Proof Sets

What is the difference between the United States Mint Proof Set and the United States Mint Silver Proof Set?



Both coin sets use the same "proof" manufacturing process, and both contain the same number of coins. However, the United States Mint Proof Set is made with the same metal alloys that the United States Mint uses to produce coins for general circulation.

The Roosevelt dime, Kennedy half-dollar, and the quarters contained in the United States Mint Silver Proof Set are minted in 90% silver alloy.



SILVER Proof Set

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Satin Finish Mint Sets

Here is a great article we found on http://coinblog.org/:


The United States Mint has indicated that the "satin finish" will no longer be used for the annual Uncirculated Mint Set. This finish had been used for the sets since 2005. From 2011, a brilliant finish will be used.
The satin finish has a frosted look that is created by sandblasting the coin dies and burnishing the coin blanks. This created coins that were potentially in higher grades, provided they were not covered by contact or handling marks.
For some years such as 2005, higher grades are abundant. However, in the past two years, more often than not coins could not achieve the highest grades due to the aforementioned contact marks.
With the change, registry set collections will have less coins to worry about finding each year. Some interesting subsets are also created, consisting of satin finish coins issued from 2005 to 2010. Personally, I had been working on a satin finish Presidential Dollars Set. Now, I will try to complete this collection in earnest.
The scheduled release date for the 2011 Mint Set is February 8, 2011. This will be many months earlier than the release date set for the 2010 Mint Set.

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Commemorative Stamp Collection

This is a great way to start a stamp collection or a great addition to a growing collection.  "Celebrate the Century" is an exciting, limited edition stamp series that commemorates the most significant people, events and accomplishments of the 20th Century. 

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History of Money

Here is an interesting article we thought you might enjoy from by Michael Russell at  http://ezinearticles.com/?A-History-of-Coin-Collecting&id=447722


Today, it is believed that the first coins were bronze and used in China around 800-1,000BC. Lydia in Asia Minor used coins about 600-700 BC. The Lydian's coins were called "starters" which was a unit of weight. Starters were stamped with a lion's head image and made with a gold and silver alloy. Today, as you might guess, the coins that are still remaining are very valuable.

The early Americans did not use coins for money. They made their "notes" from beaver skins, wampum and tobacco. They had their own money system without coins in use until foreign traders came to America and demanded payment for their goods. The foreign coins then started to circulate, but soon Americans started making their own coins from copper in the 18th century. Then after the new American government was born, it started to regulate coinage. The rights to produce their own coins were eventually given to the states. Later, national coinage was produced in America and the first U.S. Mint building started their coining operations in Philadelphia in 1793. The Mint building was actually an old brewery! The cent coin was the first one struck for circulation.


It's amazing how these ingenious and enterprising early Americans operated their first Mints. They used a screw press that was powered by horses or many strong men! The planchets were squeezed between the obverse and reverse dies to strike the coins. At first, the dies were cut by hand. Sometimes a die cutter would add his own artistic flair to his dies.


Coin collecting has a long and colorful history and was mostly a hobby for the wealthy until more modern times. The Roman Emperor Augustus (63BC-14AD) was the earliest person known to collect coins. He collected them for his own collection and even gave out some as gifts. In the Middle Ages, the wealthy families and royalty amassed amazing collections. Even in the early history of America, only the wealthy could afford to collect coins. Everyone else had to spend the money for necessities such as food, shelter and clothing.


Then in 1858 the American Numismatic Society was formed and in 1891 the American Numismatic Association was founded. (A numismatist is a person who studies, collects or invests in paper money or coins). Because of these organizations, public awareness of coin collecting grew and in the 1930s the U.S. Commemorative coins were struck and became extremely popular with the public. More and more people were starting to collect and invest in coins. The numismatic hobby has been growing every since the 1930s and it is estimated that there are more that 15 million numismatists in the United States today!

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Statehood Quarters

We have a complete stock all years of Statehood Quarters from 1999 through 2010.  We sell all years both individually or in albums as a set.


