History of U.S. Uncirculated Mint Sets
The U.S. Mint has sold coins to collectors since it was founded in the late 1700s. In 1947 Official Uncirculated Mint sets were specially packaged by the government for sale to coin collectors. They contained uncirculated coins for each of the denominations produced for general circulation. There was no special handling or consideration for the quality of the coins placed in the uncirculated mint sets. From 2005 until 2010, mint sets were made with coins with a special satin finish rather than the traditional business strike finish. Coins that were struck only as Proof specimens and commemorative coins were not included in the uncirculated mint sets. No official uncirculated mint sets were produced in 1950, 1982, and 1983. Any mint sets from these years were assembled by private individuals, not by the U.S. Mint.
Market Analysis
You can still buy the most recent uncirculated mint sets directly from the U.S. Mint. Additionally, many recently issued mint sets are available online or from your favorite coin dealer at near the original issue price. If you want top dollar for your mint sets, you need to sort them and organize them so the dealer can quickly see what you have. It is best to sort them by year, beginning with the earliest sets.
Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties
The following mint sets in any condition, are worth considerable more than common mint sets. As such, these coins and their original U.S. Mint packaging should be kept together when you sell your coins.
All mint sets dated 1947-1958 1970-S Small Date Lincoln Cent
U.S. Mint Set Average Prices and Values
The following table lists the buy price (what you can expect to pay a dealer to purchase the coin) and sells value (what you expect a dealer to pay you if you sell the coin). The first column lists the date and type, followed by the buy price and the sell value for an average U.S. Mint Set. These are approximate retail prices and wholesale values. Of course, the offer you receive from a particular coin dealer will vary depending on the actual grade of the coin and a number of other factors that determine its worth.
