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Are United States Proof Sets Worth It?

February 25, 2025
Proof Sets

Proof Sets are one of the sets that the US Mint produce each year. Proof sets today have a frosty or cameo detail and the surface looks mirror like. They have been like that since the late 1970s. The Mint produces proof coins since the 1800s. Many of them are frosty like the ones today, but only a limited amount are out each year. Proof coins from 1908 to 1916 have a matte finish which have a sandblast surface instead of mirror like.

Proof Sets Beginnings

The US Mint produces the first Proof Sets in 1936 at Philadelphia. They include the 5 coins at the time: Lincoln Cent, Buffalo Nickel, Mercury Dime, Washington Quarter and Walking Liberty Half Dollar. They seal them in cellophane and place them in a box or envelope. The price for them back then is $1.89 and only 3,837 are released. Today, the 1936 Set is worth as much as $6,500. Nice, huh?

The Mint continues producing Proof Sets up to 1942. Jefferson Nickels replace the Buffalo Nickel in 1938. Some 1942 Proof Sets include the Silver Wartime Nickel which come out later in the year. Fewer of the Proof Sets back then have the frosty or cameo details like the ones today. So, the cameo proofs are more profitable than the ones with all mirror like detail.

Second Coming of the Proof Sets

1950 sees the return of the Proof Set. Now, they include the Roosevelt Dime instead of the Mercury Dime and the Franklin Half Dollar instead of the Walking Liberty. The price for these increase to $2.10. The mintage will increase yearly, from 51,000 in 1950 to over 1,000,000 in 1957. Like the earlier sets, these also have more mirror like detail than cameo.

Philadelphia continues producing Proof Sets until 1964 with the Kennedy Half Dollar replacing the Franklin Half Dollar. From 1965 to 1967, the Mint produces Special Mint Sets in place of the Proof Sets, but instead of the mirror like finish, these coins have a more satin polish.

From Philadelphia to San Francisco

In 1968, San Francisco starts minting Proof Coins and Sets. Now, the price for each set is $5.00. The Eisenhower Dollar enters the Proof Set in 1973 and the price increases once again to $7.00. There are no 1975 Proof Sets in order to work on Bicentennial Proofs. 1976 Proof Set includes the Bicentennial Quarter, Half Dollar and Dollar coins. 1976 also include a special Bicentennial Set which contain the quarter, half dollar, and dollar with 40% silver. 1979 to 1981 replaces the Eisenhower Dollar with the Susan B. Anthony Dollar. 1982 returns to the 5 coin set.

Prestige Sets

Starting in 1983, the Mint releases a Prestige Set as well as a Proof Set. The Prestige Set have the cent through half dollar as well as one or two commemorative coins which increase the price. The following is a list of commemoratives they include in the Prestige Set:

  • 1983 – Olympic Dollar
  • 1984 – Olympic Dollar
  • 1985 – No Prestige Sets
  • 1986 – Statue of Liberty Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1987 – Constitution Dollar
  • 1988 – Olympic Dollar
  • 1989 – Congressional Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1990 – Eisenhower Dollar
  • 1991 – Mount Rushmore Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1992 – Olympic Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1993 – Bill of Rights Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1994 – World Cup Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1995 – Civil War Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1996 – Olympic Half Dollar and Dollar
  • 1997 – Botanic Dollar

Return To Silver

Starting in 1992, the Mint releases a regular Set as well as a Silver Set where the Roosevelt Dime, Washington Quarter, and Kennedy Half Dollar were 90% silver. There will also be Silver Premier Sets from 1992 to 1998 which are in different packaging to display the coins.

More Quarters Added To Proof Sets

When the Statehood Quarters begin in 1999, there will be 3 different Proof Sets: regular Set with 9 coins including 5 State Quarters, a set with just the 5 State Quarters, and a Silver Set with 9 coins.

Dollars Return To The Proof Set

The Sacagawea Dollar is added in 2000 and is still included today, now known as Native American Dollars. 2007 introduces the Presidential Dollar to the Proof Sets up until 2016. As well as the regular and silver Proof Sets, a Presidential Dollar Set comes out.

Proof Sets continue today as well as specials sets like the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Cents, America the Beautiful and Women Quarters, and Innovation Dollars.

Proof Set Values

So are Proof Sets worth purchasing? For a gift or just collecting them, then yes. However, if you are looking to make a profit, that’s a tough call. Proof Sets between 1936 to 1955 are worth between $100 and a few thousand dollars. Sets between 1956 to 1964 can go between $30 and $40. That’s the good news.

A 1968 Set is only worth $8, a small profit from its original price of $5. If you do have a 1968 Set, look closely at the Roosevelt Dime. If it doesn’t have an “S” mint mark, it can be worth $15,000. Quite an improvement from $8. There are other Proof Sets where certain coins are missing the mint mark and the price increases including 1970, 1971, 1975, 1983, and 1990.

To give you a personal example, I purchased all 3 1999 Proof Sets from the US Mint. Let’s see if I made a profit or loss on them based on the 2018 Red Book:

  • 1999 Proof Set
    • Purchase Price; $19.95
    • 2018 Red Book Value: $10.00
    • Loss of 50%
  • 1999 State Quarters Set
    • Purchase Price; $13.95
    • 2018 Red Book Value: $4.00
    • Loss of 71%
  • 1999 Silver Proof Set
    • Purchase Price; $31.95
    • 2018 Red Book Value: $115.00
    • Profit of 260%

As you can see, I take a loss on the regular Set and State Quarters set, but make a profit on the silver proofs. I’m guessing because this is the first year that the State Quarters come out, even though the non-silver set takes a significant loss.

Do you have any Proof Sets? They are nice to look at and make a nice gift for a friend or child, but in terms of making a profit on them, that’s a tough call.

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