1992-1998 US Silver Proof Sets

1992-1998 US Silver Proof Sets signified the introduction of a new annual series from the United States Mint. These products are still being issued yearly, although the packaging and coin contents have changed since their debut.

Found in each Silver Proof Set are proof quality examples of the circulating coinage issued that year struck at the United States Mint’s facility in San Francisco. These sets are differentiated from standard annual proof sets by the fact that some of the coins in the set are composed of 90% silver.

Since the introduction of the set, the precious metal coins included have been the dimes, quarters and half dollars. These strikes correspond to American coinage of the past like (those seen in earlier US Mint Sets) as circulating denominations that were routinely struck from silver. That is, at least up through 1964, after which those denominations changed to base metal compositions.

The 1992-1998 US Silver Proof Sets each contained a total of five coins struck to the aforementioned proof quality. Coins of the set were encased in a hard plastic lens with the three silver coins totaling 0.61487 ounces of the precious metal.

Brief information about each of the five coins included in the 1992-1998 US Silver Proof Sets is offered below:

Lincoln Cent

Lincoln Cents date back to 1909 when the US Mint first issued them as part of a centennial celebration of the birth of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Since then, his portrait, by Victor David Brenner, has graced the obverse of the cent coin. The reverse was changed in 1959 to include the Lincoln Memorial.

Jefferson Nickel

Jefferson Nickels replaced the previous Buffalo (or Indian Head) Nickels in 1938. Shown on the obverse of each coin is a portrait of the third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson as designed by Felix Schlag. The reverse of the nickels contain an image of Monticello, Jefferson’s home, also by Schlag.

Roosevelt Dime – 0.07234 oz. total silver

1946 marked the introduction of the Roosevelt Dime just months after the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. His portrait, by John R. Sinnock, graces the obverse of the coin while an image of an oak branch, an olive branch and a torch (also by Sinnock) are found on the reverse.

Washington Quarter – 0.18084 oz. total silver weight

Washington Quarters were first issued in 1932 along with other bicentennial celebrations of the birth of the first President of the United States, George Washington. A portrait of Washington by John Flanagan graces the obverse of each coin. Shown on the reverse is another Flanagan design of an eagle with outstretched wings.

Kennedy Half Dollar – 0.36169 oz. total silver weight

Kennedy Half Dollars were introduced in 1964 following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. His portrait, by Gilroy Roberts, is found on the obverse of the coin. The reverse contains a modified Presidential Seal design by Frank Gasparro.

1992-1998 US Silver Proof Set Specifications