2019 will have Lincoln West Point Cents for the first time, but they won’t be released in circulation like the 2017 Philadelphia cents.
Back in 2017, the US Mint celebrates the 225th Anniversary of the US Mint by adding a ‘P’ mint mark to all of the Philadelphia Lincoln Cents for the first and only time. The thing about these ‘P’ cents is that you don’t have to buy them since they are in circulation.
The First West Point Cents
Before the ‘W’ mint mark appears on any Commemoratives or American Eagle Dollars, West Point actually mint Lincoln Memorial Cents between 1974 and 1986. Like the cents from Philadelphia, the West Point cents back then also have no mint mark. So, there is no way to distinguish which Lincoln Cents are actually from Philadelphia and which are from West Point. If anybody out there knows how to distinguish between the two mints during the 1970s and 1980s, please let us know.
Where Can You Find These 2019 West Point Cents
Like I said earlier, the mint won’t be releasing them in circulation. So, don’t expect to find them in change or in your pockets because they are only going to be in the year’s collector sets.
The 2019 Proof Set will have the Lincoln Cent, Jefferson Nickel, Roosevelt Dime, five America the Beautiful Quarters, Kennedy Half Dollar, and Native American Dollar with the ‘S’ mint mark as they are from San Francisco. Included in this set will be a 2019-W Lincoln Cent in a separate package. Released on March 1, 2019, this would be the first set to include a West Point Set.
Next will be the 2019 Silver Proof Set. Instead of the West Point Cent as a regular proof coin, it will be a reverse proof.
Finally, the 2019 Mint Set will include an uncirculated 2019-W Lincoln Cent.
This means we’ll see three different condition 2019-W Lincoln Cents: Uncirculated, Proof, and Reverse Proof.
This Is Not The First West Point Coin That Has Appeared In A Collector Set
Back in 1996, the US Mint decides to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Roosevelt Dime. So, similar to the Mint Set coming out in 2019, the 1996 Mint Set includes a 1996-W Roosevelt Dime. As a result, the Mint produces 400,000 more Mint Sets in 1996 than in 1995.
Here’s something that may interest you. I looked at my Red Book to see the value of the 1996 Mint Set. There are 1,457,949 Mint Sets in 1996 with a current value of $20. However, in 1997, there are only 950,473 Mint Sets, but they only have a value of $5. That one West Point dime made the 1996 Mint Set worth 300% more than 1997.
Can the three 2019 West Point Cents Do The Same As The 1996 Dime?
I bet you the US Mint is hoping so. In hopes of getting more people interested in collecting coins, they have been trying just about anything to do so. Prior to 2019, they had done the following:
- In 2018, the first Reverse Proof Set is released.
- In 2017, an Enhanced Uncirculated Set comes out.
Mint Sets have seen a sharp decline in mintages. The last time more than 1,000,000 Mint Sets were produced was 2005. In 2016, there were under 300,000 minted. The value of Mint Sets between 2010 and 2016, except for 2012, have gone down since being minted. Will the 2019-W Uncirculated Lincoln Cent help the Mint Set?
Proof Sets have seen declines as well. The last time over 1,000,000 were minted was 2011. In 2016, only 575,000 Proof Sets and 356,000 Silver Proof Sets were minted. Though the value of the regular Proof Sets are about the same or slightly above the original issue price, the Silver Proof Sets have not been so lucky. Maybe a Reverse Proof 2019-W Lincoln Cent will get collectors to buy the Silver Proof Set.
Will You Purchase One, Two, Or All Three 2019 Collector Sets?
I myself haven’t been purchasing the regular yearly Mint or Proof Sets, but 2019 will be an exception. Also, I have the 2018 Reverse Proof Set and 2017 Enhanced Uncirculated Set. Even further, I have the 1996 Mint Set with the 1996-W Roosevelt Dime. I do like reverse proofs which means I’ll have to get the Silver Proof Set for the reverse proof Lincoln Cent. I’ll probably go for all three sets so I can have all of the 2019 West Point cents.
Will you do the same as me and go for all three collector sets? Who knows if West Point will ever mint cents again. After all, it took Philadelphia 225 years to put a ‘P’ on their cents. So, all three 2019 West Point Cents may be worthwhile to include in your collection.