1965-1967 Special US Mint Set

1965-1967 Special US Mint Sets were issued to fulfill a demand by collectors for a numismatic product containing examples of the circulating coins released those years. The need for such a set arose from the fact that the US Mint, beginning in 1965, opted to cancel both the proof sets and the standard mint sets that it had been issuing in previous years.

A complete cancellation of annual sets would not last long, however, as the Mint began striking these Special US Mint Sets in 1966, but initially with a backdate of 1965. As demand was filled for the 1965-dated sets, production continued on 1966-dated products.

These special sets contained coins struck at the US Mint’s facility in San Francisco. A mintmark is not present on any of the coins as the US Mint did not strike them on any circulating coin issued during the three years.

Packaging varied during the three year run with the coins of the 1965 Special US Mint Set individually sealed in pockets on a plastic sheet. This changed for the 1966-1967 sets which were constructed of hard plastic which encased the coins.

These Special US Mint Sets also appeared at a time of changing coin compositions. Previous to these releases, the dime, quarter and half dollar coins were all struck from 90% silver. However, beginning in 1965, the dime and quarter would change to a clad composition with the half dollar decreasing in silver content to 40%.

The 1965-1967 Special US Mint Sets contained a total of five coins. A brief description of each is shown below:

Lincoln Cent

Lincoln Cents have been issued since 1909 and contain an obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln by Victor David Brenner. The reverse was changed in 1959 to contain a likeness of the Lincoln Memorial located in Washington, D.C. with a design by Frank Gasparro.

Jefferson Nickel

1938 marked the first year a Jefferson Nickel was issued and strikes of this set contained the same basic obverse and reverse imagery as that original release. This included an obverse portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Felix Schlag. The reverse, also by Schlag, shows the home of Jefferson, Monticello.

Roosevelt Dime

Roosevelt Dimes started appearing in 1946, the year following the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Shown on the obverse of the dime is a portrait of Roosevelt by John R. Sinnock who also created the reverse image of an oak branch, an olive branch and a torch.

Washington Quarter

Celebrating the bicentennial of the birth of the first President of the United States, the Washington Quarters first appeared in 1932. Shown on the obverse is a portrait of George Washington with the reverse depicting an eagle with its wings outstretched. Both were the work of John Flanagan.

Kennedy Half Dollar – 0.14790 oz total silver weight

Kennedy Half Dollars were relatively new to US coinage when these Special US Mint Sets were issued. The coin made its debut in 1964 and contained an obverse portrait of John F. Kennedy by Gilroy Roberts. The reverse shows a modified Presidential Seal design by Frank Gasparro.

1965-1967 Special US Mint Set Specifications