US Proof and Mint Sets 1936 to Date

Proof coins are beautiful. Look at this picture of a US proof quarter below. The devices are frosty and the fields are like mirrors. Coining technology has come a long way. These 'cameo' proof coins have been produced exclusively for collectors since about 1970. Before that, proof coins were nice, but they did not have the frost-on-mirror 'cameo' appearance. Proof coins are made exclusively for collectors and are sold by the mint in special government packaging.

There are also Mint Sets. These are sets are also made for collectors and sold with special government packaging, but the coins themselves are uncirculated examples of normal 'business strike' coins, not proof coins. Like coins in a proof set, coins in a mint set are very pretty.

But values of proof and mint sets are another thing. They are not so pretty. The US Mint, and mints of other countries, produce these coins to make money, and make money they do. They package them in fancy velvet boxes and pepper them with 'certificates of authenticity' and other fluff. Then they set the prices sky high and people buy them like hotcakes! They are lovely collectibles and they make wonderful gifts, but don't consider them to be 'good investments' and don't expect to make a lot money on them.

With modern proof and mint sets, there are two markets. The primary market is when people buy these sets directly from government sources. The secondary market is when people buy them from coin dealers and other non-government sources. If a proof set sells for $100 on the primary market, it usually sells for about $30 on the secondary market. Do you get the picture? If you bought your proof set from a government source, its value is about one-third of what you paid for it.

Once in a while people get lucky and the secondary market is stronger than the primary market. In these cases people who buy sets from the government actually make money because they can sell them on the secondary market at higher prices than they paid. This hardly ever happens, but when it does it is usually because there is some type of flaw in the coins or because issuing government has artificially restricted supply. CoinQuest has decided not to follow fluctuations due to artificial supply limitations because they are artificial. Likewise, minor coin variations due to errors in these sets is beyond the scope of CoinQuest. Check eBay or similar sites to get an idea of the secondary market for your proof set. Values usually range from a few dollars to a few tens of dollars.

Some sets are particularly valuable. Here are the dates and approximate catalog values in US dollars of sets known to be particularly valuable. To be valuable, all coins must be in perfect condition and the packaging must be fully intact. Fully intact packaging means no cracks, holes, dents, breaks, discolorations, scrapes, scratches, and the package must be completely sealed.

VALUABLE PROOF SETS:
2012 to Date sets with 14 or 8 silver coins: $150
1999 silver set: $100 (other 1999 sets low value)
1996 prestige set: $250 (other 1996 sets low value)
1990 only when cent has no mint mark: $4100
1975 only when dime has no mint mark: $200000
1968 only when dime has no mint mark: $13000
1957 to 1964: $25
1956: $60
1954, 1955: $100
1952, 1953: $200
1950, 1951: $500
1938 to 1942: $1200
1937: $2500
1936: $6000

VALUABLE MINT SETS:
2008 to Date: $25
1996: $15
1976 3 piece: $17
1959 to 1964: $40
1954 to 1958: $300
1948 to 1953: $1000
1947: $1300

SUMMARY: Proof and mint sets make great collectibles and great gifts, especially for budding coin collectors, but do not expect these sets to become highly valuable over they years. Generally, they stay at low value.
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