@pf70collector said:
Is mint mark a P or W on this 2026 Congratulations Set?
--
Unfortunately, it's a P - and thus, the grading appears to have been overall diminished by this decision to mint this particular Special 250th anniversary year coin in Philly.
To Quote Philly's famous past resident - Ben Franklin:
"“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”"
@mbr33 said:
Who had ****Hell yeah!**** in the "Will the Mint go over the 60,000 limit on the 2026 Congrats set" pool?
2026 Congratulations Gift Set 59,993 60,099 +106 0.18%
Could go back down under next week, and this isn't a massive amount over, but still over.
Back to 59,990 today.
and they were available again this morning for about ten seconds
BST references: jdimmick;Gerard;wondercoin;claychaser;agentjim007;CCC2010;guitarwes;TAMU15;Zubie;mariner67;segoja;Smittys;kaz;CARDSANDCOINS;FadeToBlack; jrt103;tizofthe;bronze6827;mkman;Scootersdad;AllCoinsRule;coindeuce;dmarks;piecesofme; and many more
@pf70collector said:
Is mint mark a P or W on this 2026 Congratulations Set?
--
Unfortunately, it's a P - and thus, the grading appears to have been overall diminished by this decision to mint this particular Special 250th anniversary year coin in Philly.
To Quote Philly's famous past resident - Ben Franklin:
"“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”"
Had they minted it as a W, it would have NO INTEREST at all.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
@pf70collector said:
Is mint mark a P or W on this 2026 Congratulations Set?
--
Unfortunately, it's a P - and thus, the grading appears to have been overall diminished by this decision to mint this particular Special 250th anniversary year coin in Philly.
To Quote Philly's famous past resident - Ben Franklin:
"“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”"
This coin was NOT intended to be a 250th anniversary year coin. Hence, no dual date or privy.
@pf70collector said:
Is mint mark a P or W on this 2026 Congratulations Set?
--
Unfortunately, it's a P - and thus, the grading appears to have been overall diminished by this decision to mint this particular Special 250th anniversary year coin in Philly.
To Quote Philly's famous past resident - Ben Franklin:
"“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”"
Not a "Special 250th anniversary year coin." Just a plain vanilla 2026 proof ASE.
And, just to highlight the irony that tends to define this forum, the fact that they grade so poorly is precisely why 70s are so valuable. When everyone gets a trophy, trophies tend to lose value and meaning.
@pf70collector said:
Is mint mark a P or W on this 2026 Congratulations Set?
--
Unfortunately, it's a P - and thus, the grading appears to have been overall diminished by this decision to mint this particular Special 250th anniversary year coin in Philly.
To Quote Philly's famous past resident - Ben Franklin:
"“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”"
Not a "Special 250th anniversary year coin." Just a plain vanilla 2026 proof ASE.
And, just to highlight the irony that tends to define this forum, the fact that they grade so poorly is precisely why 70s are so valuable. When everyone gets a trophy, trophies tend to lose value and meaning.
That's not what my students say. They want a "trophy" just for trying, even if they fail.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
@NJCoin said:
Not a "Special 250th anniversary year coin." Just a plain vanilla 2026 proof ASE.
And that decision was made by the US Mint to leave it as a standard issue, instead of doing a little extra work and making it a dual date. If the aftermarket prices here don't scare them, then not much will.
@NJCoin said:
Not a "Special 250th anniversary year coin." Just a plain vanilla 2026 proof ASE.
And that decision was made by the US Mint to leave it as a standard issue, instead of doing a little extra work and making it a dual date. If the aftermarket prices here don't scare them, then not much will.
The importance of this will happen next year.
I'm sorry, but it was not a matter of "extra work." 250th dies were already created. The bottom line is that the regular proof ASE is the commemorative you seek.
The Congratulations ASE is designed to commemorate events in the lives of those who receive them. The decision to not dual date them, or include 250 privy marks on them, was intentional, because that would detract from the purpose behind the item.
Believe it or not, the Mint does not produce every single item with a view towards aftermarket prices, or flippers, etc. The Congratulations Set is one such item. Which is why it is often no different from the regular proof ASE, other than the packaging.
This year is different, because the regular proof ASE is commemorating the semiquincentennial. Presumably, people interested in that buy that coin, and people commemorating events occurring in 2026 buy the Congratulations coin.
