Why are 82 and 83 souvenir sets so pricey?

Bothuwui

Why are these so expensive (been seeing them go on the bay for about $50)? It's my understanding that they are regular circulation strikes, usually pretty banged up, that the mint sold on their tour. I understand that mint sets weren't made in these years, does that mean mint set collector's try and get the souvenir sets instead? I didn't realize they were in this much demand, and had actually cannibalized one for coins for my collection. Man do I regret that. It would have been better to buy the individual coins. I at least still have one more 83 left that I kept intact. I would still like to try and find an 82.

As a side comment, what do you guys do with the mint tokens when you open a mint set? I think I might try and put together a roll of the penny size ones from the sets I've opened. The souvenir sets have nice big half dollar sized medals in them.

mdwoods

The reason is as you stated, and because they are an official mint product. Many people have collections of mint sets or proof sets, or both.

sleeper

Assuming there is say 1 million people that collect mint sets, and with no MSs issued by the Mint in 82 and 83 there was have to be 1 million private made sets to allow everyone to own one. Its highly doubtful if anywhere near that many sets were made privately. Thus lots of people want them and very few exist = high prices.

andrew

cladking

These four sets (the P&D '82 and '83) had mintages of between 10,000 and 20,000.
They are THE primary source for the three of the quarters and all four of the dimes.
They also are the largest source for several gems of these dates. The attrition is very
high on these because they get cut up for the singles and the packaging is not sub-
stantial. Most people are not aware that there is anything special about them so take
no special precautions to protect them.

The coins are just regular production quality but there was some care taken to use
nicer coins from newer dies. Most of the coins in these sets do appear as gems though
some like the '82-P is very scarce in the sets as gem.

The premium on the sets is actually not that great and implies there are still relatively
few people who collect modern coins in original packaging. The coins in the '83-P set
have a wholesale value of about $32. The '82-D set has a much lower aggregate value
but is available cheaper quite often.

Bothuwui

Thanks. I didn't realize how scarce they are until I started shopping for the 82 Set.

No comments on the mint tokens? Has anyone tried to get one slabbed?

cladking

The P and D tokens in the '84 to '98 mint sets are distressingly common. The older plastic
tokens are a little harder to come by but the supply still dwarfs the demand. The souvenir
set mint medals would be a little better if they appeared only in the souvenir sets but they
are also sold individually by the mint. There is a special bicentennial mint medal in some of
the 1976 souvenir sets which might be scarce.

joeyuk

The souverir sets for the Susan B. Anthony fall into a similar catagory.
They were issued in '79, '80, & '81. The '81 is more expensive. After
I sold a set of all three years I was contacted and was told they would
pay over winning bid because of the color of the envelope on the '81.

haletj

I bought a bunch of 82-83 souvinir sets looking for gems. The P coins had better strikes than any I've seen from rolls, but always lousy luster. Some D coins were nice.

As for those P and D tokens... why are they always ms69! While the Lincoln Cent is hacked up! I stuck a few of my extra tokens here and there in the middle of penny rolls I brought to the bank.

clackamas

What do they go for? I have some I got when I was a kid visiting the Mint. I have a 1983 P set and 4 D sets, plus an 80 and 81 P set, and an 80 SBA set.