Coins - 1992 Mint
Set
The 1992 mint set does not identify the year of the set except for on each of the five coins shown on the front
of the light tan envelope. Inside, the mint set contains ten uncirculated coins and two mint tokens in two separate
sealed sleeves. The uncirculated coins, one each from Denver and from Philadelphia, include the Kennedy half
dollar, Washington quarter, Roosevelt dime, Jefferson nickel and Lincoln penny in the 1992 annual mint set.
On the left front of the 1992 mint set, images of the two mint tokens and the five coins are
grouped in a cluster. Just to the right of center, a black and white Treasury Department seal shows the origin of
the coins. On the right side of the front, the mint set is identified by "The United States
Mint Uncirculated Coin Set" with smaller letters showing "with D And P Mint Marks." Since
"1992" is not in the title of the set, the date is easiest to find by looking at the bottom of the Kennedy half
dollar.
1992 Mint Set Package
The back of the mint set envelope shows a plain, pale tan surface with no additional identification or
text.
The contents of the 1992 mint set package included the ten uncirculated coins and two mint tokens equally
distributed in two clear sleeves, an insert providing information about the set and a reorder form on a
separate red and white card.
1992 Mint Set Uncirculated Coins
The five uncirculated coins and one mint token in the red-edged sleeve on the left came from the Denver mint.
The blue-edged sleeve on the right holds the five uncirculated coins and the mint token from the Philadelphia
mint.
The Denver mint token in the red-edged pliofilm shows "Uncirculated" and "Denver" around the
rim with "D" in the middle on the obverse.
Likewise, the other sleeve holds a mint token with "Uncirculated," "Philadelphia" and a
"P" in the middle to identify the Philadelphia minted coins.
To hold the coins and mint tokens, each clear sleeve is separated into six sealed
compartments. The individual compartments protect the coins from scratching each other but
allow them to rotate freely.
To view the reverse images of the coins, the sleeves are clear on the opposite side as well.
Both of the identifying tokens have the same reverse image which includes the US Mint seal as
part of the Treasury Department.
1992 Mint Set Insert and Certificate of Authenticity
The insert placed inside the 1992 mint set looks similar to the outer envelope in color but the title and coin
images are organized differently. On the right, images of the coins and mint tokens emphasize the contents of the
mint set. On the left, the insert is titled "The United States Mint 1992 Uncirculated Coin Set" where
they do include the year in the identifying text.
Inside the insert in the 1992 mint set, the US Mint celebrated their 200th anniversary by describing the history
of the mint including pictures of the early Philadelphia and Denver mint buildings. They also recognized the mints,
such as Dahlonega, which are no longer in operation. Finally, they note which locations are active US Mint sites
today.
Not to forget the actual mint set, they include pictures of the two sleeves - one from Philadelphia and one from
Denver - along with identifying images of the five coins.
The back of the folded insert shows the "Specifications — 1992 U.S.
Mint Uncirculated Coin Set" which includes the artists, the size, the metals and the weight of
the five uncirculated coins in the mint set.
To increase sales and make it easy to order more 1992 mint sets, a reorder form on a separate
card was included with the coins in the mint set. (Note: this card is no longer valid, but it helps
cushion the coins in the envelope.)
The opposite side of the card advises how to complete the order form and where to
send the form and the payment for the mint sets.
Larger images of the 1992 mint set insert show
the contents of the insert and the coin specifications with more detail.
1992 Mint Set Coins and Metals
The coins of the 1992 Mint Set contained the following metals:
Penny: copper-plated zinc, 2.5% copper; 97.5% zinc
Nickel: 25% nickel; 75% copper
Dime: 91.67% copper; 8.33% nickel
Quarter: 91.67% copper; 8.33% nickel
Half Dollar: 91.67% copper; 8.33% nickel
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 mint
set values compare among the sets across the years.
1992 Mint Set Year - News about Coins and the US Mint
(note: the below links to newspapers open in a new window)
House rejects plan to redesign coins
The Times-News - Feb 20, 1992
Though the Senate had passed the measure to redesign the nation's circulating coins - at least the reverse images -
the House defeated the proposal by a vote of 241-172. One representative claimed, "What's wrong with the current
designs? They represent the stability and continuity of our nation." Another viewed the issue differently,
"Worrying about how our nation's money looks, rather than how strong our money is, opens this House up to charges
of wasting time instead of dealing with our economic woes."
US Mint celebrates 200 years
Reading Eagle - Apr 3, 1992
The first mint in 1792 struck coins one at a time where the agile coin maker had to tug on the press and quickly
jump out of the way. It took eight years from 1792 to 1800 to strike one million coins. Now, the Philadelphia mint
produces one million coins in 20 minutes with 11 coins per second falling from the modern presses. Both the old and
the new presses were on display as the mint celebrated its 200th anniversary.
Entrepreneurs producing cards in expensive precious metals
The Vindicator - May 10, 1992
The makers of sports cards are upping the premiums for some of their cards by making them out of precious metals.
But, it also appears the US Mint used a 1991 Fleers bubble gum card for the design of the 1992 Olympic
commemorative silver dollar. Krause Publications noticed the likeness between the card and the coin even to the
wrinkles on the uniform. But, in this case, the US Mint did not knowingly copy the card as the design
was chosen out of more than 1000 submitted works of art.
US coins stuck in iconographic time warp Deseret
News - Jun 28, 1992
According to a 1988 survey, 88% of people do not know who is portrayed on the front of the dime. Others cannot
identify the who is on the front or what is on the back of the other pocket change coins without looking. When
government officials are asked why the coins are not updated since most of the designs are over 25 years old, the
official answer is that people don't want the coins changed.
Printing more money wouldn't bail us out
The Milwaukee Sentinel - Jun 11, 1992
Abigail Van Buren, Dear Abby, answered a reader's question about why the US Mint doesn't make more money to pay off
the government's debts and help people. Dear Abby enlisted the US Treasury Department to help her provide an
answer. Basically, the amount of money needs to be tied to the economic activity of the country otherwise rampant
inflation would occur. Dear Abby used Germany of the 1920s as an example where they printed money which crippled
the country and allowed Hitler's rise to power.
Congress uses collectors as a way of earning income
The Vindicator - Jul 5, 1992
Congress characterizes coin collectors as greedy, yet they do not hesitate to approve commemorative coins in order
for those same coin collectors to help fund their special projects. For example, the White House commemorative
silver dollar containing $3.16 of silver will be priced at $35. Congress also approved Bill of Rights, World Cup
and Christopher Columbus commemorative coins. Congress hasn't recognized that too many coins will reduce sales
across the board.
'American Eagle' migrates to Canada during production
Reading Eagle - Sep 1, 1992
Congress agreed to produce US Gold coins in 1985 to compete with the South African kruggerand and other gold
bullion coins. The act required the American coins to be produced from newly mined US gold. Just recently, however,
the US Mint chose a Canadian company as the lowest bidder to make the gold blanks. The US Mint ships the American
gold to the Ontario business which melts the gold and forms it into rounds. The blank rounds are shipped to the US
Mint which presses the blanks to produce the American Eagle Gold Bullion coins.
The 1992 Mint Set Year included news of the US Mint's celebration of its 200 years in
service.
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