I went to the Denver Mint today

Crackout

Not on a tour, but just to the Mint store there (which they have now re-located back on the grounds of the Mint building in one of those portable double-wide type trailers).

There was a good sized line of people waiting to get in on their pre-arranged tours (families, kids, etc.). And the Mint store was jam packed with more people pouring over T-shirts, shot glasses, coffee mugs, and baggies of shreaded dollar bills. I was there because I live here in Denver and wanted to swing by and pick up a few of the new proof sets.

I saw one guy in front of me ask the gal behind the counter "What are those?" She replied "Those are silver proof sets and that is a Buffalo commemerative." He said "O.k., I'll take those as well." He handed her his credit card, bought the coins and handed the bag to the kids on the way out the door.

This is why I think the value of modern proof sets will continue to rise. Those kids will get hooked on coins and will need to someday try and find the previous years sets to complete their collection!

Dabigkahuna

Cool story.


Can you just walk up to the mint store or do you have to go through a main entrance? Im curious in case I move there.


Larry
Dabigkahun

Crackout

You can just walk in the store - although you'll have to find parking. It was $.50 for a half hour on the meter about 2 blocks away.

cladking

Years ago they would let you sit and go through their stock to find gems.

You probably still can if you're lucky but with more people requesting it, there
are likely more restrictions.

CoinHunter2003

Sometimes all it takes is to give a child a coin. My Dad gave me one 50 years ago.
A Peace Dollar and I still have it and lots of other coins too now. Great story, thanks.







Alex in Alaska

lloydmincy

Modern proofs will never be worth anything. Why? THEY MAKE TOO MANY OF THEM. THEY ARE CHEAP TO BUY, AND YOU CAN GET AS MANY AS YOU WANT. Not the supply and demand econ 101 I know of that increase the value of something.

ss350camaro

I lived in Denver from '61 to '77. I remember as a kid going on the Mint tours and getting that feeling of old history as we walked on the cat walks. Looking down onto the production floor and watching the Lincoln Cents pour out of one of the presses. The operator would wave to us and run his hands into the bin, pick up as much as he could and cascade them back into the bin. All that shiny copper reflecting the lights really made a sparkle.
At one point you would walk past a big vault that had Gold bars stacked in the middle on the floor. They had the lighting down low, the walls of the vault were done up to look like a mint shaft. It really gave you the feeling of the old west.
Back then i remember the mint store being at the end of the tour. Not outside.

Such great old memories (sniff sniff)

19Lyds

Thats a pretty broad statement that the folks who purchased the 1999 Silver Proof Sets for $200+ might want to argue over. Yes, they do produce a lot and a lot of whats produced is junk that will not have a lot of value. But, just like there are some really nice business strikes out there, there are also some very nice modern proof sets out there. You just gotta look for them.

Thats all you'll get out of me today.......back to sleep....