BST references: jdimmick;Gerard;wondercoin;claychaser;agentjim007;CCC2010;guitarwes;TAMU15;Zubie;mariner67;segoja;Smittys;kaz;CARDSANDCOINS;FadeToBlack; jrt103;tizofthe;bronze6827;mkman;Scootersdad;AllCoinsRule;coindeuce;dmarks;piecesofme; and many more
@NJCoin said:
Not a "Special 250th anniversary year coin." Just a plain vanilla 2026 proof ASE.
And that decision was made by the US Mint to leave it as a standard issue, instead of doing a little extra work and making it a dual date. If the aftermarket prices here don't scare them, then not much will.
The importance of this will happen next year.
I'm sorry, but it was not a matter of "extra work." 250th dies were already created. The bottom line is that the regular proof ASE is the commemorative you seek.
The Congratulations ASE is designed to commemorate events in the lives of those who receive them. The decision to not dual date them, or include 250 privy marks on them, was intentional, because that would detract from the purpose behind the item.
Believe it or not, the Mint does not produce every single item with a view towards aftermarket prices, or flippers, etc. The Congratulations Set is one such item. Which is why it is often no different from the regular proof ASE, other than the packaging.
This year is different, because the regular proof ASE is commemorating the semiquincentennial. Presumably, people interested in that buy that coin, and people commemorating events occurring in 2026 buy the Congratulations coin.
@NJCoin said:
I'm sorry, but it was not a matter of "extra work." 250th dies were already created. The bottom line is that the regular proof ASE is the commemorative you seek.
The Congratulations ASE is designed to commemorate events in the lives of those who receive them.
It was extra mental work needed, and if you think that the mint should not be worried about aftermarket prices, then they are doomed if they listen to you.
@NJCoin said:
I'm sorry, but it was not a matter of "extra work." 250th dies were already created. The bottom line is that the regular proof ASE is the commemorative you seek.
The Congratulations ASE is designed to commemorate events in the lives of those who receive them.
It was extra mental work needed, and if you think that the mint should not be worried about aftermarket prices, then they are doomed if they listen to you.
Actually, the "extra mental work" was making a different version of the proof ASE this year. And shifting manufacturing for it from West Point to Philadelphia.
That was extra physical work as well as mental work. And they did it anyway. Specifically to distinguish the Congratulations coin from the regular coin, without regard to the fact that people like you apparently want everything coming out of the Mint this year to have a dual date and a privy mark.
The Mint is not "doomed" regardless. And they are serving multiple constituencies.
Clearly, the Congratulations Set was not conceived and manufactured with you in mind. And that's fine.
They will make Congratulations Sets as long as there is demand for them. In whatever form the Mint determines.
If and when demand dries up, they will stop making them. They will be fine either way. So will you.
Well ok, lets see, the original topic states that this coin should be a winner. After reading the entire thread, I'm of a mind that it is not a "winner".... But to whomever receives one as gift for graduation, it is!
@NJCoin said:
Actually, the "extra mental work" was making a different version of the proof ASE this year. And shifting manufacturing for it from West Point to Philadelphia.
Here is a photo of the US mint warehouse with a box of 2027 Congratulations sets being stored with all the other ones they thought to run up the mintages on next year.
The mint did not learn their lessons from 2008, and will likely repeat it again.
@NJCoin said:
Actually, the "extra mental work" was making a different version of the proof ASE this year. And shifting manufacturing for it from West Point to Philadelphia.
Here is a photo of the US mint warehouse with a box of 2027 Congratulations sets being stored with all the other ones they thought to run up the mintages on next year.
The mint did not learn their lessons from 2008, and will likely repeat it again.
The Mint doesn't care. The only lesson they learned in the past 20 years is that the market will support far higher prices than they were charging back then, and they have adjusted premiums to production costs accordingly.
@NJCoin said:
Actually, the "extra mental work" was making a different version of the proof ASE this year. And shifting manufacturing for it from West Point to Philadelphia.
Here is a photo of the US mint warehouse with a box of 2027 Congratulations sets being stored with all the other ones they thought to run up the mintages on next year.
The mint did not learn their lessons from 2008, and will likely repeat it again.
They would just melt them and reissue them. Better yet, they could just overstrike them with 2028 and double they price.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
@NJCoin said:
Actually, the "extra mental work" was making a different version of the proof ASE this year. And shifting manufacturing for it from West Point to Philadelphia.
Here is a photo of the US mint warehouse with a box of 2027 Congratulations sets being stored with all the other ones they thought to run up the mintages on next year.
