Community Voice Responses (June 6, 2017)

From the May 12 Numismatic News E-Newsletter:

Should the cent, nickel and dollar coins in the silver proof set be made of silver?

Here are some answers sent from our e-newsletter readers to Editor Dave Harper.

Not exactly. The dollar coin, yes; the cent and nickel, no. The Mint should change the name of the silver proof set to the premium proof set and make the coins out of the metals that most people associate with each denomination, i.e. copper for the cent, nickel for the nickel and silver for everything else. To make a silver proof set where not all of the coins are silver is a misnomer, but to make all of the coins out of silver including coins that are not normally associated with silver doesn’t make sense either.

Peter Glassman
Schaumburg, Ill.

I think the cent should remain as is, as well as the nickel. Silver for all others in the set.

James Floyd
Aledo, Texas

I mainly collect British coins and notes, but if you call it a silver proof coin set it, should be silver? Clue is in the title.

Charlie Barr
Glasgow, U.K.

No. That would make three more varieties to collect each year and it would give the Mint an excuse to raise their profit (prices). Of course storage material, Dansco, Whitman, Capital and the others would be a year or two behind updating the albums, pages and plastic.

It would also add to the stuff to sell to unsuspecting or no-knowledge people looking to make a buck.

Example, the uncirculated “S” ATB quarters introduced with El Yunque in 2012 need to be stored somewhere. Anyone see Dansco or Whitman incorporate it into ATB albums like Dansco 8146 or 8147?

Ken Felty
Yuma, Ariz.

Absolutely! For at least one year.

David Light
Fredericksburg, Va.

Yes they should be made of silver like the other coins in the set. I’m not sure why they never were other than the Mint did not want to have to create special processes to make those coins in silver.

Ernesto Aguilar
North Hollywood, Calif.

Now that would be a marvelous idea since it’s called the silver proof set.

Michael McLoughlin
Stuttgart, Germany

I would like to see the dollar proof made in silver for the sets. The cent and nickel can remain in their current composite materials as far as I’m concerned.

Thomas Dick
Perrysburg, Ohio

Only the dollar coin.

Delmer Sanburg, Jr.
Los Angeles, Calif.

With the current designs never having been originally made from silver, except the Jefferson nickel in WWII, I would leave this concept alone and say no.

But … if I wanted any of the three to have been made in silver, I would’ve liked to have seen a replication of the Jefferson nickel in the same wartime composition and design (complete with the “S” on the reverse) as a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of its first appearance. That would be neat.

Ross Hubbard
Naples, Fla.

As for silver composite for all coins, it’s just a way to generate more income for the sets. This also goes for the rest of the pipeline as well. If there are those who wish it, go for it. After all, I, for one, like to keep costs in line.

Gary Kess
Berkel en Rodenrijs, Netherlands

A cent made today out of silver is probably worth less in buying power than that denomination in the period of the earliest cent and would be an abomination, so I say no since such it just adds more coins(?) to the junk that the Mint sells these days.

Name withheld

I think having all the coins in a set made of silver would really enhance that set. In fact, I believe that each coin in a set of coins should be made of silver. That would include all the coins in the set, cent to dollar, sold only in sets of course. This should be done for all sets. Whether they are five quarters or 18 different coins, all sets should be made of silver.

This is just my opinion and of course I realize that it would most likely cost more, but I think they would sell better to collectors and investors.

Bob D. Allen
Address withheld

I would like to see the cent and nickel and dollar in silver in the silver proof set. This would increase the collector interest in the set, in my opinion.

Barry Benjamin
Address withheld

Yes, it would be very interesting to see all the coins in the set in blazing silver color, provided the Mint doesn’t overprice the set.

Lee Banks
Address withheld

Probably, if they are going to call it a silver set.

William Johnston
Address withheld

Yes, if it sells as silver, make them silver. If not, sell as proof set only, not proof set with some silver.

Debra Hubert
Address withheld

Maybe the dollar, but not the cent and nickel. But then I am an old-timer, so what do the younger folks, who are not tied to the older compositions, think?

Lorne LaVertu
Address withheld

Yes. I purchased the Canadian Proof set in 2012 when they minted their last cent, and the whole set was in silver. The set was pricey, but I thought it was worth it. If the U.S. Mint did it, I’m sure it would up the price, but it would be unique and worth it depending on how high they raise the price.

Name withheld

No. The cent, five cents and small dollars were never intended to be silver for use in circulation. The war nickels used silver out of necessity at the time.

So why all silver for the sets? I’m sure this would be a stumbling block for the kids. We want more youngsters to join the collecting community, right?

Gerber Richard
Address withheld