The trend of weaker sales continues for United States Mint clad and silver proofs sets. The agency recently stopped selling its pair of flagship sets for 2016 and, according to the latest Mint figures; they ended at milestone low levels.
A few years back, it was often cheaper to buy proof sets after the U.S. Mint stopped selling them. More are now holding their values in the secondary market. Some mintage low sets are actually commanding exceptional premiums.
2016 Proof Set
The clad 2016 Proof Set launched on April 1, 2016 for $31.95. Coins in the set include the year’s cent, nickel, dime, five quarters, half-dollar, and $1 coins with each struck at the San Francisco Mint to proof quality.
Last reported sales have the clad set at 595,184 for the lowest total since the 1955 Proof Set ended at 378,200.
The 2015-dated set previously held that distinction at 662,934; preceded by the set from 2014 at 680,977; and then before it the set from 2012 at 794,002. The set from 2015 is realizing prices ranging from around $31 to $39. You can find 2014 Proof Sets that have recently sold from $28 to $37. The set from 2012, which failed to breach the mintage milestone of 1 million for the first time in decades, continues to score the best prices by realizing from $82 to $105.
2008 – 2016 Proof Set Mintages
| Year | Issue Price | Coins | Issue Date | Ending Sales / Mintage |
| 2016 Set | $31.95 | 13 | April 1, 2016 | 595,184 |
| 2015 Set | $32.95 | 14 | Mar. 24, 2015 | 662,934 |
| 2014 Set | $31.95 | 14 | Mar. 25, 2014 | 680,977 |
| 2013 Set | $31.95 | 14 | Mar. 28, 2013 | 802,460 |
| 2012 Set | $31.95 | 14 | May 7, 2012 | 794,002 |
| 2011 Set | $31.95 | 14 | Jan. 11, 2011 | 1,098,835 |
| 2010 Set | $31.95 | 14 | July 22, 2010 | 1,103,815 |
| 2009 Set | $29.95 | 18 | June 1, 2009 | 1,482,502 |
| 2008 Set | $26.95 | 14 | June 24, 2008 | 1,405,674 |
2016 Silver Proof Set
The 2016 Silver Proof Set launched on April 18, 2016 for $52.95. Like in the regular clad set, the silver set has San Francisco Mint-struck proofs of the year’s cent, nickel, dime, five quarters, half-dollar, and $1 coins. Adding to its appeal, seven of the coins — the half-dollar, five quarters and dime — are in 90% silver.
Last reported sales have the silver set at 369,849. Introduced in 1992 as an annual product, no other silver proof set has a lower mintage.
The 2015-dated set had held the mintage low distinction at 387,460; and before it the set from 2012 at 395,443. Sets from 2015 are selling from $50 to $75. Those from 2012 are moving for around $175 to $200.
2008 – 2016 Silver Proof Set Mintages
| Year | Issue Price | Coins | Issue Date | Ending Sales / Mintage |
| 2016 Set | $52.95 | 13 | April 18, 2016 | 369,849 |
| 2015 Set | $53.95 | 14 | May 14, 2015 | 387,460 |
| 2014 Set | $53.95 | 14 | April 29, 2014 | 404,665 |
| 2013 Set | $67.95 | 14 | May 2, 2013 | 419,720 |
| 2012 Set | $67.95 | 14 | June 4, 2012 | 395,443 |
| 2011 Set | $67.95 | 14 | Jan. 25, 2011 | 574,175 |
| 2010 Set | $56.95 | 14 | Aug. 26, 2010 | 585,401 |
| 2009 Set | $52.95 | 18 | July 17, 2009 | 697,365 |
| 2008 Set | $44.95 | 14 | Aug. 26, 2008 | 763,887 |
2017 Set Sales
United States Mint figures as of June 25, 2017 have sales of the clad 2017 Proof Set at 292,156 and those of the 2017 Silver Proof Set at 196,304. The silver set just debuted on June 7 while the clad set has been around since March 29.
The above 2016- and 2017-dated sales are unaudited figures from the United States Mint. The other years show mintages from Whitman’s third edition of MEGA RED, the expanded deluxe version of its Red Book®.
