Proof Coins in Circulation

[J.A. Collection]

In my quest to collect one of each coin for each year and mint, I came across an odd one today. I requested 4 rolls of nickels and out of those nickels were 55 1950-1980 nickels and 1 1970-S.

 

Question - how many people have come across "S" coins in circulation?

[BillJones]

That 1970-S nickel is not a Proof coin. In the late 1960s and early '70s the San Francisco mint produced business strike coins for circulation. In 1970 the San Francisco mint made almost 239 million business strike nickels in addition to 2.6 million Proofs.

 

Oddly enough I have seen Proof in circulation. Last summer at piza store in Orlando I got a Proof quarter in change. I knew what it was as soon as the lady pulled it out of the till to hand it to me.

[physics-fan3.14]

That coin is not proof. It wasn't until the mid 70's that San Francisco exclusively made proof coins. For example, the SF made business strike nickels up through 1970, and cents through 1974. These coins are quite common, and easy to find in circulation.

[J.A. Collection]

Roger that - Thanks everyone!

[Coindude]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

[Bugmann1974]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

 

It was '68.

[Coindude]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

It was '68.

Na, I still remember pulling 74-S pennies from circulation. Maybe you misunderstood me, but in 75 San Francisco made only proof coins, or I believe they did.

[physics-fan3.14]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

It was '68.

Na, I still remember pulling 74-S pennies from circulation. Maybe you misunderstood me, but in 75 San Francisco made only proof coins, or I believe they did.

 

You are both right - starting in 1968, San Fran made all the proofs. Starting in 1975, all San Fran made was proofs.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I've pulled a handful of proof coins out of circulation, and even more out of silver junk boxes. Even though the impaired moderns aren't worth anything, it's hard to pass them up.

[L1ncolnF4n]

I've pulled an 84-S cent out of circulation...stood out like a sore thumb at a whopping PR-35BN.

 

At Heritage, there are more than a few proofs in our silver (junk) bags...most of them (post 54) are worth their melt value only.

[J.A. Collection]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

It was '68.

Na, I still remember pulling 74-S pennies from circulation. Maybe you misunderstood me, but in 75 San Francisco made only proof coins, or I believe they did.

 

You are both right - starting in 1968, San Fran made all the proofs. Starting in 1975, all San Fran made was proofs.

 

The mints at Philadelphia (no mintmark until 1980), Denver (mintmark 'D') and San Francisco ('S') each coined Jefferson Nickels from 1938 onward. Mintmarks appeared to the right of Monticello through 1964, when their use was suspended due to a nationwide coin shortage. Mintmarks were restored beginning in 1968, though since that date they have been placed beneath the date, to the right of Jefferson's peruke. San Francisco suspended coining operations after 1954, but Jeffersons bearing the popular 'S' mintmark were again made for circulation in 1968, 1969 and 1970. Beginning in 1971 and continuing to the present day, San Francisco has struck only proof examples for collectors.

 

http://www.coinresource.com/guide/photograde/pg_05cJeffersonNickel.htm

 

 

[WoodenJefferson]

Well danged if I didn't have to google "peruke"

 

Peruke was a 16th century term for hair on the head,

the term false peruke being applied to a wig. Later,

the term peruke was applied to a wig in general,

and from peruke developed the term periwig which

in turn developed into wig.

[J.A. Collection]

Well danged if I didn't have to google "peruke"

 

Peruke was a 16th century term for hair on the head,

the term false peruke being applied to a wig. Later,

the term peruke was applied to a wig in general,

and from peruke developed the term periwig which

in turn developed into wig.

 

Wow. The random things we learn here.

[L1ncolnF4n]

Well danged if I didn't have to google "peruke"

 

Peruke was a 16th century term for hair on the head,

the term false peruke being applied to a wig. Later,

the term peruke was applied to a wig in general,

and from peruke developed the term periwig which

in turn developed into wig.

 

Wow. The random things we learn here.

 

I'm so going to find a use for this word.

[coinman_23885]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

It was '68.

Na, I still remember pulling 74-S pennies from circulation. Maybe you misunderstood me, but in 75 San Francisco made only proof coins, or I believe they did.

 

Your statement was ambiguous. 1968 is the first year that all proof coins were made in San Francisco. I believe is that 1974 is the last year that the San Francisco Mint produced coins for general circulation (and that was the cent).

[coinman_23885]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

It was '68.

Na, I still remember pulling 74-S pennies from circulation. Maybe you misunderstood me, but in 75 San Francisco made only proof coins, or I believe they did.

 

You are both right - starting in 1968, San Fran made all the proofs. Starting in 1975, all San Fran made was proofs.

 

The mints at Philadelphia (no mintmark until 1980), Denver (mintmark 'D') and San Francisco ('S') each coined Jefferson Nickels from 1938 onward. Mintmarks appeared to the right of Monticello through 1964, when their use was suspended due to a nationwide coin shortage. Mintmarks were restored beginning in 1968, though since that date they have been placed beneath the date, to the right of Jefferson's peruke. San Francisco suspended coining operations after 1954, but Jeffersons bearing the popular 'S' mintmark were again made for circulation in 1968, 1969 and 1970. Beginning in 1971 and continuing to the present day, San Francisco has struck only proof examples for collectors.

 

http://www.coinresource.com/guide/photograde/pg_05cJeffersonNickel.htm

 

 

That is likely referring only to one series (e.g. Jefferson Nickels). See other post.

[noow]

I think 75 was the first year of S mint only proof?

It was '68.

Na, I still remember pulling 74-S pennies from circulation. Maybe you misunderstood me, but in 75 San Francisco made only proof coins, or I believe they did.

 

You are both right - starting in 1968, San Fran made all the proofs. Starting in 1975, all San Fran made was proofs.

 

The mints at Philadelphia (no mintmark until 1980), Denver (mintmark 'D') and San Francisco ('S') each coined Jefferson Nickels from 1938 onward. Mintmarks appeared to the right of Monticello through 1964, when their use was suspended due to a nationwide coin shortage. Mintmarks were restored beginning in 1968, though since that date they have been placed beneath the date, to the right of Jefferson's peruke. San Francisco suspended coining operations after 1954, but Jeffersons bearing the popular 'S' mintmark were again made for circulation in 1968, 1969 and 1970. Beginning in 1971 and continuing to the present day, San Francisco has struck only proof examples for collectors.

 

http://www.coinresource.com/guide/photograde/pg_05cJeffersonNickel.htm

 

 

That is likely referring only to one series (e.g. Jefferson Nickels). See other post.

 

That's true.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I've pulled an 84-S cent out of circulation...stood out like a sore thumb at a whopping PR-35BN.

 

At Heritage, there are more than a few proofs in our silver (junk) bags...most of them (post 54) are worth their melt value only.

 

I would happily buy any and all 90% proof silver for melt.

 

[L1ncolnF4n]

I've pulled an 84-S cent out of circulation...stood out like a sore thumb at a whopping PR-35BN.

 

At Heritage, there are more than a few proofs in our silver (junk) bags...most of them (post 54) are worth their melt value only.

 

I would happily buy any and all 90% proof silver for melt.

 

 

We don't really separate it. The premiums on the coins are so low now that we just leave them in the bags. It's too time consuming to pull all of them. I'd venture to guess that in any bag of franklins we've got about 40+ proofs and about the same in quarter and dime bags. There are some nicer coins, but many have contact marks from being in the bags for a while.

[shirohniichan]

In the late 1970s found a 1972-S proof quarter and a 1974-S proof cent in change, but it's been over 25 years with no such luck since.