The U.S. Mint is working double-time to give collectors the longest possible order period for the new San Francisco Old Mint commemorative $5 gold piece and silver dollar.
Even though the order period was slated to open Aug. 15, as this issue was being put together six days before, the Mint had not yet decided on issue prices.
However, the ordering options were known. Collectors will be able to order the two coins individually as proofs and uncirculated pieces. There are no two-coin or four-coin sets as in past programs, presumably dropped to hasten the start of the sales period.
One set that will be offered is the 2006 American Legacy Collection. It will include a proof Old Mint dollar as well as a proof Founding Father Benjamin Franklin silver dollar. Since the Franklin program sellout in January, the hobby has awaited this set to get a crack at the remaining 50,000 Franklin proofs. In addition to the two commemoratives, the set includes proof examples of all denominations, cent through Sacagawea dollar.
There will be an order limit of 100 individual coins per sales option per household and a limit of 10 Legacy sets per household.
Shipping will not begin until December because the coins were only signed into law June 15 by President George Bush. Check the Mint Web site for details at www.usmint.gov, or phone (800) USA-MINT.
