Coins - 2005 Mint
Set
The 2005 mint set included two more Westward Journey nickels in celebration of the 200th anniversary
of the second year of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The 2005 mint set contained 22 uncirculated coins -
11 coins from Denver and 11 from Philadelphia.
Two envelopes in the 2005 mint set each held one of the following coins: the penny, "Ocean in View"
nickel, "American Bison" nickel, dime, half dollar, dollar and the five state quarter coins.
The US Mint continued their practice of using a predominantly red envelope for the Denver minted coins and a
blue envelope for the coins struck in Philadelphia. Within each envelope, two Mylar sleeves held the coins. One
sleeve held the five state quarters while the other held the penny, two nickels, dime, half dollar and dollar
uncirculated coins.
For the 2005 mint set, the US Mint placed images of two 1800s era ladies making changes to the nation's flag.
Both envelopes used the same image, and the image was red-toned for Denver and blue for Philadelphia.
In addition, the front of each envelope includes "2005," "United States Mint," and "Uncirculated Coin
Set." The 50 State Quarters logo displays on the lower left of each envelope.
2005 Mint Set Package
Very similar to the recent years' mint sets, the backs of the envelopes in the 2005
mint set reflected the colors associated with each mint - red for Denver and blue for Philadelphia. The US Mint's
web site address on each envelope's flap shows in white against the red or blue.
Like the previous year, the US Mint included only one insert for the Certificate of
Authenticity in the Philadelphia envelope. In each envelope, two Mylar sleeves held the held the uncirculated
coins.
In the red envelope for the Denver minted coins, the US Mint continued their colors for the Mylar edges with the
regular uncirculated coins in the red-edged sleeve and the state quarters in the black-edged sleeve.
In the blue Philadelphia envelope of the 2005 mint set, the regular uncirculated coins were in dark
blue-edged Mylar and the uncirculated state quarters in the white-edged Mylar.
2005 Mint Set Uncirculated Coins
From the obverse (heads) view, the two Mylar sleeves in the 2005 mint set for the Denver minted
coins include the red-edge for the penny, two Westward Journey nickels, dime, half dollar and dollar
uncirculated coins. The black-edged Mylar sleeve contained the sixth set of five uncirculated state
quarters.
For Philadelphia, the dark blue-edged Mylar held the dollar, half dollar, two nickels, penny and dime
uncirculated coins. The white-edged sleeve contained the five uncirculated, Philadelphia-minted state quarters.
The separately sealed spaces in each Mylar sleeve protect the uncirculated
coins from each other and from fingerprints. Each space, larger than the coin it holds, allows the
uncirculated coins to move freely while protected.
From the back, the reverse images of the uncirculated coins can be seen through their clear
Mylar protection.
The red-edged and black-edged sleeves contain the Denver uncirculated coins.
Similarly, the reverse of the Philadelphia minted uncirculated coins show in their dark
blue-edged and white-edged sleeves.
2005 Mint Set Insert and Certificate of Authenticity
Earlier years contained two inserts that included the same content except for "Denver" vs. "Philadelphia."
The 2005 mint set held just one insert in the Philadelphia envelope.
The US Mint continued using their simple design for the 2005 Mint Set's Certificate of
Authenticity with charcoal gray printing on a white background.
The top of the insert discusses the coins included in the 2005 mint set and describes Westward
Journey nickels and the seventh year of the 50 state quarters program.
The coin specifications for the state quarters show on the bottom.
The back of the insert in the 2005 mint set shows the coin specifications of the cent,
two nickels, dime, half dollar and dollar uncirculated coins.
Larger images of the 2005 mint set
insert show the contents of the insert and the coin specifications with more detail.
2005 Mint Set Coins and Metals
The coins of the 2005 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
Dollar: manganese-brass clad, 88.5% copper, 6% zinc, 3.5% manganese, 2% 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.
2005 Mint Set Year - News about Coins and the US Mint
(note: the below links to newspapers open in a new window)
US Mint vexed by fake coin
The Spokesman-Review - January 12, 2005
The US Mint wants to crack down on unscrupulous people selling fake commemorative coins. Mint officials stated they
will seek the authority to impose stiff fines on scam artists who are bilking the public by selling coins that have
been painted or otherwise altered as official commemorative coins.
Wisconsin's flawed coins spur frenzy
Deseret News - February 9, 2005
WASHINGTON — That quarter jingling in your pocket could be worth a lot more than 25 cents. An unknown number of
Wisconsin quarters that went into circulation late last year as part of the 10-year, 50-state quarter program
contain flaws, sparking a frenzy among coin collectors and other treasure hunters that has not been seen for many
years.
Mint to make new gold coin with higher gold content
USA Today - April 19, 2005
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Mint announced on Tuesday it will begin producing a new 24-karat gold bullion coin early
next year, hoping to capitalize on growing international demand for purer gold coins. The Mint already produces the
22-karat American Eagle gold bullion coin, and Mint officials estimate the potential global market for 24-karat
gold coins at $2.4 billion annually.
US House approves gold dollar coin
Toledo Blade - April 27, 2005
The House approved a new gold-colored coin bearing the faces of the presidents to join the unpopular $1 Sacagawea
coin in circulation. The hope is the new design will spur the use of dollar coins.
Mint honors Marines with commemorative silver dollar
USA Today - May 25, 2005
The U.S. Mint unveiled a new coin to honor the 230th anniversary of the founding of the Marine Corps — the first
time the government has struck a commemorative coin to salute a branch of the military.
New Oregon quarter not your average 2 bits
Eugene Register-Guard - June 15, 2005
The Oregon commemorative quarter, with an image of Crater Lake on one side, is to be introduced today amid official
hoopla in Portland. The Oregon quarter will be the 33rd since the US Mint began producing the state commemorative
coins in the past six years.
Idaho's governor seeks ideas for coin
The Spokesman-Review - July 28, 2005
Governor Dirk Kempthorne called for suggested designs for Idaho's state quarter but wouldn't say whether silver,
songbirds or even spuds might be favored. Commenting that earlier state quarter designs look like a committee did
it, he stated, "Simplicity is going to carry the day."
US Mint seizes woman's $8m double eagle gold coins
August 26, 2005
As a coin dealer's daughter, Joan Langbord thought she knew exactly where to take her late father's collection of
rare gold pieces for a valuation - the United States mint that pressed them in 1933. But an extraordinary legal
battle is flaring up over the future of the 10 Double Eagle coins after mint officials promptly seized them and
placed them in the secure vaults of Fort Knox.
Truck spills load of $800,000 in quarters
USA Today - September 14, 2005
HAMMONDVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A truck carrying tons of quarters caught fire Tuesday and spilled most of them on a
highway, where workers used heavy equipment, shovels and buckets to scoop up the singed coins.
Discussions of new coins and new coin designs was just some of the coin news during the 2005 Mint
Set Year.
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