If you are missing, for instance, an Alaska P...send us an email and we can help to complete your collection.

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Stamps 101, Part 3

This article is taken from the American Philatelic Society website.  http://www.stamps.org/kids/kid_qa.htm 
 
What makes a stamp valuable and how do you determine that value?

The value of a stamp is determined by the quantity available, the demand, and its condition. Approximate values, for both mint and used items, can be obtained from a stamp catalog.

Is it better to collect canceled or mint stamps?

This is a decision that collectors must make for themselves. Canceled stamps with light markings can make a beautiful and, of course, educational collection. They also usually are less expensive to obtain. It must be noted, however, that in general mint stamps will have a greater value in later years. This is not always true. One of the most valuable stamps, the 1 cent British Guiana, is a heavily canceled stamp.

What are the rarest or most expensive stamps?

There are more than ten stamps of which only one copy is known. And while rarity is one factor in determining value, the history behind the stamp often is more important. Some of the most famous and valuable stamps include:

• 1 cent 1856 British Guiana (Sold for $935,000 in 1980)
• 1d and 2d 1847 Post Office Mauritus (1d & 2d valued at $500,000 used; 1d at $1,100,000 unused)
• Sweden 1857 3 skilling Banco Yellow (Approximately $2,000,000)
• Hawaiian Islands 1851 2 cent Missionary ($660,000 unused; $200,000 used)
• British Guiana 1851 2 Cent Cottonreel ($70,000 used)
• Western Australia 1854 4d Inverted Swan ($60,000 used)
• United States 1868 1 cent Z Grill (Sold for $935,000 in 1988)
• Canada 1851 12 pence Victoria on Laid Paper ($80,000 unused and $50,000 used)
• United States 1918 Inverted Jenny ($150,000 unused)

The above values are based on catalog values or last known sales.

Why isn't there just one stamp with all different prices?

If all stamps appeared the same, Postal clerks and customers would be more likely to confuse them. In fact for a period of years the Universal Postal Union required that stamps had to be a particular color based on the rate they paid. Another important consideration is that stamps give us an opportunity to honor our great citizens, commemorate important events in our history and encourage our citizens to do things that help our society to work well, such as register to vote, and to give blood.

Why do people collect stamps?

People collect stamps for many different reasons. Some like to learn about the designs. Others enjoy them as little art works. Still others like to try to get all the stamps of one country. But most of all, stamp collectors have fun with their stamps because no collection is ever complete, so there is always a challenge. Besides, your stamps belong to YOU, and that is a nice feeling. And, of course, stamps are one way of sharing an interest with other people -- your friends, a parent or perhaps a neighbor. Even strangers can be instant friends when they discover that they both collect stamps!

How old must a stamp be before it's worth more than face value?

A stamp becomes valuable because there are fewer copies of it than there are collectors who want it. Age of the stamp is only one factor. Also important are how many were printed and how many collectors there are. There are some stamps that are 100 years old but a billion or more were printed. They will never be rare.

How and where do you get stamp catalogs, tools, and mounts?

Most often, people get stamp supplies, catalogs and stamps from stamp dealers. Visit the dealer listing on this website or look in the yellow pages of your telephone book under "stamps" or "stamps for collectors," and call before you visit to make sure that the dealer carries the things you need. If there is no local dealer, you need to find adult collectors who can tell you where they get what they need -- usually by mail. Sometimes a member of a local stamp club (see listing on our site) will order supplies for the club members, and you can submit your order with the club order.

Why are stamps canceled?

Stamps represent money that has been paid to the Postal Service. The money that is collected from selling stamps is used to pay the expenses of transporting and delivering the mail. Once stamps have been used, the cancellation makes them into a receipt for the service that the Postal Service has given. If more service is asked for in the form of a new letter, a new stamp must be used.

Where can I put my stamps if I don't have hinges or mounts?

