What month does the US Mint start minting proof coins?

psxchelly

Hi... I was wondering this:

In the 60's, when the mint was making proof sets it seems that its hit or miss with the quality of the coins. Does the mint start minting coins in January? Do they usually start on a certain month every year??

I noticed now, that the mint sells proof sets sometimes in March or April.. but is that because of the state quarters?

michelle

cladking

deleted because the "info" was wrong

psxchelly

so basically (i mean before the state quarters came along), there isnt really a way they could have started minting in like January or Febuary.

cladking

I believe back in the early to mid 60's they did begin production this early but my memory
for this sort of thing isn't good.

GDJMSP

I can't say that they start minting Proofs that early - but they certainly mint UNCs that early. I would assume that they start minting UNCs in the late months of the previous year. The first coins of the year go on sale in Jan. & Feb. Now consider the process. The coins have to minted. Then they have to be packaged. Then they have to be shipped to the distribution center in TN is sufficient numbers for orders to be filled.

Does all that happen within 2 - 3 weeks ?? Knowing how the govt. works - I rather doubt it.

DeepCoin

Let's not forget that we are dealing with a process that includes the minting of 10 coins or 18 if you include the fact that the state quarters, dime and half dollar are minted in both silver and clad materials.

Add that to producing the packaging and assembly and you can see that the Mint begins production early on for proof coins that ultimately become sets. The drop schedule is what determines when the individual pieces are produced and assembled.

Long story short, January is the answer.

Conder101

It used to be that they wouldn't start business strike production before Jan 1st since the law states that all coins must bear the year in which they were struck. Dies could be made ahead of time, but not coins. In the past decade or so at least they have chosen to ignore what the law actually says, and have argued that they are in compliance with the law as long as the coins ae not released before the year shown on them. Under this legal theory, proof coin production can begin at any time once the designs have been approved. They could be striking 2004 proofs right now if they wished. A few years back (pre-state quarters) there was actually a case of a person who ordered a proof set in late November and was accidently shipped a proof set for the following year instead of the correct one. It was verifiied by and the set was pictured in Coin World.