The US Mint in the last two weeks has completed its most hectic schedule of product issues for the year. The few remaining days left in November 2010 are expected to be silent ones for numismatic releases.
Six major coin products were issued since mid-November. The following sections include a brief review of each, their debuting sales figures, and a glimpse at the upcoming United States Mint December 2010 products.
Note: All of the described products may still be purchased directly from the US Mint by accessing its online store at http://www.usmint.gov/, or by calling 1-800-USA-MINT (872-6468).
Mount Hood National Forest Quarter Bags and Rolls
The Mount Hood National Forest Quarter entered circulation on Monday, November 15. On the same day at Noon ET, the US Mint issued Mount Hood Quarter bags and rolls.
These products offer the option to acquire circulating quality coins without having to rely on local resources, like banks, which can be next to impossible in many areas of the country.
100-Coin Bags
Mount Hood 100-coin bags are available for $35.95. For that price, the buyer has the option to purchase a bag filled with quarters that were produced in the Denver or Philadelphia Mint. The downside is that the bag premiums amount to $10.95 each, or 36 cents for every quarter.
According to US Mint debuting sales, collectors purchased 1,543 of the 100-coin Philadelphia bags and 1,465 of the 100-coin Denver bags.
Two-Roll Sets
Mount Hood two-roll quarters sets are available for $32.95. One roll contains 40 quarters from Denver and the other roll includes 40 quarters from Philadelphia. As compared to the bags, the premium for the rolls are higher at $12.95, or 41.2 cents per quarter.
Buyers ordered 7,495 of the two-roll sets according to the opening sales figures published by the US Mint.
While the Mount Hood National Forest Quarters started making their way into circulation on a Monday, the United States Mint and the United States Forest Service ceremonially released the coins two days later, on November 17, 2010. For an overview of their launch, read the CoinNews.net article: Ceremony Introduces Mount Hood Quarter.
Hot Springs Quarters Three-Coin Set
The first of five in the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Three-Coin Set™ series was issued by the US Mint on Wednesday, November 17. The set series is among three new annual coin sets the US Mint first announced back in May 2010 that feature the new America the Beautiful Quarters®.
For the price of $13.95, buyers can purchase the collectible Hot Springs Quarter Three-Coin Set which contains two uncirculated and one proof quarter honoring Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. The coins by mintmark include:
- 2010-P Uncirculated Hot Springs Quarter
- 2010-D Uncirculated Hot Springs Quarter
- 2010-S Proof Hot Springs Quarter
Collectors purchased 10,684 of the Hot Springs Quarters Three-Coin Sets during their first five days of availability.
The remaining four sets featuring quarters honoring Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, and Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon will be issued in early 2011.
As shown in the image, each quarter is enclosed within a plastic display card. The reverse of the card offers information on the quarter series, history of Hot Springs National Park, and a certificate of authenticity signed by U.S. Mint Director Ed Moy. The quarter-dollars themselves are encapsulated much like single proof coin products from the Mint, such as the American Silver Eagle and American Gold Eagle coins.
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Dollar Rolls
On Thursday, November 18, the United States Mint released rolls of Lincoln Presidential Dollars. The new Lincoln $1 coins were also introduced into circulation on the same day through the Federal Reserve banking system.
For a price of $35.95, collectors have an option of selecting $25 coin rolls from either the Philadelphia or Denver Mint. That is a premium of $10.95 per roll, or $1.44 per coin.
The highly anticipated Lincoln dollar enjoyed solid four-day opening sales, with buyers grabbing 34,180 (D) rolls and 33,471 (P) rolls for a total of 67,651. Their four-day sales topped each of the previous 2010 Presidential Dollars all-time sales totals with the exception of the Fillmore Dollar which launched back in February.
The ceremonial release of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Dollar occurred one day later at President Lincoln’s Cottage located on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in northwest Washington, D.C.
"Connecting America through Coins, the United States Mint presents the long-awaited Presidential $1 Coin honoring Abraham Lincoln," said Director Moy at the ceremony, "in the same month that Lincoln won election 150 years ago and became the 16th President of the United States."
The ceremony notably occurred on the 147th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
2010 Proof Silver Eagle Coins
Friday, November 19, was perhaps the most anticipated day this year for many coin collectors. That was when the 2010 Proof Silver Eagle coin was launched.
After the 2009 Proof Silver Eagle was canceled, there was a large degree of pent-up demand for the 2010 Proof Silver Eagle, as debuting sales later confirmed.
Listed for a price of $45.95 and with a household order limit of 100 enforced, buyers flocked to the .999 fine silver proof coins in droves. Opening sales started at 273,212, bringing the Mint more than $12.5 million in sales revenue in three days. The previous one ounce 2008 Proof Silver Eagle had opened at a much slower 185,232.
There have been a few hiccups surrounding the 2010 Proof Silver Eagle coin release. The latest was reported by the US Mint on Wednesday of this week when it said a system glitch caused about 2,200 Proof Silver Eagle order deletions.
2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Circulating Coin Set
Also on Friday, November 19, the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Circulating Coin Set went on sale for a price of $9.95.
The release marked the second of the new annual sets first mentioned above.
The circulating coin set includes standard circulating quarters that would be found in daily change — like Mint roll and bag products, although obviously missing the typical wear and tear such coins can experience.
"This ten-coin set contains the first five America the Beautiful Quarters coins in circulating quality-one of each quarter from the United States Mint facilities at Philadelphia and Denver," describes the US Mint. "The packaging allows the coins to be easily removed and placed into albums or other numismatic accessories."
The $9.95 price represents a premium of $7.45, or 99.5 cents per quarter. While it is the highest of the Mint’s circulating quarter offerings, the product is also the least expensive way to get each of the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters from both Denver and Philadelphia.
The America the Beautiful Quarters Circulating Coin Set registered three-day opening sales of 5,684.
2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Uncirculated Coin Set
On Tuesday, November 23, the United States Mint launched the 2010 America the Beautiful Quarters Uncirculated Coin Set for a price of $21.95.
It is the final of three new annual sets that was mentioned above.
This set includes 10 collector uncirculated 2010 quarters, with five each from Denver and Philadelphia.
The quarter-dollars are not like the circulating quarters found in rolls, bags, or pocket change. Struck specifically for collectors, they feature a special satin finish.
December 2010 Coin Products
The following table lists the remaining numismatic products the US Mint currently has scheduled for this year.
| Schedule | Product Description |
| 12/02 | Mary Todd Lincoln First Spouse Gold Coins |
| 12/02 | Mary Todd Lincoln Bronze Medal |
| 12/23 | Lincoln Presidential Dollar and First Spouse Medal Set |
| 12/30 | Abraham Lincoln $1 Coin Cover |
While not designed for collectors as they are classified as bullion products, also still awaiting release this year are the America the Beautiful Silver Bullion Coins. These coins feature the same designs as the America the Beautiful Quarters, but are much larger in size (three inches in diameter) and are composed of five ounces of .999 fine silver. This year’s coins include:
- Hot Springs National Park Silver Coin
- Yellowstone National Park Silver Coin
- Yosemite National Park Silver Coin
- Grand Canyon National Park Silver Coin
- Mount Hood National Forest Silver Coin
The Mint has not announced actual release dates for the bullion coins. The authorization law dictates that they must be issued this year, however. As each is a bullion product, they will not be sold directly by the Mint but instead through its network of Authorized Purchasers just like the bullion American Eagle and American Buffalo products are distributed.