U.S. Mint Uncirculated Coin Set
The 1981 Mint Set (Buy on eBay) has been viewed as a key issue since its initial release. The set contains three coins, which were not issued for circulation, but only struck for inclusion within the sets. Similar situations would occur on a few other occasions and each of these sets carries a certain mystique.
After the Susan B. Anthony Dollar failed to circulate with any degree of success, production was stopped in 1980 with more than enough coins remaining in storage to handle the minimal public demand. For what was long considered the final year of the series, the 1981 Susan B. Anthony Dollar was struck only for inclusion within the 1981 Mint Set. Eighteen years later, the series would reprise within one final issue.
Collectors ordered the set heavily, resulting in a final mintage of nearly 3 million. This was despite the fact that the U.S. Mint had increased the price of the set by $2.00 from the prior year, despite the fact that the set had the same number of coins and the same face value.
Besides the noted dollar coins, each set included circulation strike coins from the Philadelphia and Denver Mints for the Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, Washington Quarter, and Kennedy Half Dollar. These were packaged in cellophane packs within a plain white envelope.
Following the 1981 Mint Set, the U.S. Mint didn’t issue an annual Mint Set for two years. According to articles from CoinWeek.com and CoinWorld.com, the lack of Mint Sets in 1982 and 1983 was the result of government budget cuts. The U.S. Mint initially intended the 1981 Mint Set to be the last Uncirculated Coin Set; however, production of the annual Mint Set resumed in 1984.
1981 Mint Set Information
- Coins per Set: 13
- Face Value: $4.82
- Original Issue Price: $11.00
- Mintage: 2,908,145
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