Actually, the entire set and series of sets was all about the packaging. Nothing more and nothing less as each set didn't have any unique or special coins. They were just pulled from standard collector coin production runs and packaged differently. Folks paying a premium for these might just as well pay a premium for the "Birth Year" Sets or the "Congratulations" Sets.
Interesting thought, yes I suppose they could. I would say suggest it to them but I'm not sure they were have the time now to strike the 2015 coins before the end of the year, and they would also have to worry about condition deterioration while in storage, plus the costs and bookkeeping around holding them for over a year.
Too many duplicative offerings from the US Mint. I swear, some of their stuff is way old before its time. Don't they see the creativity in the coinage of other countries??
