What does the mint do.....

Peetie

with all of the Mint sets that are sent back for quality issues? Do they destroy them or repack them for future sales?

Louis

It's my understanding that they keep sending them out until somebody keeps them.

itsnotjustme

Some of mine are very low quality. The average state quarter I pull from a bank roll is much better than the average I saw in my 20 sets.

Peetie

I have found that too, Brian.

Louis, I am not sending mine back, but theoretically I could buy 10 sets, send them back and then later purchase the same ten sets and be so frustrated that I keep them.

That cracks me up!

cladking

The only clues that the mint has ever given on this subject are very old. In 1981
there were some 100,000 unsold sets and these were cut opened and put into the
flow of coins. Most of the minor coins went into 1982 mint bags and the SBA's mostly
went into 1980 bags. It is known that at least some were sold to dealers and collectors
and it is suspected that some may have been used for the SBA souvenir sets. The mint
stated in the 70's that all returned sets were destroyed (at that time it was speculated
that they were melted intact to make clad strip)(of course more modern sets contain too
much zinc for this.)

The Denver mint in the early 80's allowed people to cherry pick the souvenir sets. They
seemed surprised anyone would be interested though.

GDJMSP

I agree with you clad - but just last year the Mint also made an announcement regarding this. Of course it only included the 125,000 '99 thru '01 sets that they were going to sell but changed their minds. They destroyed those sets.

And for those who take the time to find them - the Mint's Quarterly Reports to Congress also divulge a few tidbits. They don't get very specific except when dealing with commems - but there is always a line item in the accounting for "melting costs". So it is a certainty that some coins are destroyed on a regular basis - we just don't know exactly which ones.