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Coins - 1964 Mint Set

The 1964 mint set included the new Kennedy half dollar coins, one from Denver and one from Philadelphia. The 1964 mint set included ten coins with six of them containing 90% silver - the two dimes, two quarters and two half dollars.

The ten coins, five from the Philadelphia mint and five from the Denver mint, fit in two pliofilm sleeves inside a white envelope.   

For the 1964 mint set, the US Mint placed the uncirculated coins in a plain white envelope. In the lower left corner, "1964 — U. C." identifies the set. The upper left corner shows the address of the United States Assay Office in San Francisco (the mint).

1964 Mint Set Package

1964 Mint Set of uncirculated coins

The two pliofilm sleeves holding the coins were sandwiched between two pieces of cardstock inside the envelope.

1964 Mint Set Opened showing uncirculated coins and contents

1964 Mint Set Uncirculated Coins

The red edged pliofilm contains the five coins minted in Denver and includes a token printed with red ink identifying the mint. The other pliofilm edged in blue includes the five coins minted in Philadelphia with a blue printed token.

1964 Mint Set obverse images of uncirculated coins

The mint set's pliofilm sleeves hold the uncirculated coins in their individual compartments, but the loose compartments allow the coins to rotate freely.

The coins' reverse images can be readily seen through the clear pliofilm. The tokens identifying the mints have the same printing on the front and the back.

1964 Mint Set reverse images of uncirculated coins

The red printed token in the 1964 mint set identifies that sleeve as "Uncirculated Coins of Denver Mint Distributed by U.S. Mint."

1964 Mint Set red Denver Mint token

Similarly, the blue printed token in the blue edged pliofilm sleeve shows "Uncirculated Coins of Philadelphia Mint Distributed by U.S. Mint."  

1964 Mint Set blue Philadelphia mint token

1964 Mint Set Coins and Metals

The 1964 Mint Set's uncirculated coins contained the following metals:

Penny: 95% copper; 5% zinc
Nickel: 75% copper; 25% nickel
Dime: 90% silver; 10% copper (0.07234 troy ounce of pure silver)
Quarter: 90% silver; 10% copper (0.18084 troy ounce of pure silver)
Half Dollar: 90% silver; 10% silver (0.36169 troy ounce of pure silver)

Each pliofilm sleeve contains 0.61487 troy ounce of pure silver with the total of both sleeves' six 90% silver coins equal to 1.22974 troy ounces of silver.

Click on Mint Set Population to view the contents of the sets through the years. Take a look at the overall Mint Set page to see how the values compare among the sets.

1964 Mint Set Year - News about Coins and the US Mint

(note: the below links to newspapers open in a new window)

White Proposes New US Mint In North Idaho 
Lewiston Morning Tribune - Jan 8, 1964
Representative White of Idaho announced that he would introduce a bill to authorize a new mint in Shoshone County, a silver mining area. The extreme shortage of silver coins in general and silver dollars in particular, White said, "indicates a required need for additional coinage."

Coin Shortage Poses Serious Problem For US Mint 
Lewiston Morning Tribune - Mar 21, 1964
The Director of the US Mint has asked Congress for additional funding to run the mint operations around the clock. The coin shortage is so severe that the mint cannot keep up with their current production schedule. Population growth, coin-operated economy (e.g., vending machines) and coin hoarding, to name a few, contributed to the coin shortage problem.

Stop Coining Silver Dollars, House Solons Instruct US Mint 
Lewiston Morning Tribune - Mar 21, 1964
The House Appropriations Committee directed the US Mint to focus on the minor coins, the penny through the half dollar, for which there is no paper equivalent. The committee refused to approve funds to support the silver dollar production. In addition, the committee suggested the existing silver dollars be melted.

US Mint Discontinues Sale of New Coin Sets 
The Milwaukee Journal - May 8, 1964
After receiving about one million orders since May 1, the US Mint announced they were cutting off orders for the 1964 uncirculated mint sets. The expect the new Kennedy half dollar spurred the demand for the sets. This is the first time the mint has stopped taking orders for mint sets.

Silver Situation a 'Mess' 
Eugene Register-Guard - Sep 15, 1964
At the American Mining Congress, one of Colorado's senators claimed that Americans may soon be melting their silver coins and selling the silver bullion. With the increasing silver price, melting may start soon. As a result, he has suggested that the Treasury mint coins of low silver content in 20, 30 and 70-cent denominations and stockpile large supplies of silver for defense needs.

US Mint Output Rises 
Spring Hope Enterprise - Sep 17, 1964
The mint increased production to yield an annual level of seven billion coins, not quite twice the previous level of 4.3 billion coins. In addition, the mint will be installing 60 additional coinage presses to bring the annual rate to over nine billion. To help prevent coin hoarding, the mint will continue to use dies with "1964" dates after January 1, 1965.

Piggy-Bank Bust Urged by US Mint
Lodi News-Sentinel - Oct 14, 1964
Though the mint is producing 20 million coins per day, the coin shortage will continue through the holiday season. The mint and the American Bankers Association began a nationwide campaign to get the public to turn in their coins.

Silver Dollar's Demise Linked to Coin Shortage 
Spokane Daily Chronicle - Dec 29, 1964
Treasury Department officials announced they have no plans to mint more of the silver dollars, which are in demand in the western states, until the current coin shortage is over. The production of silver dollars is also impacted by the government's reduced silver supply this year. The silver situation has the Treasury looking at reducing the silver content in the circulating coinage or excluding it altogether.

The 1964 Mint Set year included news about the shortage of coins and the changes in silver. 

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