Without hinges or mounts it will be difficult to display your stamps in an album or on home made pages because tape or glue will damage your stamps. You could use glassine envelopes or stock cards, but stamp hinges are less expensive. Self-stick pages sold for photographs should not be used, as the stamps may be hard to remove, and when the adhesive dries, it may discolor your stamps.

If you have a design you think would make a good stamp, where do you send it for people to look at?

Stamp design ideas should be sent to:

Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee
Stamp Development
US Postal Service
1735 North Lynn St., Rm 5013
Arlington, VA 22209-6432

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Stamps 101, Part 2

This article is taken from the American Philatelic Society website.  We thought this might be interesting for stamp collectors just getting started.  If you missed it, also check out Part 1 posted yesterday.


Stamp History


How much did the first United States stamp cost?

The first United States stamps were issued in 1847. One featured a picture of Benjamin Franklin and cost five cents. The other featured a picture of George Washington and cost ten cents. (A U.S. Postage Rates listing is available for you to see postage rates and when they have increased.)

Why does the United States of America put only dead people on stamps when other countries picture people who are still living?

Each of the world's stamp-issuing nations has its own set of rules governing selection of subjects for stamps. The United States does not consider putting an individual on a stamp sooner than 10 years following his or her death. The exception is former Presidents of the United States, each of whom is honored with a memorial stamp on the first birthday following their death. The United States believes the impact of a person's life cannot be assessed until it has ended and that at least 10 years after death are required to make a fair evaluation. Most historians would agree that this is a sound policy.

How did stamp collecting start?

Shortly after adhesive postage stamps were introduced by Great Britain in 1840, people began collecting them. In 1841, a women even placed an advertisement in the London Times in which she requested help in collecting stamps so that she could paper a bedroom wall.

In what state was the first U.S. post office built?

The first post office was established in 1639 at the home of Richard Fairbanks in Boston, Massachusetts. The first building created to serve as a post office was built in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1683.

How and why did the use of stamps get started?

The use of adhesive postage stamps, as we know them today, began in 1840 with the British postal system and was largely due to the efforts of Sir Rowland Hill. The 1840 stamps were created as a means of abolishing delivery charges based on distance and the number of pages. Weight of letters became the basis for delivery charges and stamps were used to indicate prepayment at a uniform minimum rate of one penny for a ½ ounce letter. Sir Rowland Hill believed lowering the rate would increase postal revenues through increased mail volume. History proved him correct.

In what year did the U.S. start printing stamps of different designs on one sheet? The Christmas issue of 1964 was the first year different designs were printed on the same pane of stamps. Four different stamps featuring holly, mistletoe, poinsettia and a sprig of conifer were issued in panes of 100 stamps, each pane containing 25 blocks of the four different stamps.

Where were the first U.S. airmail stamps used?

The United States began airmail service on May 15, 1918. Special stamps were issued to indicate prepayment of mail carried on the first flights. The first route, flown by Army pilots in Army planes, linked Washington, DC and New York City via Philadelphia, PA. The rate was 24 cents an ounce. This rate included special delivery to the addressee.

What was used before stamps?

Prior to the use of stamps, the person receiving a letter paid the delivery costs. Since rates at the time were very high, many people refused to accept a letter. Thus, the post office often suffered the cost of both delivery and return of the letter. Mainly for this reason, it turned to a means of prepaying postage.

When was the first time that meter stamps were used on mail?

Meters to pay postage were first used in New Zealand in 1904. The first use in the U.S. was on December 10, 1920 at Stamford, Connecticut.

When was Zip codes first used? The Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code -- a five digit number -- began on July 1, 1963. The first number designates the state or area; the next two numbers, the area within that state or area; and the last two digits, the office itself. Mr. ZIP was created to help people remember to use the ZIP code to help the Postal Service move the mail. He was printed on the margins of many U.S. stamps issued between 1964 and 1986.

Who appears most on U.S. stamps?

Since 1847, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington have appeared on more stamps than any other Americans.

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