The United States Mint has started accepting orders for the first circulating quality coins to bear the “S” mint mark in more than 30 years. Earlier today sales opened for numismatic bags and rolls of the 2012-S El Yunque National Forest Quarters. This will be followed by similar offerings for the remaining four designs for this year’s America the Beautiful Quarters.
In earlier comments, the Mint indicated that they were looking for a new numismatic products with an “S” mint mark. The America the Beautiful Quarters program was selected since it would also have the benefit of bringing additional visibility to the program. Since 2010, five quarters have been issued per year which feature a different national park or site. Although mintages have been small, circulating quality versions struck at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, bearing the “D” and “P” mint marks, have been released for general circulation.
For the time being, the US Mint has produced an initial quantity of 1.4 million of the “S” mint marked quarters for each of the five 2012 America the Beautiful Quarters. Since the coins will be minted to demand, additional production may take place later during the calendar year. It has not yet been determined whether the production of circulating quality quarters bearing the “S” mint mark will continue in subsequent years.
Products for the 2012-S El Yunque National Forest Quarters included 100-coin bags priced at $34.95 and 40-coin rolls priced at $18.95. Each product comes in special packaging which indicates the site name, state abbreviation, face value, and mint mark.
There are no household ordering limits or maximum production limits in place. The US Mint plans to have the products remain available for one year from the original release date. For orders or additional information visit http://catalog.usmint.gov/
>> The US Mint plans to have the products remain available for one year from the original release date.
How is this possible? I thought that 2012 coins could only be produced in 2012. If the coins are minted to demand, wouldn’t the mint need to know what that demand is by the end of 2012?
Based on my understanding of the law, that is correct- the US Mint cannot mint coins dated 2012 after the close of the 2012 calendar year.
Presumably, they will forecast demand for the duration of the offering and make sure to strike enough to fulfill this demand before the close of the year.
The same “one year from original release date” also applies to the P and D numismatic bags and rolls.
Only a month after the US Mint released the Mint Set of 14 coins, they release the 5 additional ‘S’ Mint Quarters. It does not surprise me that the mint did not plan ahead on this and create a 19 coin US Mint Uncirculated set including the ‘S’ Mint coins. Is my 2012 US Mint Uncirculated Set incomplete?