This week the United States Mint called sellouts for the clad 2012 Proof Set and the 2012 Silver Proof Set. Both sets moved to the "No Longer Available" section of the U.S. Mint’s website and have the words "Sold Out" placed beside them.
Based on latest available sales figures as of Dec. 31, 2012, the silver set at 393,757 has the lowest sales total since the set of 90% silver coins debuted in 1992. The clad set at 789,782 has the lowest sales total since the set from 1956.
Coin News Update: The final sales totals were updated to 395,443 for the 2013 Silver Proof Set and 794,002 for the clad 2013 Proof Set.
There sellouts are a surprise in the sense that their sales windows were shorter than in previous years. The clad 2012 Proof Set debuted on May 7, 2012 at $31.95 while the 2012 Silver Proof Set launched on June 4, 2012 at $67.95. Flash back to the previous year and both sets debuted at the same prices but in January 2011, and then their last day of sale was pre-announced by the U.S. Mint and that happened only on Monday, Dec. 31, 2012.
Demand has retreated in recent years for these core annual sets, as is clear from glancing through the following two tables that offer the latest U.S. Mint sales figures for recent year issues.
Sales of Clad 2008 – 2012 Proof Sets
| Issue Price | Coins | Issue Date | Debut Sales Date | Debut Sales | Latest Sales | |
| 2012 Set | $31.95 | 14 | May 7, 2012 | May 14, 2012 | 243,494 | 794,002 |
| 2011 Set | $31.95 | 14 | Jan. 11, 2011 | Jan. 16, 2011 | 253,144 | 1,098,835 |
| 2010 Set | $31.95 | 14 | July 22, 2010 | July 25, 2010 | 296,379 | 1,103,950 |
| 2009 Set | $29.95 | 18 | June 1, 2009 | June 7, 2009 | 437,178 | 1,477,967 |
| 2008 Set | $26.95 | 14 | June 24, 2008 | July 6, 2008 | 424,402 | 1,405,674 |
Sales of 2008 – 2012 Silver Proof Sets
| Year | Issue Price | Coins | Issue Date | Debut Sales Date | Debut Sales | Latest Sales |
| 2012 Set | $67.95 | 14 | June 4, 2012 | June 11, 2012 | 189,628 | 395,443 |
| 2011 Set | $67.95 | 14 | Jan. 25, 2011 | Jan. 30, 2011 | 209,367 | 574,175 |
| 2010 Set | $56.95 | 14 | Aug. 26, 2010 | Aug. 29, 2010 | 241,656 | 585,414 |
| 2009 Set | $52.95 | 18 | July 17, 2009 | July 19, 2010 | 271,372 | 694,406 |
| 2008 Set | $44.95 | 14 | Aug. 26, 2008 | Aug. 31, 2010 | 292,004 | 774,874 |
Coins in Clad 2012 Proof Set and 2012 Silver Proof Set
Each of the sets has the same denominated coins and each proof coin comes from the U.S. Mint facility in San Francisco with a denoting "S" mint mark. Broken out, both sets contain:
- (1) 2012-S Kennedy half-dollar
- (5) 2012-S America the Beautiful Quarters featuring El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, Acadia National Park in Maine, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska
- (1) 2012-S Roosevelt dime
- (4) 2012-S Presidential Dollars that honor Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland (twice), and Benjamin Harrison
- (1) 2012-S Native American $1 Coin whose reverse is emblematic of Trade Routes in the 17th Century
- (1) 2012-S Jefferson nickel
- (1) 2012-S Lincoln cent
The Silver Proof Set differs from the clad Proof Set in that all the America the Beautiful Quarters, the Roosevelt dime and the Kennedy half-dollar are in 90% silver with the remaining balance copper.
Same Coins in Other US Mint Products
Collectors caught sleeping may still order most of the coins in each set through different U.S. Mint products. The hole or blank spots will be for the proof 2012 Native American $1 Coin and proof 2012 Presidential $1 Coins. The individual proof Presidential $1 set sold out in mid-December.
2012 quarters in clad and in 90% silver remain available through the America the Beautiful Quarters Proof Set for $14.95 and the America the Beautiful Quarters Silver Proof Set for $41.95.
Clad 50-cent pieces, dimes, nickels and pennies are within 2012 Birth Sets for $19.95 each. Finally, 50-cent pieces, quarters and dimes in 90% silver, along with a proof American Silver Eagle, are within the Limited Edition Silver Proof Set for $149.95.
2013-Dates Releases
Expected U.S. Mint release dates for this year’s 2013-dated sets are known. The 2013 Proof Set debuts on March 28, 2013 while the month of May is the release month for the 2013 Silver Proof Set.
