“To Be Determined.” Those initials, TBD, have taken over the United States Mint’s production schedule during this difficult time. Release dates are up in the air and no one knows what will happen as we continue to weather this storm. But, as it is looking right now, there are two specific dates on their schedule that have not changed and are still on track to release the product. One of those is the 2020 Silver Proof Set in Original Government Packaging.
Set for April 17th, the annual set is looking to mimic last year’s set that included a “bonus” coin. As we have already encountered with the 2020 Clad Proof Set that included an extra Proof Jefferson nickel with the ‘W’ mintmark representing West Point, we are now looking at a Reverse Proof Jefferson nickel with the same ‘W’ on the obverse, making it the second in the special edition coins released from the Mint this year in an annual set.
The 2020 Silver Proof Set, struck in .999 fine silver for just the second year since the Silver Proof Set’s inception, will feature seven Silver Proof coins (10 total coins) encapsulated in two plastic clear lenses for displayability and protection. Of those 10 coins, five (of the last six) quarters in the America the Beautiful Quarters Program will be included featuring the following designs:
- National Park of American Samoa (American Samoa)
- Weir Farm National Historic Site (Connecticut)
- Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (Virgin Islands)
- Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (Vermont)
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (Kansas)
It will also feature this year’s Native American $1 Coin that depicts the portrait of advocate Elizabeth Peratrovich who was imperative in the passage of the 1945 Anti-Discrimination Law in the Alaskan territorial legislature. In addition, the 10-coin set will have the Kennedy Half dollar and the Roosevelt dime struck in .999 fine silver as well as the San Francisco minted Jefferson nickel and the Lincoln cent.
The ‘bonus” coin in the set will be a Reverse Proof Jefferson nickel coin with a ‘W’ mintmark on the obverse representing the West Point Mint. It will be complementary to the set and be packaged in clear United States Mint plastic wrap and then placed inside an envelope. Last year’s extra penny had its fair share of packaging issues and the Mint has taken that into account this year. Next to follow will be the special edition West Point minted Uncirculated Jefferson nickel in the Uncirculated Mint Set. It is unclear at this time when its release date will be.
According to the Mint at this time, the current product limit for the 2020 Silver Proof Set is set for 190,960 (current inventory) with additional units to be produced if needed.