The mint did not learn their lessons from 2008, and will likely repeat it again.
They would just melt them and reissue them. Better yet, they could just overstrike them with 2028 and double they price.
Comments
They have been a mess all year.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Back to 59,990 today.
I’ve got to go see this week’s report now. Anything else noteworthy?
Is mint mark a P or W on this 2026 Congratulations Set?
Box of 20
It's a P
--
Unfortunately, it's a P - and thus, the grading appears to have been overall diminished by this decision to mint this particular Special 250th anniversary year coin in Philly.
To Quote Philly's famous past resident - Ben Franklin:
"“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”"
BST references available on request
and they were available again this morning for about ten seconds
jdimmick;Gerard;wondercoin;claychaser;agentjim007;CCC2010;guitarwes;TAMU15;Zubie;mariner67;segoja;Smittys;kaz;CARDSANDCOINS;FadeToBlack;
jrt103;tizofthe;bronze6827;mkman;Scootersdad;AllCoinsRule;coindeuce;dmarks;piecesofme; and many more
No interest in them.
Had they minted it as a W, it would have NO INTEREST at all.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
This coin was NOT intended to be a 250th anniversary year coin. Hence, no dual date or privy.
Not a "Special 250th anniversary year coin." Just a plain vanilla 2026 proof ASE.
And, just to highlight the irony that tends to define this forum, the fact that they grade so poorly is precisely why 70s are so valuable. When everyone gets a trophy, trophies tend to lose value and meaning.
That's not what my students say. They want a "trophy" just for trying, even if they fail.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
"A" for effort ??
BST references available on request
And that decision was made by the US Mint to leave it as a standard issue, instead of doing a little extra work and making it a dual date. If the aftermarket prices here don't scare them, then not much will.
The importance of this will happen next year.
I'm sorry, but it was not a matter of "extra work." 250th dies were already created. The bottom line is that the regular proof ASE is the commemorative you seek.
The Congratulations ASE is designed to commemorate events in the lives of those who receive them. The decision to not dual date them, or include 250 privy marks on them, was intentional, because that would detract from the purpose behind the item.
Believe it or not, the Mint does not produce every single item with a view towards aftermarket prices, or flippers, etc. The Congratulations Set is one such item. Which is why it is often no different from the regular proof ASE, other than the packaging.
This year is different, because the regular proof ASE is commemorating the semiquincentennial. Presumably, people interested in that buy that coin, and people commemorating events occurring in 2026 buy the Congratulations coin.
available again this morning for about 30 seconds
jdimmick;Gerard;wondercoin;claychaser;agentjim007;CCC2010;guitarwes;TAMU15;Zubie;mariner67;segoja;Smittys;kaz;CARDSANDCOINS;FadeToBlack;
jrt103;tizofthe;bronze6827;mkman;Scootersdad;AllCoinsRule;coindeuce;dmarks;piecesofme; and many more
Spot on!
It was extra mental work needed, and if you think that the mint should not be worried about aftermarket prices, then they are doomed if they listen to you.
Actually, the "extra mental work" was making a different version of the proof ASE this year. And shifting manufacturing for it from West Point to Philadelphia.
That was extra physical work as well as mental work. And they did it anyway. Specifically to distinguish the Congratulations coin from the regular coin, without regard to the fact that people like you apparently want everything coming out of the Mint this year to have a dual date and a privy mark.
The Mint is not "doomed" regardless. And they are serving multiple constituencies.
Clearly, the Congratulations Set was not conceived and manufactured with you in mind. And that's fine.
They will make Congratulations Sets as long as there is demand for them. In whatever form the Mint determines.
If and when demand dries up, they will stop making them. They will be fine either way. So will you.
Well ok, lets see, the original topic states that this coin should be a winner. After reading the entire thread, I'm of a mind that it is not a "winner".... But to whomever receives one as gift for graduation, it is!
Here is a photo of the US mint warehouse with a box of 2027 Congratulations sets being stored with all the other ones they thought to run up the mintages on next year.
The mint did not learn their lessons from 2008, and will likely repeat it again.
The Mint doesn't care. The only lesson they learned in the past 20 years is that the market will support far higher prices than they were charging back then, and they have adjusted premiums to production costs accordingly.
They would just melt them and reissue them. Better yet, they could just overstrike them with 2028 and double they price.
All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.
Oooh….over strikes! Let’s subscribe now!
Down to 59,967 as of 6/14/2026. These things just keep jumping around.