2006 US Mint Sets...A couple questions, please.

mnmcoin

Just ordered mine from the site and was reading the description...

2006 United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set® (U06)

The United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set® includes two envelopes of 10 coins each, a complete set of 2006-dated circulating coins from the United States Mint at Philadelphia and Denver.

Uncirculated coins are minted on special presses and struck with greater force than circulating coins.
The coins are then packaged and protectively sealed in clear Mylar®, and carefully handled to ensure that these pristine examples of our Nation's coinage will stay in their original mint condition.

The United States Mint Uncirculated Coin Set is available by subscription. Click here for more information.

Notice the sentence I have made bold. What the heck does that mean? I take it with no mention of satin finish, the sets aren't going to be satin finish like in 2005.

Anyone have any other info on these sets?

morris <><

HonoluluDude

The official Mint press release says it is satin finished.

RickMilauskas

I didn't realize "circulating" coins were struck.

I thought they were uncirculated coins that circulated.

CaptHenway

I suspect that since "satin finish" is the new normal, they did not feel the need to mention it in the one listing.
TD

holadude

They probably strike the mint set ones on better dies with more pressure in order to get a full strike that you may not get from the uncirculated circulation coins (mint rolls and bags that go to the banks). They probably change the dies more often as well. Just like the proofs, but less polishing involved.

mnmcoin

<< <i>The official Mint press release says it is satin finished. >>



Great, thank you.

morris <><

perfectstrike

At the Denver mint, the presses used for uncirculated sets are in a seperate portion of the facility and are not supposed to used for business strikes. The dies used are also stored seperately. I asked lots of questions about this when I took the ANA mint tour. Unfortunately, questions are all I could ask, as the area used for uncirculated set production is off limits to tours.

David

Conder101

<< <i>I didn't realize "circulating" coins were struck.

I thought they were uncirculated coins that circulated. >>


It has to do with the terminology that is used within the mint itself. They refer to proofs as proof, and coins for mint sets as uncirculated coins. Coins made for general commerce are referred to as "circulated" or "circulating" coins even when brand new straight from the press.



<< <i>They probably strike the mint set ones on better dies with more pressure in order to get a full strike that you may not get from the uncirculated circulation coins (mint rolls and bags that go to the banks). They probably change the dies more often as well. >>


Bingo. Mint set dies are changed after about 30,000 strikes.

Last year the Mint said that the satin finish would be the standard finish for mint sets from now on, so there is no real reason to repeat it, although it would have been nice if they had.

Djord

Just received my 50 2006 mint unc sets sets today, they are actually on time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

19Lyds

Dang! My paltry 6 were just shipped today!

cladking

<< <i>At the Denver mint, the presses used for uncirculated sets are in a seperate portion of the facility and are not supposed to used for business strikes. The dies used are also stored seperately. I asked lots of questions about this when I took the ANA mint tour. Unfortunately, questions are all I could ask, as the area used for uncirculated set production is off limits to tours.

David >>



The mint has always been very secretive about these operations, techniques, and processes
and one is mostly reduced to treating it as a black box problem. I believe CaptHenway is one
of only a very few people to have seen any part of this operation and pictures are very tough.
There are a few pictures on the mint's virtual tour at USMint.Gov.

These are struck on the old vertical presses at much lower speeds than those made for circu-
lation. They are also struck by new dies, as has been noted, under increased tonnage. Where
a regular quarter would be struck under about 60 tons and a proof (twice) at 65 tones, these
are struck at 75 tons. Struck coins are washed and dried. Other nicities Have been employed
over the years to make these coins generally superior to the other uncs coming out of the mint.
This has been going on almost world wide for decades. Most countries didn't begin issuing mint
sets until the mid to late '70's and earlier coins can be rare in gem. Many of these can be quite
scarce in any grade since so many coins have been melted in the last ten years.

The matte finish was added in 2005. All dies are supposed to be chromium plated which is what
gives the coins this appearance. In the past all the dies are not always treated exactly the same
way for mint sets so some variation has existed. This applies equally to other parts of the process
from planchet preparation to packaging. Many of the planchets have been burnished in recent
years for instance.

All this really does essentially is make gems and PL coins much more available to the masses. Gems
are made in significant numbers every year for circulation but they are nearly impossible to find a-
mong their billions of brethern. Mint sets contain these coins in far higher numbers. Not only will
as many as 10% of an issue be gem but up to 50% can be choice and for many dates even finding
choice coins in circulation is a big chore.

zrlevin

Thanks for the info, Cladking!