Are dates on US coins restricted to the year minted?

botanist

Can we believe that the 2011 gold eagles, which are expected to begin retail shipping by Apmex (among other dealers) on Friday January 14th 2011, were actually minted in the year 2011? If so, that would probably mean mintage had to begin on Monday January 3rd, and that meaningful quantities would be produced in a few days, followed by the mint's checking, packaging, invoicing, and shipping, to be delivered to Apmex in Oklahoma City sufficiently in advance of the 14th of January, so that Apmex would in turn have time to do all their internal receiving, checking, packaging, invoicing and sending. Was production instead begun in 2010?

This topic came up in reference to the 2010 Buchanan first spouse coins discussion thread, when someone stated that 2010 coins can no longer be produced in 2011, so that no more Buchanans can be made. I asked if it were therefore prohibited to produce 2011 coins in 2010, but nobody replied.

llafoe

I think 1964 is the only year currently unrestricted.

botanist

Actually I now see in the latest Coin Update News that the mint began shipping the 2011 silver and gold eagles on January 3rd 2011. So we know those early eagles were manufactured in 2010. Can we therefore arrange for a special PCGS label to refer to that? Instead of labeling them first strike, wouldn't it be neater to have the label announce: "Struck 2010?"

botanist

Here's the link to: coin update news.

MsMorrisine

hmmm....


maybe they are minted earlier.


I wonder if the law or regulations are different for bullion and circulation strikes.

LanLord

I beleive in years past SAEs were minted in Dec of the previous year and the 2000 Sacs were minted in 1999 (some, not all).

BillyKingsley

This came up once before, and somebody who seemed to know what they were talking about, cited several reference points stating that they usually begin making coins the year before they say they are.

It may have been in the debate about the no Proof SAEs

I can't recall when or who said it but I remember being surprised by the news.

I seem to recall that you can mint them in advance but not afterwords, but don't quote me on that as I'm not 100% sure.

LindeDad

All I know is the mint has so many secrets that the TP is marked confidential.

dsessom

Try finding a 1975 quarter.

They made 1976's that year...

CaptHenway

In most years, the Mint strikes gold and silver eagles in at least December of the prior year, and sometimes even earlier. Several years ago, when the bullion markets were rather dull, we bought a case of silver eagles in January and found an inspector's tag in it dated the previous August! I suspect that they were merely utilizing some press time that was not being used for current coins to begin stockpiling the next year's coins. Nothing wrong with that, and it actually shows efficiency on the part of the Mint.

TD

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>I think 1964 is the only year currently unrestricted. >>

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I think they are still striking 1964 nickels LOL. The mint never could make enough and they are hard to find in pocket change.

coinboynyc

If memory serves me right, all of the 1900 Lafayette commemorative dollars were struck in one day in December 1899.

tychojoe

And in the other direction, weren't 1965 quarters minted into 1966?

ricko

And why would any of this be important, relevant or meaningful?????????? Cheers, RickO

DeepCoin

You cannot mint coins AFTER the date on the coin. That is the only restriction. Obviously, if you are to have coins available at the first of the year, they must be struck before that date. However, they cannot be released until the current year if produced earlier. The Mint is always talking about how they must get the coins ready early for delivery. Proof coins, particularly state quarters were always struck early, once the designs were finalized and dies were made.

messydesk

Some 2000 dollars were inadvertently released in 1999. SEGS slabbed a few of them with the date they were slabbed on the label. I wonder if they'd cross into a "First Strike™" holder.

SaorAlba

<< <i>Try finding a 1975 quarter.

They made 1976's that year... >>



Back when I was a kid in 1975 I remember getting a half dollar from the Bicentennial 1776-1976 commemoration and wondering how I got a 1976 dated coin in the summer of 1975. Back then I was noticing coins and saving a few, but not quite an active collector yet.

SaorAlba

<< <i>You cannot mint coins AFTER the date on the coin. That is the only restriction. Obviously, if you are to have coins available at the first of the year, they must be struck before that date. However, they cannot be released until the current year if produced earlier. The Mint is always talking about how they must get the coins ready early for delivery. Proof coins, particularly state quarters were always struck early, once the designs were finalized and dies were made. >>



1964 dated dimes, quarters and halves were minted as late as early 1967 while the mint used up their stocks of silver.

razzle

Rumor has it that a US Postal Service Commemorative will be minted 18 months before delivery...

ColonelJessup

<< <i>You cannot mint coins AFTER the date on the coin. That is the only restriction. Obviously, if you are to have coins available at the first of the year, they must be struck before that date. However, they cannot be released until the current year if produced earlier. The Mint is always talking about how they must get the coins ready early for delivery. Proof coins, particularly state quarters were always struck early, once the designs were finalized and dies were made. >>



Not sure about the current law (question is "are"), but the 1804 S$1's were official (no quibbling as might occur re: 1884,1885 T$1's, other novodels, products of the "midnight minting process", and restrikes too numerous to mention).

But then my post here is quibbling.

FredWeinberg

In early November, 2006, I was at the
West Point Mint for a special tour, and in
their Vault Room (huge!) were not only a
large amount of large gold bars, but lots
of green ASE boxes, filled with 2007 Silver
Eagles - they were stacked along a wall,
with the Official Distributors names above
the boxes.

I actually called one of the distributors that
I knew real well, and told them that I had
seen their first order for '07 ASE's at West
Point - they thought that was pretty funny.

Also, in the same room, was the HUGE
Balance Scale that had been in the Philadelphia
Mint for many years - not sure when it was
moved, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't there in
1974 when I was there (it was a Depository
then) to examine the Carson City Dollars for
errors for the GSA.....