Lincoln Chronicles & Coin Proof Set
2009 has been an exciting year in coin collecting, thanks in large part to the 4 different Lincoln cents honoring the bicentennial of the 16th president's birth. The 2009 Abraham Lincoln commemorative silver dollar has also made the headlines.
Now, the U.S. Mint is combining these 5 different Lincoln coins in a beautiful set called the Lincoln Chronicles proof set.
The new Lincoln Chronicles proof set is being released at noon Eastern time on October 15, 2009.
The Lincoln Chronicles proof set will be sold for $55.95.
However, the demand for this set may be verging on extreme. Only 50,000 sets will be issued. There is a limit of just 1 per household.
By the way, the first issue of individual Lincoln silver dollars, struck in the hundreds of thousands, sold out in just weeks. They have increased in value since.
Indeed, if you are going to try and get your hands on one of these Lincoln Chronicles proof sets, you are going to face some pretty stiff competition from fellow coin buyers and numismatists!
Coins In The Lincoln Chronicles Proof Set
Five different San Francisco ("S"-mint) coins will be included in the Lincoln Chronicles proof set. They are:
- Lincoln Birth Place Cent
- Lincoln Formative Years Cent
- Lincoln Professional Life Cent
- Lincoln Presidency Cent
- Lincoln Commemorative Silver Dollar
Also in the Lincoln Chronicles proof set is a reproduction of a photograph of Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address, handwritten by the president himself.
The Coins' Metal Composition
The 2009 proof Lincoln cents are a throwback to an earlier time.
They actually are made from the same metal composition as the first Lincoln cents made in 1909: 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc.
The 2009 Lincoln commemorative dollar is 90% silver. This is the same composition, by the way, as the big silver dollars of the late 19th and early 20th century.
Will This Proof Set Become Rare?
While the Lincoln Chronicles proof set will likely sell out very quickly -- and it may increase in value after all have been sold by the mint -- it will not be a "rare" product, in the sense that 50,000 will be made.
It will, however, be a high-in-demand set, especially for the first year or two. This interest will probably cause a rush to the phones (1-800-USA-MINT) and Internet sites to place orders from the U.S. Mint during mid- and late-October.
For those who could not get a chance to order the Lincoln Chronicles proof set directly from the mint, it is very possible that there will be fervent bidding on eBay for this proof set.
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