Coins - 1998 Mint
Set
The 1998 mint set was the last to contain only ten uncirculated coins, five from Denver and five from
Philadelphia, along with the two mint mark tokens, one from each mint. Two Mylar sleeves
held each mint's five uncirculated coins and mint mark token. the coins included the Kennedy
half dollar, Washington quarter, Roosevelt dime, Jefferson nickel and Lincoln penny.
On a pale purple background, the front of the 1998 mint set envelope included the obverse images of the
five coins on the left and a single quarter obverse in the lower right. Bold letters announced, "From the
United States Mint... The 1998 Uncirculated Coin Set" in the upper middle of the envelope. Across the
bottom, the US Mint alert collectors to the upcoming state quarter coins with the teaser, "This collector's set
includes two 1998 Washington Quarter Dollars. This is the last time the heraldic eagle reverse will appear until at
least 2009."
1998 Mint Set Package
For the 1998 mint set, the coin specifications were listed on the back of the envelope unlike the plain envelope
back of earlier years.
The 1998 mint set consisted of the two Mylar sleeves holding the uncirculated coins and mint mark
tokens, an informational insert with the US Mint's message and a separate card to make it easy to order
more of the 1998 mint sets.
1998 Mint Set Uncirculated Coins
Remaining consistent with their colors, the red-edged Mylar sleeve on the left contains the
uncirculated coins minted in Denver with the "D" mint mark token. The blue edged sleeve on the right with
its "P" mint mark token holds the five uncirculated coins from the Philadelphia mint.
One of the six compartments in the red-edged sleeve holds the Denver mint mark
token with "Uncirculated" and "Denver" around its edge with a large "D" in the middle.
The blue-edged sleeve holds a similar mint mark token for Philadelphia with "Uncirculated" and
"Philadelphia" circling its edge and a large "P" in the middle.
The six sealed separately spaces in each Mylar sleeve protect the
five uncirculated coins and the mint mark token from each other and from fingerprints. Each space is larger
than the coin it holds which allows each coin to rotate freely within its cell in the Mylar sleeve.
From the back, the reverse images of the uncirculated coins can be seen through the clear
Mylar protection.
Though unique on their obverse, the mint mark tokens have the same reverse image of the US Mint's
Treasury Department seal.
1998 Mint Set Insert and Certificate of Authenticity
The informational insert in the 1998 mint set is the same size as those in earlier sets, but the format is
vertical rather than horizontal. The front of the insert celebrates the last issue of the Washington Quarter Dollar
coin with the heraldic eagle reverse.
Inside the 1998 mint set's insert, the US Mint provided information for collectors about the coins and
about the US Mint operations.
On the back of the 1998 mint set insert, bullet points provided additional facts about coins and
coin collecting.
In 1998, the coin specifications were printed on the back of the mint set envelope allowing more
information to be included on the insert. Below "Specifications," the chart contains the coins'
characteristics which include the artists, the size, the metals and the weight of the five
uncirculated coins in the mint set.
The US Mint continued their practice of adding a separate card inside the 1998 mint
set for ordering additional sets easily. (Note: this card is no longer valid, but it helps cushion the
coins in the envelope.)
The opposite side of the reorder form suggests the collector order more mint sets for friends and
family and includes the instructions for completing and sending the order to obtain more of the 1998 mint
sets.
Larger images of the 1998 mint set insert show
the contents of the insert and the coin specifications with more detail.
1998 Mint Set Coins and Metals
The coins of the 1998 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.
1998 Mint Set Year - News about Coins and the US Mint
(note: the below links to newspapers open in a new window)
Mint in Phila. cited for illegal emissions
Reading Eagle - Jan 27, 1998
After inspectors reviewed the Philadelphia mint, the federal Environmental Protection Agency cited the US Mint for
violating Clean Air Act regulations. Several violations were identified. One stated the Mint did not properly test
and monitor discharges of chromium which is used in the coining process to add longevity to the coins. The EPA set
the fines at $129,400.
Coin honors black patriots
The Albany Herald - Feb 26, 1998
The 5000 black Americans who fought in the Revolutionary War will be honored with a commemorative silver dollar
with the portrait of Crispus Attucks on the obverse. Attucks was the first person killed by the British soldiers
during the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770. Surcharges from the sale of the coins will be applied to a Black
Patriots Memorial in Washington, DC if an equivalent amount of private funds are obtained.
Woman's face will grace new US dollar coin - but whose will it be?
Kingman Daily Miner - Jun 7, 1998
Legislation was signed by President Clinton in December to mint a new dollar coin. The coin must be similar in size
to the Anthony dollar, be gold-colored, have a distinctive edge and depict an American eagle on the reverse. Some
suggest Eleanor Roosevelt or the Statue of Liberty should be on the obverse. But, the Director of the Mint says
that his mail suggests Sacajawea repopularized by the Ken Burns PBS documentary.
Sacajawea on new coin? No way says lawmaker
The Rochester Sentinel - Jul 28, 1998
Representative Castle, head of the House Banking subcommittee, submitted legislation to make the design on the new
gold-colored dollar coin be the Statue of Liberty. He doesn't object to Sacajawea, instead he thinks the Statue of
Liberty is the most universal symbol of the country. He's pushing the legislation forward before the House recesses
next month.
US Mint seeking comments on dollar's Sacajawea design
Lawrence Journal-World - Dec 7, 1998
The US Mint provided pictures of six designs for the front and seven for the back and asked the American public to
respond with which they prefer. The Mint plans to present the top three choices for each to the Fine Arts
Commission which meets on December 17, 1998. The designs were also placed on the Mint's web site for viewing.
Sacagawea carrying baby is one of three finalists for dollar coin
The Daily Gazette - Dec 18, 1998
The field of designs for the new gold-dollar has been narrowed to three, all of which are by Santa Fe, New Mexico
artist Glenna Goodacre. One is a left facing portrait. The other two are similar with Sacagawea looking back over
her right shoulder. The difference is in one she carries her baby on her back. Though some disagree with the
description of Sacagawea as a guide, her great-great-granddaughter reminds us that being from a nomadic people,
Sacagawea had been over a lot of the area the expedition explored.
The 1998 Mint Set Year included news of a new dollar coin design controversy, a Black
Revolutionary Patriots commemorative coin and US Mint emission violations.
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